Hal Malchow, President

Hal Malchow is one the seminal figures in persuasion mail marketing. An ex-lawyer who tired of a life spent reading nothing but fine print, Hal's creative work has won numerous awards from the International Direct Marketing Association, the Direct Marketing Association of Washington and the American Association of Political Consultants. In the area of targeting, Hal pioneered the application of statistical modeling and data mining techniques in the political arena. These developments are described in his book, The New Political Targeting, published by Campaigns & Elections.

In 2005, Hal received the Sisk Award for pioneering vision that has shaped the direct marketing industry. The last two recipients were the marketing director at NIKE and the National Geographic Society.

Before entering the direct mail business in 1985, he managed four major campaigns, including the first Senate campaign of Al Gore. Hal holds a law degree from the University of the Pacific where he was named outstanding graduate of his class.

He and his family live in Arlington, Virginia. If you're looking for him there, however, Hal's wife says that you can usually find him - regardless of the weather - outside tending to the needs of his garden.

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Rich Schlackman, Partner

Ask anyone in Washington about Rich Schlackman and you're soon likely to find yourself in the middle of a colorful story involving the choicest wines, the finer points of strategy and various members of the Grateful Dead. They will also mention in that same breath that Rich is the man singularly responsible for reinventing targeted direct mail across America. Rich created a new school for direct mail known as the "California Style," that involved an innovative visual mix of graphics and emotions backed with intensive demographic strategies.

His clients have included Governors such as Janet Napolitano (AZ), Jennifer Granholm (MI) Ted Kulongoski (OR); US Senator Joe Lieberman (CT) and numerous congressional members, state parties and membership organizations.

Rich resides in San Francisco and is a member of the board of the American Association of Political Consultants. He is also well known as a passionate wine connoisseur who serves on the Great Capital Wine Network of San Francisco. The MSHC staff generally stick close to Rich during social events, as he tends to bring a few bottles of his private stock to replace the usual brands of cheap tipple.

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Trish Hoppey, Partner

Trish Hoppey joined the firm as MSHC's third partner in 2000. Coming from the world of strategic communications and media relations, with some grassroots organizing thrown in for good measure, Trish brought business savvy and invaluable experience working with institutional clients to the group.

A native New Yorker, Trish brought that take-charge New York attitude with her. It has certainly come in handy, as she works with many progressive political organizations and several high-profile statewide candidates. Among her clients are the AFL-CIO, the Sierra Club, EMILY'S List, Defenders of Wildlife, as well as Governors Jennifer Granholm, Christine Gregoire and Tom Vilsack.

Before joining MSHC, Trish worked with a wide range of organizations including the Democratic National Committee, the AFL-CIO Working Women's Department, John Sweeney's campaign for AFL-CIO President, the White House and the US Departments of Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and Agriculture. Before joining the firm, Trish served as a consultant at Greer Margolis Mitchell Burns & Associates and an Associate at the Sawyer Miller Group. Trish holds a B.A. in Psychology and Economics from Hofstra University.

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Chris Cooper, Partner

Chris Cooper brings a wealth of experience to our table - having worked for over 10 years in the fields of general campaign strategy, persuasion mail and media consulting, campaign management and public relations in over 29 states and the District of Columbia.

At MSHC, Chris has directed strategy and targeted communications programs for dozens of statewide, congressional, and legislative candidates. In 2006 he led the firm’s independent expenditure team for the DCCC, helping the Democrats win 8 House seats. He spent most of 2005 helping elect our client Tim Kaine Governor of Virginia. Chris handled our 2004 work with the Democratic National Committee and the Kerry-Edwards campaign. Also in 2004, he directed and targeted award-winning persuasion mail for the DCCC that led to the defeat of the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. House, Phil Crane, and the Democratic pick-up of a Republican seat in Colorado. And he helped Congressman Chet Edwards become the only targeted Texas Democrat to win re-election. Some of Chris’ other clients include the Virginia House Democratic Caucus,  Congressmen Zack Space (D-OH), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and David Price (D-NC).

A graduate of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, Chris frequently lectures at colleges and political training seminars. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Lucy.

