Meet today’s renegades
Introducing the Fearey team, an eclectic group of discerning journalists, political pundits, engaging storytellers, and digital ninjas. We pride ourselves in our fearless approach to creating positive change. Our diverse group brings together a wide range of specialized
talents and tools to tackle the most complex PR challenges. From healthcare to non-profits, real estate to sports—meet the people helping to amplify your authentic story.
Aaron Blank
CEO & President
When Aaron accepted a role as a Fearey senior account executive in 2005, he had little idea that he was stepping onto a path that would lead to ownership of one of the region’s most iconic public relations firms.
Since taking over as Fearey’s CEO and president in 2014, Aaron has led the firm through continuous double-digital annual growth, and solidified the firm’s reputation as a creative communications pioneer. When the City of Seattle secured its first NHL team in decades, local leaders turned to Aaron to help steer the rollout. When a construction disaster brought despair to one of the city’s most familiar streets, he was enlisted to help bring clarity to the confusion.
Named to the “40 under 40” list by the Puget Sound Business Journal and PR Week, Aaron is committed to making a lasting impact throughout the region and beyond. He is involved with The ArtsFund and Children’s Hopechest, and served as the second-youngest president of the Public Relations Global Network, an organization with 54 offices on six continents.
Aaron is a firm believer in the “never eat alone” mentality, with one lonely exception: breakfast. If anyone would like to join him at 4:30am, they’re more than welcome.
Lacey Yantis
Strategic Advisor
Lacey serves as a strategic advisor to the executive team at Fearey. She offers strategic guidance on every aspect of the business to ensure that it is operating at optimal efficiency. On a daily basis she is often found developing new initiatives and programs to the betterment of the company. Throughout the last five years, she has been executing on these new programs and helping place foundational elements in place to see it to completion. Some of these new programs include the firm’s bi-annual marketing event called Fearey Unplugged as well as the team’s greeting card program. Lacey is an entrepreneur in her own right having pursued a number of different careers during the past two decades — everything from wedding photography to real estate. Shortly after completing graduate school, Lacey worked in the hospital setting helping to create and implement programming for families in pediatric oncology and the NICU. As a fun anecdote, Lacey is also a NCAA accredited referee for the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association.
JACQUE GAIRRETT
Senior Vice President
Jacque’s publicity career began in New York City where she worked with a variety of A-list nonprofit, health care, tech and consumer clients focused on everything from HIV/AIDS and breast cancer, to climate change and global health, to education, children and families.
At Fearey, Jacque oversees the agency’s health care and nonprofit practice, and is well-known for her creative media storytelling and thought leadership efforts, helping clients get published nationally.
A native Oregonian, Jacque now calls Montana home and spends her free time working on her house, traversing the outdoors and testing out new recipes in her kitchen.
REGAN SHEEHY
Executive Vice President
With more than two decades of leadership in the field of communications, Regan Sheehy is a visionary known for her strategic thinking, creative storytelling, and executive coaching. As Executive Vice President, Regan plays a critical role in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency by ensuring seamless collaboration across all departments and optimizing team performance. In addition to driving Fearey’s organizational success, Regan supports business development, crisis response and issues management work, and strategic client initiatives.
Regan has served in senior leadership roles across a range of consumer brands including 14 years with the Xbox team at Microsoft, where she directed communications for Xbox Game Studios and the Minecraft franchise, among others. Prior to Microsoft, she led communications for the Washington Wine Commission, promoting the state’s award-winning wines, vineyards, and wine tourism destinations. Regan’s career began at Edelman where she managed publicity campaigns for national consumer clients, storied Seattle institutions and civic projects including the Museum of Pop Culture, Lumen Field, and the architecturally stunning Seattle Central Library.
Trained as a professional coach, she is working to attain her International Coaching Federation certification. Regan also co-chairs the corporate advisory committee for the Children’s Tumor Foundation where she leads fundraising and advocacy efforts for the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis. She lives in Edmonds, Wash. with her three children and dog, Gertie.
CHRISTINE NETTLES
Director, Administration & Finance
To say that Christine wears a lot of hats at Fearey is to say that Phil Knight wears a lot of shoes. Whether the day calls for a human resources specialist, an IT expert, or an operations strategist, hers is among the first phones to ring.
Christine has been the engine behind Fearey’s smooth legal, financial, and personnel operations for more than 23 years.
When not saving the day at Fearey, Christine is likely creating magic in the kitchen, taking road trips to Colorado, or planning her next global adventure.
