Kaiya Wheeler: Applying New Skills to Keep the Compliance Department Running Efficiently

Kaiya Wheeler is in the midst of her first year with State and Federal Communications, but her ambition and interest in the industry has served her well. She started just three months ago as a Compliance Assistant.

In her role, Kaiya accepts activity from our clients and makes sure that the information is processed, filed, and stored correctly so her colleagues are prepared for audits. She plays a big role in keeping the consulting process smooth and efficient.

Kaiya became interested in the industry while in college, as she majored in International Relations at Kent State University. Government relations and lobbying were covered frequently in her classes, which helped her analyze patterns, understand government operations, and comprehend terminology. As a 2024 graduate from Kent State, Kaiya joined the State and Federal Communications team in August, and she is adjusting well with the team. Her colleagues have made it easier for her to learn about the industry because of their experience, and her desire to ask questions has led her to learn more about compliance, research, and even marketing.

State and Federal Communications’ work is at an intersection of government relations and business, which Kaiya says keeps her interested and committed to her work. Seeing how things work and noticing all the moving parts associated with our company’s work is something Kaiya likes the most about her role. Kaiya knows that she is doing something meaningful all the time, and considering her work interesting makes her excited to come into our office every day.

Outside of work, Kaiya likes to explore Akron’s music and entertainment scenes. She particularly enjoys foreign horror films, which are surprisingly abundant.

Kaiya recognizes the company is growing pretty quickly, and she wants to work with State and Federal Communications for a long time. She would like to learn more and add to her skill set while learning more about the federal side to our company’s services because of State and Federal Communications’ growing client list.

We are looking forward to many more years with Kaiya as part of our State and Federal Communications team, which is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

David Garnier is one of the newest members of the State and Federal Communications team, and he has made a positive impact already. He joined the Research Department in June of this year as a Manager of Research Services.

He oversees the important task of maintaining the content and format of the company’s online publications while ensuring the content remains accurate, comprehensive, and professional. Particularly, David is tasked with managing the states in the Southwestern part of the United States.

David pursued his legal career path in a rather unorthodox way. He graduated with an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Princeton, but then he enrolled in law school at the University of Akron, after which he spent eight years working as a civil prosecuting attorney for a local county. His experiences before coming to State and Federal Communications helped him refine his approach to solving problems and focus on what is important about the law and where to find relevant information. This has allowed him to excel with our team because he gained insight into how local government operates.

David is able to play to his personality with State and Federal Communications as a problem-solver with great attention to detail. He also loves the cohesive nature of the team and how everyone is committed to the same mission.

When he is not in the office, David is an avid runner, having just completed his second 100-mile run and participates regularly in his running community. He enjoys the challenge and puzzle-solving nature of working out the approach to completing in endurance events.

David wants to continue to see consistency and improvement at State and Federal Communications while maintaining an excellent product that clients keep coming back for.

We are glad David’s first year with us has been great, and we celebrate the value David brings to the State and Federal Communications team, which is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

Since joining State and Federal Communications six months ago, Nick Hollis, our Digital Media Coordinator, has quickly become an integral part of the marketing department, playing a role in project management, graphic design, and copywriting.

Many of the graphics, videos, and captions on the company’s online platforms are created and published by Nick, boosting engagement and drawing attention to the work we do at State and Federal Communications.

Nick brings more than a decade of real-world experience to the table. After earning his undergraduate degree, he launched his own business, which he says “gave me my first real taste for design.” He later sold the start-up to his partner, but his interest in combining message with image to engage an audience had just been sparked. He went on to earn a master’s degree in graphic design from Kent State University and spent eight years in the mortgage industry, working on in-house marketing and design. His background gives him a unique perspective and creative edge that he now channels into his work here.

What Nick enjoys most about working in marketing is the variety. His work allows him to flex his creative spirit, but Nick still works on learning the industry more all the time because it is an interesting subject for him.

Outside of the office, Nick enjoys spending time in nature, whether on a trail or out on the water with a jet ski. He also enjoys playing board games and poker in his free time.

Looking ahead, Nick envisions a long-term future with the company. He thinks State and Federal Communications is a great place to work and build a career for himself, eventually setting his sights on running the marketing department.

We are fortunate to have Nick’s creative talent and ambition on the State and Federal Communications team, which is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.