It has been my pleasure to collaborate with Veronica for the last 15 months (though, it already feels like years because she has made such an honest effort to develop a strong working dynamic). Veronica's business acumen speaks for itself as she has been a key driver in the new and organic growth of key business accounts within our agency for years. But I'd fail in this recommendation if I did not touch on her ability to also grow her team members.

Veronica is a leader for the people. That is the simplest way to say it. Her entire M.O. is to give everyone she works with the skills to grow, and to be better individuals - professionally and personally. I've absorbed more from her than I can articulate in a simple note, but one thing that has always impressed me is her ability to accommodate so many different working styles and personal needs. She's an expert at this, and is helping me to refine those skills myself.

She is a wonderful colleague, better person and truly a fearless leader. If you're reading this and have not worked with Veronica before, I hope you someday get the opportunity to. You'll be glad that you did.

KEVIN HIGLEY, MSL GROUP

Veronica is a collaborative, passionate and motivating storyteller. In the time I have worked with her throughout my career (from earlier days at Weber Shandwick, to now at MSL), Veronica has always worked to advance her colleagues / direct reports, teach her team new skillsets, push individuals to further their careers and has always been a proponent of great storytelling no matter the subject or client.

Always willing to dive in and lend a hand, Veronica is a leader that her team members can count on to be there when needed. On the other end, she provides room for individuals to learn on their feet and grow, knowing when they have the potential to complete certain tasks without the added guidance. This is an important trait in a leader, to be able watch someone on their team go through the struggles of certain tasks knowing they will get it done at the end of the day. That builds trust, and that builds confidence in your team.

I'm always proud to work with Veronica and know that when she is on board, great work and team collaboration will follow. From a creative standpoint, she pushes boundaries and always thinks outside the box while inspiring others to do the same. A great story doesn't always require great creativity, but it certainly helps to look at stories from multiple angles. Since working with Veronica, I have inherently gained more skills and a wider understanding of the work I do. Her leadership has been incredible and I'm lucky to call her a supervisor of mine.

JASON HEILWEIL, MSL GROUP

I had the opportunity to work with Veronica at AARP and get a first hand perspective on her work. I was very impressed by her ability to protect AARP's reputation; leading proactive earned media efforts around some of our key communications priorities. She was very effective in understanding the many challenges that communicating through print, broadcast, digital and social media pose in an enterprise as large and complex as AARP. With almost 38 million members, it is no small feat to stay focused on individual members and their needs while simultaneously protecting the AARP brand. Veronica did an exceptional job in this regard.

Jeffrey davis, svp, media relations, aarp

Veronica is a gifted strategist. She has the ability to see the big picture of a challenge, program or initiative and create a plan with the end in mind. She has the unique ability to elegantly craft compelling stories and messages that inspire people to listen, learn and take action. Veronica always gives her best and produces an excellent work product. She is an incredibly talented and skilled communicator. Veronica is also a team player who can create and execute highly complex projects. We collaborated on several projects and it was truly a delight to partner with her. I would highly recommend her for communication positions.

shawna berger, walmart

Veronica is a strategic leader who isn't scared to try new ideas or challenge the status quo. She is always thinking two steps ahead and can hit any curveball out of the park. During my time working with Veronica, I was consistently impressed with her ability to motivate teams to deliver impactful results for clients. Whether she was planning a media event for 50+ journalists or working on short and long term media strategies, Veronica took the time to understand the business problem and the best way to solve the issue with an effective communications strategy. In addition to her commitment to client service, Veronica was an outstanding manager. While never my "direct" manager, Veronica worked with me to really develop and hone my media skills and would ask questions to take plans and results to the next level. If you're looking for a communications strategist and leader who can work across all levels to ensure goals are met - Veronica is it!

Patrick messenger, SAE, Weber Shandwick

It was an absolute honor and pleasure working under Veronica during my time at Weber Shandwick. She has a confident and comfortable sense of leadership. She offers clear expectations, simultaneously providing enough creative space to tackle a project in a way that’s comfortable for me but still gets results. She is a leader who inspires you to do even better because you can. It is evident in Veronica’s work her profound experiences and knowledge of the industry and people-handling skills, and the hard-work and diligent efforts she has put into paving her career to arrive at where she is. Veronica is a risk-taker who takes appropriate chances even in moments of crisis. I’ve witnessed firsthand her flexibility and sharp thinking when faced with challenging decisions that impact her client’s business. Veronica never ceases to offer me guidance, support and advice with my work, career and life. She’s a natural educator who is generous in wanting to help you in any way she can. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work under Veronica and learn all the things I did.

