Leadership
French | West | Vaughan
Rick French
Chairman & CEO
Opened FWV: 1997
Primary Responsibilities
Senior counsel and chief promise keeper to clients.
Alma Mater
Oakland University, Rochester, MI
Outside Interests
Live music, sports, and travel.
What to know about Rick
He is a 2018 N.C. Media and Journalism Hall of Fame Inductee; a national trustee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum; co-owner of the Daytona Tortugas, the Advanced A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, and he is Managing Partner of Prix Productions, a feature film and documentary production company.
David Gwyn
President
Joined FWV: 1999
Primary Responsibilities
Senior counselor, client and associate relationship manager, new ideas.
Alma Mater
Wake Forest University – Babcock Graduate School of Management, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Outside Interests
Anything near a beach, live music and sports, golf, raising good kids, arriving in a new city with no plans and just “letting it happen.”
What to know about David
He has more song lyrics in his head than you could ever imagine… and he uses them every day.
Natalie Best
Chief Operating Officer
Joined FWV: 2002
Primary Responsibilities
Account service head, manager, strategist, marketer. The ultimate problem solver.
Alma Mater
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Outside Interests
Running, spinning, travel, golf and learning every day about how to be a parent.
What to know about Natalie
She is currently on the Board of Advisors of the UNC Hussman School of Journalism & Media and the Board of Directors of the Wake Tech Foundation. She previously served on the boards of the Alexander Family YMCA, NC Child and Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education as well as holding the responsibility of Treasurer on the Global Board of IPREX. She is a Triangle Business Journal“40 Under 40” winner, a Business Leader Magazine“Mover & Shaker,” recognized nationally by PR News as one of the“2017 Top Women in PR” and in 2022 was named an “Agency Leader of the Year” by a national PR trade organization, Bulldog Reporter.
Jenny Pilewski
Executive Vice President
Joined FWV: 2004
Primary Responsibilities
Trainer of happy employees and cultivator of satisfied clients.
Alma Mater
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Outside Interests
At the moment? All things “baby.” In my dreams? Decorating houses, going for a jog, listening to music, going to a movie, and watching the game.
What to know about Jenny
She is a new mother, lover of laughter, total neat freak, committed to mastering an attitude of gratitude.
John Moore
Executive Creative Director
Joined FWV: 2018
Primary Responsibilities
Guides all creative and production.
Alma Mater
North Carolina State University
Outside Interests
Spending time with family and friends, traveling, running and exploring the ever growing craft beer scene.
What to know about John
The son of an art teacher and an architect (turned professional sand sculptor), John has never lacked for creative inspiration. It runs deep in his native Raleigh roots. In fact, in 1945 his grandfather opened the very first advertising agency in Raleigh, NC.
Earl Whipple
Senior Vice President
Joined FWV: 2021
Primary Responsibilities
Leads corporate communications, public affairs, and regulated industries practices.
Alma Mater
Duke University Fuqua School of Business
Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA
Outside Interests
Family, golf, travel, craft spirits, live music. Former board member of PBS North Carolina.
What to know about Earl
He returned to N.C. after 20 years in Philadelphia as a long-suffering sports fan. Earl has more than 20 years of experience advising C‑suites and boards on protecting reputations, managing issues, and positioning brands as trusted partners of choice. He started his career in D.C. working for U.S. HUD Secretary Jack Kemp and was chief of staff/spokesperson for three Members of Congress.
Barrie Hancock
SVP, Chief People Officer
Joined FWV: 2000
Primary Responsibilities
Management oversight for a wide variety of agency clients within the consumer marketing practice area.
Alma Mater
University of Connecticut
Outside Interests
Tennis, reading, and obsessively following UConn basketball.
What to know about Barrie
An old school grammar purist, she’s a N.Y.-born, Conn.-raised, happily acclimated Southern transplant striving for that perfect work/life balance.
Kristen Levine
President, FWV Fetching
Joined FWV: 2017
Founded Fetching Communications in 2003
Primary Responsibilities
Leadership of pet and veterinary accounts and development of pet strategies for corporate clients and consumer brands.