JESSE REHM
VP, Creative Director
Jesse is a Seattle native who has spent the last 17 years living throughout the country. As Fearey’s first in-house Creative Director, she is bringing extensive knowledge of creative design and brand strategy to each account. She has experience working on digital brand strategy, loyalty marketing, and building creative for clients like Dunkin’, The Home Depot, Verizon and Alaska Airlines.
When the work day is done, Jesse spends time with her family outside as much as possible. Biking, skiing, camping – anything for some fresh air.
ROCHELLE HERNANDEZ
Executive Assistant
Rochelle’s analytical and technical mind has served executives in both the legal and business realms for years.
Since joining the Fearey team, her wide-ranging knowledge and expertise have empowered and multiplied the capacity of the team on a daily basis.
A Coloradan through and through, Rochelle is rarely indoors. Most weekends find her absorbing the sights and sounds of the Red Rock Amphitheatre, cruising down alpine slides in the Rocky Mountains, or hiking one of the state’s 17,099 majestic trails. Those in possession of tips about the latest donut haunts are encouraged to get in touch.
KATE WARGO
Digital Marketing and Social Media Manager
Moving from the East Coast to Seattle, Kate Wargo brings over 8 years of expertise in social media and digital marketing. With a diverse background including higher education, the performing arts, and non-profits, she is dedicated to showcasing brands’ values through effective marketing.
Kate is passionate about leveraging data to measure outcomes, inform strategy, and drive meaningful change.
Beyond her digital endeavors, you’ll catch Kate strolling with her dog, Neptune, or exploring the wonders of the Pacific Northwest.
EMI HASHISAKI
Director
Following more than ten years of service to some of San Francisco’s most influential public health, transportation, and environmental leaders, Emi brought her public relations, marketing, advertising, and branding expertise home to Seattle, where she serves clients with strong regional ties.
Emi specializes in applying integrated communication strategies to help clients address challenges both large and small.
When away from the office, Emi invests her free time on North Seattle’s running paths, before community pottery wheels, and among the Pacific Northwest’s majestic mountains, hiking trails, campsites, beaches, and airports.
JILL WIGGINS
Vice President
Jill leads the Community Marketing effort for Fearey, which supports our region’s largest employer in their efforts to be a community partner, resource provider, and coalition builder across the company’s South Lake Union headquarters in Seattle and beyond. It’s a role that perfectly suits this senior leader who has worked to build relationships, reputation, and revenue across the fields of sports, events, and broadcast media throughout her career.
A Southern California native, Jill has called the Pacific Northwest home for more than 20 years. She left commuting on the 110 Freeway, spending time at SouthBay beaches, and going to USC football games for urban living in Greenlake, listening to live music, and wearing her USC gear at Husky football games.
KYLE WALL
Vice President
A veteran of the New York City publicity and communications circuit, Kyle comes to Fearey following 7 years of music- and technology-focused PR in the city that never sleeps. His career has included a variety of eclectic brands including Mixcloud, Bandsintown, 7digital, and Music & Memory, as well as artists including Kenny Chesney, Chicago, Dr. John, and The Polyphonic Spree.
At Fearey, Kyle leads a variety of accounts with a passion for uncovering new narratives that can cut through the noise and novel ways to position clients through unique campaigns.
A native of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton, Pennsylvania, he spends his spare time writing, recording, producing and releasing his own music as Wharfer. Kyle is a diehard Green Bay Packers fan — and a reluctant supporter of the New York Knicks.
CAROLYN GARRIS
Administrative Assistant
Carolyn is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in marketing working for various financial institutions. Her career has included working for the nation’s largest mortgage lender and most recently leading the marketing team for a PNW regional mortgage company. At Fearey, Carolyn rounds out the admin team using her project management and organization skills.
A Southern California native, Carolyn enjoys family time, gardening, and cooking but will drop everything to head to the beach.
Kelly Potts
Account Supervisor
Kelly comes to Fearey with 10 years of PR experience, with a niche in media relations and helping clients build strong relationships with key media. She has worked in-house and at agencies, servicing a wide variety of local businesses and nationally recognized brands in consumer, tech, and business industries. Additionally, she single-handedly led the media campaign and subsequent crisis communications for a national retail data firm that broke the baby formula shortage news in 2022.
When she is away from her email, she calls Arizona home and spends her time catching up with friends over brunch, snuggling her two rescue pups, searching for the perfect latte, or soaking up the sun.
