Our Team

Greg founded Abel Communications in 2005 after more than a dozen years working professionally in journalism, sports marketing, corporate communications and agency public relations. Around the office, the team jokes that Greg knows someone just about everywhere in Baltimore and beyond, and his network has brought tremendous connections and opportunities to the firm. He often leads media training workshops for clients and regularly writes and speaks publicly about business leadership. He is a member of the Executive Committee of Public Relations Society of America's Counselors Academy, a national network of independent agency owners and a past member of the board of Park Heights Renaissance. With a passionate focus on company culture and growth, Greg was named one of 2017's Most Admired CEOs by The Daily Record and Abel Communications has twice been named a finalist for the Baltimore Business Journal's Best Places to Work. He is a graduate of James Madison University with a degree in English and Journalism.

"My favorite job (besides running Abel) was Beer Vendor at Orioles games during college summers. I can still hear the chant in my head now GET YOUR ICE COLD BEER HERE, WHO'S READY??!!"

Gina leads and manages the team at Abel's Baltimore headquarters. An award-winning PR practitioner of over 15 years, she provides creative and strategic leadership for our client teams and is responsible for the overall success of the firm's account programs and campaigns. Gina also leads innovation workshops, helping clients develop creative solutions to their biggest challenges. Gina speaks regularly at conferences and workshops--covering topics from PR 101 to the power of social influencers--hosted by organizations such as Public Relations Society of America-Maryland, Baltimore Business Journal and Betamore. In 2016, she was a Featured Mover in The Daily Record and was named one of Baltimore Business Journals 40 under 40. Gina is the immediate past President of the Baltimore Public Relations Council and remains on the board. She attended Towson University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and a Certificate of Marketing.

"I accidentally went viral during the 2016 election and internationally earned the nickname 'Furious Mom' I'll tell you the story over a coffee or prosecco."

Cindy organizes and oversees the daily operations of our company, including bookkeeping, time management, human resources and client on-boarding. She's a key member of our leadership team and also well known for fixing anything and everything that could possibly break or go wrong, gaining the nickname of Office Mom. Prior to Abel, Cindy held roles in finance, banking and real estate, and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management at Towson University with a focus in Accounting. While at Towson, Cindy was a member of the Tigers gymnastics team and she'll occasionally walk on her hands across the office.

"I have back flipped across beaches in Hawaii, Bermuda, Mexico and the Virgin Islands. Have a challenge? Dare me!"

Jessica is a member of the Abel leadership team and leads strategy and implementation of programs for a group of the agency's core clients. She supports employee retention and recruiting, client relations and processes, new service development, business development and cultivating the Abel culture. Jessica began her career in marketing with a Washington-based advocacy organization then happily joined the PR agency ranks. In 2016, Jessica was named one of Maryland's top 20 in their 20's by The Daily Record and has received numerous Public Relations Society of America-Maryland awards, including Best in Maryland. Jessica received her undergraduate degrees in Communications and Business Administration from Flagler College and later earned a Masters in Marketing from The Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School.

"Words are important. Words are important. Words are important."

A member of the Abel leadership team, Lisa provides strategic direction for client accounts, mentors Abel staff and cultivates partnerships and new business opportunities. With 15+ years of PR, marketing and advertising experience, she has developed public relations plans, messaging guidelines, digital and social campaigns and content marketing strategies for a wide variety of organizations, from local nonprofits to global corporations. A frequently published freelance writer, Lisa brings strong storytelling skills and a journalistic perspective to create compelling editorial content for clients. She has a passion for promoting the arts in Baltimore and currently serves on the board of directors of CityLit Project and on the young professional engagement committee for Baltimore Center Stage. Lisa earned a B.A. in Communications from Purdue University and an M.A. in Writing from Johns Hopkins University.

"I'm afraid of heights, so I started rock climbing. I'm afraid of the ocean, so I learned to sail. I guess you could say I'm a firm believer in facing your fears."

Talking fast and thinking faster, Chris leads our Creative Services team in their quest to craft kick-ass campaigns for our clients. With affinity for the absurd and an energetic approach to visual storytelling, he steers the strategy behind our creative work- making good on the promise of every pitch. Prior to Abel, Chris lead creative at several Mid-Atlantic-based digital agencies where he produced content for clients such as Home Depot, T.Rowe Price, UnderArmor, Navy Federal Credit Union, and Stanley Black + Decker.

Outside of advertising, Chris produces low-budget monster movies, runs an oddities museum in the back of a record store, and teaches screenwriting at his Alma mater, Towson University.

He’s available for parties.

“My number one favorite sound is my wife’s laugh. My second favorite is when any flight attendant says, ‘Welcome to Baltimore.'"

Amanda oversees strategy and execution of public relations programs for professional service clients and consumer brands for Abel Communications. Her expertise spans across media relations, content creation and community campaigns. Amanda specializes in financial services and has secured regular placements with national outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report. Her work has been recognized by the Public Relations Society of America's Maryland Chapter, where her teams have received "Best in Maryland" awards for work on community and media relations programs. In addition, Amanda supports the onboarding and education process for new hires and employees. She speaks regularly at local colleges to share insight into the communications field with students. A native of Bel Air, Maryland, Amanda is a proud Hokie, having received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

"I once took a trip to Morocco to learn how to surf."

Kathleen joined Abel in January 2018 after more than five years working in public relations and strategic communications. At Abel, Kathleen is charged with leading media relations and internal communications strategies for clients in the healthcare and security spaces, while also spearheading internal project management for Abel branding initiatives. Kathleen began her career in Washington, D.C. and has a strong background providing counsel to government and nonprofit organizations, with past clients including AARP, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, among others. Prior to joining Abel, she led public relations in-house for Sheppard Pratt Health System, the largest private, non-profit provider of mental health services in the nation. She is a graduate of the George Washington University with a degree in Political Communications from the School of Media and Public Affairs.