Alma Mater
St. Petersburg College, St. Petersburg, FL.
Outside Interests
Ballroom dancing, music, fashion and football. Kristen is a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader!
What to know about Kristen
Nationally-known speaker, media personality, author, blogger and influencer, reaching passionate pet lovers across the country.
Alyson Roy
Founder/CEO, AMP3 PR
Joined FWV: 2019
Co-Founded AMP3 in 2004
Primary Responsibilities
Running the New York City office for FWV, and leading AMP3 PR.
Alma Mater
Acadia University, Canada
Outside Interests
Savoring “Mom Life,” group workout / HIIT classes, newly converted podcast / audio book listener, lover of soul chats with friends, and always chasing the sunshine.
What to know about Alyson
She loves a good story and has fun telling it. She was recognized by PR News in 2020 as a “Top Women in PR” honoree, named “Communicator of the Year” by PR Couture, one of PR News’ “Top Game Changers of PR” and was recently inducted into Rebecca Minkoff’s “Female Founder Collective” celebrating women-owned businesses.
John Tews
TMG Vice President
Joined FWV: 2022
Joined The Millerschin Group (TMG) in 2017.
Primary Responsibilities
Plays a leadership role in our Detroit office, and provides account management oversight focused on public relations strategy, media relations, message development, brand communications and special events.
Alma Mater
Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, Mich.
Outside Interests
Music, sports, fishing, photography and spending time with family.
What to know about John
He is a huge fan of jam bands and has seen Dead & Co., The Allman Brothers, Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews Band, Gov’t Mule, etc., too many times to count!
Charles Upchurch
Senior Counselor
Joined FWV: 1998
Primary Responsibilities
Public relations strategy, message development, brand communications, copywriting, media relations and editorial oversight.
Alma Mater
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, School of Journalism
Outside Interests
Family, UNC, screenwriting, photography, sons Devlyn and Blake and a Brittany spaniel named Chelsea.
What to know about Charles
Favorite novel is The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy. Gives excellent guided tours of New York City. Knows all the words to the Texas A&M Aggie War Hymn. Aspires to be William Goldman. Once rode in a car with Roger Daltrey. Oyster aficionado.
Leah Markham
Senior Vice President
Joined FWV: 2012
Primary Responsibilities
Oversees FWV’s Travel & Tourism practice.
Alma Mater
Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Outside Interests
Travel, health/fitness, and dogs.
What to know about Leah
She has marketed destinations including Delray Beach, Fla., Fayetteville, N.C., and Wilmington, N.C. She currently serves as a volunteer for AnimalKind, a non-profit based in Raleigh.
Katie Johnson
Vice President
Joined FWV: 2007
Primary Responsibilities
Account management spanning PR, branding, collateral, events and social media.
Alma Mater
North Carolina State University
Outside Interests
Volunteering at SPCA of Wake Country, traveling (favorite cities are Paris, NYC, Istanbul, and Kyoto), and running.
What to know about Katie
She has extensive experience in PR and social media marketing within the western and fashion industries, winning awards on behalf of clients Wrangler Western and Tony Lama Boots, among others.
Abigail Quesinberry
Vice President
Joined FWV: 2015
Primary Responsibilities
Social Media Strategy, Influencer & Experiential Marketing.
Alma Mater
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Outside Interests
Travel, food and wine, live music and Tar Heel basketball.
What to know about Abigail
Has a hard time resisting a good (or bad) pun.
Scott Palmer
Vice President of Digital Media
Joined FWV: 2010
Primary Responsibilities
Leads paid media and digital marketing for agency clients.
Alma Mater
Elon University
Outside Interests
Spending time with family, running, and the mountains.
What to know about Scott
Scott is a member of the George Washington University Digital Marketing Advisory Council. He has over 12 years of marketing experience on the agency and brand side across several categories including consumer goods, business and government. And he has a special place in his heart for UTM codes.