At Vantage Public Affairs, we bring decades of experience, deep relationships, and a hands-on approach to every challenge our clients face. We’ve been in the trenches, navigating the complexities of public affairs, advocacy, and government relations, so we know what works. Whether you need to mobilize grassroots supporters, shape public opinion, or get your issues in front of key decision-makers, we develop and execute strategies that make an impact.
We specialize in working with highly regulated industries, where understanding the nuances of policy and compliance is critical to success. We help our clients anticipate obstacles, influence policy, and drive meaningful change. Our approach blends high-level strategy with tactical execution—whether it’s targeted advocacy, strategic messaging, or mobilizing coalitions, we deliver practical solutions that get results.
We understand the high stakes—because we’ve lived them. We’ve been in your position, weighing tough decisions, preparing for critical meetings, and pushing to get things done. That’s why we don’t just offer services—we become part of your team. At Vantage, we are in it with you, every step of the way.
Our Mission
Vantage Public Affairs gives clients the strategic advantage to navigate complex policy challenges, influence decision-makers, and drive real results. With expertise, strong relationships, and tactical execution, we deliver pragmatic solutions that make an impact.
Our History
Vantage Public Affairs is a strategic communications and public affairs firm with deep roots in the labor movement. Led by veteran operatives AJ Stokes and Kyle McDermott, our team has spent decades fighting for working families, organizing on the ground, shaping public opinion, and delivering results at every level of government.
We come from union households—steelworkers, teachers, truck drivers, laborers—and we’ve built our careers advancing the causes that matter to working people. From defeating Right-to-Work three times to leading winning campaigns for industry leaders, trade associations, and elected officials, we help clients navigate complex political landscapes and win high-stakes fights.
Our Identity
The Hexagon
The hexagon is a shape of tremendous versatility and connectivity. It most often appears in nature, construction trades, and scientific endeavors for its strength and simplicity.
The Arrow
The arrow—formed only when the V is perfectly situated at the center of the hexagon—is a subtle statement of precision and purpose. It clearly indicates our determined expertise through the toughest obstacles in order to reach the vantage point that is required for the success of our clients.
The Colors
Purple is made from a combination of red and blue—speaking to our ability to work across the ideological spectrum to help our clients achieve their biggest goals. The transition from purple to blue pays homage to our commitment to hard-working men and women, the industries and organizations supporting them, and their consequential role in America.
The V
No other letter in the English alphabet is more divergent than the V. It converges at a single point only for its arms to be cast in completely different directions like a fork in the road. Our work will no doubt force us to choose multiple different avenues to achieve our end goals, but our singular mission is to always work for the benefit of American workers and their families.
Our Team
Leadership
Kyle McDermott
Partner
AJ Stokes
Partner
Kyle McDermott is a seasoned strategist with over two decades of experience at the intersection of politics, labor, and public affairs. Throughout his career, Kyle has served as a trusted advisor to labor unions, Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, political parties, candidates, and ballot initiative coalitions. His unique ability to bridge traditionally divergent interests—such as organized labor and corporate leadership—sets him apart as a rare and versatile force in American public affairs strategy.
Before joining Vantage Public Affairs in 2013, Kyle dedicated more than ten years to the labor movement, where he led high-stakes state and national advocacy efforts. He played a pivotal role in the conception, execution, and passage of multiple ballot initiatives and issue campaigns that reshaped policy and delivered tangible results for working people. His deep operational knowledge, coupled with a clear understanding of messaging, coalition-building, and advocacy campaigns, has made him an indispensable partner in complex, high-pressure environments.
Kyle’s counsel is sought after by a wide array of labor and business leaders. He has worked with senior executives and industry leaders in the pharmaceutical, casino gaming, private equity, fintech, transportation, energy, and other highly regulated sectors to shape public affairs strategies, build stakeholder coalitions, and navigate complex policy landscapes. His approach is rooted in pragmatism, guided by values, and sharpened by years of experience on the front lines of political and policy battles.
At Vantage, Kyle leads cross-functional teams to craft and execute winning campaigns that resonate with working-class voters and hard-to-reach constituencies. His strategic insights have been instrumental in turning around failing efforts, launching innovative issue advocacy programs, and achieving measurable outcomes where others have fallen short. Whether navigating a sensitive policy strategy or building a long-term engagement plan for a major stakeholder group, Kyle brings discipline, creativity, and integrity to every project he touches.
