Director of Communications

Jennifer Blagg

Jenn has more than 25 years of experience in marketing and promotions. She serves as Vistra’s Director of Communications for Marketing, developing and managing strategic programs as well as participating aggressively in new business development. Jenn joined the Vistra team in January 2018 during the Marketing Associates acquisition.

Jenn has developed and implemented successful promotional and direct marketing campaigns for such clients as AT&T, Splenda, Burger King, Orkin, Frito-Lay and Coca-Cola. She directs strategic marketing and promotional campaigns by coordinating project pricing, schedules, fulfillment and more. Over the past decade, Jenn has worked to launch new consumer brands, facilitated call center training promotions around the world and developed B2B and B2C marketing plans and promotions for many Fortune 100 companies.

Jenn earned a B.S. in Advertising from the University of Florida.

Creative Director

Tim Boatright

As a veteran creative director, Tim produces strategic and innovative marketing solutions for corporate clients including many in the Fortune 100. His creative has earned hundreds of prestigious honors, including more than a dozen Clio Awards and scores of regional and national ADDY Awards. With over 30-years’ experience, he’s worked on everything from major pharmaceutical, consumer and telecommunications accounts, to the latest internet start-ups. His responsibilities include concept development, creative direction, graphic design, multimedia development and as a video producer for a wide array of corporate clients. Tim’s experience includes work for brands such as AT&T, DIRECTV, Pepsi, Pfizer, Lowe’s, Burger King and MillerCoors.

He is active in the arts community as a public artist and has work in museums, private and corporate collections. Tim serves nonprofit organizations, including 11 years on the board of directors of the Farm of the Child, an organization which runs a medical clinic, school and children’s home in Honduras and with Trinity Cafe – which provides restaurant quality meals, served with dignity to those who are homeless and hungry.

Tim studied at the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, the University of South Florida and Nova Southeastern University. He holds a degree in Design.

Senior Marketing Communication Manager

Alicia Boyd

Alicia has 15 years of experience in strategic public relations and marketing. She works with clients to develop a plan that fits their needs, whether that is a high-level communications plan or grassroots community relations. Alicia has managed communications and branding projects for clients such as Moffitt Cancer Center, George Edgecomb Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida Health Equity Research Institute, W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute, Premier Community HealthCare, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), Integral Energy, Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay, Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, Tampa Housing Authority, Simply Healthcare Plans and University Area CDC.

Alicia is a long-time member and former Programming Director of the American Marketing Association Tampa Bay Chapter. She has expertise in nonprofit, healthcare, legal, information technology and restaurant industries and has managed all aspects of strategy, public and media relations, community outreach, branding, advertising and events, from development to implementation.

Alicia received both her B.S. in Marketing and MBA from the University of South Florida.

VP of Public Sector Programs

Shani Bryant

Shani brings over eight years of experience in creating data-driven, compelling and purposeful stakeholder communications and engagement strategies.

She has a diverse portfolio that includes various internal and external communications strategies, omni-channel marketing strategies, executive positioning communications strategies, newsletters, byline and op-ed articles, community engagement/ alignment, public relations strategies with media alerts and press releases, crisis communication playbooks, budget management with grant partnerships and sponsorships, media and spokesperson training, and stakeholder reputation analysis and management. For every project, Shani always takes every opportunity to follow the African proverb, “each one, teach one,” by sharing her own knowledge and always taking the opportunity to learn from others, which in return can help drive results and authenticity.

Shani is an active member of Color Comm®, the nation’s leading women’s platform addressing diversity & inclusion across the communications, marketing, advertising, media and digital industries. She’s also a member of the Public Relations Society of America and was awarded with a PRSA Tampa Bay Prestige Award for Internal Communications and Newsletters, for her elaborate communications strategy to drive engagement with new and un-engaged stakeholders in targeted markets.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Sociology, with a focus on intercultural sociology from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida.

President & CEO

Brian Butler

Brian Butler is President and CEO of Vistra.

A retired and decorated career military officer, Brian has provided public relations, strategic communications, marketing, and management consulting services to senior leaders and their organizations for more than three decades. Prior to founding Vistra, Brian provided strategic communications counsel to senior leaders at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Tampa, Fla. He also served in a director-level policy position on the Homeland Security Council (HSC) in the White House.

As an experienced leader and communications professional, Brian worked in the Washington, D.C. office of Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, a niche market Washington, D.C.-based strategic communications firm. While in uniform, he served as Spokesperson and Chief of Communications for an Army Secretary and on the personal staff and communications team for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Brian founded Vistra in 2007 and has grown the company to nearly 100 team members with a growing client portfolio which includes clients in healthcare, information technology, transportation and airports, sports and entertainment, local state and federal government and nonprofit industries.

Brian holds an M.S. in National Security Strategy from the National War College, an M.S. in Administration from Central Michigan University and a B.S. in Marketing from Hampton University. He also holds certifications from colleges and universities across the United States.

Director of Business Strategy and Operations

Chris Butler

Chris has more than five years of full-time marketing and public relations experience serving multiple capacities. Historically he has played a role both off-site and on-site with clients and their strategic needs. Over time, Chris transitioned into his current role of Director of Business Strategy and Operations allowing him to utilize his skills as a communicator while also increasing business development opportunities for Vistra. Chris’ role allows him to have a greater impact in the community.

