Who We Are

RunSwitch was formed in 2012 by Steve Bryant, Gary Gerdemann and Scott Jennings, seasoned communications and political professionals with more than 50 years of combined experience in issue advocacy, media relations and political consulting. Our clients range from Fortune 500 companies and national trade associations to small local non-profits. We are experts on issues that impact government regulated industries and specialize in cultivating positive public opinion for our clients. We adhere to a model of personalized service that makes the quality of our work unparalleled. At RunSwitch, you have access to our most senior staff when you need it.

Steve Bryant

Partner

Steve Bryant is co-founder of RunSwitch PR and has more than a decade of experience managing public relations and issue advocacy campaigns for a wide variety of clients. He is an expert in health care and health policy communications. Steve specializes on issues that impact government regulated industries and is adept at identifying stakeholders and concentrating them into powerful networks that can be quickly mobilized to help achieve client objectives.

Scott Jennings

Partner

Scott Jennings is co-founder of RunSwitch and provides senior level communications, public affairs, and crisis communications counsel for national and international clients. Scott has been a strategist at the highest levels of American politics, serving in three presidential campaigns, two U.S. Senate races, three congressional campaigns, two gubernatorial races, and several other state and local efforts.

Gary Gerdemann

Partner

Gary Gerdemann is a co-founder of RunSwitch and has more than 25 years experience leading communications teams in large organizations and startups. Mr. Gerdemann is an award-winning strategist, spokesman, entrepreneur, writer and public speaker. A former newspaper reporter, Gerdemann is a media and crisis expert having conducted thousands of interviews with print, broadcast and online reporters.

Les Fugate

Senior Vice President

Les Fugate is a Senior Vice President at RunSwitch. An accomplished former political aide, non-profit executive, and communications and public relations practitioner, he has conducted thousands of interviews for media outlets as diverse as Kentucky weekly newspapers to all of the major national broadcast media and many international outlets. He has also directed several successful legislative and public affairs initiatives.

Joe Burgan

Senior Vice President

Joe Burgan is a Senior Vice-President at RunSwitch PR and provides public affairs and media relations to the firm. Combining his experience from multiple political campaigns and issue advocacy with his consulting firm, Joe brings with him expertise in strategic messaging, crisis communication, and media relations.

Kaylee Carnahan

Chief of Staff

Kaylee Carnahan is a veteran of several political campaigns. A former staffer for Congressman Brett Guthrie, Kaylee has also worked on campaigns in Texas and Ohio, most recently for the Romney/Ryan ticket. She brings with her experience in grassroots programming, coalition building, policy work, office management, constituent services, event planning and media relations.

Rachel Bledsoe

Senior Account Executive

Rachel is a Senior Account Executive at RunSwitch and offers expertise in issue advocacy campaigns, alliance development, media relations, grassroots and grasstops mobilizing, and public relations. With dual degrees in economics and political science, Rachel is knowledgeable on a wide range of policy issues on the national and local level. Rachel specializes in forming nontraditional alliances between clients and other key stakeholders.

Scottie Ellis

Account Executive

Scottie is an Account Executive at RunSwitch. Scottie brings experience from all ends of the communications spectrum, including traditional media relations, consumer marketing, social media, event planning and more. Scottie has interned in major markets like Washington, D.C., New York, NY and Nashville, Tenn. Scottie has worked on regional and national accounts, including Honeywell Specialty Materials and Verizon Wireless.

Tres Watson

Senior Consultant

Tres Watson, Senior Consultant at RunSwitch, has spent most of the last 10 years on the trail working for both political and public affairs campaigns. Politically, he has helped the Republican Party of Kentucky, Congressman Brett Guthrie, Senator Mitch McConnell, and multiple State House and Senate candidates find paths to victory in November. Tres brings a unique knowledge of the federal, state and local political landscape in Kentucky.

Ben Keeton

Consultant

Ben has a decade of experience in healthcare, public affairs, public relations, and issue advocacy campaigns. He has created numerous health-related trade associations and is experienced in building communities around issues impacting businesses and organizations. Ben has also built two monthly newspapers focused on healthcare issues in Kentucky and Southern Indiana.