In addition to his professional work, Kyle frequently mentors rising leaders in the labor and political arenas and is widely recognized for cultivating the next generation of talent in advocacy and campaign strategy. He is known for his strategic clarity, collaborative style, and unwavering commitment to achieving results for his clients and causes.
AJ Stokes, a Partner at Vantage Public Affairs, is a national public affairs, labor, political, and advocacy consultant.
AJ Stokes’s passion for fighting for working families began at a local labor hall in Toledo, Ohio, when he was very young, but in the more than three decades since, he has become a veteran operative in the labor movement, government, politics, and public affairs.
After spending the early part of his career working in Washington, D.C. for the Teamsters Union, he was recruited back to his home state of Ohio by Joyce Beatty, where he served as both Executive Director and Chief of Staff to the Ohio House Democratic Caucus. In this role, he orchestrated winning a pro-worker Democratic majority in the House and helped pass the most consequential pro-worker legislation in over a decade.
After leaving public service, AJ’s first major accomplishment as a member of the Vantage team was serving as Campaign Manager to We Are Ohio, where he successfully orchestrated the campaign to defeat Senate Bill 5, restoring collective bargaining rights for public sector workers, including firefighters. He was awarded “Campaign Manager of the Year” for this effort. In 2018, AJ led the successful effort to repeal Right-to-Work in Missouri, making Vantage Public Affairs the only firm in the country to defeat Right-to-Work three times.
AJ continues to work on critical causes for labor organizations, corporations, organizations, and non-profits.
AJ splits his time between Columbus, OH, and Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he is a frequent guest lecturer, an avid Harley rider, a lousy golfer, and the proud husband to Raven, and father to Jon (24), Eliot (23), and Samantha (12).
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Leadership
Kyle McDermott
Partner
Kyle McDermott is a seasoned strategist with over two decades of experience at the intersection of politics, labor, and public affairs. Throughout his career, Kyle has served as a trusted advisor to labor unions, Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, political parties, candidates, and ballot initiative coalitions. His unique ability to bridge traditionally divergent interests—such as organized labor and corporate leadership—sets him apart as a rare and versatile force in American public affairs strategy.
Before joining Vantage Public Affairs in 2013, Kyle dedicated more than ten years to the labor movement, where he led high-stakes state and national advocacy efforts. He played a pivotal role in the conception, execution, and passage of multiple ballot initiatives and issue campaigns that reshaped policy and delivered tangible results for working people. His deep operational knowledge, coupled with a clear understanding of messaging, coalition-building, and advocacy campaigns, has made him an indispensable partner in complex, high-pressure environments.
Kyle’s counsel is sought after by a wide array of labor and business leaders. He has worked with senior executives and industry leaders in the pharmaceutical, casino gaming, private equity, fintech, transportation, energy, and other highly regulated sectors to shape public affairs strategies, build stakeholder coalitions, and navigate complex policy landscapes. His approach is rooted in pragmatism, guided by values, and sharpened by years of experience on the front lines of political and policy battles.
At Vantage, Kyle leads cross-functional teams to craft and execute winning campaigns that resonate with working-class voters and hard-to-reach constituencies. His strategic insights have been instrumental in turning around failing efforts, launching innovative issue advocacy programs, and achieving measurable outcomes where others have fallen short. Whether navigating a sensitive policy strategy or building a long-term engagement plan for a major stakeholder group, Kyle brings discipline, creativity, and integrity to every project he touches.
In addition to his professional work, Kyle frequently mentors rising leaders in the labor and political arenas and is widely recognized for cultivating the next generation of talent in advocacy and campaign strategy. He is known for his strategic clarity, collaborative style, and unwavering commitment to achieving results for his clients and causes.
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AJ Stokes
Partner
AJ Stokes, a Partner at Vantage Public Affairs, is a national public affairs, labor, political, and advocacy consultant.
AJ Stokes’s passion for fighting for working families began at a local labor hall in Toledo, Ohio, when he was very young, but in the more than three decades since, he has become a veteran operative in the labor movement, government, politics, and public affairs.