Chris has been involved in many client projects such as media relations with Feld entertainment, pre-event and on-site support during The Honda Classic and strategic support with Clear Channel Airports relating to advertising and other opportunities. Chris currently is a member of Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay and participates in additional opportunities within the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce as well. Chris has been involved in other organizations around the Tampa Bay Area serving on the board of Ad2 Tampa Bay, as well as volunteering with Mort Elementary School.

Chris holds a B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Tampa.

Executive Vice President

Maureen Butler

As Vistra’s Executive Vice President, Maureen is involved in all aspects of Vistra’s strategy, administration, operations and financial management. She served as CFO from the company’s founding in 2007 until 2016. Maureen was a key player in establishing Vistra’s administrative and financial operations including accounting, HR and contracting.

Maureen’s experiences as a U.S. Army Finance Officer, staff accountant with a property management company and small CPA firm, and consultant to small businesses and nonprofits have enabled her to contribute to the growth and development of Vistra. Maureen spent 4 years as an Accounting Professor at the University of South Florida and 9 years at The University of Tampa where she earned tenure prior to leaving academia to join Vistra full time in 2019. She is an Adjunct Professor of Accounting at The University of Tampa teaching Financial Management in their Nonprofit Management Program. She has published research in the areas of nonprofit management, defense contracting and outsourcing in the Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, the Journal of Business Research and the Journal of Accountancy.

A Certified Public Accountant licensed in Florida and Virginia, Maureen holds a B.S. in Accounting from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville. She is a member of the Hillsborough Education Foundation Program Oversight Committee and a current instructor, former board member and former board treasurer of the Nonprofit Leadership Center.

Senior Account Executive

Julie Capobianco

With more than 25 years combined experience in public relations, broadcast news and radio, Julie provides unique insight and expertise to the design and implementation of effective integrated communications campaigns to help Vistra clients tell their stories.

Skilled in managing all aspects of strategy, media relations, public relations, social media and creative design, Julie brings considerable local and national experience to the federal, nonprofit, healthcare and professional service industries. By leveraging multiple platforms aligned with target audiences, she successfully creates and implements thoughtful, strategic communications plans and outreach campaigns tailored to an organization’s goals while effectively educating, raising awareness, improving perceptions and driving someone to take action.

As a dynamic trainer, Julie prepares clients for a variety of media scenarios and reporter approaches including live and recorded national satellite interviews, virtual environments, press conferences, panel discussions, ambush-style interviews, talk-show formats and one-on-one discussions with topics ranging from innovative announcements to crisis control and issues management to ensure each attendee is aligned for a successful media interaction.

Julie has successfully customized campaigns and provided her expertise to clients such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Moffitt Cancer Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cohen Veterans Network, the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, The Honda Classic, Abe Brown Ministries and the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. In her spare time, she serves as a volunteer at her son’s school and to several nonprofit organizations in the Tampa Bay community.

Julie earned her B.A. in Mass Communications, Broadcasting from the University of South Florida.

Recruiter

Migdalia Carrero

With more than 20 years’ experience in the Human Resources Recruiting and Program/Project Management area, Migdalia leads Vistra’s Talent Acquisition activities including sourcing, recruiting and talent branding.

Prior to joining the Vistra team, she spent 19 years with Hewlett Packard’s HR Recruitment team managing the regional internship program and three years with Ellucian as the University Programs Manager and Lead for recruitment in Latin America.

Migdalia earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business from the InterAmerican University in Puerto Rico and her MBA in Human Resources Management from UMET in Puerto Rico.

Office Manager

Linda Citro

Linda is a seasoned professional who joined Team Vistra during the Marketing Associates acquisition. During her decade with Marketing Associates, Linda managed all day-to-day administration, finance and office operations. In her current role with Vistra, Linda is responsible for the oversight and coordination of all activities related to office operations, procurement and facilities management.

Linda’s prior background is in the cable television industry where she gained experience at both the system and corporate levels through the acquisition, buildout and development, and operations of cable TV properties in Florida, Texas, Missouri and Arkansas. During this time, Linda served as Director of Cable TV Development for acquisitions, then Director of Purchasing where she implemented a Centralized Procurement and Warehousing program for the purchase and construction of 3,500 miles of cable, plant and equipment. Linda was also General Manager for a cable system outside of Dallas and subsequently managed a customer service call center for a wireless cable company in Clearwater, Florida.

Linda studied Business Administration at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Business Proposal Writer

Kara Crim

Kara is a Business Proposal Writer whose dynamic writing expertise and meticulous attention to detail makes her a tremendous asset for Vistra’s team responsible for crafting compelling proposals to win contracts.

No stranger to Vistra, she previously served as the agency’s Communications Intern during her last semester at college. This experience sharpened her writing, enhanced communications, expanded her researching abilities and honed her interpersonal skills. She is grateful the internship not only led her to a permanent position with the team, but also permitted her to establish and build connections within Vistra to make the transition more efficient.

Kara graduated from Florida College with her bachelor’s degree in Communications.

Senior Graphic Designer

Tricia Esposito-Loretto

Trish is an accomplished Senior Graphic Designer who develops and creates strategic communications campaigns for multiple industries across small businesses, federal government agencies, nonprofit organizations and large corporations.