"When I was in the fifth grade, my brother chose me as his lifeline on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" because I watched television 24/7. If you need a pop culture expert, I'm your girl."

Molly leads public relations strategy and execution for Abel's nonprofit and education clients. Her expertise also lies in planning and coordinating impactful events for clients in the health and entertainment spaces. Molly's clients are consistently praising her for her passion, creativity, ability to achieve results and strategic thinking. In addition to providing outstanding client counsel and delivering high profile media results, Molly helps manage and mentor Abel's junior staff, co-leading the charge on the Abel Associate program. When she's not nurturing deep relationships with clients, coworkers and the media, Molly gives back to the community volunteering as the Service Unit Cookie Manager for 23 Girl Scouts troops. In 2017, Molly was named Public Relations Society of America's Rising Star for her promising growth and leadership in the PR profession. She is a graduate of Loyola University Maryland with a degree in Communications.

"In high school I won the senior superlative for "Best Dressed." I also happened to be the editor-in-chief of the yearbook. For months, rumors circulated that it was rigged. So here's my chance to swear, PUBLICLY, that it was not."

At Abel, Lorianne supports content creation, social strategy and thought leadership programs for the firm's consumer, healthcare and financial services clients. She is also passionate about mentoring students and young, aspiring PR professionals. She frequently speaks at local schools about public relations, including her alma mater, Towson University, and helps to lead Abel's competitive post-graduate internship program. Prior to joining Abel, Lorianne gained experience at another Baltimore PR firm and internally at Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake. Lorianne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Towson University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude.

"Do you watch Gilmore Girls? Yay, let's be friends!"

Chelsea joined Abel Communications in the spring of 2016, helping the firm launch a new creative services offering. She leads photo and video production for both clients and the agency, as well as assisting in innovation workshops and brainstorms. Through her creative vision and execution, Chelsea enhances the visual presence of our clients across all industries. Before joining Abel, she worked as a freelance photographer, documenting weddings and contributing live music photography to multiple publications including People, New Noise Magazine, and The New York Times. She graduated from Stevenson University in 2015 with a bachelors degree in Film/Video/Theatre.

"You can always reach me, except during RuPaul's Drag Race--Thursday's at 9 PM on VH1."

Martin works with in-house, freelance and agency resources to conceptualize and produce creative content for our clients. He has designed and helped launch new brands, scripted and produced videos and podcasts and provided creative direction and execution for digital and print advertising campaigns. He also works closely with account leads to develop op-eds, infographics and other owned media to position clients as leaders in their respective fields. Before joining Abel, Martin specialized in brand strategy for nonprofits, creating style guides, planning digital engagement campaigns, supporting community outreach and developing content for a range of mission-driven organizations. He graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with a focus on Multimedia Design.

"At the age of 7, I walked into my parents' backyard, carved a small circle in the dirt and declared the plot of land officially independent from the Union. I have been living illicitly in the United States ever since."

Mara provides media relations and account support for Abel's technology, higher education and hospitality clients. Before moving to Baltimore in 2017, Mara cultivated her PR hustle at a small, fast-paced firm in Austin, Texas, where she worked with local, regional and national accounts across various industries, including the James Beard Foundation and nationally-acclaimed hospitality groups. With childhood roots in Annapolis, Mara grew up in Reno, Nevada and attended college in Mississippi, where she had the opportunity to live, travel and study in South Africa. Her main thrills included swimming with sharks, bungee jumping and playing for the University of Cape Town's Varsity soccer team. Mara draws inspiration from her many experiences, and is always excited about what is yet to come. She graduated from Ole Miss in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications.

"I have an unwavering passion for murder mysteries and serial killer documentaries. Anyone else? No?"

Patrick handles media relations, content creation and strategic campaign planning for Abel's technology, professional services and consumer clients. Prior to joining Abel, Patrick gained experience at Comcast and Strauss Media Strategies where he honed his communication and media campaign skills and discovered a passion for public relations. Patrick is a board member of the Baltimore Public Relations Council (BPRC) where he helps to plan monthly programming for its members. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park with a degree in Sociology.

"My motto, Stay Lit."

Megan became a full-time employee at Abel Communications after the completion of the Abel Associate Program in the summer of 2017. She supports client work across various accounts in the financial service industry and the consumer packaged goods space where she focuses on media relations, content creation and strategic campaign planning. Megan currently sits on the board for the Baltimore Public Relations Council (BPRC), helping with new member recruitment. Previously, Megan was in the media buying field in New York City at Merkley and Partners, where she contributed to strategic advertising campaigns for both digital and traditional platforms. Megan graduated from Elon University in May 2016 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

"I grew up in a motorcycle racing family. I think when people hear that they are shocked. But what can I say? It's in my blood."

Allison joined Abel Communications following the completion of the firm's Associate program during the summer of 2017. She provides client support in media relations, content production and account planning for many healthcare, nonprofit and professional services clients. She has intuitive media instincts, which have resulted in frequent, impactful earned media coverage for her clients. When she's not going above and beyond for her clients, she's contributing to Abel's culture by encouraging her coworkers to stay active through fun fitness challenges around the office. Allison graduated from the University of Maryland-College Park in 2017, earning a degree in Communication, with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Public Leadership.

"I'm pretty sure that I'm the only Taylor Swift fan frequently seen on TV in the front row at WWE 'Can ya dig it?'"