Matt Russell is a veteran public relations and communications professional with more than 30 years of experience in media relations, federal government relations, marketing communications and non-profit administration. He has represented organizations and individuals in the health care, technology, finance, transportation, automotive, hospitality, travel and tourism, manufacturing, real estate, and retail industries. Prior to founding Russell Public, he served as Executive Director of the National Integrative Medicine Council, a grassroots advocacy organization he co-founded with Dr. Andrew Weil. His professional career includes service as a federal lobbyist in Washington, D.C., where he worked with Congress, the White House and federal agencies. In PR staff or consultant roles, he has secured publicity for his clients on such major media outlets as Larry King Live, Good Morning America, the TODAY show, USA Today, Oprah, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post. A frequent lecturer, Matt has keynoted many national conferences and is called on regularly to serve as Master of Ceremonies for community events. He has served as board member for the Institute for Natural Medicine, Health Choice Political Action Committee, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson, KUAT Communications Group, American Lung Association of Arizona/New Mexico, Catalina Foothills School District Foundation, DM-50, Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding, and the Public Relations Society of America, Southern Arizona Chapter. In 2001, he was appointed to the Pima County Commission on Trial Court Appointments by Arizona Governor Jane Hull, and was re-appointed to the post in 2010 by Governor Jan Brewer. Matt graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.A. in Political Science. He currently resides in Tucson with his wife, Nancy, and two children. Before beginning his career in public relations, Matt was an award-winning percussionist. He has performed in Carnegie Hall and across Europe.

A lawyer admitted to the bars of Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., Bill Sklar began his PR career at the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now the American Association for Justice), later moving to Capitol Hill where he served as Legislative Director for a Connecticut congressman. He began counseling corporate and association clients in 1979, first as Vice President for Consumer Affairs at a Washington PR firm, then in a practice he co-founded. He subsequently managed the D.C. office of a Sacramento-based lobbying and PR firm. Bill joined Burson-Marsteller, then the world’s largest PR/public affairs firm, in 1988. As a Senior Vice President, he conceived, marketed and managed many large and complex campaigns, in areas as varied as international trade, aviation policy and safety belt promotion. In 1992, he began providing services as an independent consultant, later moving to Tucson where he joined Russell Public. In 2012, Bill returned to Washington, providing Russell Public clients with full-time representation in the legislative and regulatory arenas. Creative communications and problem solving are Bill’s specialties. He ran a five-day, five-city cross-country media tour for the U.S. and Mexican Secretaries of Commerce, escorted multiple clients to the Oval Office, managed Presidential speeches at client events, coordinated client involvement in Congressional briefings and hearings, orchestrated nationwide grassroots campaigns and worked with the national media at virtually every level. Bill is a graduate of Lehigh University and the University of Connecticut School of Law, where he served on the Law Review Board of Editors. In his 18-year Arizona sojourn, Bill was active in cactus preservation activities; assisted at-risk, institutionalized children as a certified pet therapist (with his dog Cayenne); and volunteered with a raptor-rescue organization.

Jason Miko is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of client communications. He brings more than two decades of international communications management to the agency, including leadership positions in public relations, public affairs, economic development and government relations. Prior to joining Russell Public, Jason spent seven years working in the nation’s capital in professional party politics and with Ruder Finn, an independent public relations firm where he represented clients in the Balkans and in the travel and tourism industry. He also worked in Macedonia for seven years – five of those with Mercy Corps, an Oregon-based humanitarian and developmental organization, as communications officer and country director. In Washington, Jason worked at Barbour, Griffith and Rogers and Quinn Gillespie and Associates, representing the Government of Macedonia as well as other clients in Macedonia, Bulgaria and Ukraine on economic development, communications and other matters. Jason serves as Honorary Consul of the Republic of Macedonia to Arizona and is a member of the Consular Corps of Arizona. Jason has traveled to 50 countries, lived a quarter of his life overseas and produced a documentary film on Macedonia, “A Name is a Name”. A native Arizonan, Jason graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.S. in Business Administration. He enjoys music, travel, history, hiking, weight lifting, jogging, swimming, reading, fine wine, craft beer and general geo-political discussions.

Shelly McGriff oversees the Russell Public accounting department. She brings more than 30 years of accounting, bookkeeping, human resources and office management experience to the agency, having served at a range of firms in Arizona, Oregon and Washington. Prior to joining Russell Public, she served as office manager at Lamb Excavation in Sahuarita, Arizona. An avid auto racing enthusiast, Shelly served on the board of directors for the Pacific Racing Association in Roseburg, Oregon, and was elected President of the PRA in 1989. She currently manages a family racing business, and is her daughter’s biggest cheerleader, who is currently training for the NASCAR circuit.