Brett Bruen - President & CEO

Brett Bruen uses strategic communications strategies to influence the course of crisis and change.

Bruen was recently named by Washingtonian Magazine as one of the nation's "most influential" voices on public affairs. As President of the Global Situation Room, his work focuses on helping clients, from Fortune 100 companies to some of the world's largest philanthropies, survive and thrive amidst the regularity of today’s risks. Bruen teaches Crisis Communications at Georgetown University and serves on boards at Harvard and University College Dublin. He was Director of Global Engagement at the White House and built a number of President Obama’s legacy international initiatives. His time in the American diplomatic service was largely spent on the frontlines of crises in the Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Venezuela, and Iraq. He speaks fluent Spanish and French.

Ambassador Francisco Santos - Executive Vice President, Global Affairs

Ambassador Santos is a distinguished world leader & journalist

As a human rights advocate, former diplomat, politician and reporter, Ambassador Santos is a venerable promoter of democracy and human rights. He comes to GSR after having served as Vice President of Colombia and most recently, Ambassador to the United States. During his tenure, he led Colombia’s promotion of international trade, investment and tourism. He was also integral in implementing policies combating corruption, extortion and kidnapping. Prior to his political and diplomatic roles, Santos had a distinguished career in journalism and held several positions at El Tiempo, one of Colombia’s leading newspapers. He also worked at El País, Spain’s most prominent newspaper and was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University

As Executive Vice President of Global Affairs, Santos work with GSR’s expanding portfolio of clients from around the world on their most Complex Communications® challenges.

Aimee Gonzalez - Senior Vice President, Strategic Operations

Aimee Gonzalez is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations where she oversees GSR’s infrastructure, including legal, finance, technology and client services. Prior to joining GSR, she worked at top-tier public relations and law firms, led media operations for several major national and international events, and served in various roles for three former U.S. Presidents.

Kat Maramba - Senior Vice President, Strategic Services

Kat Maramba is a dedicated communications professional specializing in media engagement.

As Vice President of Media Engagement, she leads press outreach for Global Situation Room clients. Prior to joining GSR, she served as the executive communications manager for the National League of Cities, handling media engagement and brand management for the organization’s CEO and leading officers. Kat has worked on a wide range of issues for a variety of clients in the areas of technology, healthcare and nonprofits at Sunshine Sachs (now Sunshine Sachs, Morgan & Lylis) and Seven Letter (formerly Blue Engine Message & Media). She earned her M.A. in Public Communications from American University in Washington, D.C., and is a graduate of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Christine Baratta - Director of News and Editorial Content

As Editorial Director, Christine oversees the production of GSR's award-winning podcasts, along with helping clients develop news strategies and stories. She leads a team of journalists, producers, and researchers who create some of the most popular public affairs shows in the world. Her extensive experience in media plays a key role in providing GSR's clients with unparalleled insights and support as they look to elevate their thought leadership across top-tier media.

Before joining GSR, Christine was an Executive Producer at Bloomberg, responsible for producing national political programming. Her job involved translating the tectonic shifts in American politics for a global business audience.  Previously, she served as Managing Editor for Bloomberg Television and Radio, planning and directing the network's daily coverage from Washington, DC. She has led communications strategy for various electoral and issue advocacy campaigns, including serving as the Communications Director for the Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry.

Kasey Henderson - Account Director

Kasey Henderson is a connector, storyteller, and passionate advocate for humanitarian issues, gender equality, and reproductive rights.

Before joining GSR, Kasey was the advocacy and communications lead for A360, Population Services International’s (PSI) flagship adolescent contraceptive program operating in Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia. She previously coordinated the Self-Care Trailblazer Group, overseeing and developing advocacy strategies while growing the membership base of the coalition, and spent 2.5 years working with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health in Namibia. She brings experience developing and executing communications, media, and advocacy campaigns for NGOs and mission-driven projects in the U.S., Europe, and across sub-Saharan Africa.

Kasey received her bachelor’s degree in policy, planning, and development from the University of Southern California.

Mahnoor Haq - Senior Communications Associate

Mahnoor serves as our Senior Communications Associate. Prior to this, she graduated from Georgetown University with her M.A. in Conflict Resolution with a geographical emphasis on South Asia and a concentration in Human Rights. During her time at Georgetown, Mahnoor became certified in Mediation by the Community Boards of San Francisco, worked at the Center for Social Justice as a Justice Graduate Intern, and served as a research intern for World Faiths Development Dialogue in Washington, D.C. In addition, Mahnoor has attended a number of events ranging from interfaith dialogues to student-led peace conferences, while completing her undergraduate degree in History with minors in Religion, Arabic, and the Middle East and North Africa region at Wofford College in South Carolina.

Lucas Walsh - Communications Associate

Lucas Walsh is a Communications Associate at GSR, with a focus on research. Before joining Global Situation Room, he graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in Government and a Secondary in English. During his time at Harvard, Lucas wrote for the Harvard Crimson, researched and wrote policy recommendations for the Harvard Institute of Politics and the Undergraduate Foreign Policy Initiative, and produced multiple undergraduate musicals with the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club and Office for the Arts. Additionally, in the summers of 2021 and 2022, Lucas worked for GSR as an intern.

Emily Beaman - Communications Assistant

Emily Beaman serves as a Communications Assistant at Global Situation Room, where she leverages her diverse academic background and practical experience in media and policy. She holds dual bachelor's degrees in Political Science and Global Studies from Midwestern State University, and is currently pursuing her Master's in Journalism at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. During her academic career, Emily demonstrated her commitment to journalism and communication through various roles. She contributed articles to "On the Record," managed social media and served as news editor for "The Wichitan," and played a key role in producing an investigative documentary on victims of sex trafficking. Emily's leadership abilities were honed through her participation in Model United Nations and her election as a senator for her graduate program, experiences that significantly enhanced her negotiation and conflict resolution skills. Her multifaceted background, combining political science, global studies, and journalism, equips Emily with a unique perspective on creating meaningful impact through effective communication and public engagement. At Global Situation Room, she applies this comprehensive skill set to develop strategic communications and foster public understanding of complex global issues.

Lily Kane - Assistant to the President

Lily Kane is the Assistant to the President at Global Situation Room (GSR), where she plays a pivotal role in providing high-level operational support, developing engaging social media content, and cultivating relationships with media outlets and industry professionals. A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Lily holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism with a minor in Global Communication. Her academic journey included a semester studying international business and communications in Paris, France, enriching her global perspective. Prior to joining GSR, Lily honed her skills through various experiences in media and communications. She created social media content for the political organization Big Tent USA, contributed articles to The Daily Texan, and served as a Copyediting Intern at LifeMD, a New York City-based healthcare start-up. These experiences, combined with her strong foundation in journalism and communications, enable her to bring a proactive and multifaceted approach to her work at GSR. Lily excels in crafting impactful messaging for the company and its clients, leveraging her diverse skill set to contribute effectively to GSR's global communications initiatives and client outreach efforts.