With nearly 20 years of design experience, Trish is exceptionally detailed, organized and consistent. Skilled in the various software applications within Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft 365, she prides herself on being an innovative senior designer and accomplished production artist.

Along with being gifted with creativity, Trish’s direct knowledge of providing exceptional customer service is emphasized through her keen ability to listen to a client’s needs to strategically develop a unique design while ensuring consistency with brand standards and addressing any potential formatting issues before they arise. Trish has customized communications and marketing materials, developed collateral and strategic messaging targeting internal and external audiences and established brand guidelines to successfully maintain consistency across all channels.

In addition to Vistra’s library of materials, Trish’s designs have been implemented in campaigns for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Defense Enterprise Operations Center (DEOC), Defense Human Resources Activity (DHRA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Moffitt Cancer Center, Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, the City of Tampa, Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA), University of South Florida (USF), CareerSource Tampa Bay, Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, WellCare Health Plans and its subsidiaries for Medicare and Medicaid, Cub Cadet, Carrier Global Corporation (Carrier and Bryant HVAC) and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.

Trish earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in graphic design at a private art school.

Director of Human Resources

Jorge Feliciano

Jorge has more than ten years of Human Resources Management experience and has worked as Director Human Resources for federal and state governments as well as private companies. In his current role, he collaborates with Vistra leadership and team members to maintain a culture of teamwork and operational excellence. He supports the company in all areas related to human resources as it strives to achieve its strategic priorities.

He works closely with executive leaders, managers and team members, as Director of Human Resources coordinates and manages talent acquisition, team member benefits, team member experience, human resources planning, reporting and the regulatory/legal compliance.

Jorge has been with Vistra since August 2019. Previously, Jorge worked with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs and the bio-pharmaceutical, Bristol Myers-Squibb. He also worked with the Federal Aviation Administration as a Special Agent for thirteen years.

Jorge holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s in Human Resources Management–Personnel.

Communications Strategist

Pia Forbes, MS

Pia Forbes has spent more than 20 years as a communications professional, working in government, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education and corporations throughout the metro Atlanta area. She has served as a communications director at MARTA, the Atlanta Housing Authority and the Georgia State Senate Public Information Office. She also led executive communications at Morehouse College and served as a communications consultant at United Way of Greater Atlanta.

Pia joined Vistra in 2020 to support the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control in internal communications, strategy, and diversity, equity and inclusion. She joined the headquarters staff in 2022.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Howard University and a master’s degree in community counseling from Georgia State University.

Pia serves on the board of directors of Future Foundation and is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Darrell Green

Darrell is an integral piece of Vistra’s digital team as a Digital Marketing and Media Coordinator.  His hardworking and reliable nature ensures he’s ready to go above and beyond to support the team while contributing to overall campaign strategy.

He has a passion for all things creative and brings a vast skill set and can-do attitude to every project and integrated communications campaign.  Darrell’s past experience includes both volunteering with and interning for numerous organizations as well as working with the NFL and providing digital advertising and marketing services for numerous Bay-area nonprofits.

Darrell earned his bachelors in Integrated Public Relations and Advertising from the University of South Florida.

VP of Capture Management

Michael Hillegass

Michael brings over 25 years of experience developing and managing communications programs for government and commercial clients, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, Boeing and the American Chemical Society, among others. In his current role, Michael is responsible for strengthening relationships with Vistra’s federal and civilian partnerships as well as driving growth through existing contract vehicles and new business. Prior to Vistra, Michael was the Government Practice Lead for Heart+Mind Strategies, a globally recognized market research consultancy, and before that he led the Federal Practice as a Vice President at Qorvis MSLGroup, a unit of Publicis Groupe.

Michael has managed and supported communications campaigns in Washington, across the country, and around the world. His experience includes market research, media monitoring and analysis, website design and development, digital and social media campaigns, public and media relations, advertising and event management.

Michael holds a B.A. in European Studies with a focus on 20th Century Russia from Vanderbilt University and an MBA in Finance and International Business from the George Washington University.

Director of Communications

Caz Hodge

With over 15 years of experience that spans multiple industries including financial services, higher education, and entertainment, Caz creates marketing growth strategies for diverse client organizations. At Vistra, he actively maintains positive relationships and aligns capabilities with our client’s growing needs, and also leads the digital marketing team.

Prior to joining Vistra, Caz has served in leadership roles where he directed marketing initiatives, led key business development enterprises, and trained many on social media engagement and brand management. He also has expertise in global marketing that he gained in Sydney, Australia.

Caz holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from The University of South Florida and has also completed additional studies at other institutions. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Marketing Association, The Tampa Bay Chamber and Leadership Florida. In his spare time, he serves as a volunteer for many nonprofit organizations in the Tampa Bay community.

Accounting Manager

Ashley Kitt

Ashley supports the Vistra team as an accounting manager and brings vast knowledge and experience with project-based financial reporting and analysis, budgeting, forecasting, implementing internal controls and process development and improvement. Previously, she served as an assistant controller for a globally-known engineering firm as well as led an accounting team through rapid growth mode by automating mundane tasks and focusing on value added solutions.

Prior to Ashley’s accounting career, she was a communications specialist at an established self-study CPA review company, where she collaboratively strategized several social media, brand awareness, client satisfaction and email marketing campaigns.

Ashley earned her B.S. in public relations from the University of Florida and a B.S. in accounting from the University of South Florida.