HANNAH BRADACH
Social Media Strategist
Based in Nevada, Hannah brings a passion for helping brands connect with consumers online through social media. Her experience includes over five years of content creation, strategic execution, and community management in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, cleaning, investing, mining, construction, healthcare, home design, and more.
When her Fearey hat comes off Hannah spends her time giving treats to her dogs, watching spooky movies & shows (year round), and trying not to kill her latest house plant.
MIDORI HOBBS
Senior Community Marketing Manager
Midori comes to Fearey with over a decade of experience in the community outreach, events and live entertainment. Midori spent 10 years working for the U.S. military as a government employee and contractor overseas, and most recently 3 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. She brings her passion for community engagement to the Community Marketing team, which supports our region’s largest employer to continue developing, expanding and amplifying South Lake Union as an 18-hour district to live, work and play.
Born and raised in Okinawa, Japan as a third culture kid, Midori has family ties to the Pacific Northwest and now calls Seattle home. When she’s not jetting off on adventurous travels abroad, you can find Midori attending a variety of live shows and events any given day of the week.
Sami Marshall
Senior Community Marketing Manager
Sami joins Fearey with over 10 years of experience in the marketing world with a diverse background which includes production, video editing, event planning, writing & communications, and digital & content marketing. In her role at Fearey, she will be representing the east coast as she works with the Seattle region’s largest employer as they expand headquarters into Arlington, VA and build out relationships between community stakeholders, employees, residents, retailers, and more. As a theatre and creative writing major, Sami brings her joy of storytelling and interconnection to every role she takes.
Sami hails from her hometown of Charlottesville, in central-southern Virginia. She spends her free time with her husband, Tyler, son, Finn, and dog, Della grilling outside, hitting their favorite Northern Virginia hot spots, and seeing as many concerts as their babysitter will allow.
Chelsea Miller
Senior Community Marketing Manager
A Puget Sound native and proud Washington State University alum, Chelsea joined Fearey after spending nearly 8 years in radio. As part of the Community Marketing team, she works with our region’s largest employer to provide neighborhood stakeholders, residents and visitors opportunities to engage and enjoy South Lake Union, and ensure it continues to be a vibrant, fun and thriving destination.
Chelsea is passionate about being the “Cool Aunt” to her five nieces and nephews, traveling with her friends, or taking in a Mariners game or spur of the moment concert. You can find her most days walking around South Lake Union with an oat milk latte in hand.
Mitch Leland
Senior Digital Designer
Coming to us all the way from the Twin Cities, Mitch Leland brings his digital and social media design savvy to Fearey. Mitch has over 3 years of working on an in-house creative team prior to joining Fearey and but loves for the variety of work the agency life has to offer.
Mitch is passionate about seeing a project from all angles and ensuring a cohesive brand message through design.
When he’s not busy pushing pixels, you can find him scouring vintage stores for his next piece of bizarre art, roaming around a plant store to find something to add to his ever-growing (50+) houseplant collection, or picking up yet another crafty hobby.
MEGAN REEVES
Community Marketing Coordinator
Megan comes from four years of marketing and brand management for a local Seattle company where she helped launch new product lines and coordinate celebrity or retail partnerships. Prior to that, she spent two years with a PR company supporting events and educational programs for organizations in King County. She graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and minor in Urban Ecological Design, fostering a passion for placemaking and community building. She brings this passion into her work with Community Marketing in the South Lake Union neighborhood.
In her spare time, Megan enjoys taking her dog on hikes, camping with friends, and exploring Washington beaches.
EMILEE KYLE
Community Marketing Manager
Emilee comes to Fearey from Revere, a Daniel J. Edelman company, where she worked in b2b technology PR for startup and enterprise tech companies. She helped shape narratives and get attention on major news and announcements as part of high tech campaigns. Prior to Revere, Emilee worked at boutique marketing and public relations firm Three Girls Media. There she worked to help grow small businesses through creative forums. Emilee went to Western Washington University and has a bachelor's degree in public relations with a minor in entrepreneurship.
At Fearey, Emilee helps to communicate and promote the amazing events and activations that are happening in the South Lake Union neighborhood.
Emilee has lived in the Seattle area her whole life and loves the PNW! In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and her dogs George and Frank.
Stephanie Mudgett
Senior Consultant
Stephanie has been bringing her energy, critical thinking and innovative ideas to crisis, corporate and executive communications for 30 years. The Seattle native has extensive experience working with Fortune 50 brands, C-suite executives, technology companies and venture capitalists.
