Founding Partner

Will Ludlam

With more than 30 years of experience leading teams and shaping reputations, Will Ludlam is a trusted advisor to Chief Communications Officers seeking counsel and strategic assessment of the communications function. He began his career working on Washington State University’s Centennial celebration, which sparked a lasting focus on how institutions build, protect, and sustain trust.

Will has held senior leadership roles at global PR networks including Edelman, where he served as General Manager of the Pacific Northwest, as well as Omnicom and WPP. As President of Weber Shandwick West he lead offices in LA, San Francisco and Seattle in a successful turnaround, strengthening client service, improving talent retention, and increasing profitability.

The Northwest has been a consistent focus throughout Will’s career. He has advised many of the region’s most respected organizations, including Starbucks, Microsoft, Amazon, Washington State University, UW Medicine, Fred Hutch, Seattle Children’s, the City of Seattle, Kaiser Permanente, and Harborview Medical Center.

Will serves as vice chair of the Seattle Center Commission, sits on the board of The 5th Avenue Theatre, and participates in the Community Development Roundtable. Outside work, he enjoys theater, kayaking, vinyl, and cooking for friends and family.

Affiliate Community

The strategies and tools communicators need to gain awareness, support, and brand aﬃnity, have radically changed. Sadly, the traditional PR agency model hasn’t been able to keep up. Weighted down by overhead and investment clients don't want or need, agencies continue to frustrate client partners. At a critical moment when communications leaders are looking for deep and committed partnership, their agency leads have been beaten down and spread too thin – leaving little time to think beyond the immediate.

Because of these profound changes impacting the communications industry, old constructs and traditional operating models inhibit the ability to reimagine what is needed. Purpose built and carrying minimal overhead, First Person was launched by industry veteran Will Ludlam in late 2023 with the sole purpose of helping our clients navigate these changes with a streamlined partner – focused on helping organizations evolve communications so they can better connect with important constituents.

First Person has fostered an active community of subject matter experts, thinkers and doers who operate independently, but are committed to solving something collectively. A group of skilled practitioners who love the craft but were equally frustrated by an antiquated model that restricted their ability to do great work. This collective community includes brand and channel strategists, content creators, media specialists (both regionally and nationally), creative, digital, and crisis experts who understand that modern storytelling at it’s best can only happen when paid, earned, shared, and owned are done in coordination -- fueling the flywheel that engages audiences and builds brand affinity.

Andrew Cook, Media/Social

Andrew Cook is a seasoned communications strategist with deep expertise in media relations, social impact, and brand communications. With a career at top agencies including Edelman, Weber Shandwick, and Porter Novelli, he has supported global brands such as Airbnb, Amazon, McDonald’s, T-Mobile and Royal Caribbean and nonprofits such as the Gates Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, Amgen Foundation and the UN Foundation. Andrew has led high-stakes communications efforts from COVID-19 crisis responses to award-winning brand visibility campaigns and has delivered results across media relations, executive positioning, and internal communications, earning a PRSA Silver Anvil Award.

Beyond his agency work, Andrew has driven media visibility for humanitarian initiatives and cause-based campaigns, including refugee relief and public health.

Meg D'Incecco, Media Strategist

Meg D'Incecco is a well-respected communications leader and interview coach based in New York City. Before launching Circle Back Communications where Meg media trains clients from global companies to startups, she spent over a decade as senior vice president at Outcast. Meg began her career as an Emmy-award winning editorial producer at ABC News / Good Morning America. She moved into communications at Conde Nast Publications where she built high performing teams at SELF, Glamour, and the Golf Digest Properties including Golf World, Golf for Women, and golfdigest.com.

Lauri Hennessey, Public Affairs

Lauri Hennessey has four decades of experience in communications, media and nonprofit leadership, including working as Vice President of Public Affairs at Edelman, time leading Communications at Woodland Park Zoo, working as a news reporter, serving as a press secretary on Capitol Hill, and working extensively with arts organizations throughout her career. This included working closely with Inspire Washington on the original Cultural Access proposal while she was at the Zoo. A singer, she has performed in many musicals in her community of Vashon Island. She is currently on the faculty at University of Washington, teaching Journalism and Public Interest Communications.

Gabe Jacobs, Strategy/Digital

Gabe has spent the past 20 years designing human-centered communications for purpose-driven companies, foundations, non-profits, and social enterprises. Whether supporting global leaders like Microsoft, the Gates Foundation, and USAID, or early-stage startups and community organizations, he has delivered targeted, insights-driven strategies that build, engage, and activate communities.

Dennis O'Reilly, Creative

As a creative leader with a background in brand and social strategy, advertising, design, and experiential marketing. Dennis believes it's his job to find what’s there and why it matters—and make you care. Few things make him happier than digging deep into a clients’ most complex business challenges, especially when those problems can be solved with simple human truths, humor or, better yet, humorous human truths.

He's created award-winning advertising, digital, and social campaigns for the likes of Acer, Microsoft, Amazon and T-Mobile. I teach at SVC, and speak about culture and creative (and creative culture) at amazing events like SIC. He also drinks a lot of coffee, so if you want to talk shop while caffeinating, let h know.