Public Affairs Specialist

Erica Lengermann

Erica has spent twenty years leading strategic communications campaigns to drive awareness, education, and engagement. These campaigns have leveraged digital, print, and media practices and have included everything from award submissions and wins (including one for DOT) to national social media campaigns to media breakfasts at the National Press Club.

She particularly enjoys taking strategy to structure and promoting individual, team, and organizational successes. Prior to Vistra, Erica spent five years as the Director of Marketing and Communications for a Virginia nonprofit agency with federal, state and local contracts as well as served as the Director of Marketing and Director of Business Development for a defense, aviation and satellite publishing company. She began her career in the Federal lobbying practice of Kelley Drye & Warren after having interned in Congress.

In her free time she volunteers with the Horse Mounted Unit of the U.S. Park Police in Washington, D.C., and serves on the Board of the Dulles Foundation Club.

She graduated from Tulane University with a bachelor of arts in political science, international relations and a minor in business. She is a D.C. native and currently lives in Middleburg, Virginia.

Senior Director of Business Development

Angelique Lenox

Angelique has had a successful career as a Sales and Marketing Executive with over 20 years’ experience.  Recognized with an Eagle Award three times, Angelique is known for her professional presentation and personable nature. She has worked for some of the largest media companies in the country such as iHeart Media, Nexstar, Media General and The Hearst Corporation. Skilled at working with businesses of all sizes and industries, Angelique brings tremendous value and knowledge from working with corporate and regional clients like Publix, TGH, Walmart, Morgan & Morgan and Regions Bank, to name a few.

In addition to her professional achievements, Angelique is active in her community and volunteers her time with various organizations.  In her off time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Angelique is a Gulf War veteran of the United States Marines Corps.  She holds an MBA from Argosy University, and B.A. in Speech Communications from San Diego State University.

VP of Marketing

Kelsy Long

Kelsy Long serves as the Vice President of Marketing for Vistra Communications. In this role, Kelsy leads and coordinates the organization’s overall marketing strategies for corporate, nonprofit and government clients as part of Vistra’s integrated communications approach.

With a client-forward perspective, Kelsy is responsible for guiding the company’s marketing services and business growth strategies with a focus on developing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, identifying opportunities, developing solutions, and preparing winning proposals.

Previously, Kelsy managed all media pitching, story development, content strategy and content distribution as the Director of Media Relations for Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Her efforts to push forward CMA’s mission and enhance the brand focused on garnering international, regional, and local coverage through strategic communication, issues management, influencer and media relations, as well as developing and cultivating key partner relationships. She secured publicity in media outlets such as Good Morning America, Travel + Leisure, CNN, Boston Globe, USA Today and more.

Previously, she worked at the Tampa Downtown Partnership as the Director of Marketing and Communications and as the Director of Public Relations and Marketing for Franklin Street.

A Maryland native, Kelsy has called Florida home for over 10 years and enjoys taking advantage of all the benefits of living in the Tampa Bay region.

Public Engagement Specialist

Michelle Lucas

Michelle serves as a crucial connection between the client and their target audience. Her current role is to provide outreach efforts to create brand and project awareness to further engage prospective audiences. Michelle’s portfolio includes community engagement and strategy, translation skills, social media management and content creation. She uses her lived experiences and over all positive outlook on life to be solution driven and hands on in all her projects.

Michelle is an Ecuadorian native raised in Tampa, Florida. She has always had a passion for the marketing and public relations field.

Michelle graduated with a B.A. in Communications from University of South Florida in Tampa and is currently a member of the Hispanic Heritage Chamber of Tampa.

Business Operations Manager

Allison MacGregor

Allison combines creativity and analytical skills to develop thoughtful solutions.  She is an experienced auditor having worked as an external auditor with Deloitte and an internal auditor with Citi Bank. She is skilled in planning, developing, documenting, evaluating and managing processes and procedures with a focus on delivering excellent customer service. These experiences and her exceptional organizational skills make her an ideal fit for managing the internal business operations of the company to ensure Vistra Team Members are equipped to serve clients with excellence.

Allison holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Accounting from The University of Tampa.  She is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants and volunteers with the Laundry Project, Feeding Tampa Bay and Mort Elementary School.

Vice President of Contracts and Compliance

Deborah Miller

Deborah oversees all contractual and sub-contractual activities for Vistra.  She provides SME advice and counsel regarding contract compliance and regulatory requirements to include deliverables, reports, insurance requirements, and CPARS. Deborah works with both the Corporate and Federal teams to assist in preparation, review and submission of all bids and proposals.  She also leads the efforts to obtain and sustain ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D registrations.

Deborah has more than 10 years’ experience serving as a corporate paralegal and Notary Public and joined the Federal Defense industry space in 2013. She has been heavily involved with numerous military support and national defense organizations to honor those who have sacrificed for our freedom. A Florida native, she has assisted in building relationships between MacDill AFB and the Tampa Bay community by coordinating events and programs to honor our military and assist veterans in the transition from military to civilian status. Deborah played a critical role in helping to keep our veterans working and living in the Tampa Bay area.