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Joe Fuld, Partner

Since January of 2003, Joe's been a key member of the MSHC team, working with a long list of clients including The Human Rights Campaign Fund, The League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Congressman Dan Boren, The American Cancer Society, and many others.

Before joining us at MSHC, Joe designed direct mail and voter contact programs for clients that included Bill Bradley for President, Robert Reich for Governor of Massachusetts, The New Hampshire Democratic Party, and The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. Joe also worked in Political Media for MCSR in 1997, served as the Northeast Political Director at the DNC in 1996, and between 1991-1995 managed 10 political campaigns throughout the country.

Joe's "free time" is spent doing political training for groups like the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Campaign Corps and, even though he's now a partner, the staff still laughs at Joe's hilarious anecdotes about "leaving the office before 9 pm" and "deadlines."

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Sarah Giordano, Partner

Some people have a gift for organization and making things happen. Sarah Giordano is one of those people. As MSHC Production Director and a partner in the firm, she is the all-important connection between a layout that exists only on a computer screen and a fully realized printed piece.

Sarah is an integral part of the creative process, helping Creative, Art and Client Services bring ideas into reality and discover what’s new and possible on the printed page. She’s also the final word at MSHC when it comes to critical questions of size, format and United States Postal Service regulations.

During non-election cycle months, Sarah resides in Syracuse, NY with her husband, daughter, son and dog, Bailey.

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George Hamp, Partner

Practioner of Praxis, humanist and nomad, George Hamp represents the Inner-Bohemian-Soul of MSHC Partners. When faced with an ugly and untimely attack of conscience after the 2000 Florida election, George gave up his position as Art Director in one of Central Florida's leading advertising agencies to join the team at MSHC. Here, George's BA in Art History and Studio Art from Rollins College serves him in working to make a difference, instead of shilling tanning lotion and convertibles to the ruling class.

When not railing against the empire of the right, real redhead George is often found in the company of the only ones who listen to his rants - his cats Henry and Iggy. In addition to getting messy with oil paints, he loves a good conspiracy theory, does his best work by candlelight and can tell you everything you would ever need to know about Mark E Smith.

He is currently stuck in year 1 of his 10-year plan to get "off the grid" because he keeps running out of energy.

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Dean Levitan, Partner

Dean managed campaigns for almost 10 years from the Midwest to the Deep South and the Southwest. He served as the National Field Press Secretary for Bill Bradley's presidential campaign and served as manager and spokesman for a mayoral candidate in his hometown of Philadelphia. As Managing Director of our State Strategies division, Dean ensures that Statehouse and Senate campaigns receive top-level strategic advice and creative mail.

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Adam Zoltowski, Senior Interactive Designer

Originally from Spencer, New York, Adam received his Bachelor’s degree from Elizabethtown College with a major in Political Science and minor in Art. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in New Media Design from SUNY Cortland. His political background includes an internship in Dublin, Ireland, with the Fianna Fail political party, and, prior to joining MSHC; Adam worked for the Democratic National Committee as their Flash and Web designer. As MSHC’s senior interactive designer, Adam spends his day designing and building banner ads, landing pages and Web sites.

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Amber Muhammad, Accounting Clerk

A native of San Diego, California, Amber moved to Washington, DC, with her family 5 years ago so her husband could return home. With over 12 years of experience in the accounting field, she is no stranger to the systematic ins and outs. Amber helps keep MSHC running smoothly by managing the accounts payable section of the Accounting department.

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Amy Gershkoff, Director of Analytics

Amy Gershkoff received her Ph.D. in political science from Princeton University and is now Director of Analytics at MSHC Partners, where she develops microtargeting strategies for political campaigns and non-profit organizations.  Prior to joining MSHC Partners, she worked as a polling consultant, providing strategic advice to campaigns and advocacy groups, and taught at Princeton University.  Gershkoff's articles have been published in numerous media outlets and academic journals, including the Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, Perspectives on Politics, PS: Political Science and Politics, and The Democratic Strategist.  Gershkoff has been recognized as an "up and coming" leader in survey research by Public Opinion Pros, and was the recipient of the American Association of Public Opinion Research Seymour Sudman Award in 2005. Most recently, she was named a “Rising Star” for 2008 by Campaigns and Elections magazine.
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Amy Niles Gonzalez, Chief Operating Officer

