OUR STAFF

The staff of Cole Pro Media are world-class transparency engagement advisors and social media experts. We are the only company in the nation that specializes in social media for law enforcement and municipalities (including cities, counties, and unincorporated regions).

We understand the challenges facing public agencies and take great pride in our ability to communicate transparent, easily understood, messages about our clients – WITHOUT SPIN.

We focus on connecting the community with government entities by creating messages that resonate with the public and help manage problems when they arise.

We believe that integrity, clarity and timeliness are the hallmarks of any strong communications plan – and that is precisely what we bring to our clients.

LAURA COLE,
President and Founder 

Laura Cole is the President and Founder of Cole Pro Media. The Transparency Engagement Advising firm takes an innovative approach to helping numerous district attorneys and law enforcement organizations build trust and legitimacy with the communities they serve. As a former accomplished news reporter on both a local and national level, including serving as a White House Correspondent, Cole is passionate about teaching agencies the best practices for engaging with the public. With a “no spin” policy, Cole places a strict emphasis on transparency. She specializes in releasing body-cam footage with context that focuses on open and honest communication.

Cole Pro Media is the Transparency Engagement Advising firm for the California State Sheriffs’ Association and the California District Attorneys Association. As a sought-after speaker, Cole has shared her Crisis Communications philosophy at several events including for the California Police Chiefs Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association. With commitment and dedication to strengthening the relationship between district attorneys, law enforcement and the community, Cole continues to lead the charge in steering agencies in the direction of best communication practices.

Ken Pritchett,
Vice President and Lead Transparency Advisor

Ken Pritchett is a transparency advisor for Cole Pro Media with 20 years’ experience in television news working as both anchor and reporter. While focused on state and national politics, Ken covered a variety of stories including crime, wildfires, and local community news. He capped his career at the top station in San Francisco where he won an Emmy, multiple AP awards, and the prestigious Peabody award.

Since leaving TV news, Ken has shared his media experience and storytelling ability with Fortune 500 companies and major nonprofits. Now, his focus has been on helping law enforcement with crisis communications and delivering their own message on social media.

Ramona Russell,
Transparency Engagement Advisor

Ramona Russell is a transparency engagement advisor focused on helping agencies succeed in engaging with the public in an open and honest way. She is also a published writer with a background in advertising, event planning, fundraising, project management and speech writing.

Ramona has helped people get major attention and publicity for their businesses, books, charitable organizations and advocacy work. She, as well as her clients, have appeared in multiple national news outlets, podcasts, TV and radio shows. Ramona is passionate about government and community relations, mental health and anything to do with animals and children.

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Stefanie Cruz,
Transparency Engagement Advisor

Stefanie brings 20 years of news and communications experience to Cole Pro Media. As a news anchor and reporter, Stefanie has covered stories from all over the country and internationally. In the days following 9/11, she reported from Ground Zero and she has also reported on immigration, NAFTA and environmental issues from south of the border.

Stefanie’s work has earned her several Emmy nominations. She also serves as a board member for the Sacramento domestic violence shelter, My Sister’s House.

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Joe Vazquez,
Transparency Engagement Advisor

Joe Vazquez is a transparency advisor for Cole Pro Media with more than 30 years of experience in television news working as a reporter, anchor and assignment editor.

A national Emmy award winner for breaking news, Joe covered just about every big story in the Bay Area in recent years including the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also served as a mentor for dozens of young journalists around the country through the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), specializing in on-camera coaching.

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Randee Deason,
Transparency Engagement Advisor

Randee Deason is a Transparency Engagement Advisor with more than 30 years of news media experience. He’s worked in TV newsrooms across the country, covering stories from an unbiased perspective that helps the public understand what it means to engage in a transparent manner.

Randee has won several Emmys, the Edward R. Murrow award, and the distinguished Peabody award. As a photojournalist, Randee focuses on using video to tell stories in a transparent way that informs communities.

Brian-Addington

Brian Addington,
Chief Operations Officer

After serving over 30 years in law enforcement, Brian joined Cole Pro Media as their Chief Operations Officer. He brings with him a wide range of executive and command positions, including extensive experience as a PIO and serving 10 years as a police chief.

Brian is passionate about helping law enforcement agencies understand the importance of transparency engagement and ensuring future law enforcement leaders have the training and tools needed to effectively communicate with the communities they serve.

Brian has provided training on the importance of community engagement and transparency to numerous organizations including the California Police Chiefs’ Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

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Avery Essick,
Transparency Engagement Advisor

Avery is a Transparency Engagement Advisor for Cole Pro Media with unique experience navigating social media for non-profits and political campaigns. Graduating with honors from Boise State University, Avery earned her degree in Communications with an emphasis in Political Science. Leveraging her years working in marketing and communications and her first-hand experience growing up in a law enforcement household, Avery has the passion and perspective to help create strong, trusting relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

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Mark Donaldson,
Transparency Engagement Advisor

Mark joined Cole Pro Media as a Transparency Engagement Advisor after a successful 27-year career in law enforcement. With over a decade of supervisory and command level experience, Mark has extensive training and experience in communications, team building, and consulting. He has presented to both the California Police Chiefs’ Association and International Association of Chiefs of Police on the topics of law enforcement’s use of social media and transparent communication.

While in law enforcement, Mark spent seven years as a PIO where he built his organizations first social media team from the ground up. Mark developed a passion for creating meaningful relationships with the community he served by engaging them through transparent and effective communication. Mark offers many years of expertise and dedication as he partners with law enforcement agencies to build positive relationships with the community members they serve.

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Kira Raman,
Transparency Engagement Advisor

Kira Raman is a Transparency Engagement Advisor for Cole Pro Media who brings over 5 years of law enforcement experience working in communications and graphic design. Kira graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in leadership development with honors. Kira has been able to see this career field from both a personal and professional lens, as someone who grew up in a law enforcement family and is passionate about helping others and developing effective communication in all settings.