JS Cultivation Team
Our seasoned communications strategists are former journalists and accomplished speakers who bring a behind-the-scenes view from their personal experiences.
We’ve prepared clients for media such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Associated Press and The View.
Team Lead
Trudy Kremer
Trudy leads JS Cultivation, bringing deep experience from her years as a producer for the NBC News including TODAY, Nightly News and MSNBC. She began her career with NBC Sports covering the Olympic Games in Barcelona. Later she moved to news and covered some of the biggest stories of our time including the death of John F. Kennedy, Jr., the Columbine school shootings and John Glenn’s return to space. She is in constant demand as a client counselor when high-profile situations emerge. Known for her cool head, decisive direction and hard-driving work ethic, Trudy helps clients communicating publicly in any situation.
Communication Strategists
Blair Meeks
A 20-year veteran of television news, Blair is a staple in our client training sessions. His experience with both local and network news brings eye-opening realism to every session he joins. As a reporter, he won six regional Emmys as well as three “Best of Gannett” awards for spot and general news stories. His work also earned recognition from the Associated Press for live reporting and documentary coverage in two states. Blair shows clients how to capitalize on their strengths whether the situation is proactive or reactive.
Scott Hartman
Our multimedia team is led by Scott Hartman, a veteran broadcast reporter and anchor, who lends an air of realism to every scenario. Scott grew up watching his Dad deliver sports news every night on the leading Atlanta television affiliate, so it wasn’t a big surprise when he sought work in television news. He began his career behind the camera and graduated to reporting and anchor positions along the way. Today, provides real-world media and crisis counsel to many of our clients. He knows the tricks that trip up interviewees and the tips for staying on top, and he can demystify the process for anxious clients.
Bryan Long
An offline and online journalism expert, Bryan’s resume runs the gamut from CNN.com to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He brings a portfolio rich in real world newsroom experience ranging from the Democratic National Convention to the persuasive point-of-view of a daily, trade-oriented blog. His energetic and interactive presentations focus on writing, pitching, blogging and best practices for engaging “new media.” Bryan has experience teaching a number of corporate and professional services clients as well as the Alabama Press Association.
Bo Spalding
An accomplished writer, editor and public speaker, Bo is a co-founder of our firm. He brings a diverse skill set to our training team, merging his experiences as a newspaper reporter, corporate PR director, crisis strategist and Atlanta insider. When large corporations find themselves in the news, Bo is often the first call for help. He brings this deep well of knowledge to bear whenever he trains clients.
Alicia Harwell
Alicia is a talented videographer, producer and editor who joined us by way of FSN South where she created promotional spots for live sporting events and sportscasts. Prior to that, she held a similar position with UPN Atlanta, WUPA-TV, promoting syndicated shows and movies. Her work earned a national Telly Award in 2004 for “Rock of the Marne,” a documentary she shot about soldiers from Georgia’s 3rd Infantry Division chronicling their mission in Iraq and their return home. Alicia is behind the camera for many of our training sessions, shooting and sharing her impressive broadcast news experience.
Brian Brodrick
Brian, managing director of our Athens office, began his career as a journalist at the Rome News-Tribune. Now he serves as a councilman for the City of Watkinsville, a position that puts him in front of the public on a regular basis. His gift of persuasion and eye for strategy make him a go-to contact for clients and media alike. His work has resulted in coverage in agenda-setting media, nationally and locally. Brian’s experience includes many breaking news situations involving crisis consulting.
Carrie England
Carrie began her career as a touring media spokesperson for the Hershey’s Kissmobile, a mobile marketing vehicle designed to raise awareness for Hershey’s Kisses. Before that, she was a campus leader at the University of South Carolina Honors Program where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and did a good bit of public speaking. She has led some of our largest and most challenging accounts—high-profile positions requiring persuasive speech. She is a gifted communicator who often facilitates client coaching that ranges from storymining to networking.
Bryan Harris
Bryan was born with a natural bent toward public speaking. He used this talent often in his position as director of Bulldog Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational ministry serving the University of Georgia. He was often called as a guest speaker at local churches and led weekly motivational meetings for students. In addition, he has completed crisis response training with the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of his government utility clients. Bryan trains clients on subjects ranging from networking to crisis command structure and strategy.
Glen Jackson
Glen is a co-founder of our firm and a community leader who has served on many of Atlanta’s top boards. A regular at the podium for Atlanta Rotary Club, Glen has chaired a number of high-profile events including the group’s 2007 Atlanta Business Interfaith Prayer Breakfast. He has counseled many clients on high-profile media appearances and situations ranging from business bankruptcies to breaking news. He is a client favorite who specializes in situation management, power in Atlanta, networking and more.
Caroline Duffy
Caroline’s past role as a former theatre major and actor have fueled her interest in client training over the years. She brings a knack for speech-writing and delivery as well as two decades of client experiences to her training sessions. Her work has included crisis preparation for litigation support, business changes and proactive message training for consumer clients and authors. Her eye for detail has made a difference for many clients facing hard decisions.
Ashlee Stubits
Ashlee’s demonstrated “nose for news” has contributed to many of Jackson Spalding’s greatest media “hits” over the years, and she shares her pitching prowess with clients looking to up their game. She has made numerous corporate experts television-ready and also trains clients on event and trade show planning and execution. Her multi-faceted experience makes her a popular client strategist.