Amy is responsible for running the day-to-day business at MSHC in addition to leading our interactive marketing efforts. Prior to joining MSHC, she was Vice President of Internet Marketing at Capital One and a Project Leader with The Boston Consulting Group. Amy holds a B.A from the University of Pennsylvania and a M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

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Ben Schelling, Account Representative

A true Mainer, Ben graduated from Wesleyan University in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in Government with an emphasis in International Relations. His political experience includes working for the Mammen Group, the 2004 Kerry presidential campaign, and the Maine People’s Alliance, as well as an internship on Capitol Hill and a Connecticut gubernatorial campaign.

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Beth Hernandez, Vice President

Beth is head of our Texas office, and holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Public Relations from Southern Methodist University. Beth has been working in the field of direct mail since 2000, though she did take a leave of absence in 2003 to manage a successful state legislative campaign. Prior to entering the field of direct mail, Beth worked in public and government affairs for Head Start of Greater Dallas, for a boutique public relations firm in Dallas, and as Press Secretary for a Congressional re-election campaign.

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Bill Russell, Director of Targeting Services

A native of St. Louis and a seventeen-year veteran of Democratic politics, Bill has spent nine years in the voter-file business.  He’s also managed statewide, congressional, legislative and local campaigns and field programs in eleven states.  At MSHC, Bill brings his voter-file and campaign expertise to helping our clients get the most from their data and mail programs.

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BiL Castine, IT Manager

Originally from Florida, BiL first joined MSHC Partners during the 2002 election cycle managing our in house pre-flight operations. Today, BiL plays a vital role in keeping MSHC running smoothly. As IT Manager, he’s responsible for making sure MSHC employees have all the technology and support they need to get the job done.

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Bill Sather, Controller

Bill Sather graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. in Accounting from George Mason University. As Controller Bill manages the accounting department and is responsible for the overall financial operations of MSHC including budgeting, finance, and financial reporting.

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Chris Mann, Vice President/Targeting

A native of Chicago, Chris Mann is completing his PhD under Alan Gerber and Don Green of Yale University. His political experience includes managing statewide and federal campaigns along with advising open space financing ballot measures for the Trust for Public Land. Chris also served as Executive Director of the New Mexico Democratic Party.

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Christine Hopkinson, Administration Director

Christine is originally from Rockville, Maryland. She holds a B.A. in Management from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania and studied abroad in Australia. As Administration Director, she’s responsible for general office administration in addition to all HR functions.

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Daniel Vickers, Interactive Designer

Daniel moved to Washington, DC, in 2001 from the beaches of Wilmington, NC. As an interactive designer, Daniel builds Web sites and interactive content, including online advertising. Prior to joining us, Daniel worked for the American Society of International Law. Searching for a more creative outlet, Daniel joined MSHC in 2007.

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Darin Senneff, Interactive Designer

To most of us inside the Betlway, Iowa means caucuses and corn fields, but computers? In 2005, Darin Senneff changed our election-forged perceptions of Iowa once and for all by bringing a unique creative and technical brilliance to our Art Department. Coming directly from "a small college in Iowa no one has ever heard of" with a freshly printed Bachelors degree in Graphic Design, Darin possesses an arsenal of software and scripting capabilities to create websites and Internet ads for our clients.

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Emily Glaeser, Traffic Manager

Emily grew up in Rockville, Maryland, and holds an Associate’s degree in the field of Liberal Arts. As the traffic manager for MSHC, Emily keeps track of the project flow. In other words, she is the liaison between departments through all stages of production. Prior to joining our team, Emily worked for a health communications company as their technology project director, successfully coordinating print, web, video and multimedia projects for the organization.

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Jason Miller, Account Executive

Jason’s experience includes field work for Bob Graham for President in Sioux City, IA; Blair Hull for U.S. Senate in Illinois; America Coming Together in Albuquerque, NM; and the NM Democratic Coordinated campaign. He holds a B.A. in Political Science and Environmental Studies from Emory University and a M.A. in Political Management from The George Washington University.

