RuthAnne Dreisbach
President + CEO

RuthAnne Dreisbach brings 25+ years of experience in corporate strategy, technology, design and communications to help clients create and build distinctive brand experiences and leverage thought leadership via content marketing and strategic communications programs. Her strategic work aligns directly with her experience in asset management and investment banking. She and her team have been retained to lead communication strategy for capital raising, client acquisition and investor relations programs across the financial services, technology, energy and healthcare industries.

RuthAnne is well known for devising creative solutions that leverage nascent technologies in developing new products and bringing relevant information, data and targeted communication programs to institutional and retail clients. While managing Stratevist, she also serves as Practice Lead, Strategic Communications at Tilman & Co., and has also served as Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer of Capitol Peak Asset Management (2014-2017). Prior to starting her predecessor firm (Dreisbach Group) in 1998, RuthAnne was a product marketing executive with Reuters in their datafeed and applications groups. She began her career as an analyst in Investment Banking at Shearson Lehman.

She has served on the boards of directors of the Financial Communications Society and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. She attained FINRA Series 7, 63 and 24 licenses. She earned a BA in Economics from Rutgers College, and holds professional certification in Interior Design from the NY School of Interior Design and graphic design from SVA.  

Nicholas Black
Chief Technology Officer

Nick serves as our Chief Technology Officer, responsible for managing technical design, development and testing of our large-scale projects. Nick led the technical design and managed the implementation of key projects for Credit Suisse, including the Private Client Services Website and Investment Banking eNewsletter Initiatives. Nick defined and developed technical processes to manage content integration, compliance routing, mail merging and system functionality for a highly complex and innovative email/web initiative for Credit Suisse. For JP Morgan, Nick was responsible for the design and architecture of a new eCommunication system for the Investment Banking Division, leading the development of a content distribution platform. From 1994-1998, Nick designed, built and managed enterprise market data solutions and financial analysis applications for Goldman, Sachs & Co. He graduated with honors from Cornell University and holds a B.S. in Physics. 

Lauren Boggio
Senior Graphic Designer

Lauren leads our corporate identity and brand architecture programs. She is adept in crafting websites, pitchbooks and print collateral using the full spectrum of design software. Prior to joining Stratevist, Lauren was with Stein IAS, where she developed her design skills working with clients in the aerospace, animal science, personal health and technology companies. Lauren earned a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from the William Paterson University.

David Campbell
Art Director & Web Developer

As a senior creative and technical resource, David brings a wealth of experience in web design, system design and multimedia development. He is expert in creating responsive WordPress sites as well as dynamic web page elements using the latest Adobe Creative Suite. Prior to joining the Dreisbach Group, David spent several years in the telecommunications and media industries building and managing complex interactive systems. David earned a B.S. in Business Finance from the University of Oklahoma.

Paula Cyhan
Art Director

Paula plays an integral part in the creative team, particularly in developing innovative visual solutions for our clients. She specializes in designing corporate identity programs, print brochures and managing complete editorial packages. Prior to joining the Dreisbach Group, Paula was a senior designer with Cantor Design, where she oversaw design and production of corporate communication and advertising programs for AIG, Credit Suisse First Boston and Marsh Financial. Paula began her career at the Philadelphia Museum of Art after earning a B.S. in Graphic Design from Drexel University.

Ian Keldoulis
Financial Services Brand Strategy + Creative Direction

Ian draws from his extensive background in strategic brand development, creative writing, and advertising to provide insight and ensure messages are communicated fluidly across multiple channels. With a two-decade career spanning all media and many continents: America, Asia, Australia, and Europe, Ian bridges creative concepts and real-world situations in ways everyone understands. Recently, he has created the brand voice for MarketAxess and for six years, he acted as “brand steward” for Barclay’s Capital’s BARX brand of global trading platforms, developing and overseeing the brand, website, advertising, and collateral.

Ian has crafted a wealth of communications for a diverse clientele ranging from investment banks to asset managers, data providers, media companies and security firms. His writing has appeared in The New York Times and other national publications. Ian is the winner of 10 Financial Communications Society Portfolio Awards. He studied psychology and media at the University of Sydney. He is currently writing a book, America’s Youngest Hostages, about the deplorable state of foster care in the United States on behalf of the Downey Side adoption agency.

Barbara J. Mack
Writer & Research Consultant

Barbara is a senior consulting resource to Stratevist. She is founder and president of Pingry Hill Enterprises, where she leads research and publication projects in alternative investments, quantitative finance, economics, and international development.

She has served as an editor, writer, and marketing/communications strategist for Institutional Investor Journals, ICBI Global Derivatives, Thomson Reuters, the CFA Institute, the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association, MIT Computer Science Artificial Intelligence Lab, Harvard Business School, the World Bank, and various clients across the alternative investment and technology industries.

Barbara is an engaging speaker and has presented lectures on venture capital, securities regulation, and international economics for the Certificate in Quantitative Finance (CQF) program in London and the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

She is an avid sailor, rower, and equestrienne; she is also a sports photographer, with a focus on polo, dressage, and yacht racing events. She holds a Masters degree from Harvard Kennedy School and a Bachelors degree from Tufts University.

