Chelsea co-founded COMMAND after leading marketing and communications at Plaid, which she joined as the first marketing hire after the Series A. Before that, she was head of marketing at a cloud security startup, which was acquired by Barracuda. In a prior life, she worked in Features at Vogue, writing on art, food, and politics. Chelsea began her career as investment banking analyst. She went to Duke where she served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper and then served seven years on its Board.
I’ve been a vegetarian for more than half my life.
Meg co-founded COMMAND after 15+ years in financial and tech communications. She led comms at Plaid, elevating fintech as a category, and directed marketing at AltX, acquired by Addepar. Her career includes leading communications and government affairs at UBS, BNP Paribas, and JP Morgan Chase across the United States, Canada, UK, and Latin America. Meg went to Penn, where she rowed crew.
Coming soon...
Caty joined COMMAND after leading communications at Sequoia-backed software startup Front. Previously, she was a vice president of media strategy at Inkhouse, where she supported fast-growing technology companies in SaaS, cybersecurity, consumer tech, venture capital and CSR & social impact. Earlier, she was the first PR and marketing hire for an angel-backed healthcare startup. Caty started her career at Edelman in Hong Kong.
The most adventurous thing I’ve done is ice hiking on the Perito Moreno glacier.
Kristin Sauchak is Partner and Head of Brand at Command, where she leads the agency’s in-house brand & creative studio Command+Sawmill. Kristin was previously the founder of Sawmill Strategies, a consultancy for early-stage startups, private investors, and hypergrowth companies at the intersection of brand, marketing, and communications. There she supported brands including 53 Stations, Amplify Partners, Genesis Biosciences, Scribe, Smith Point Capital, Vercel, WaveForms AI, World Labs, and Yupp.
Kristin was previously a portfolio marketing partner at Andreessen Horowitz and Senior Vice President, Brand Strategy at Outcast, where she spent nearly 10 years building the agency's content and brand strategy practices. Throughout her 20-year career, Kristin has partnered with stealth startups to Fortune 500s like Adobe, Amazon, and Meta. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and lives in Atlanta with her husband and daughter.
Ali has spent the bulk of her career leading media and strategic communications for early and growth stage startups and venture capital investors, but her career started in the newsroom. Her first job was at PBS NewsHour assisting the Foreign Affairs team, followed by the Fox News Channel’s Washington, D.C. bureau, where she was a producer covering media and politics. Her first non-newsroom job was at a leading public affairs firm in Washington where she ran advocacy campaigns on behalf of Fortune 500 companies. She received her Bachelor's degree in International Relations and Journalism from the George Washington University. She lives just outside Denver.
When hitchhiking in Malaysia, I helped a stranger assemble Ikea furniture in exchange for room & board.
Amanda brings over 15 years of experience in B2B marketing and communications, with a focus on analyst relations and brand storytelling for tech startups in highly regulated industries like cybersecurity, fintech, and health IT. She’s worked closely with emerging and established companies to develop targeted campaigns that showcase expertise and build meaningful connections. Amanda holds a BA in Psychology from Colby College and currently lives outside of Boulder, Colorado.
Angelina is a communications strategist and entrepreneur who founded a six-figure e-commerce business at 18. She later joined Fintech Nexus, now a COMMAND portfolio company, where she managed large-scale newsletters and impactful campaigns. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of Pace University's Pforzheimer Honors College, she holds a B.A. in Digital Marketing and Entrepreneurship with a minor in Finance.
I once swapped apartments with a stranger in France.
Annabel began her career in public service, working for the United States Senate and the International Rescue Committee before moving into agency life. She went on to specialize in crisis and litigation communications, developing tailored strategies for clients across healthcare, publishing, creative industries, and technology. Annabel graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in History. Outside of work, she’s an avid movie and TV fan, loves a good book recommendation, and is steadily expanding her cooking skills.
Binta brings more than 15 years of communications experience to COMMAND, helping organizations build trust, shape narratives, and reach key audiences. Before COMMAND, she led communications across B2B SaaS, state government, and advised clients in the fintech, healthtech, and proptech sectors. She specializes in using data-driven insights to tell stories that resonate, and brings deep expertise in building communities of collaborators, managing rapid-response campaigns, and supporting organizations through change Binta holds a Master’s in Mass Communications from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor’s in Communication from North Carolina State University. She lives in Raleigh with her family where she can be found cheering for her beloved Wolfpack year round.
Camille brings a diversified background to COMMAND with strategic communications experience in NPOs, government, tech, Web3, and fintech. She has overseen and implemented comms programs for clients such as LA County, Checkout, and The Solana Foundation. Camille holds a Master’s in Public Policy from University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s from Chapman. She lives in LA and enjoys the beach, camping, and exploring the local food scene.
I went sledding in Alaska with dogs training for the Iditarod.