Deborah also served multiple positions for the Women in Defense Greater Tampa Bay Chapter with her last position being President from 2017 – 2019.  She served as Second Vice President and Woman Outreach Leader for The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) Central Florida Chapter EXCOM for six years. She has served on the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Military Council and Chaired the Military Council Events and Recognition Committee in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

She was presented in 2015 with the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Bob Cutler Military Volunteer of the Year award for her volunteer work supporting the military, as well with Outstanding AFCEAN 1^st Half of 2015 by the AFCEA Pelican Chapter. Deborah was recognized for her military contributions by Operation Helping Hand in 2016, named AFCEAN of the Month by AFCEA International in 2017, and awarded the AFCEA International Meritorious Service Award presented in Baltimore in 2018.  She served as the Honorary Commander of the 6^th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 6^th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill AFB from September 2015 thru October 2017 and continues to support MacDill AFB.

Traffic & Production Coordinator

Sadie Miranda

Sadie Miranda is Vistra’s Traffic and Production Coordinator  and serves as the critical link between team members with responsibilities ranging from creation and design to the implementation of integrated strategic communications campaigns tailored to local, statewide and national clients.

Sadie graduated cum laude from the University of South Florida (Go Bulls), where she received a B.S. in Mass Communications with Integrated Public Relations & Marketing.

She has always had a passion for Public Relations and was fortunate enough to begin an internship at Vistra which led to her current position. Sadie was born and raised in Tampa, Florida.

Senior Executive Administrator

Pam Mooney

Pam has 25 years under her belt keeping top executives and organizations she’s served running smoothly with her administration, leadership and organizational expertise. Here at Vistra, Pam’s indispensable and is responsible for everything from enhancing office administrative systems and forms management using available technology, to managing extremely active calendars, arranging complex and detailed travel plans and/or events, developing itineraries and agendas, to ensuring the accuracy of contacts in the CRM tool. Pam also provides leadership both internally and externally to build relationships crucial to the success of the organization and manages a variety of special projects for the President and COO, some of which have organizational impact.

Before joining Vistra, Pam held positions at Insurance and Trust, Inc., Private Wealth Advisors, Inc., Adelphia Communications and St. Anthony’s Hospital. Additionally, Pam volunteered her time and skills serving in leadership roles at Odessa Elementary, Seven Springs Middle School and Solid Rock Community School.

Public Engagement Manager

Nick Morales

Nick is a veteran communications and visual information leader known for developing broadcast and print communications strategies; bridging brands current outreach communication efforts with the best type of medium to engage and inform current and prospective audiences.

Prior to joining Vistra, Nick served 3 years at the James A. Haley VA Hospital in Tampa, where he served as the Deputy Veterans Experience Officer, Overseeing the Compensated Work Therapy Program, Concierge Service and transportation team. Prior to his time at the Tampa VA he served in the U.S. Army and retired as a Sgt 1^st Class. He is a decorated combat veteran with extensive media operational experience to include video/print production and satellite communications.

His final assignment on active duty was as the Senior Military Public Affairs and Public Relations advisor to the Commanding General and 8 Sub Organizations of the U.S. Network Enterprise Technology Command where he provided Public Affairs and Public Relations expertise in news analysis, crisis management, photojournalism, display design, desktop publishing, news and feature writing as well as video production and graphic animation. His other Public Affairs assignments include being the Regional Operations Manager and News Bureau Chief of the Army’s premiere ceremonial unit within the Washington D.C. Metro area.; Supervisor of Public Affairs Operations for the U.S. Army’s 1^st Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kansas; and the Broadcast Operations Supervisor and primary liaison for the Media Embed program overseeing over 100 media embeds in support of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Senior Data Analyst

Jaquan Outlaw

Jaquan is a Senior Data Analyst and helps the Vistra team and our clients with data visualization and analytics.

He has served as project consultant, cloud migration practitioner and a data scientist providing digital marketing, data analytics and data science for a range or organizations including NASA, the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense.

Originally from Hampton, Virginia, Jaquan has a background in Digital Marketing and Data Analytics. He obtained his bachelors from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, with a major in New Media Marketing and a minor in Web Design and Development while also participating in an immersion program focused on the Japanese language. While studying abroad in Tokyo, Jaquan put his language skills to use and earned his International Business certification followed by his master’s degree in data science from George Washington University on behalf of the Gates Millennium Scholars program.

Jaquan is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence from Capitol Technology University.

Staff Accountant

Pinal Patel

As Team Vistra’s Staff Accountant, Pinal brings nearly a decade of experience in the financial industry as well as a background in retail and commercial banking.

Pinal is an excellent problem solver and is known for her keen, detailed-oriented capability to recognize and resolve discrepancies. As a communicator and project team motivator, she is skilled in assuming a methodical approach to problem-solving and evaluating complex data.

Pinal is bilingual and on Sundays, she volunteers at temple to teach children the Indian language.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two kids and husban.

She graduated from the University of South Florida (Go Bulls!) with a bachelor of science in finance and a minor in accounting.

Communications Specialist

Andre Perks

Andre brings over 20 years of experience in diverse industries including state and local government, banking, and nonprofit.  Andre enjoys cultivating relationships with clients and assisting in the development of their growing needs.

Prior to Vistra, Andre gained valuable experience working in business development, account management, and in communications on state and local transportation projects.  As a Project Consultant, he supported and led different workforce development initiatives to meet and exceed stakeholders’ expectations.  Andre is passionate about helping clients reach their goals and creating a positive impact to the communities we serve.