Deborah Kostroun
Financial Services Media Strategy + Public Relations

Deborah Kostroun spent 13 years as a financial television anchor and reporter for Bloomberg Television. In addition, she was a nationally syndicated financial reporter on 150 television stations around the country, including 10 years live on the CW11 New York 10:00 p.m. news. She was chosen to cover major news events including the recession, bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, major market drops during the recession, and economic impact post-9/11.

Deborah also helped rebuild Bloomberg’s syndication business to 95% of the U.S. markets, up from 75%, when the team developed a new focus, listened to viewer feedback, and strategized on how to think outside of the box to improve reporting. Her background spans corporate communications, PR agency work and broadcast journalism with knowledge of print, digital, television, website integration and social media strategy. She provides a unique insight and maximizes her ability to achieve positive media exposure for clients.

Liz Nickles
Brand Strategist

A strategic partner of Stratevist, Liz Nickles and her research team have worked closely with Stratevist on a range of innovative engagements, ranging from the U.S. Trust NextGen Investor Education program to the Credit Suisse Investment Banking eNewsletter program. Liz is a specialist in branding, marketing and strategic vision with deep expertise in global branding and change management in complex and highly matrixed organizations. Her background synthesizes an uncommon combination of leadership at global financial institutions, advertising agencies and market-driven brands. In addition, Ms. Nickles has been co-founder of a strategic research company that focuses on quantifying and tracking strategic trends. This unique “branding cocktail” provides a broad overview of hands-on experience in best practice scenarios that offers unique insight built on a history of proven results.

As Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer at FTI Consulting, a $1.6 billion global consulting firm, she was responsible for all branding and marketing initiatives. Her experience includes C-level initiatives for U.S. Trust, J.P. Morgan, Julius Baer and Credit Suisse First Boston. Ms. Nickles has been Global Head of Branding, Marketing and Advertising at CSFB, where she initiated the breakthrough “Empowering Change” global brand campaign, and EVP of Creative Development at Mattel as well as a senior officer at three major international advertising agencies. As founder and President of Black Label Financial Brand Development, she led successful branding and integrated marketing initiatives both in the U.S. and globally for companies including U.S. Trust; Bank of America Private Wealth Management; JP Morgan Investment Bank and JPMorgan Chase corporate; Lazard; The Royal Bank of Scotland; Julius Baer Private Bank; Modern Bank; Encyclopaedia Britannica; the Red Cross; and Save the Children. Ms. Nickles specializes in internal as well as external communications and focuses on integrated initiatives with quantitatively-measured success.

Ms. Nickles has been awarded top marketing industry honors, including the EFFIE, ADDY, CLIO and Advertising Woman of the Year. She is the author of 11 books, including BRANDSTORM (Palgrave Macmillan), about branding in the digital age, named one of the top 20 new marketing books in the world in 2012 by Expert Marketer Magazine, and THE CHANGE AGENTS (St. Martin’s Press), which focuses on Generation Y and change management. She is on the Board of Directors of Green Team, the first and leading “green” communications agency in the U.S. She has a deep interest in financial literacy and created and developed the Bank of America/U.S. Trust Financial Empowerment Program.

Leo M. Tilman
President and CEO

Leo M. Tilman is President and CEO of Tilman & Company, a global strategic advisory firm and a thought leader on strategy and risk intelligence. Previously, Mr. Tilman held senior positions with BlackRock, Capitol Peak, and Bear Stearns, where he was Chief Institutional Strategist and Senior Managing Director.

Mr. Tilman is the author of three books – Financial Darwinism (2008), Asset/ Liability Management (Ed, 2003), and Risk Management (2000). In 2010, in collaboration with the Nobel economist Edmund Phelps, he co-authored a Harvard Business Review proposal to create the First National Bank of Innovation. In a 2012 European Financial Review article, he redefined risk intelligence and described it as an essential new competency for companies and investors. He is the creator of the Corporate Risk Scorecard, a “Nutrition Label” for companies (Barron’s, 2013) and co-author of “Brain as a Business Model” (EFR, 2014). Mr. Tilman’s new book on strategy, risk, and leadership – co-authored with four-star General Chuck Jacoby, former Commander of NORAD and US Northern Command – is expected to be published at the end of 2018.

In recent years, Mr Tilman was one of the main architects of a public/private partnership involving The White House Rural Council and the Farm Credit System that brought billions of dollars of private capital to innovative companies and projects (2012-2016). He also served as Lecturer at Columbia University where he taught core curriculum, graduate-level finance (2006-2014). Mr Tilman received B.A. and M.A. in mathematics from Columbia University and executive education in leadership and policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs at Yale University.

Mr. Tilman’s nonprofit work focuses on foreign affairs, economic development, and education. He currently serves as a board member of Atlantic Partnership, member of the Colorado Forum, trustee of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and an international advisory board member of the Center on Capitalism and Society at Columbia University.

Mr. Tilman has been profiled as Business Visionary by Forbes, a distinction given to “influential authors, decision makers, and thought leaders in the field of business.” He was honored by the World Economic Forum among a select group of executives, public figures and intellectuals recognized for “their professional accomplishments, commitment to society, and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.”