A majority of her career was spent in communications at The Boeing Company, and she remains an aviation enthusiast to this day. A storyteller and writer at heart, she brings to our Fearey team her skills in media relations, strategic messaging, reputation management and government affairs.
Stephanie enjoys cooking, gardening, paddle boarding, hiking with Rainier her Bernese Mountain Dog, and family time on Orcas Island in the San Juans.
Julie Fogerson
Senior Consultant
Julie has 20 plus years in communications, working at agencies in Seattle and New York, as well as in-house for engineering and financial services firms. Her experience spans multiple industries and audiences, including tech, healthcare, and public affairs.
She completed a doctorate in 2019 and is endlessly energized by education, serving as an adjunct professor for digital marketing and business communications courses, as well as launching a STEM focused charter school.
Gluttonous polyglot, ocean ogler, and tireless traveler, Julie has spent time on every continent (including Antarctica, where she sat amongst penguins and gazed at a glacier). She’s a published writer (fiction and fascinating facts), and she once got to grace the Seattle International Film Festival’s silver screen, acting in a film short she co-wrote and produced.
Amanda Armstrong
Account Executive
For more than a decade, Amanda was a full-time real estate broker, coach, and leader. She then forayed her experience to launch a career in public relations, working with clients such as the Washington State Department of Health, Google, and Visit Seattle. Now an MBA graduate with a specialty in marketing, Amanda thrives in all areas of public relations, but has a special passion for writing, analyzing, and all things Excel. While she works with a variety of clients, real estate clients will always hold a special place in her heart.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Amanda is now a true Seattleite – with the coffee taste to back it up. When not building relationships around town, you can find Amanda filling her passport, going on urban explorations with her dog, or finding a great recipe to add to her ever-expanding collection.
MEGHAN MCLAUGHLIN
Senior Account Executive
Meghan brings a robust background in communications with a focus on media relations and content development. With experience in both journalism and public relations, she is most proud of her past work with Seattle Center, Seattle Pride, and the Seattle Sounders’ RAVE Foundation.
As a Senior Account Executive at Fearey, Meghan is passionate about cultivating authentic client relations, creating targeted messaging, and developing innovative strategies to engage audiences effectively.
Outside of work, Meghan loves reading, trying new restaurants, ranking Seattle parks with her dog Tug in tow, and diving into the latest trending hobby.
Morrena Villanueva
Account Supervisor
Morrena comes to Fearey with a background in journalism, and over eight years of experience specializing in strategic communications, media relations, and crisis communications. Her deep expertise in healthcare, nonprofit, education, sports, and public affairs has honed her ability to navigate complex situations and develop impactful campaigns that achieve measurable results.
Driven by a passion for equity and inclusion, she has a proven track record of bringing diverse communities together, including playing a key role in passing the Climate Commitment Act, and mobilizing a record-breaking number of young voters to the polls in swing states during the 2020 presidential election.
Raised in the PNW, Morrena enjoys camping, swimming in Lake Washington, painting, reading and putting her wit to the test by participating in The New Yorker’s weekly cartoon caption contest.
Ryan Mudgett
Account Coordinator
Ryan comes from the University of Washington after recently graduating with a degree in communications. Along with his degree from the University of Washington, Ryan has also obtained a marketing certificate from Cornell. With this blend of education, he brings a creative mindset to the team with a willingness to learn and with the goal of jumpstarting his PR career.
In his free time, Ryan enjoys watching sports, especially UW football. He enjoys getting outside in the PNW (when it’s not raining) and eating delicious food!
Nandi Butcher
Senior Consultant
For nearly 20 years, Nandi has worked across sectors to drive forward both B2C and B2B awareness, education and engagement campaigns.
She specializes in research, integrated marketing communications, thought leadership, media relations, brand management, and crisis/issues management. Nandi always considers herself an extension of her clients’ teams and has been asked to fill interim in-house communications roles over the years.
Most recently, Nandi led communications for a locally-based senior living organization, including more than 20 Washington properties and several out-of-state, all requiring dedicated community engagement/outreach efforts to ensure success – from development to opening day and beyond. Nandi has been part of Fearey since 2012.
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DEI MISSION STATEMENT
At Fearey, we are committed to harnessing the unique qualities of our team members so we can deliver the finest collaborative work. We wholeheartedly embrace diversity, equity and inclusion as part of our daily culture, aspiring to create a positive impact that ripples through our communities and the world. That’s our hope. That’s our promise. This isn’t just our goal. It is our aspiration and our pledge.
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