CCS Partners

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

CCS Associates

Regina A. Smith

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 is currently a volunteer advocate for Womanspace, in Princeton, NJ.

She 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.

Jacqueline Quevedo-Schutter

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.