After spending the early part of his career working in Washington, D.C. for the Teamsters Union, he was recruited back to his home state of Ohio by Joyce Beatty, where he served as both Executive Director and Chief of Staff to the Ohio House Democratic Caucus. In this role, he orchestrated winning a pro-worker Democratic majority in the House and helped pass the most consequential pro-worker legislation in over a decade.
After leaving public service, AJ’s first major accomplishment as a member of the Vantage team was serving as Campaign Manager to We Are Ohio, where he successfully orchestrated the campaign to defeat Senate Bill 5, restoring collective bargaining rights for public sector workers, including firefighters. He was awarded “Campaign Manager of the Year” for this effort. In 2018, AJ led the successful effort to repeal Right-to-Work in Missouri, making Vantage Public Affairs the only firm in the country to defeat Right-to-Work three times.
AJ continues to work on critical causes for labor organizations, corporations, organizations, and non-profits.
AJ splits his time between Columbus, OH, and Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he is a frequent guest lecturer, an avid Harley rider, a lousy golfer, and the proud husband to Raven, and father to Jon (24), Eliot (23), and Samantha (12).
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Client Services Team
Aly Rowse
Vice President
Laura Smith Mervel
Vice President
Lauren Boling
Account Associate
Since joining Vantage Public Affairs in 2016, Aly Rowse has been a driving force behind some of the firm’s most impactful campaigns. She has led work for major labor unions, organizations, and advocacy groups, earning a reputation for strategic clarity and seamless execution. As Vice President, Aly blends sharp organizational insight with expertise to help clients turn bold ideas into measurable results.
Raised outside of Pittsburgh in a family of unionized steelworkers and coal miners, Aly’s commitment to the labor movement values runs deep. She earned her degree from Ohio University in Political Science while interning at the Alliance for American Manufacturing and in the office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown.
Aly lives in Columbus, Ohio, and spends her free time running, skiing, or exploring the outdoors.
Laura Smith is a Vice President at Vantage Public Affairs, where she spearheads client engagements and coordinates the activities of the Vantage team members collaborating on her projects. Since joining Vantage in 2016, she has helped her clients develop award-winning messaging and strategies.
Laura is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she studied Strategic Communications and Political Science. She interned for US Senator Sherrod Brown and for a gun violence prevention organization in Washington, DC.
A new Colorado resident, Laura spends her free time taking hikes with her dog, testing new recipes in the kitchen, or attempting to learn how to ski.
Lauren Boling is an Account Associate for Vantage Public Affairs, where she channels her passion for people and her dedication to advancing critical political issues. Her journey with Vantage began after graduating from the University of Dayton in 2024 with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Communication. Lauren has gained valuable experience at various organizations, including the Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington D.C., where she delved into both global issues and grassroots initiatives. Additionally, Lauren has actively contributed to community development projects through the University of Dayton, particularly focusing on ethics and leadership initiatives aimed at driving local change.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Lauren enjoys boating on Lake Erie with her family and staying active through yoga and running.
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Client Services Team
Aly Rowse
Vice President
Since joining Vantage Public Affairs in 2016, Aly Rowse has been a driving force behind some of the firm’s most impactful campaigns. She has led work for major labor unions, organizations, and advocacy groups, earning a reputation for strategic clarity and seamless execution. As Vice President, Aly blends sharp organizational insight with expertise to help clients turn bold ideas into measurable results.
Raised outside of Pittsburgh in a family of unionized steelworkers and coal miners, Aly’s commitment to the labor movement values runs deep. She earned her degree from Ohio University in Political Science while interning at the Alliance for American Manufacturing and in the office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown.
Aly lives in Columbus, Ohio, and spends her free time running, skiing, or exploring the outdoors.
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Laura Smith Mervel
Vice President
Laura Smith is a Vice President at Vantage Public Affairs, where she spearheads client engagements and coordinates the activities of the Vantage team members collaborating on her projects. Since joining Vantage in 2016, she has helped her clients develop award-winning messaging and strategies.
Laura is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she studied Strategic Communications and Political Science. She interned for US Senator Sherrod Brown and for a gun violence prevention organization in Washington, DC.
A new Colorado resident, Laura spends her free time taking hikes with her dog, testing new recipes in the kitchen, or attempting to learn how to ski.