Andre holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Elon University in North Carolina.  In his spare time, he serves as a volunteer to many nonprofit organizations in the Tampa Bay community.

Account Executive

Jack Phillips

Jack joined the Vistra team in 2022 as a marketing and communications account executive and brings more than seven years of experience in higher education communications, public relations, public affairs and media relations.

Prior to Vistra, Jack worked at a PR agency in Oklahoma City where he collaborated on a variety of projects for corporate, nonprofit and federal clients to effectively meet their public relations and marketing goals. He has worked on campaigns for clients such as the Department of Homeland Security, First Americans Museum, Rose State College, the Association of Oklahoma General Contractors and more.

While in Oklahoma City, Jack served on the Innovative Board of the Children’s Health Foundation which strives to improve the health of children in the state of Oklahoma through its support of research, education and care. He is also a citizen of the Choctaw Nation and is passionate about traveling, being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.

Jack grew up in Savannah, Georgia and returned to his home state of Oklahoma to attend Oklahoma State University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in strategic communications. He received his MBA from the University of Central Oklahoma.

Graphic Communications Specialist

Alaina Pompa

Alaina is a graphic communications specialist with nearly 20 years in the industry. She loves to visually organize information using her skills to help clients stand out and get noticed. She provides graphic design, photography direction and creative counsel and brand identities for advertising and promotional communications.

Alaina has worked with companies of all sizes from entrepreneurial start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Her past experience includes The Homeless Connection (Appleton, WI), The Barbershops (Wisconsin and North Carolina), Epcon Communities (Wisconsin and Ohio), Comcast Communications, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, Green Bay Packers and Packers Pro Shop, Kimberly-Clark (Corporate Recruiting, Cottonelle and Kotex), Oshkosh Corporation and Schneider National.

Alaina holds a B.F.A. in Graphic Communications from the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh.

Multimedia Specialist

Karey Poulos

Karey serves as Vistra’s Multimedia Specialist and is an award-winning video producer, director, and editor. Her strong technical and creative background combined with a passion for visual storytelling translates to all media formats while prioritizing strategic communication.

Karey is an accomplished content creator with 20 years of experience. Karey also brings graphic design experience, social media content creation and creative writing to this role. Karey has worked on a wide variety of videos and films ranging from major motion pictures, commercials, infomercials, multi-camera concert and event coverage, and documentaries. Karey is a certified FAA drone pilot.

In her previous role as Digital Media Producer within a large Florida municipality, she led the video coverage and post-production process of the United States Special Operations Command International Capabilities Demonstration, which has garnered over 5 million views on YouTube. She has partnered with many local agencies and non-profits to help tell their stories and enjoyed shining a video spotlight on local businesses. Karey oversaw the video production for many high-profile projects including the annual State of the City and Budget Presentation.

When not creating dynamic and creative multimedia assets, Karey enjoys adventures with her children exploring Florida parks and long walks with her puggle Ziggy.

Staff Accountant

Cierra Preston

Cierra supports the Vistra team as a Staff Accountant within Headquarters.

With nearly a decade of experience focused on customer service and the billing management needs for businesses and organizations across the Tampa Bay region, Cierra is skilled in documentation, analysis and compiling reports. She also has an eye for detail which ensures all financial transactions are accurately represented.

She enjoys spending her time volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program.

Cierra earned her business management degree from the University of South Florida.

Director of Information Technology

Roy Reid

Roy Reid is a seasoned IT professional with over 20 years of experience working with IT infrastructure in various industries. Roy approach in making technology efficient and secure.

For most of his career, Roy had successfully managed Office 365 and VOIP deployment projects.

Roy holds an MBA in Technology Management from Florida Institution Technology aka FIT

Outside of work, Roy enjoys playing basketball and spending time with his family

Sourcing Recruiter

Wilfreddy Rios

As Vistra’s Sourcing Recruiter, Wilfreddy develops and implements successful talent acquisition strategies to ensure Team Vistra maintains its competitive advantage by continuing to attract and retain the industry’s top professionals.

Prior to joining Vistra, he worked for The Florida Department of Economy and Opportunity (DEO), where he had the opportunity and blessing of helping disabled veterans with significant barriers to employment find resources, services and immediate employment.

He honorably retired from the U.S. Army where he performed multiple airborne jumps and deployments, was selected for a variety of leadership assignments while working alongside many of our nation’s superb leaders and served as a Directorate Senior Human Resources Supervisor. He is also highly proficient in Spanish.

During his service, Wilfreddy earned a master’s degree in Organizational Development and Leadership and a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources. He is also currently pursuing a Master of Science in Human Resources Management with Florida International University (FIU).

Account Executive

Tahira Román

As a marketing and communication professional, Tahira brings a wealth of international experiences and perspectives to the Vistra team and our multicultural strategies.

Over the course of her career, Tahira has collaborated with a diverse range of clients spanning the nonprofit, state and local government, healthcare, financial services, hospitality, entertainment, commerce, consumer goods, telecommunications and automobile industries.

Earning her BA in Communications while minoring in Public Relations strengthened Tahira’s comprehension and implementation of multidisciplinary concepts, skills, values, techniques and technologies to ensure and maintain an ethical and integrative vision of all aspects of communications. As part of her quest to learn more, Tahira also obtained her MBA with a concentration in Marketing, which helped her obtain the business knowledge she needs to serve in management and leadership positions within public and private organizations.

