Our team includes individuals who have worked together for years as co-workers, collaborators, and co-conspirators. Depending on client needs, we pull from this team and beyond to ensure that we have the right people with the right skills to serve their specific needs.
Matthew Cookson, President & Founder
During my 25-year career, I have been fortunate to work with and learn from leaders and innovators in the private sector, higher education and government. With a constant focus on strategic communications, and its role in advancing an organization, this invaluable experience is the platform on which I am building Cookson Stephens Corporation. CSC is a strategic communications firm geared toward understanding the business goals of our clients, then crafting and implementing communications strategies to reach those goals.
Located in downtown Manchester, CSC services major accounts in the higher education, manufacturing, technology, and nonprofit sectors. The firm also oversees the New Hampshire High Technology Council and I am its executive director. We manage all administrative, events, membership, and promotions for the High Tech Council.
A “faculty brat,” I grew up on the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs. I have held senior level positions in higher education at UConn, New England College and the University System of New Hampshire, where I served as associate vice chancellor of external relations. I worked in the private sector for several years with PC Connection and a spin-off start up. I’ve also worked in state and federal government as a press secretary and legislative director.
I received my undergraduate and graduate degrees from UConn and am a 2003 Leadership New Hampshire Associate. In 2009, I was named one of the “25 Leaders of the Future” by Business NH Magazine. I am an adjunct faculty member at the University of New Hampshire, where I teach public relations courses and am actively engaged in many boards and organizations throughout New Hampshire. My wife and I have lived in New Hampshire since 1994. We love raising our family in the Granite State and there isn’t any place we’d rather call home.
My vision for CSC is to work with clients in such a way that we become an extension of their organization. I’ve recruited a team of professionals who embrace this vision and work every day to achieve it. Email me at matt@cooksonstephens.com.
Christopher M. Williams, Vice President, Strategic Communications
I’ve known Chris since he and his family came to New Hampshire in 2006. Chris is a uniquely creative, results-oriented communications professional with nearly 20 years of professional successes in a variety of settings including higher education, high tech, broadcast communications, clinical research, performing arts, and professional sports.
Chris also has participated in business development efforts crafting successful communications programs that helped reach stated goals, created successful strategic partnerships and generated new clients in both business to business, and consumer-based settings.
He possesses an impressive depth and breadth of strategic communications experience that features corporate communications, integrated public relations, marketing, and crisis planning and management. Chris’ specific strengths are reputation and brand management, public and media relations, internal communications, crisis communications, trade shows and special events, and project management.
Chris has significant experience developing and employing websites , social media, media kits, broadcast, video and audio, and promotional collateral materials—both online and print—into integrated communications plans that produce measurable results. He also has conducted communications audits that assess the effectiveness of marketing and promotional materials and successfully implementing revisions as needed.
For nearly three and a half years Chris was the Public Relations Director at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. He has also worked as a communications professional at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, STATPROBE, Inc., and the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association.
As an adjunct faculty member, Chris has taught a strategic public relations course at the University of New Hampshire – Manchester; journalism and media writing courses at Michigan State University’s School of Journalism; and journalism and organizational communications courses in Concordia University’s journalism and accelerated degree programs.
Chris received his master’s degree in journalism from Michigan State University, bachelor’s degree in communications from Wayne State University, and associate’s degree in liberal arts from Mott Community College. You can email Chris at chris@cooksonstephens.com.
Marian Caisse, Production and Design Manager
Marian (call her Muffy) has over 20 years of experience in the printing industry, including electronic prepress and production experience with a major printing company, and graphic design, layout, production, ad purchasing and traffic experience with CC Stephens & Co. She is first in the line of defense for on-time and quality production, as well as delivery and project costing. With sleeves rolled up, Muffy tracks, projects and gets the job where it needs to be when it needs to be there–at the best available price. You can email Muffy at marian@cooksonstephens.com.
Judy Davidson, Office Manager and Event Coordinator
Judy keeps the firm running smoothly, managing the office and handling many of the large number of details related to successful event management. She is the primary day to day contact for members of the NH High Technology Council and manages the numerous High Technology Council events. She also oversees bookkeeping, billing, collections, advertising placements and sales. You can email Judy at judy@cooksonstephens.com.
Emily King, Senior Strategist, Social Media, Online Marketing
Emily is a savvy Internet marketing specialist that finds social media and search engine optimization as exciting as sky diving or surfing.
Emily provides clients with a unique advantage through her seamless blend of creative design, purposeful functionality, and search engine visibility. Her rooted beliefs in the power of social networking, and that a website is only as good as it is visible, are her two guiding forces in the virtual world. Whether it’s website design and development, search engine marketing, social media, content development, or email marketing, Emily will effectively communicate your brand’s essence into everything Internet.
Some of Emily’s clients have included the The New York Times, The University System of New Hampshire, and three years as the Marketing Director for a Sotheby’s International Realty agency. Emily is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore School of Business and Economics. When not on the Internet, she can be found dancing, acting, or pursuing some extreme outdoor adventure, of which she will most likely tweet or blog about.
The rest of the team
Beyond our staff, CSC regularly taps a core group of well-seasoned experts that provide a wide breath of service and level of expertise that can complement the core team designated to serve the client.