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Lauren Boling
Account Associate
Lauren Boling is an Account Associate for Vantage Public Affairs, where she channels her passion for people and her dedication to advancing critical political issues. Her journey with Vantage began after graduating from the University of Dayton in 2024 with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Communication. Lauren has gained valuable experience at various organizations, including the Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington D.C., where she delved into both global issues and grassroots initiatives. Additionally, Lauren has actively contributed to community development projects through the University of Dayton, particularly focusing on ethics and leadership initiatives aimed at driving local change.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Lauren enjoys boating on Lake Erie with her family and staying active through yoga and running.
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Tactical Engagement Team
Becky Chaffee
Director of Digital Advertising
Colin Hernandez
Digital Supervisor
Teryn Barker
Digital Planner
Becky is the Director of Digital Advertising at Vantage Public Affairs where she oversees digital strategy, develops effective ways to speak to target audiences, and explores new opportunities for our clients.
Becky is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she was a dual major in Advertising and Religion. She has worked at ad agencies in DC, Boston, and Minneapolis, across verticals such as entertainment, healthcare, technology, finance, and automotive.
Becky is located in the suburbs of Minneapolis, where she spends her free time running a small 501(c)(3) animal rescue called Camp Kitten, obsessing over her own dogs and cats, and collecting eggs from her beautiful chickens. Becky also volunteers for Pro-Choice Minnesota to help women safely obtain much-needed healthcare.
As the Digital Supervisor, Colin helps craft digital strategies for clients, oversees ad production, and stays on top of current digital trends to explore new ways to reach people.
Colin is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and has a degree in Political Science. After graduation, he began doing digital for various nonprofits and advocacy groups covering a variety of topics such as criminal justice reform, economic inequality, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Colin now lives in Los Angeles where he plays with his dog Zelda and brews his own beer.
Teryn Barker is a Digital Planner at Vantage Public Affairs, where she supports the development and implementation of strategic, data-driven media campaigns. With a focus on innovation and performance, she helps deliver impactful, multi-channel campaigns that align with client objectives.
Teryn earned her degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she studied Marketing, Graphic Design, and Supply Chain Operations Management. Before joining Vantage Public Affairs, she gained valuable experience at advertising agencies in California and New York, working across a range of media initiatives in both B2B and B2C sectors.
Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Teryn enjoys reading, painting, and spending time with her pets outside of work.
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Tactical Engagement Team
Becky Chaffee
Director of Digital Advertising
Becky is the Director of Digital Advertising at Vantage Public Affairs where she oversees digital strategy, develops effective ways to speak to target audiences, and explores new opportunities for our clients.
Becky is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she was a dual major in Advertising and Religion. She has worked at ad agencies in DC, Boston, and Minneapolis, across verticals such as entertainment, healthcare, technology, finance, and automotive.
Becky is located in the suburbs of Minneapolis, where she spends her free time running a small 501(c)(3) animal rescue called Camp Kitten, obsessing over her own dogs and cats, and collecting eggs from her beautiful chickens. Becky also volunteers for Pro-Choice Minnesota to help women safely obtain much-needed healthcare.
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Colin Hernandez
Digital Supervisor
As the Digital Supervisor, Colin helps craft digital strategies for clients, oversees ad production, and stays on top of current digital trends to explore new ways to reach people.
Colin is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and has a degree in Political Science. After graduation, he began doing digital for various nonprofits and advocacy groups covering a variety of topics such as criminal justice reform, economic inequality, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Colin now lives in Los Angeles where he plays with his dog Zelda and brews his own beer.
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Teryn Barker
Digital Planner
Teryn Barker is a Digital Planner at Vantage Public Affairs, where she supports the development and implementation of strategic, data-driven media campaigns. With a focus on innovation and performance, she helps deliver impactful, multi-channel campaigns that align with client objectives.
Teryn earned her degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she studied Marketing, Graphic Design, and Supply Chain Operations Management. Before joining Vantage Public Affairs, she gained valuable experience at advertising agencies in California and New York, working across a range of media initiatives in both B2B and B2C sectors.
Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Teryn enjoys reading, painting, and spending time with her pets outside of work.