Jenny Chang, Weber Shandwick

I had the pleasure of working under Veronica during her time at AARP. I was very impressed by her versatile skill set, thorough understanding of the communications industry and her desire to move the needle. She is a great leader who inspires colleagues to think strategically and creatively. Veronica has been a tremendous role model and mentor during my experience at AARP. I believe she would be a tremendous addition to any communications team.

alex guerin, aarp

Veronica's strong strategic guidance was exceptional. She was always one step ahead, and this foresight was essential to achieving actionable, measurable results for clients. Veronica has a keen ability to partner at all levels of the organization and is relentless in her work, and our partnership led to many successful client initiatives. She's curious, creative, witty and smart and would be a no-brainer addition to any team!

jonathan sullivan, SVP, Weber Shandwick

I've had the pleasure to work directly with Veronica at O'Malley Hansen on Sara Lee Deli and Bali Intimates and have nothing but amazing things to say about her both personally and professionally. 

Veronica is one of the few PR professionals I've worked with that manages to exceed client expectations, deliver great measurable results and empowers colleagues on her team to think creatively.

Iman Jefferson, SAE, O'Malley Hansen

Veronica is one of the hardest working PR professionals I know; she's strategic, detail-oriented and is known for delivering better-than-expected results. The versatility of her skill set and aptitude to learn quickly allows her to tackle any kind of assignment. She would be a great addition to any team.

CONROY BOXHILL, EVP, EDELMAN

Veronica is truly an innovator and best-in-class public relations professional. As a member of her team at AARP, I learned the art of meaningful internal client relationships and the value of thoughtful, data-driven media advice. Veronica understands the value of full-service public relations, in the information age. She approaches PR as more than “just a press release” - rather, the personal relationship between the public and a brand.

eden godbee, AARP

Veronica is an outstanding PR professional with a sophisticated understanding of how to develop and execute consumer-facing campaigns for businesses and brands. She is also a terrific colleague and a true asset to O'Malley Hansen Communications. I feel lucky to work with her on a daily basis.

Jeremy Berrington, SAE, O'Malley Hansen

After enrolling in Veronica's Corporate Communication Strategies and Strategic Communication Planning courses at the University of Arkansas I now feel confident in creating communication strategies and plans. Veronica's passion for the subject was contagious and has inspired me to pursue a career path utilizing the tools that I gained in her classroom. Her teaching methods are direct and explicit allowing her students to grasp the concepts fully. The assignments that were given allowed the students to explore situations they were interested in while gaining a valuable set of skills, including, the knowledge of how to conduct communication research, a psychograph and a communication audit, writing key messages, visions and purpose statements and creating an overall communication plan. Veronica's experience in "the real world" allowed the students to grasp the importance of the assignments we were given. These scenarios made the classwork very relatable and was that extra ingredient that made things click. Lastly, Veronica's personable and energetic personality was a pleasure to be around. She was always available and willing to discuss classroom matters as well as advice for outside of the classroom. Overall, Veronica was a wonderful asset to the Communication Department and it was a privilege to be able to take two course from her that will have a lasting impression on my future.

Jennifer Fore, Student, University of Arkansas 

I took Professor Marshall’s COMM 318 (Public Relations Writing) course at Loyola University Chicago in fall of 2015 and I have to say that it was one of the most important classes I took in college as an Advertising and Public Relations major. Professor Marshall is a very knowledgeable Public Relations Professional! She brought real-world cases to class and she would teach us from challenges she faced throughout her career. Moreover, Professor Marshall treated us like PR professionals instead of students. She organized her lectures in a manner that is interesting and easy to follow. After taking Professor Marshall’s class, I was able to “hit the ground running,” when I started working as a Consumer Public Relations Intern at Weber Shandwick. Because I took her class I was no stranger to drafting press materials, conducting targeted media outreach, and researching industry news and trends; which gave an advantage over other interns who only had academic experience and not real-world exposure. Professor Marshall was not just a Professor to our class but a leader and a mentor. Thank you for everything you taught me and I hope you continue to prepare young professionals for their careers in communications.

LUIS ORTIZ, Student + Weber Shandwick Intern