Creighton is a media relations veteran known for his insightful strategy, keen understanding of technology and easygoing attitude. He’s worked with teams in sectors ranging from consumer tech to quantum computing, spanning pre-seed to post-IPO. When he’s not working, Creighton can be found making music or taking up new hobbies. A graduate of UCSB, he grew up in the Bay Area and lives in Brooklyn.
A bucket list item I’ve already crossed off is skydiving.
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Dominique is a strategic communications and human resources leader with a deep background in technology and financial services. She previously led internal communications and talent acquisition initiatives and teams at MITRE, Meta, AIG, and Goldman Sachs. Dominique graduated with a degree in English from Howard, where she served as student body president. When not working, she can often be found curating a themed dinner party for two or twenty.
For the last few years, I have been actively partnering with an organization called House of Ruth to provide support for women and families who have experienced abuse. They do amazing work!
Fiona joined COMMAND after leading corporate communications and marketing strategy for high-growth companies, helping shape narratives that support business objectives. Previously, she advised Microsoft on executive and internal communications to drive alignment and engagement. With a decade of experience working with global tech and corporate clients, she specializes in storytelling, corporate communications, and executive visibility, translating complex ideas into compelling narratives. Fiona began her career in Hong Kong at Ogilvy.
Gina Papini is a New York native (based on the coast of the Great South Bay) with more than a decade of experience working with B2C and B2B brands of all sizes on their communications strategies. I started my career representing major lifestyle and hospitality brands before spending the past several years deeply embedded within the tech happenings of the Bay Area and the ‘Silicon Alley’.
Helena brings over 15 years of experience in communications and marketing across technology, healthcare, and NGOs. Before COMMAND, she led UK communications at Spotcap and managed programs at Burson Cohn & Wolfe, supporting clients like HPE, Accenture, and Intel. A Harvard graduate with a BA in Government, Helena lives in The Bahamas with her family, enjoys tennis, and loves diving into a good book.
A motto I live by is “Do one thing every day that scares you.”
Jenny is a visual designer who specializes in bringing in human-centered design to the forefront. She sits at the intersection of brand and UX and has helped build digital and physical design experiences for a number of industries including financial services, fintech, and consumer products.
Jill brings over a decade of experience as a journalist reporting on business and policy. Before COMMAND, she was senior producer for public programs at the US Chamber of Commerce. Her work has appeared on Yahoo Finance, CBSN, and Reuters, covering monetary policy, workforce development, and personal finance. Earlier, she produced for CNBC, covering the Federal Reserve and NYSE, and began her career at CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.
A unique passion of mine is the history of city architecture, particularly how the economy of particular regions have shaped the way communities were formed and built.
Katie got her start in comms in the world of politics, and she previously served as deputy national communications director for Andrew Yang’s 2020 presidential campaign. She specializes in deep research, strategy, and media relations. Katie earned a bachelor of science in physics and political science with an honors concentration in American Catholic studies from Fordham University. Once upon a time, she was on a game show.
I start every day with a book. I read a minimum of 100 pages every day, and whenever I can try to finish a book a day!
Kelly brings 20+ years of expertise in corporate communications, PR, and newsroom leadership to COMMAND. She specializes in building reputation-enhancing programs and preparing executives for high-stakes public moments across fintech, tech, banking, and cybersecurity. Previously, she was Managing Director at Caliber Corporate Advisers and held roles at Plaid (launching financial industry comms), Wells Fargo, Bloomberg News, and USA Today.
A favorite quote of mine is by Angela Duckworth: “Grit has two components: passion and perseverance.”
Kira brings over a decade of strategic communications expertise to COMMAND, with a passion for helping emerging brands craft and share impactful stories. Before COMMAND, she partnered with B2B and B2C brands across AI, fintech, proptech, insurtech, and more. A University of Oregon graduate with a Bachelor's in Marketing, Kira lives in San Francisco with her family.
Hiked to the top of Machu Picchu mountain in Peru. Slightly terrifying but well worth it!
Laura has spent more than 17 years leading strategic PR campaigns for high-growth tech startups, venture capital firms, and major consumer brands, both in-house and at agencies. She has a deep passion for media relations, with a track record of securing top-tier coverage, managing crisis communications, and driving successful product launches and funding announcements. An outdoor enthusiast, Laura is happiest on a hiking or biking trail with her husband and two kids.
Lindy brings over 20 years of experience to COMMAND, including four years leading global social impact and sustainability communications at Visa and Visa Foundation. She’s counseled clients and built global campaigns while at Edelman for clients including Unilever, HP, Genentec and Pfizer, and her non-profit experience includes The Hunger Project, TechnoServe and Girls on the Run. Lindy is currently working on her first book. Lindy has lived and worked in Washington D.C., New York City, Kenya, and Rwanda.
Coming soon...
