What makes us tick

It’s quite simple really. We feel energized and gratified by the type of work we get to do. We’re not just communicators—it’s so much deeper than that. Employing each of our unique talents, we are storytellers and movement builders. We are change agents, reframers and advocates. And continually proud of the impact we make. Learn more about what drives us in our staff-written blogs.


Rethinking my relationship with alcohol

The first time my mom mentioned to me that my grandpa was an alcoholic, I was shocked. I always knew he liked to have a good time, but it took me by surprise because I was very young, and he didn’t fit my stereotypical conception of what someone going through alcoholism was like.

Image of two men sitting on the tailgate of a truck in a rural field. Text on the image reads, find HIV testing near you.

Eastern Oregon campaign aims to combat HIV stigma, increase testing

We all have an HIV status, regardless of who we are or where we live. And we should all be tested for HIV at least once. Yet 6 in 10 Oregonians have never been tested. In rural parts of the state, it’s even more evident there’s work left to be done to increase testing for HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI).

Screenshot of the Rethink the Drink homepage

Creative in the time of COVID

After nearly two years of working at home alone, I was feeling burned out and creatively drained. However, 2022 brought some new inspiration in the form of “Rethink the Drink,” a campaign we’d been developing for the Oregon Health Authority to address excessive drinking in the state.


Top 3 reasons why your organization could benefit from media training

While using the phrases, “off the record” or “no comment” might seem like a good idea, there are other, more effective ways to prepare for a media interview. Read more…


“Abstract to ‘aha!’”: diving into the world of discovery with Oregon students

“What do you want to be when your grow up?” was a question I remember being asked often as a kid, though I never really had a good answer. A wedding planner? A professional crafter? Is that even a thing? Though I always knew I wanted to do something “creative” when I grew up, zeroing in on exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life was a daunting decision for a high school student.

Jeanie, Michael and Ashley Coates tour the Gentile Pastificio facility in Nunzio, Italy - September 2021.

The beat goes on.

Some businesses survive less than a year. Others, like Gentile Pastificio, survive for hundreds and more. Only days ago, my family and I visited Gragnano, the tiny Italian town celebrated for its air-dried pasta. As we entered the massive stone building, I couldn’t help but wonder what the workings of an 1876-founded business might look like inside.