ABOUT US
We’re proud to be a certified
Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)!
At Creative Entourage, we work closely with you and your team to develop and implement innovative ideas designed specifically to deliver your message to your target audience. Clients choose Creative Entourage for its collaborative, consultative approach.
Offering a full array of integrated marketing and communications services — including proven public relations, graphic design and digital marketing tactics — we rely on a relationship- and results-driven model to get to know you, your business and your audience, and then use that information to help you put your best foot forward.
Our team’s broad experience allows us to combine new technology, traditional storytelling and eye-catching design to help you tell your brand’s unique story. Since 2008, we’ve used our creativity, curiosity and critical thinking to help clients overcome their biggest marketing and communications challenges.
We’re equal parts business consultants, design and communications specialists, and passionate storytellers — but, above all, we’re committed to helping you and your organization succeed.
Elizabeth Arway
Principal • Creative Services
Elizabeth always knew she wanted to be a designer. From her first 4-H art project, to earning her BFA in graphic design at Maryville University, to launching her own boutique agency in 2008, Elizabeth has always delighted in combining her love of art and design with her keen eye for detail and enthusiasm for fresh, innovative ideas.
As the founder of Creative Entourage, Elizabeth works to keep the agency’s work on the cutting edge and ensures that each client has a distinct look that’s sure to turn heads. Her TAM and AIGA award-winning work takes a client’s vision and turns it into reality. Most recently, she has spearheaded the Gamlin Restaurant Group Pro Sports Division, resulting in the successful partnership of Gamlin Whiskey House and Sub Zero Vodka Bar with several professional sports teams.
Elizabeth, who grew up in rural Illinois, lives in Eureka, Missouri with her husband PJ and their beagles, Sadie and Pippen. The couple has worked tirelessly since 2013 to launch Baseball Battles Cancer, an annual baseball event held to raise money for cancer research. So far, they have helped raise over $100,000. She also worked closely with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul during the Eureka flooding, designing and selling a T-shirt to raise more than $10,000 for local relief efforts. In between managing the business and her philanthropy efforts, Elizabeth helped found the Missouri Whiskey Society in 2014. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys quilting, beekeeping and being active in her church community.
Jennifer Volk
Principal • Strategic Communications
Since 2001, Jennifer has become well known as an expert in communications and public relations. Relying on her nearly two decades of experience and a data-driven, consultative approach to help clients take their organizations to the next level, Jennifer consistently helps businesses and organizations reach the right audience with the right tools and the right message.
Using new and traditional communications methods, Jennifer has helped enhance communications efforts, increase community involvement and raise awareness levels for countless corporate, nonprofit and community-based organizations. Her diverse background includes work in strategic planning, marketing, social media management, media relations, crisis management and event planning.
Jennifer has also worked with several clients to conduct communications audits, and to create and implement strategic communications plans to increase the effectiveness of communications, marketing and outreach programs.
Since graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism in 2001, Jennifer has held a variety of positions in media and communications, including Media Relations Specialist for the Rockwood School District and Director of Public Relations and Interim Executive Director of KidSmart – Tools for Learning. She also worked as a television reporter for KOMU-TV, the NBC affiliate in Columbia, Missouri, an experience that offers clients a unique perspective to media relations.
Jennifer has spoken on public relations, social media, marketing and community engagement at numerous local and national conferences, in front of organizations including the National School PR Association Conference, the Missouri Association of Fire Chiefs, the Missouri Association of Career Fire Protection Districts, the St. Louis Press Club and the Missouri School Public Relations Association, to name a few. She is currently a member of the St. Michael School of Clayton Board of Directors and the Clayton Community Foundation Board. She served on the St. Louis Chapter of the Mizzou Alumni Association Board, including a term as its president, and was founding board member of both LoveU2Pieces and KidSmart-Tools for Learning.
Rod Wright, PhD
Strategic Communications
A nationally recognized expert in public opinion and market research, Dr. Rod Wright joined Attitude Research Company (ARC) as its president in 1986. When ARC merged with its parent company UNICOM Group to form UNICOM•ARC, Dr. Wright became president of the combined firm. Prior to joining ARC, Dr. Wright was vice-president and director of research with Public Response, Inc., a political and business consulting firm. He also served on the faculty at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Dr. Wright has directed a wide variety of public opinion, community engagement and communications projects for hundreds of corporate and public sector clients and school and community college districts throughout the United States. Under Dr. Wright’s direction, UNICOM•ARC’s educational clients—when including both elementary and secondary education and institutions of higher education—span the country and range in size from under 1,000 students to more than 140,000 students. Under Dr. Wright’s leadership, UNICOM•ARC has twice won the Magna Award from the American School Boards Journal and numerous other awards for engagement and communication programs.
In 1995, Dr. Wright directed a public engagement program for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) related to the development and approval of Missouri’s Show-Me Standards for student performance. In Education Week’s 1997 nationwide study of elementary and secondary education entitled Quality Counts, this effort was praised as helping Missouri “to avoid the debates that have characterized standards-setting in many other states where reform opponents have branded standards as ‘vague” and intrusive.’” Dr. Wright is currently part of the team coordinating DESE’s efforts to improve educational performance in Missouri making it a “top ten” state.
Dr. Wright is a sought-after speaker at national and regional conferences. He has spoken or conducted workshops for the National School Public Relations Association, the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, the Annual Management Symposium of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, the Annual Leadership Forum of the American Bar Association and the State Education Improvement Partnership (a collaborate effort of the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Education Commission of the States, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the National Governors’ Association).
Dr. Wright holds a Ph.D. in political science from Washington University, where he specialized in public opinion research. He also holds a master’s degree from Washington University and a bachelor’s degree from William Jewell College.
