At the Dover Group, we bring decades of experience, storytelling, targeting, and strategy to help you WIN.
Winning Clients and Partners
We get to know what makes our candidates real and how their lived experience shapes their message–then we create authentic branding that connects with voters.
We pair our candidate’s brand with voter data to target the right message to the right voters at the right time.
We work with you to create a plan that fits into your budget.
Our Team
We are a woman-owned firm with a team representing a broad spectrum of races, religious faiths, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We believe strength comes from diversity and that the more perspectives we bring to the table, the stronger our work is for you.
Shae A. Anderson, PhD
Copywriter
Shae A. Anderson, PhD
Shae A. Anderson holds a PhD in Rhetoric & Composition from Georgia State University, and has 20 years of teaching experience at the high school and collegiate levels. She has 10 years of leadership experience in the non-profit sector, and her political experience includes work as a strategist and Communications Director for local elections and a congressional campaign.
Megan Cook
Vice President of Production
Megan Cook
Leslie Grayson
Vice President of Messaging and Staff Director
Leslie Grayson
Abby Lerner
Senior Production Director
Abby Lerner
Abby manages direct mail production from concept to mailbox, making sure every mailer looks great and arrives on time.
Abby has also worked with RE-AMP, a regional climate change advocacy network, and she has extensive campaign experience in Illinois gubernatorial and Chicago municipal elections.
Dave Mellet
Vice President of Campaigns
Dave Mellet
Dave has managed and consulted for candidates in Illinois and Pennsylvania, and he has worked as a direct mail consultant for state caucuses in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.
Dave helped build Lori Lightfoot’s campaign for Mayor of Chicago, serving as a senior advisor and digital strategist for Mayor Lightfoot’s historic victory in 2019.
Andy Shapero
Senior Account Manager
Andy Shapero
Andy focuses on research, database management, and developing digital advertising plans for Dover clients.
He began his work in politics as a student organizer for Howard Dean while pursuing his undergraduate degree in political science from Indiana University, subsequently earning his master’s in leadership and policy studies from DePaul University.
Tara Bardella
Digital Campaign Manager
Tara Bardella
Felicia Doolin
Vice President of Creative
Felicia Doolin
Aaron Hunter
Senior Vice President of Digital
Aaron Hunter
Jennifer Koch-Donovan
Vice President of Campaigns
Jennifer Koch-Donovan
Jennifer has dedicated her career to helping elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
She has managed campaigns across the country, including DCCC Frontline and red-to-blue races, worked on the 2008 Obama presidential campaign, and has trained candidates through Emerge America, EMILYs List, Vote Run Lead, and She Should Run.
Mark Nevins
Partner
Mark Nevins
Mark has developed winning direct mail programs for races from Hawaii to Massachusetts and places in between. He served as the Pennsylvania communications director for the Hillary Clinton for President campaign in 2008 and the John Kerry for President campaign in 2004.
Mark also spent two cycles as a communications strategist for the DCCC.
Kaitlyn Waterson
Copywriter
Kaitlyn Waterson
Kaitlyn Waterson generates creative content and copy for direct mail, laying the groundwork for unique and engaging communications. Before joining Dover Strategy Group in 2022, she worked as a market research analyst and communications specialist for several Pennsylvania state and local races. When not helping to elect Democrats up and down the ballot, Kaitlyn is a professional operatic soprano.
Emily Campbell
Partner
Emily Campbell
Emily has more than two decades of experience managing campaigns, recruiting and advising candidates up and down the ballot, and running paid media campaigns.
Previously, she was a political and finance adviser to campaigns at EMILYs List and the DCCC, and she currently serves as a trainer for EMILY’s List and Emerge.
Maria Charkoudian-Fox
Senior Graphic Designer
Maria Charkoudian-Fox
Chris Esposito
Partner
Chris Esposito
Chris is a nationally recognized and respected campaign strategist with three decades of experience and expertise in targeting. He started his career by helping to elect Kansas Congressman Dennis Moore in 1998, using targeting to win in a district that hadn’t voted for a Democrat in 40 years.
Chris went on to help elect Democratic governors, senators, and members of Congress at the DCCC and EMILYs List.
Brendan McLaughlin
Copywriter
Brendan McLaughlin
Brendan McLaughlin is a writer/producer with experience in TV, politics, marketing, comedy and digital media. Throughout 2020 he served as a content producer, creating hundreds of video ads in the lead-up to the presidential election. Additionally, he's worked on shows for MTV, VH1, MTV2, IFC, truTV, History Channel, Travel Channel, Investigation Discovery, NBC Studios, FYI and PeopleTV.
Travis Rothe
Art Director and Graphic Designer
Travis Rothe
Travis Rothe is a visual designer, art director, and marketing designer. He is trained in traditional design and digital art methods, and he continues to explore tools at the forefront of design, including Artificial Intelligence.
He is a graduate of the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology and has taught visual design communication courses at Illinois Institute of Technology and the Chicago High School for the Arts.
Nick Wilbat
Senior Production Director
Nick Wilbat
Nick manages political direct mail services and works directly with candidates and managers to ensure the most effective messaging is delivered to voters.
Prior to joining Dover, Nick produced award-winning television ads for Democratic candidates across the country and managed campaigns, including the campaign to elect Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin.