President and Creative Director
With 30 years of experience directing communications and building brands, Josh is a firm believer in the power of the big idea. As President and Creative Director of Creative Co-op, he helps raise awareness, create new relationships, transform reputations and build trust for the agency’s clients.
Born and raised in upstate New York, Josh graduated from Union College where he studied both engineering and English. He worked for advertising agencies in New England as a copywriter and creative director before founding Creative Co-op in 2001. Over the past 23 years, the company has built a reputation for excellence and effective communications while serving as a dedicated, astute, and valuable asset to the organizations it serves.
Josh started the agency based on the belief that the most successful strategic, conceptual and creative work is developed from a partnership perspective. The agency has grown over time and today provides a wide range of services, ranging from planning and consulting to advocacy communications, brand development, integrated marketing, digital communications, video, photography, website design, app development, and more.
When he’s not at the office or on the road meeting with clients, you’ll probably find him in the mountains, at the beach or on the water.
josh@creativeco-op.com
Vice President of Client Service
Tish Casey
Tish hails from Massachusetts, where she graduated from the Isenberg School of Management at University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She has worked in the advertising industry for over 30 years on both the client and agency side at such firms as Avid Technology, First Software, Mullen Advertising and TMP Worldwide. For 11 years, Tish served as the Chief Operating Officer for Harpell, a 60-person strategic marketing firm in the Greater Boston area.
Tish’s expertise in both project management and production makes her an invaluable resource for clients. She has worked on accounts for clients in a number of different industries, including Pepco Holdings, Straumann, Claremont Savings Bank, Public Service of New Hampshire, International Data Group, New Hampshire Tourism, KeySpan Energy and 48HourPrint.com. As VP of Client Service at Creative Co-op, Tish successfully and seamlessly managed the launch of the new American Water brand in tandem with the company’s return to public status at its IPO in April 2008. The American Water work has won numerous awards, including being named to the REBRAND 100, a collection of the 100 most successful rebranding efforts worldwide, and back-to-back Interactive Media Awards (IMA) for the company’s online annual report. Tish also helmed the relaunch of the National Assocation of Water Companies brand and served as a member of its Communications Committee.
As a lifelong New Englander, Tish embraces the long winters with her passion for snowmobiling. Pickleball and running her online vintage shop are also hobbies she enjoys in her free time.
Julie Sorensen
Julie comes from central New England, where she graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Fine Art. In 1993, she moved to Los Angeles and started her career at Electronic Publishing Specialists/MuseX Editions. Within two years, she became Master Printer and Artist Liaison for several world-renowned artists and photographers, including Pae White, Diana Thater, John Baldessari, Peter Halley, Peter Alexander, James Welling, Uta Barth and Bill Barminski. Her collaborated work has been shown at MOMA, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Santa Monica Museum of Art and Bergamot Station.
In 2004, Julie joined the Creative Co-op team and has worked on most client creative projects within the company including Timberland, American Water, Pepco Holdings, NAWC, Barlean’s, Department of Commerce Federal Credit Union, and Straumann. With 25+ years experience in the printing industry and as a Graphic Artist, Designer, Illustrator and Art Director, Julie provides the expertise to deliver high-level service. As a core member of our team, she applies her experience to the development of strategic communications materials for all of our clients.
In her spare time, you’ll find Julie enjoying life on horseback, singing, running, reading at the lake, snowmobiling with Tish, skiing with Darlene or catching lobsters with Josh. Additionally, she serves locally and leads the non-profit she started with her daughter in 2017, Heart4Honduras Inc, an organization providing hope to the future of Honduras.
Scott Bartley
Scott grew up on Long Island and went to The College of Saint Rose in Upstate New York where he received his degree in Graphic Design. He is a seasoned, award-winning advertising veteran who has worked with a wide variety of advertising agencies in Upstate New York, Mass, and New York City. His client experience includes AMC Networks, Miller Brewing Company, REMY, Federal Reserve Bank, BBC America, BBC Worldwide Productions, BBC World News, EPIX/MTV Viacom, CNN, International Delights, Western Union, Coperion, Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York Times Company, New York University, Spalding and Warner Bros., just to name a few.
He has been a valued member of the Creative Co-op team since the agency’s founding in 2001.
scott@creativeco-op.com
Darlene Friedman
Darlene is a well-rounded finance professional with over 20 years of experience in a variety of accounting roles with small to medium size businesses in industries that include construction, software development and professional services. With extensive experience in financial reporting, she has strong accounting technical skills with an in-depth knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles. Her background also includes tax experience with a variety of entity types.
In addition to her public accounting experience, Darlene has been involved in launching two businesses; one in the retail industry and another in the financing industry. From her accounting and business ownership experience, Darlene has a combination of accounting technical skills, business development/marketing and management skills. This combination results in a financial professional who connects the numbers to results and develops accounting and financial reporting systems with business success in mind. Her expertise goes beyond the finance department into marketing, strategic planning and leadership.
Darlene is a graduate of Southern NH University with a BS in Management Advisory Services, a dual major in accounting and information systems. She is also a graduate of Leadership Greater Manchester.
When not crunching the numbers, Darlene enjoys skiing, bicycling and seeing live music.
Graphic Designer
Marie Wood
Marie is a strategy-driven graphic designer with rich experience in creative storytelling, experiential and digital design, and marketing communications. As an art director and team leader at Timberland for several decades, she ignited the brand’s messaging for worldwide consumers and internal stakeholders. As creative Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, she headed up the consumer-facing division of this globally renowned art museum for several years.
Throughout her career, Marie has created powerful online and physical experiences for global retail and digital channels, including the communication of environmental responsibility and sustainability messaging while effectively collaborating with multi-national teams. Her work has taken her around the world for location and studio photo shoot direction, post-production editing, e-commerce and social media design, advertising, global guidelines development, product packaging, event design, and collateral development. Recent projects include design collaborations with the East Branch Nature Preserve/Catskills Water Discovery Center, Corning Glass Museum, and more. As part of the Creative Co-op team, Marie has worked on clients in a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, consumer products, financial services and more.
A firm believer that design thrives on collaboration, Marie is passionate about crafting abstract ideas into visual realities and forming partnerships that positively impact our world. When not designing you’ll find her perfecting her mountain pose, unravelling a murder mystery, or stalking the perfect lobster roll.
Emileigh Barrett
Emileigh is a dynamic Creative Producer with a passion for composing high-quality video content. Her artistic talent combined with business acumen and the ability to successfully bring the vision of clients and the agency to life on screen continues to make her an exceptional resource. With more than 15 years of experience in all aspects of video production, Emileigh is organized, self-motivated and proactive, and possesses the initiative to solve challenges as they arise – the essential qualities of a successful producer and creative person. From concept development and every aspect of production to editing and promotion of the final work, she brings a 360 degree view to every project.
Her work experience covers a wide range of industries, including mainstream media, furniture and home furnishings, financial services, consumer products, e-commerce, manufacturing, food and beverage industries and entertainment. Some notable brand names in Emileigh’s portfolio include, Disney, Ethan Allen, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Reebok, Timberland, Worldquant and National Geographic. Her film and video work has been featured in juried festivals and shows around the world, including 69th Cannes Film Festival, NYC Independent Film Festival and the Los Angeles Film & Script Festival, among others.
After 8 years honing her craft in Los Angeles and New York City, plus several years of living abroad, Emileigh returned to her Seacoast roots to be closer to family and friends. When she’s not busy with work, you can find her traveling and exploring the world, walking her dog on the beach or burying her nose in a good book. emileigh@creativeco-op.com
Strategic Partner
Laura Monica
Laura has spent decades spearheading change, achieving results and reaching business goals for organizations at the executive level. With a penchant for taking on the most difficult corporate challenges, she has achieved success in executing transformational strategies with a results-oriented leadership style. She has also served in senior executive leadership positions within the regulated and non-regulated utilities industries as well as the financial services sector.
In a corporate capacity, she most recently served as vice president, Corporate Communications, for Pepco Holdings, Inc. (PHI), a regional energy holding company that provides utility service to about 2 million customers in Washington DC, and parts of Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. In this role, she was responsible for all external and internal communications and served as a member of the executive leadership team reporting directly to Joseph M. Rigby, chairman, president and chief executive officer of PHI.
During her tenure at PHI, she was faced with a series of communications challenges that threatened the company’s success and ability to reach its business goals. She was recruited to join PHI in 2011, right after Business Insider named Pepco, the company’s Washington, D.C. and Maryland electric utility, the “most hated company in America.” Within three years as the chief communications executive, and due to her proactive and strategic communications approach, the company experienced an unprecedented turnaround. In 2014, JD Power named Pepco most improved utility among large brands with an increase of 47 points. Customer satisfaction for Pepco increased 28 points from summer 2011 to year-end 2014, and Energy Biz Magazine named PHI “Energy Company of the Year” in 2014.
Before joining PHI in August 2011, Laura served as senior vice president, corporate communications and external affairs, at American Water, the country’s largest publicly-traded water and wastewater services company. There she led and directed strategy development for all customer communications, branding, marketing, advertising, internal and external affairs, government affairs and corporate responsibility activities, reaching approximately 16 million people in 35 states and Canada.
Laura has won numerous awards and recognitions, including the Washington Women in Public Relations 2014 Washington PR Woman of the Year; the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Silver Anvil Award in 2013; a PRSA National Capital Chapter 2013 Thoth Award and a PRSA Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation for communications efforts; New Jersey’s Best 50 Women in Business in 2010; PR News Award – PR People of the Year in 2009; a total of more than 220 awards for marketing communications, leadership and business ethics over the past 25 years.
She earned a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire. She completed the yearlong Leadership Greater Washington program in which government, business and non-profit leaders met regularly to discuss and address critical topics that affect the Greater Washington community.
In addition, Laura is certified by TTI University as an analyst for the TriMetrix® Behavioral, Motivational and EQ assessment tool, 2014. She is also certified by Birkman International to analyze and interpret the Birkman Method® Assessment tool, 2014 and is certified by CPP, Inc., in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality inventory tool in 2015 and is certified by Multi-Health Systems, Inc., in EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360, emotional intelligence assessment tools, in 2015. She is a certified executive coach by the International Coach Federation, 2016.
Laura has worked closely with Josh Weinstein and the Creative Co-op team for nearly two decades as a client, mentor, consultant and strategic partner.