Emily Roth
Senior Graphic Designer
Emily has loved art as long as she can remember. She loved to draw and paint, but wanted to work in a field where she could pursue her creative passions through a variety of interesting projects, with a variety of interesting people, every day. When she first learned about graphic design and its collaborative processes, she was hooked.
Emily’s passion for clever design and impactful branding makes her a great asset for Creative Entourage and its clients. Her thoughtful designs help clients put their best foot forward, delivering clear and consistent messaging that’s recognized and remembered. Her favorite part about being a designer? Making each client’s unique vision into a reality.
She says: “Branding and design is always something I really enjoy, but the best part is when clients are excited about their final product. It is still always a fun time when everything comes to fruition!”
Emily, who earned her BFA in graphic design at Maryville University, worked as a graphic designer at Dierbergs Markets for 12 years, where she led a team of designers in the creation of various marketing and promotional materials for the regional chain. She also works as a freelance designer for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Mid-America Chapter, helping to design collateral for charity events and more. Additionally, she works with local brides on stunning invitations and other wedding needs, and loves being a part of their special day!
Emily, a St. Louis native, currently lives in South City with her husband, their daughter and their dog. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, trying out new restaurants and, of course, working on her paintings.
Cindy Gibson, APR
Communications Specialist
Cindy Gibson is a 30-year communications and public relations veteran with extensive experience in educational administration. Cindy brings a wide range of skills to UNICOM• ARC having worked in all areas of communications including journalism, advertising and marketing. As the assistant to the superintendent for communications and community services for a St. Louis suburban school district, her public relations programs, community engagement initiatives and election communication strategies earned national recognition from the National School Public Relations Association, the National School Boards Association and from national political election organizations.
In addition to public relations and communications, she is also considered a leader in school emergency and crisis planning. She was a member of a local school district that teamed with St. Louis County Department of Health and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to better protect the St. Louis area in the event of a bioterrorist attack or large-scale crisis.
Cindy continues to impact educational public relations by serving as a mentor for local professionals in the field and working with the National School Public Relations Association on special projects and emergency communication needs across the country including assisting the Moore Oklahoma School District following the tornado that devastated the community.
Cindy received her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Communications from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas and has her master’s degree in Corporate Public Relations from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. She earned her Accreditation in Public Relations, APR, (one of the highest certifications in the profession) in 2007.
Charlie Leonard, PhD
Public Opinion Research
Dr. Charlie Leonard’s work in strategic communications and public opinion research stretches more than 30 years, after beginning his career as a magazine editor. Clients have included state agencies, school districts, community college districts, municipalities, transportation districts, other special taxing districts, corporations, and candidates for public office.
Part of the post-Watergate wave of would-be crusading reporters flooding journalism programs in the 1970s, Dr. Leonard graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, and went on to magazine editorial work at publications including St. Louis magazine and the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. After the Globe merged with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, he went into consulting, landing at UNICOM Group as an account manager, handling corporate and public policy client communications.
Inspired by the political work of UNICOM and the public opinion research directed by his friend and colleague, Dr. Rod Wright at Attitude Research Company (ARC), Dr. Leonard returned to graduate school for a Master’s and a PhD in political science from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
During subsequent academic appointments at Lindenwood University, the University of Texas at Dallas, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and the University of Louisville, he taught a wide range of courses in political science and university honors departments, including classes on public policy, urban politics, and public opinion.
While serving as a faculty member and university administrator, Dr. Leonard remained active in polling and public policy research, including a ten-year stint as co-director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute’s “Simon Poll” and “Southern Illinois Poll.” Illinois legislators, agency executives, and journalists looked to Simon Poll results to help gauge public support for important statewide policy proposals
Demarco Davidson
Facilitator
Mr. DeMarco K. Davidson became a recognized community leader in his youth. After graduating from Hazelwood Central High School in 1999, he attended the University of MO-Rolla where he earned a BS in Engineering Management and minors in Chemistry & I/O Psychology in 2006. While in college, he served as the Regional Vice President for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., started several businesses, and co-founded the Black Man’s Think Tank. In 2008-09, he worked on several winning political campaigns. DeMarco was recognized in his alma-mater’s alumni magazine for his work in the inner-city of St. Louis as a Field Organizer for President Obama. DeMarco has spent most of his adult life in education, engineering, youth development, and community organizing. He has worked as a teacher in the Hazelwood School District, an After-School Director with Providence Counseling, a Youth Advisor for Kappa League, a Project Manager for the City of Chicago, a Field Organizer for political campaigns, and a mentor to many youth. He currently volunteers for the Michael Brown Sr. Chosen For Change Foundation as the Executive Director. DeMarco recently earned a Masters in Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary in 2018. After running for Congress, he worked on several winning campaigns including Prosecutor Attorney Wesley Bell, the CLEAN Initiative, Raise Up Minimum Wage, & Medicaid Expansion. As the Voter Program Lead for Metropolitan Congregations United, DeMarco’s goal is to organize voters in St. Louis to develop policy towards breaking the school-to-prison pipeline and unifying the Urban & Rural citizens of Missouri.
Mickey Schoonover
Communications Specialist
Mickey Schoonover is a freelance communications consultant and content writer. She has numerous years of experience as a school public relations professional, where she led a team of communications specialists. Prior to her work in the education field, Schoonover worked as a journalist and features editor. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Louisiana Tech University, and is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) through the Public Relations Society of America. Schoonover is a past president of the Missouri School Public Association (MoSPRA) and earned two consecutive national Gold Medallion Awards from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) for strategic communications.