meet the faces behind our brand
Erin jacobs
FIRM DIRECTOR
Erin Jacobs is now entering her senior year as a longstanding Hill Comm staff member since the beginning of her freshman year. She has interned at a boutique PR agency, and she has also moved into the political communications space, practicing PR for a 2022 gubernatorial election campaign in Maryland where she is from. Erin spent the summer of 2022 interning for PR firm APCO Worldwide, based in Washington, D.C. She has held multiple positions within client account teams at Hill Comm as an associate and supervisor, and last year served on the executive board as the assistant firm director. Erin is pursuing her major in PR, while minoring in Political Science and Spanish as well.
quinn Schmidt
Assistant firm director
Quinn Schmidt, a senior studying Public Relations and Sport Management, is in his third year at Hill Communications. He recently spent time as Director of Communications and Account Associate before stepping into his role as Assistant Firm Director. Quinn has a passion for sports public relations, and has interned with multiple professional sports organizations, namely the London Lions and Little League International. He spends his time at SU as the Director of Public Relations for University Union and looks forward to continuing Hill Comm's reputation as one of the premier student-run PR firms in the country.
Dillon Williams
director of programming
Dillon Williams is a junior majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Psychology. This past summer, Dillon interned with ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. On campus, Dillon is a member of PRSSA as well as a Newhouse peer advisor. As Director of Programming, he hopes to use firm-wide events as an opportunity for members of every Hill Communications team to grow their PR skills as well as hear from industry leaders.
Ava Helmer
DIRECTOR OF development
Ava Helmer is a senior majoring in PR and minoring in Marketing and English. Her past work experience includes influencer marketing at BMF, freelance social media management, and non-profit. In summer 2022, Ava interned at Food Network. Passionate about the art and science of storytelling, Ava loves to centralize human experience within communications strategy. She is excited to share her knowledge and hopes to foster a professional community environment at Hill Communications.
Alexis Peng
DIRECTOR OF Communications
Alexis Peng is a senior studying Public Relations with a double minor in Information Management & Technology, and Sociology. She is entering her third year at the firm where she started as an Account Associate and worked her way up to become an Account Supervisor. In her professional life, Alexis interned at KMI Brands, a beauty brand company, during her time studying abroad in London during the spring 2022 term. In summer 2022, Alexis interned at RVD Communications, a boutique PR agency. Outside of Hill Comm, Alexis is an active participant in SU's Asian community. She looks forward to serving as a resource and mentor as Director of Communications during her final year at Syracuse University.
Cristina Herrera
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Cristina Herrera is a senior majoring in Public Relations and Marketing Management with a minor in Psychology. This summer, she interned at Coyne PR where she gained experience completing PR work for companies representing a multitude of industries. As Director of HR, she is excited to welcome back returners and introduce a new set of students to all of the wonderful opportunities that Hill Comm has to offer. She is determined to support students throughout their Hill Comm journey and make sure they feel heard and valued.
ryan Garret
Executive Creative Director
Ryan Garret Conner is a senior Creative Advertising major with a minor in Music History & Cultures, using his love for graphic design and branding to pursue a career in art direction. Outside of Hill Communications, Ryan serves as Director of Graphic Design for the Fashion & Design Society (FADS) and enjoys creating brand campaigns for local small businesses. Over the summer, he interned for a full-service ad agency in Philadelphia, helping develop ideas from the brief to the execution. As Executive Creative Director, Ryan looks forward to pushing the Creative Team at Hill Communications to a new level – and creating beautiful work that the clients will love.