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Jason Sclar, Targeting Analyst

Jason is originally from Larchmont, NY. He holds a B.A. in Computer Science from Yale University. His political experience includes working as an intern for ACT’s national field desk, field organizer for both Ben Shuldiner (NY-19) and Jill Derby (NV-02). As Analyst, he’s responsible for taking raw data and turning it into useful information for our Targeting department.

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JJ Young, Receptionist

A Washington, D.C. native, JJ has been working for Hal Malchow for the last 17 years. As Receptionist, it’s her job to juggle incoming calls, messengers, deliveries and the fax machine while welcoming visitors and employees alike with a smile.

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Jenny Myers, Interactive Media Buyer

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Jenny can attest that Cleveland really does rock! She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, as well as a Minor in Film Studies, both from American University. She started her career in radio with Strauss Radio Strategies and then moved on to be a junior media buyer for a commercial advertising agency. Jenny plans and places media campaigns and interacts with vendors here at MSHC. When Jenny isn’t in the interactive world, she’s at Hogwarts. She’s got a serious Harry Potter obsession. She also spends her time tutoring high school students in English and French.

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Joel Rivlin, Senior Targeting Analyst

A native of Leeds, England, Joel studied Political Science, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University. Joel traveled to the states to do graduate work at the University of Wisconsin’s Political Science Department in Madison. Prior work experience includes serving as the Deputy Director of the University of Wisconsin Advertising Project where he tracked and analyzed political advertising around the United States. As a result, Joel has been quoted in various media outlets including the New York Times, LA Times, USA Today, NPR, CNN, BBC radio. Here at MSHC, Joel will be leading efforts on micro-targeting modeling projects as a Senior Targeting Analyst.

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John Salisbury, Deputy Production Director

A native Washingtonian, John has over 20 years experience in direct mail production including the Smithsonian Institution Press and Time Life Inc. In addition to his duties at MSHC, John is a frequent guest speaker at such venues as the Direct Marketing Association of Washington and the National Postal Forum.

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JoJo Spiker, Interactive Art Director

A native Washingtonian, JoJo holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronic Studio from Howard University and a master’s in Design Management from The Pratt Institute. He has a range of experience working for leading organizations like Viewpoint, Euro RSCG, and the National Geographic Society, delivering compelling interactive design for clients like ONE.org, AOL, and Revolution Health. He oversees the interactive art team’s creative and strategic direction.

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Jonathan Huskey, Account Executive

Jonathan works with a range of clients from large institutional organizations to gubernatorial, Congressional, and state legislative campaigns. His professional background reflects both an old-fashioned work ethic and belief in modern campaign research. Prior to the 2004 cycle, Jonathan was field director at Lake Research Group. In 2000, Jonathan was on the ground helping to elect a democratic majority in the Colorado Senate, so he's at ease walking precincts in the snow or analyzing survey and election data.

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Kate Petty, Body Copy Manager

Kate grew up in Annapolis, Maryland. She attended the College of William and Mary in Virginia, and earned a master¹s degree in English at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. As Body Copy Manager, Kate makes sure all of our content is brief, catchy, and grammatically correct.

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Ken Van Hoy, Senior Designer

A native of Virginia Beach, Ken has a B.S. in History with a Minor in Anthropology from Radford University and a B.A. in Graphic Design from Marymount University. He is responsible for everything from layout and design to preparing files for print. Ken’s designs have won numerous awards and received national recognition.

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Kim Ochylski, Interactive Account Assistant

Originally from Los Osos, California, Kim holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley. As an account assistant, Kim aids the Interactive Marketing department in the day-to-day tasks and implementation of Internet campaigns. Prior to joining MSHC in 2007, Kim was a voter targeting research analyst for the National Committee for an Effective Congress. Her campaign experience includes the 2006 Rendell for Governor campaign in Pennsylvania and the 2004 Gregoire for Governor campaign in Washington.

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Leigh LaHood, Concept Writer

Originally from Columbus, Leigh is a graduate of Ohio State University and holds a degree in Sociology. Her experience includes all aspects of the creative process from layout and design to print production. As a concept writer, Leigh takes the client’s message and makes it creative, entertaining and informative.