Before coming to Vistra, Tahira lived in Puerto Rico. Her bilingual skills make her an invaluable asset in helping our clients reach their goals.

Tahira is passionate about food, traveling and photography and in her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

COO | Senior Vice President Federal Programs

Bart Scherschel

Bart brings over 30 years of Military and Commercial leadership providing products and services for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army and major Tier One international companies. In his current position, he serves as Vistra’s COO and leads the Federal Team’s Program Management and Business Development/Proposal activities.

Bart has been a key leader throughout his career. Starting as an engineer for a major Tier One company he led matrixed teams of individuals comprised of multiple disciplines to design, build and deliver leading edge technology systems for the DoD. As he continued to gain responsibility, he later moved to a multi-billion-dollar large company where his leadership as Director of Programs was integral to the company becoming the largest supplier to the U.S. Navy for military training products and services, nearly $400M in revenues. Later as Vice President of Marketing/Business Development for U.S. Operations and becoming a member of the leadership team, he was responsible for developing strategic plans, marketing and business development, customer relations and achieving annual bookings and growth objectives. Prior to coming to Vistra, Bart worked at a mid-sized Veteran Owned Small Business which provided engineering services to major Military and Commercial avionics providers where he was responsible for both business development and program management.

Bart has a Master’s in Business Administration from Binghamton University (SUNY-B) and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Purdue University. He has several published papers related to Program Management, and is also a member of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA)/National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA) and has held various positions of responsibilities, most recently as a member of the NTSA Executive Committee. He received his PMP in 2005.

Information Technology Specialist I

Peter Sill

With a mind built for solving problems and a passion for IT, Peter has been fixing computer issues from a young age. Always ready to take on issues that most would shy away from, he has set up a virtual lab at home to further his skills and stay up to date on the ever-changing world of technology. Peter helps to keep the IT infrastructure of Vistra running and secure as one of our IT Admins.

For most of his IT career, Peter has successfully managed Office 365 environments.

Peter holds an A.S in Cyber and Information Security from Pasco-Hernando State College, where he graduated as a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Peter also holds a CompTIA A+ certification.

Outside work, Peter enjoys tinkering around in his lab, camping and hiking through the plethora of beautiful landscapes Florida offers.

Sr. Data Analyst

Tom Stillo

Tom has over 35 years in various roles relating to technology ranging from managing IT systems, CADD systems, renderings, 3-D animations and technical illustrations in support of government clients and public projects within Florida and around the country. In his role at Vistra, Tom is instrumental in making sure Vistra is technologically savvy and ahead of the curve so we may better serve, communicate and collaborate with client partners.

Tom has 30 years of design experience in civil projects, surveying, construction management and inspection. He has utilized this extensive engineering background to bring design drawings to life through 3-D animation, computer-enhanced photography and videos for public involvement meetings.

Tom holds a A.S. in Civil Engineering Technology from Pinellas Technical College.

Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications

Josh Talkington

Josh is a seasoned communications expert with a passion for helping those in need, serving the underserved and using his journalistic skills to give a voice to those who often feel unheard.

As a former journalist and business owner, Josh’s experience includes leading multi-cultural communications efforts across the country for large, multi-state organizations, nonprofit groups and minority-owned businesses focusing on underserved populations.

A relationship builder and listener who values the lives and experiences of others, Josh utilizes his communications knowledge to truly make a difference. Drawing on his deep media roots and vast experience as a storyteller, he effectively positions Vistra’s partners to secure the exposure they deserve. Josh is also experienced in crisis communications and has handled media crises for organizations on both the local and national level.

A graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Josh spent the first 15 years of his career working in television and radio. He has been a news reporter, anchor and radio host throughout the Tampa, Las Vegas, Nashville, and Jacksonville media markets covering some of the biggest stories in the country including the 9/11 terrorist attacks, presidential elections, and numerous hurricanes. He also helped launch video production companies, SnapShot Interactive in Nashville, Tennessee and Blue Dog Video in Daytona Beach, Florida.

​In 2012, with a desire to make a positive impact on underprivileged youth, Josh began working as an after-school program director and youth and college minister in Georgia. He served in that role for four years before moving back to Tampa to effect change and manage external relations with a national nonprofit involved in child welfare, juvenile justice, and workforce development.

Josh serves on the Board of Directors for BAYS Florida, a Tampa-based nonprofit focused on improving the quality of life for youth and families. He also serves on workforce development committees for the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce and Tampa Bay Partnership.

Digital Marketing Specialist

Emmanuel Umotong

Emmanuel is a talented and experienced Digital Marketing Specialist with a true passion for creating engaging content that captivates audiences. With a strong background in filmmaking and social media marketing, he has honed his skills to deliver outstanding results in the field of digital marketing.

With a unique blend of creativity and analytical skills, Emmanuel has a proven track record of achieving exceptional results for clients and companies alike. His ability to think outside the box and develop innovative marketing strategies has earned him a reputation as a professional storyteller.

Graduating from Full Sail University with a Bachelor of Science in Film and TV, Emmanuel began his career as a videographer and video editor. His natural creativity, technical expertise and keen ability to strategically position and showcase clients on a local and national scale, quickly gained industry recognition and Emmanuel was picked up by a high-profile organization as a Media Specialist. Here, he played a pivotal role in overseeing all aspects of content marketing and social media marketing by utilizing his innovative strategies to drive brand awareness and engage with customers.

