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Brenda Considine

Brenda Considine has held professional positions in the field of government relations and policy development since 1985.

She began her career at the Center for Outreach Services to the Autism Community (now Autism NJ), where she was ultimately appointed its first Director of Legislative Affairs, influencing policy development at the state and federal level and creating the first grassroots initiatives in support of improved disability policy in New Jersey. She edited and produced the agency's clinical and political communications, consumer guides and resource directories, and established the agency's robust information and referral capacities.

Later, as Director of Government Affairs at the Arc of New Jersey, Brenda coordinated statewide grassroots education and activism programs, and get out the vote campaigns. She lobbied successfully for the passage of New Jersey's Family Support Act, positively shaped the adopted Comprehensive Educational Improvement Act (CEIFA), and coordinated a successful campaign for a New Jersey bond referendum.

She is the principle author of influential legislative and administrative policy reports in the area of education and human services, and currently authors and edits several periodic publications.

Brenda's client work with CCS is as a marketing and communications planner, editor and writer, trainer, and policy consultant.

Rick Considine

Rick Considine has been a professional communications planner, program developer, marketer, producer, and constituent organizer since 1990. He has held senior administrative positions at Rutgers University, New Jersey Protection and Advocacy, The Hun School of Princeton, and Island Trading/Island Records. His professional positions have involved extensive program planning, development and implementation.

As Director of Advocacy Programs at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, he was a member of the university's Strategic Communications team, and had primary responsibility for the development and operation of the university's advocacy program.

Rick planned and directed all communications, outreach and training programs, media development, and legislative activity for New Jersey Protection and Advocacy (now Disability Rights NJ), a federally-funded statewide non-profit. He also served as the agency's spokesperson and legislative liaison, leading successful legislative initiatives related to health care, disability rights and voting reform. He has drafted curricula and conducted training for national associations on organizational crisis management and media relations, and has consulted directly with organizations facing crisis situations.

Rick's academic background is in fine art and art criticism. He holds a M.F.A. from Mason Gross Graduate School of the Arts, and studied under Leon Golub, Joan Semmel, and Peter Stroud.

Rick's client work with CCS is as a marketing and communications planner, policy consultant, and writer and producer for print and designer and programmer for web and web-based applications. He also has primary responsibility for CCS's creative development and production.

CCS Associates

Rebecca Shavulsky (Photography)

Rebecca Shavulsky attended Emerson College in Boston, and continued her studies at The International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York City, the pre-eminent institution for photographic studies. ICP’s faculty and alumni include many of the world’s foremost photographers, filmmakers and artists.

Rebecca established her professional credentials at Magnum Photos where she honed her craft working with Susan Miselas, recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship Award. Subsequent professional training included positions working with many world-renowned photojournalists such as Mary Ellen Mark and portrait photographers including Andrew Eccles.

The full breadth of Rebecca’s twenty years of experience in the healthcare industry has included national and international engagements with organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, The Red Cross, The George Soros Foundation, Special Olympics, The New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, UNICEF, United Way, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, United Nations Refugee Agency, and others. Engagements with news organizations have included the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Baltimore Sun, and others. Her assignments have spanned five continents.

Rebecca’s images capture the subtle blend of each subject’s unique, authentic narrative and the basic humanity that is immediately familiar and common to us all. Her experience and sensitivity working with children and adults living with a wide array of social, economic and physical challenges and settings has enabled her to identify and convey her subjects distinct characters through her images.

Rebecca is a consummate visual storyteller, and CCS is pleased to work with her to tell the real story of individuals, families and organizations in our communities.

Please take a moment to visit Rebecca's website now.

Regina A. Smith (Writing and Editorial Support)

Regina A. Smith holds a BA (cum laude) from Providence College in Rhode Island. She has more than a decade of specific experience in all aspects of publication production. She has worked with authors, translators, lecturers, vendors, and the press, and has copy edited, coordinated and assembled successful grant applications. Gina began her career at the Miami Art Museum as a curatorial assistant, where she worked with photographers and printers to produce brochures and catalogues on contemporary art. She then worked at the Americas Society in New York where she developed, wrote, edited, proofread and translated texts in English and Spanish, and oversaw the production of bi-lingual publications. Gina has directed the marketing and advertising of exhibitions and educational programming, headed successful collaborations aimed at marketing to new audiences, and planned and coordinated special events.

Gina has significant volunteer service coordinating literary and arts-oriented fundraising events when she served on the board of Directors of the Friends of the Hopewell Public Library in Hopewell, New Jersey.

She also works actively with Womanspace, in Princeton, NJ, and has worked at the American Embassies in Rome, Italy, and in Caracas, Venezuela. She speaks, reads and writes Spanish fluently, and is conversational in French and Italian.

Jill Abrahamsen (Art Direction, Design, Production Support)

Jill Abrahamsen holds a B.A. in Media Studies from SUNY New Paltz, and continuing academic concentration in photography at Fashion Institute of Technology.

Jill's most recent professional experience is as Art Director/Graphic Designer for Arant Creative Group and Design NJ Magazine, Merril Lynch, and Family Publishing Group. She had earlier design and consultation work at several national publishers including International Masters Publishers, Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, and Metro Creative Graphics. She also volunteers her time and talents locally for Orchard Hill Elementary School, and Blawenburg Village Preschool. Jill also served as an adjunct instuctor in Computer Design at Sanford Brown (formerly Gibbs College).

Her work at CCS is focused on art direction and design, concept development, and production for print.

Jacqueline Quevedo-Schutter (Administrative Support and Research)

Jacqueline Quevedo-Schutter holds a BA in Political Science from the State University of New York at New Paltz and a Masters Degree from Seton Hall University in Diplomacy and International Relations. She has a strong background in politics and event management. She began her career working for a New York Congressman where she handled constituent relations and supervised research for legislative issues. Later, she worked as a consultant for the United Nations in Manhattan, where she researched, wrote and edited publications, managed logistical support for international events and provided support for senior journalists from the Middle East.

Most recently, she provided marketing and outreach support for a New Jersey non-profit where she coordinated training events and developed community partnerships.

Jackie has extensive volunteer experience. She served as an event coordinator at the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations, and was elected to serve on the Board of Education in Rock Hill New Jersey.

Nicole C. Harahan (Administrative Support and Research)

Nicole Harahan holds a BS in Marketing from West Chester University in Pennsylvania. She has a strong background in building synergistic relationships between businesses, and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of sales and marketing communications.

She spent the bulk of her corporate career as an analyst for SAP America, a global business management firm. In this role, Nicole surveyed customer satisfaction, researched client contacts, and coordinated meetings between potential clients and existing clients for Fortune 1000 businesses. Additionally, Nicole trained sales associates at SAP America.

Now spending more time with her young son, Nicole serves as president of her homeowners’ association and coordinates activities for mothers’ groups.

• About CCS
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• Clients
• Biographies
• Contact

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