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Liz Dunne, Account Representative

A native of Chicago, Liz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from The University of Wisconsin at Madison. Her career began at Cape Cod Community College and Bentley College where she worked with students, faculty and community-based organizations to develop community-college partnerships. The next phase of her career brought her to DC where she managed legislative research and lobbying efforts for a small government relations firm. We’re happy to have her working at MSHC as an Account Representative

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Melissa Gallant, Creative Director

A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Melissa relocated to Washington, D.C. after a successful career with one of Oklahoma City’s leading agencies. She’s won numerous national awards in both general and political advertising. Melissa is responsible for taking a client strategy and bringing it to life creatively.

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Melissa Williams, Account Representative

A native of Laramie, Wyoming, Melissa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Women’s Studies, as well as a Master’s in International Law and Organizations, both from Harvard University. Melissa started her career with the League of Women Voters in Massachusetts, doing program, field and lobbying work. Following the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Melissa ran the disaster relief program for MoveOn.org, and most recently worked in direct mail fundraising and online advocacy at Craver, Matthews, Smith & Co.

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Michael Allen, Account Executive

Michael has a wide range of experience including campaigns in Australia, Britain and the United States. As director of the 2004 Colorado Democratic Senate Caucus, he helped the state elect a Democratic majority for only the second time in 40 years. As part of our State Strategies division, Michael works with state and local campaigns. He also works with the Australian Labor Party and various union organizations.

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Michael Bassik, Vice President Interactive Marketing

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and American University's Washington College of Law, Michael has worked for some of the most powerful figures in media and politics, including President Clinton and former New York Times Editor-in-Chief Howell Raines. Michael is considered a leading expert in the field of online political advertising. He oversees the creation and development of our clients' online marketing campaigns and Internet communication strategies.

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Mike Hutchinson, Interactive Account Executive

Mike is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and has dual degrees in Sociology and Mass Communications. As an Interactive Account Executive, it’s his job to takes a client’s vision, craft it into a solid strategy, and make it a reality.

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Mike Trice, Database Manager

A native Virginian and graduate of Virginia Tech University, one might guess that Mike doesn’t stray too far from the Hokies. It’s actually quite the opposite. Mike has spent time on every continent except Antarctica (though he does have plans to march with the penguins one day). He even taught English for two years in South Korea.

On this continent at MSHC, Mike serves as a Database Manager. He sets up and converts our datasets to a SQL environment, then maintains and streamlines the analysis process. In case that made no sense to you, Mike does a bunch of mind-blowing data stuff that gives our clients an edge in their campaigns.

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Misty Jones, Senior Account Executive

Misty was raised in Richmond, Virginia and holds a B.A. in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University. As a Senior Account Executive, she ensures that client’s projects are handled with care every step of the way. She has more than a decade of political and campaign experience in federal, statewide and local races, including working on campaigns in Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Curaçao. Prior to joining MSHC, Misty worked at the DNC, SEIU, the AFL-CIO, and NARAL Pro-Choice America.

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Mona Pasquil, Vice President

A native Californian, Mona served on the senior staff for the Kerry/Edwards presidential campaign. In addition, she served as political director for Governor Gray Davis, California political director for Gore/Lieberman 2000, deputy CEO for the 2000 Democratic National Convention, Western political director in the Clinton White House and Western political desk and director of Asian Pacific affairs at the DNC.

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Natalie LeBlanc, Account Executive

Natalie relocated to Washington, DC, from the San Francisco Bay Area of California. She holds a dual Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and English from the University of California at Berkeley. Natalie’s prior experience includes serving as the political director for NARAL Pro-Choice California, account executive at Terris, Barnes & Walters, and on-the-ground field experience with various campaigns in California.

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Stacy Maloney, Graphic Designer

Originally from Ohio, Stacey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from the University of Cincinnati. Stacey spends her days turning design concepts into art, making edits, and finalizing design files for production. Prior to joining MSHC, she worked as a freelance graphic designer for Louis Dreyfus Group in New York, and with the Smithsonian Institution, The New Media Firm, and Goddard Claussen Strategic Advocacy in Washington, DC.

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