Business savvy.
|
Gary Ross, President
Gary M. Ross is president of INSIDE COMMS, a training, coaching and consulting firm focused on workplace communication. Over his 30+ year career, Gary has worked as a trainer, coach, consultant, corporate executive and Emmy-nominated broadcast journalist. With INSIDE COMMS, Gary works to make corporate life better by advancing the way organizations and their people communicate with one another.
Gary trains and coaches executives, managers and frontline employees to be better communicators so they can lead and inspire others, increase productivity and advance their careers. He develops client-bespoke live and e-learning courses, and he coaches CEOs, C-level executives and internal communications teams on corporate transformations, integrations, M&A and change. Gary has led and been embedded in communication and integration teams supporting mergers, acquisitions, transformations and integrations reaching as high as the FORTUNE 20.
Gary is also a principal at thoughtLEADERS, LLC, a leadership development training, coaching and consulting firm working with companies around the world. Based on real-world experience, he specializes in change management, change communications and strategic thinking concepts and processes that clients can implement immediately in their organizations.
Prior to his training, coaching and consulting work, Gary led communications departments at Fortune Brands, CDW and Hyatt Hotels. Earlier in his career, Gary worked as a reporter and substitute anchor for WCBD-TV in Charleston, S.C., where he was nominated for an Emmy Award in investigative journalism, traveled overseas with the U.S. military and reported from the eye of Category Four Hurricane Hugo. He began his career at the former WRKL-AM in the New York City area as an anchor and reporter.
Gary has spoken on communications and change on both sides of the Atlantic for such organizations as the International Association of Business Communicators, Advanced Learning institute, Healthcare Businesswomen's Association, PRWeek (UK), Public Relations Society of America, Northwestern University, DePaul University, University of Georgia and the Great Place to Work Institute (authors of FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list).
Gary is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and the National Speakers Association - Illinois Chapter. He is also the public address announcer for Northwestern University football and men’s basketball in the Big Ten Conference.
Gary holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the Medill School at Northwestern University.
Gary trains and coaches executives, managers and frontline employees to be better communicators so they can lead and inspire others, increase productivity and advance their careers. He develops client-bespoke live and e-learning courses, and he coaches CEOs, C-level executives and internal communications teams on corporate transformations, integrations, M&A and change. Gary has led and been embedded in communication and integration teams supporting mergers, acquisitions, transformations and integrations reaching as high as the FORTUNE 20.
Gary is also a principal at thoughtLEADERS, LLC, a leadership development training, coaching and consulting firm working with companies around the world. Based on real-world experience, he specializes in change management, change communications and strategic thinking concepts and processes that clients can implement immediately in their organizations.
Prior to his training, coaching and consulting work, Gary led communications departments at Fortune Brands, CDW and Hyatt Hotels. Earlier in his career, Gary worked as a reporter and substitute anchor for WCBD-TV in Charleston, S.C., where he was nominated for an Emmy Award in investigative journalism, traveled overseas with the U.S. military and reported from the eye of Category Four Hurricane Hugo. He began his career at the former WRKL-AM in the New York City area as an anchor and reporter.
Gary has spoken on communications and change on both sides of the Atlantic for such organizations as the International Association of Business Communicators, Advanced Learning institute, Healthcare Businesswomen's Association, PRWeek (UK), Public Relations Society of America, Northwestern University, DePaul University, University of Georgia and the Great Place to Work Institute (authors of FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list).
Gary is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and the National Speakers Association - Illinois Chapter. He is also the public address announcer for Northwestern University football and men’s basketball in the Big Ten Conference.
Gary holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the Medill School at Northwestern University.
Destin Singleton, Senior Consultant
Destin Singleton has 20+ years of experience in the communications field with the world's top companies. She became a communications consultant in 2018 to share her passion for reputation and engagement.
Prior to her consulting career, Destin served as the Director of External Communications at Marathon Petroleum Corporation – a Fortune 50 company - where she led a team of external communications, multimedia and editorial professionals who managed the company’s reputation through proactive storytelling and issues management. She also managed its crisis communications program and supported its growth of the company through strategic communications. In this role, Destin managed internal and external communications for several major M&A activities and a full rebrand for the company.
Prior to Marathon Petroleum, Destin worked 10 years with one of the largest global brands, Shell, where she served in various roles across the globe. Her accountabilities spanned many areas including media relations, internal communications, marketing communications and sustainability reporting. One of her key roles was in growing new business lines and launching major projects for the company.
Destin is the founder and principal of Emic Communications. She holds a Bachelors’ degree from Texas A&M University in Anthropology and is a Master’s candidate at Texas State University in Communications Studies. Destin holds an Accreditation of Public Relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America and a Change Management Certification from Prosci. She is also a member of the Arthur Page Society’s Page Up organization for senior communications professionals. Destin also serves as a regular guest lecturer at the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.
Prior to her consulting career, Destin served as the Director of External Communications at Marathon Petroleum Corporation – a Fortune 50 company - where she led a team of external communications, multimedia and editorial professionals who managed the company’s reputation through proactive storytelling and issues management. She also managed its crisis communications program and supported its growth of the company through strategic communications. In this role, Destin managed internal and external communications for several major M&A activities and a full rebrand for the company.
Prior to Marathon Petroleum, Destin worked 10 years with one of the largest global brands, Shell, where she served in various roles across the globe. Her accountabilities spanned many areas including media relations, internal communications, marketing communications and sustainability reporting. One of her key roles was in growing new business lines and launching major projects for the company.
Destin is the founder and principal of Emic Communications. She holds a Bachelors’ degree from Texas A&M University in Anthropology and is a Master’s candidate at Texas State University in Communications Studies. Destin holds an Accreditation of Public Relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America and a Change Management Certification from Prosci. She is also a member of the Arthur Page Society’s Page Up organization for senior communications professionals. Destin also serves as a regular guest lecturer at the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.
Ashley Dennison, Consultant
Ashley Dennison brings more than 15 years of experience in every facet of the communications business – from leading complex multi-month projects to building long-form content for the C-suite. She has years of specialized expertise in corporate and internal communications for times of challenge and change, including managing organizational transformations, departmental growing pains, reputational issues, leader transitions, reductions in force and emerging crises. Ashley passionately believes that employees are people first, and continuously encourages clients to craft internal communications with empathy, humor and heart.
Ashley holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she specialized in strategic communication.
Ashley holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she specialized in strategic communication.
Tammy Barter, Chief of Staff
Tammy Barter has more than 25 years of experience in the marcomms industry, including time with leading PR and marketing firms in the UK. She has worked across many facets of marketing, developed and implemented marketing programs for some of the UK's leading agencies and has trained others in building and maintaining business relationships. Tammy is also a corporate wellness coach, focusing on wellness at work, beating stress and burnout, mindfulness and work/life balance.
Tammy holds a degree in Social Policy and Sociology from the University of Surrey, a diploma in Human Nutrition from the School of Natural Health Sciences and a Master's degree in Public Health from London Metropolitan University.
Tammy holds a degree in Social Policy and Sociology from the University of Surrey, a diploma in Human Nutrition from the School of Natural Health Sciences and a Master's degree in Public Health from London Metropolitan University.