It’s not all about work for Emmanuel. When he’s not busy creating marketing magic, you can find him behind the camera, bringing his storytelling skills to life as a filmmaker. His passion for visual storytelling and high-quality aesthetics shines through in each of his projects and leave a long-lasting impression on target audiences.

Account Executive

Jessica Vega-Eugene

Jessica Vega-Eugene is a sought-after thought leader and marketing strategist passionate about amplifying and supporting business growth.

Jessica has more than 12 years of marketing, community outreach, and fostering strategic community partnerships experience. She is skilled at developing integrated marketing campaigns, pitching media, planning community forums and helping clients tell their stories.

She has worked in the corporate, education and nonprofit sectors leading campaigns such as Teach in Tampa and Keep the Wheels of Education Rolling; the Florida Department of Transportation and Hillsborough County Sheriff Office, Hillsborough Healthy Schools in partnership with Bay Care and St. Joseph’s Children’s Wellness Center, the Bullard Family Foundation’s Annual Back-to-School Bash, Walmart and Tampa General Hospital Foundation, community meetings and groundbreaking ceremonies.

Prior to joining Vistra, Jessica refined her communications, marketing, and project management skills at Trinsic Communications, Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women as The Women’s Business Centre Outreach Manager, and the seventh largest district in the nation, Hillsborough County Public Schools, where her work was recognized with a Bronze Telly Award.

Jessica is actively involved with the Tampa Bay Spark, Hillsborough Alliance of Black School Educators (HABSE), Made Wonderfully, and sits on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force for Hillsborough County Public Schools.

She holds a Degree in Business Administration in Marketing from the University of South Florida. Go Bulls!

Web Developer/Designer

Michael Wilhite

Michael Wilhite has been designing and developing interactive experiences for over 20 years. Michael has worked with many large companies such as FOX, BOA, Old Dominion, Gentiva and Tech-Data to provide interactive strategy, design and implementation. Recently, his work has included mobile solutions and strategy for large enterprise clients.

By providing detailed application and design requirements, Michael has been able to shorten the gap between design and development teams resulting in an immediate increase in productivity and effectiveness.

Business Analyst

Nathan Williams

As Vistra’s Business Analyst, Nathaniel facilitates enhanced collaboration between Vistra teams by introducing data-driven improvements to project work flows, designing action plans, and supporting implementation. For both customer and company needs, he performs Data Science tasks to provide deeper insight into project data and enhance decision-making processes. Data Science tasks often involve the assisting in collection, cleaning and interpretation of data sets in order to provide clients with the best possible analysis.

Nathaniel has experience using data visualization software (Power BI, Tableau), statistical computing and programming tools (Python, R, SPSS) and survey analysis tools (Qualtrics).

Nathaniel graduated from the University of South Florida, where he earned a B.S. of Finance.

Contract Administrative Assistant

Myra York

Myra assists the Vice President of Contracts and Compliance with the effective execution of contracts made with the government, contractors, employees, suppliers and clients.

She supports the Vistra team by reviewing contract documents to ensure accuracy, prepares and distributes contract documents, reviews incoming and outgoing correspondence, maintains, tracks and organizes physical and electronic contract files and prepares reports for both prime contracts and subcontract files.

Myra has been involved with government, healthcare, corporate, nonprofit and residential real estate contracting and has more than 20 years’ experience as a paralegal specialist, a Florida notary public, Realtor® and is a member of the National Association of Realtors.

Chief Financial Officer

Chris M. Zarreke, CPA, CGMA

Chris is a Florida Certified Public Accountant and seasoned Senior Level Finance and Accounting Executive with more than 30 years of professional experience.  He began his career in Big 4 public accounting as an auditor and consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers before transitioning to private industry.  As Vistra’s CFO, Chris is primarily responsible for directing the organization’s financial accounting and reporting, pricing, budgeting and cost management activities in accordance with GAAP, company values and strategic plans. Prior to joining Vistra, Chris was a member of Senior Leadership Teams at the VP/CFO level across several industries including Metals, Paper, Food Distribution, Healthcare, and Operations Consulting.  Chris is a member of both the American and Florida institute of Certified Public Accountants as well as a member of the RSM Middle Market Leadership Council.

Chris’s experience includes budgeting and forecasting, financial reporting, contract negotiation, acquisitions, foreign currency, establishing and maintaining banking and insurance relationships and many other aspects of corporate finance, general accounting and tax working for both large multinational organizations as well as middle-market size companies.  As a well-rounded business professional, he has also had the opportunity to stretch beyond the traditional finance and accounting arena into other functional and operational areas supervising customer service, purchasing, human resources, information technology and partnering with operations leaders on various initiatives.  Additionally, Chris has been responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with key clients and vendors integral to the success of the companies he has worked for and has been heavily involved in strategic planning.

Chris is a Philadelphia native, but has lived and worked in Tampa, Florida since graduating from college.  He earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting as well as a Master of Accountancy degree, both from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.  During his free time, Chris enjoys the beach, playing tennis, collecting vintage toys & sports memorabilia and has been a volunteer coach for youth athletics.