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Creative
Brett Sampson
Art Director
Production
Rich Rhodes
Production Director
Finance
Julie Varian
Controller
Brett Sampson brings nearly two decades of graphic design and brand marketing experience to Vantage Public Affairs. As our Art Director, Brett manages our contract designers, animators, web developers and video editors to ensure they consistently deliver work that meets Vantage’s high standards. For his 7+ years at Vantage, Brett has created impactful deliverables for our clients across the healthcare, labor, gaming, energy, and political industries.
Brett was raised in North Canton, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Visual Communication Design. He currently lives in Columbus, OH with his wife, daughter, and indoor and outdoor cats. He is always looking forward to a food or park outing with his family and friends, and can be found practicing guitar and supporting the Columbus Crew.
Rich has been with Vantage Public Affairs for over 15 years, and managed Production/Creative services for advertising and media firms for over 30 years. Throughout his many years of experience, he’s managed and directed all aspects of audio, video, direct mail, out-of-home, and print advertising.
At Vantage, Rich is the guy who makes the trains run on time, knows where everything is, and wears many hats. He prides himself for his attention to detail, and the many long-term vendor partnerships he has built during his career.
Rich resides in central Ohio, and attended Wilmington College where he studied Communication Arts and Marketing. He enjoys traveling, experiencing new foods and brews, playing bad golf, live music, and consuming a steady stream of sports media. Rich is a proud husband and father of two teenage daughters.
For over 10 years, Julie has been the financial controller for Vantage Public Affairs. She currently handles all aspects of accounting, including financial planning, cash flow management, ensuring compliance, analyzing financial data, forecasting revenue, monitoring expenditures all while streamlining the entire process.
Prior to coming to Vantage, Julie was a licensed insurance agent assisting the Bremer Insurance department reach their goals in multi-peril crop insurance. She provided specialist service support in accordance with state insurance regulations for multi-peril crop lines of insurance in North Dakota and Minnesota. While there, Julie was the recipient of several awards, including The Best of Bremer.
Julie has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of North Dakota. She is a long-time advocate of children in need, taking foster children in for over 10 years as a foster parent and serving as a Guardian ad Litem.
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Creative
Brett Sampson
Art Director
Brett Sampson brings nearly two decades of graphic design and brand marketing experience to Vantage Public Affairs. As our Art Director, Brett manages our contract designers, animators, web developers and video editors to ensure they consistently deliver work that meets Vantage’s high standards. For his 7+ years at Vantage, Brett has created impactful deliverables for our clients across the healthcare, labor, gaming, energy, and political industries.
Brett was raised in North Canton, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Visual Communication Design. He currently lives in Columbus, OH with his wife, daughter, and indoor and outdoor cats. He is always looking forward to a food or park outing with his family and friends, and can be found practicing guitar and supporting the Columbus Crew.
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Production
Rich Rhodes
Production Director
Rich has been with Vantage Public Affairs for over 15 years, and managed Production/Creative services for advertising and media firms for over 30 years. Throughout his many years of experience, he’s managed and directed all aspects of audio, video, direct mail, out-of-home, and print advertising.
At Vantage, Rich is the guy who makes the trains run on time, knows where everything is, and wears many hats. He prides himself for his attention to detail, and the many long-term vendor partnerships he has built during his career.
Rich resides in central Ohio, and attended Wilmington College where he studied Communication Arts and Marketing. He enjoys traveling, experiencing new foods and brews, playing bad golf, live music, and consuming a steady stream of sports media. Rich is a proud husband and father of two teenage daughters.
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Finance
Julie Varian
Controller
For over 10 years, Julie has been the financial controller for Vantage Public Affairs. She currently handles all aspects of accounting, including financial planning, cash flow management, ensuring compliance, analyzing financial data, forecasting revenue, monitoring expenditures all while streamlining the entire process.
Prior to coming to Vantage, Julie was a licensed insurance agent assisting the Bremer Insurance department reach their goals in multi-peril crop insurance. She provided specialist service support in accordance with state insurance regulations for multi-peril crop lines of insurance in North Dakota and Minnesota. While there, Julie was the recipient of several awards, including The Best of Bremer.
Julie has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of North Dakota. She is a long-time advocate of children in need, taking foster children in for over 10 years as a foster parent and serving as a Guardian ad Litem.
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