Our Team

Leadership

BRUCE MACLELLAN

Chairman & CEO Bruce MacLellan is a veteran communications counsellor and entrepreneur, and was the founding President & CEO of the Proof organization over two decades ago. Bruce has provided counsel to leaders in business, government and not-for-profits and continues to apply his entrepreneurial thinking to opportunities with clients. Inside the company, Bruce is known for encouraging people to go outside their comfort zone and always look for ways to be better.

Mimi Carter

U.S. General Manager & Sr. Vice President Mimi’s strengths lie in envisioning, implementing, and measuring the results of integrated communications strategies. While her high standards intimidate the friends of her two teenage daughters, Mimi’s tenacious nature means clients can rest easy. She has a passion for analytics and finding just the right word.

Team

HEATHER LEVASSEUR

Director of Operations Heather was raised on a horse farm in a small, rural Connecticut town where she learned the definition of hard work and sacrifice after she broke her back trying to train a horse. She was able to overcome that injury and later go on to be one of the top soccer players in the State. In wanting to expand her horizons after college, she found herself moving to New York and then on to New Mexico before settling in the Washington, DC area. You can now find her on most nights cheering on her two boys, who share her love of soccer and all things sports.

HENRI VIES

Senior Account Director Henri is a firm believer that integrative approaches to communications strategies are key to achieve success. He is passionate about working with high-tech companies and has taken pride in translating complex companies, services, and products into compelling stories aimed at businesses and consumers alike.

ADRIAN GIANFORTI

Senior Account Director Adrian joined the Proof Strategies team in January 2019 rounding out her tenth year in the PR and communications industry. She’s worked in everything from food safety to SMART cities to disaster preparedness allowing her to “know a little bit about everything,” and mobilize quickly with new clients and build relationships. After living on three continents and traveling around the world, she considers D.C. to be her favorite city of all (Paris a close second).

LUCI MANNING

Director of Media Relations Luci’s keen attention to detail serves her well in building relationships with media, influencers and clients. Luci believes that earned media outreach, and amplifying great coverage using social and digital media, solidifies her client’s initiatives, advocacy efforts and key messages. Before coming to Proof Strategies, Luciworked at PR Solutions, Inc. for nearly 15 years honing her passion for progressive issues and working with foundations, nonprofits and associations.

Chris Burright

Director of Strategy Chris believes that if you can truly understand the mechanics of a subject, you can solve any problem that may arise. This same belief and a desire to understand the mechanics of the human mind led him to earn his bachelors in Psychology from the University of California, Davis, and go on to be a postgraduate researcher in Behavioral Psychology and Neuroscience.

RACHEL C. HAMPTON

Senior Account Executive Rachel is New Jersey native who earned her B.A. in Journalism with a Broadcast News concentration from Howard University in Washington, D.C. Whether behind the editor’s desk or with a strategic communications plan, you can find Rachel leveraging her skills in digital and earned media to promote the mission-driven work of her clients. She’s a self-proclaimed ‘foodie’ who in her free time enjoys relaxing with retail therapy (also known as shopping) and exploring all that D.C. has to offer.

SHELBY BURNS

Digital Strategist Shelby’s love for communications and the digital world has blossomed into a passion for digital marketing and content creation. A native Floridian, Shelby spends her spare time exploring the DC area. She loves planning outdoor adventures in the nearby National Parks, discovering new restaurants, and visiting all of the local museums.

SARAH VALLARELLI

Senior Account Executive Sarah's creative mind has been the driving force for her love of all things communications. When she is not in the office you can either find her at home binge-watching Netflix or out exploring the city while on the hunt for the perfect taco. A New York native, she is a night owl by trade and loves to go back home to see her family, especially her baby niece's Fiona and Penelope.

ALLISON SMITH

Account Executive Allison has a background in both digital and earned media and a deep bench in project management. She has built national, regional, and industry-specific digital, earned, and integrated campaigns for large organizations like Keolis, Call2Recycle, and Nutricia. A Texas native, she spends much of her time out of work on a quest to scout out the best Mexican food in D.C.

AARON TEITELBAUM

Senior Research Manager Aaron is passionate about helping organizations overcome global communications challenges. Prior to his graduate studies, Aaron’s professional career enabled him to live in 15 countries around the world. Most previously, he was a Senior Editorial Manager at Oxford Business Group, an economic news and consulting firm based in London. Aaron's adventurous spirit leads him to enjoy discovering new places and mapping out exciting journeys. Aaron is an avid scuba diver and is always looking forward to his next dive.

MARK DEPAUL

Creative Producer Mark started his marketing and communications career when he began using social media to share his lifestyle and promote fashion. Through his passions, he quickly became a social media influencer, growing a following that ultimately reached tens of thousands. When not in the office, Mark can be found scouting photo locations, editing his next video production, keeping up to date with fashion trends and planning his next trip.

SONIA DEL RIVO

Associate Account Executive Sonia is a California native who earned her B.S. in Decision Science from Carnegie Mellon University. Her love for communications is rooted in bridging the gap behind the hard data of human decision making and marketing. When not in the office, she loves scoping out new products at Trader Joes, going to concerts, and taking Instagram photos.

SHYKEIA SPINKS

Associate Account Executive Shykeia’s curiosity and adventurous mindset has crafted her into diligent communications professional. She recently graduated from Howard University with a B.A. in Communications, with a concentration in Public Relations. In her spare time, you can catch her re-watching her favorite television series.

Almaz Abedje

Fellow Almaz is a senior at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C, majoring in Journalism & Mass Communication. As a proud DMV native, she hopes to use what she has learned over the course of her academic career to shed light on local issues regarding marginalized communities. She also studied and interned abroad in London in the fall of 2018 where she learned about the British media landscape and picked up photography. As one of Proof’s newest members, Almaz brings both a local and global perspective that we can’t wait to learn more about!

MEGAN CAHALAN

Fellow Megan, an El Paso, Texas native, recently earned her B.A. in Organizational and Corporate Communication from the University of Texas at El Paso. Living on the borderland allowed her to develop a passion for using public relations to raise the voices of all communities, a value she applies to every project. During her free time you can catch her traveling the country with her best friends for concerts, exploring her new home in D.C., and spending time with her Miniature Schnauzers.

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1140 3rd Street, NE Suite #317
Washington, DC 20002

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