Mackenzie has a special affinity for healthcare tech, fintech, cybersecurity and B2B tech. She focuses on driving results with tailored strategies that align with organizational goals. She regularly secures coverage in outlets such as Bloomberg, Business Insider, CNBC, Forbes, Fierce Healthcare, Modern Healthcare, SC Magazine, STAT News and ZDNet.
I believe in finding climate tech solutions — the world is literally on fire, and we need to do something about it.
Madison is a strategic communications professional with experience across enterprise tech, startups, and venture capital. She’s worked with leading brands including Google Cloud, Google for Startups, Menlo Ventures, and Reddit (pre-IPO), helping them craft compelling narratives and break through in the media. Her work spans industries like AI, climate and sustainability, public sector, and financial services—but her favorite part of the job is helping founders shape stories that resonate. Madison holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science & Global Security from Syracuse University, and previously supported issue advocacy and ballot measure campaigns in Washington, D.C. She now lives in San Francisco, where she’s active in community service and mentorship.
Before joining COMMAND, Makenzie worked at Block, Inc., where she shaped the digital editorial strategy for their corporate newsroom and contributed to Square Inc.'s rebrand. Previously, at Edelman, she specialized in ESG program development and purpose-driven storytelling for brands like Nike, HP, and The North Face. A Gonzaga University honors graduate, Makenzie holds a Bachelor's in Public Relations & Marketing with a minor in Gender Studies.
On a day off, you can find me teaching Pilates, lounging by any body of water, or spending time with friends.
Before joining COMMAND as a strategist, Nina was an editorial fellow at Fortune, where she curated the Most Powerful Women Daily and Term Sheet newsletters. She holds an M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University and a B.A. in Art History and Hispanic Studies from Vassar College.
Riley is a strategic communications advisor who has worked with companies like Sierra, TurboTax, Coinbase, and Cape. She twice led Google Cloud’s flagship conference, managing news strategy and coordinating 100+ global media. While her career focuses on enterprise tech, she loves advising startup founders on media and content strategies. Riley holds a Journalism degree from the University of Oregon and lives in San Francisco.
Stretching is a nonnegotiable part of my morning routine.
Sandra has more than 20 years of experience across agency and in-house roles spanning communications, messaging, media relations, consumer education campaigns, reputation management, and issues management. She previously was head of corporate, policy, and safety communications at Reddit and Global Head of Security and Risk Communications at Visa. Earlier, she worked on campaigns doing opposition research. She lives in San Francisco with her family.
At age four, I figured out how to split two oranges into three shares for me and my two cousins. Somewhere between then and now, I developed a passion for cooking and feeding the people I love!
Sarah has spent a decade enhancing brand voices on social media. She is in building online communities and helping brands and execs resonate across social channels. Sarah has partnered with global brands ranging from Kindred Bravely to Accelerant, and she enjoys the challenge of advising companies that are B2C and B2B.
A longtime passion of mine is photography - I love to tell stories through visuals, especially landscapes and ones showing dynamics between people.
Sasha joined COMMAND as a communications strategist, and she has a special knack for storytelling. Her work in the operations and fraud departments of Synchrony and Ally Bank has offered her an analytical perspective on the intersection of business and technology. She graduated from Syracuse University with a B.S. in Economics and a B.A. with distinction in Writing and Rhetoric.
I spent 6 weeks backpacking Japan and Southeast Asia.
Stephanie is a Bay Area native with 15+ years of experience in corporate brand reputation and crisis management. Before joining COMMAND, she led privacy, security, and business communications at Instagram Previously, she developed and executed multimillion-dollar reputation and crisis campaigns for Fortune 100 companies, trade associations and organizations. She graduated from Berkeley.
If speed-reading were a superpower, I’d be in the Olympics.
Tania Zaparaniuk is a communications strategist with experience across startups, venture capital, and mission-driven organizations. She's worked with leading startups and funds including Agency AI, Graham & Walker, and Foreground Capital. Most recently, she led communications at Carta. Prior to that, Tania ran communications for Reshma Saujani at Girls Who Code. She started her career as a speechwriter for West Wing Writers in Washington, D.C., where she wrote for former heads of state and Fortune 500 CEOs. Originally from Chicago, she now lives in Santa Monica, after years spent in both Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Ulysses King is a strategic communications executive with 25 years of experience helping companies shape narratives that move culture and drive business impact. He has led work for some of the world’s most influential brands — including Amazon, Meta, Nike, Salesforce, and TikTok — with deep expertise in media relations, executive visibility, product storytelling, and brand positioning. Previously, Ulysses served as Executive Vice President at the global public relations firm Archetype, where he sat on the North America leadership team and oversaw high-impact client accounts. During his tenure, he also founded Archetype Ascend, a dedicated practice that provided strategic communications support for BIPOC founders, executives, and venture capitalists.
We're incredibly proud of our culture, which fosters a desire to do great work — together.
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