Leadership
Strategic Leaders of Influence
Falls & Co. marries the art of connection, the science of strategy and the creativity of storytelling to deliver a comprehensive suite of services designed to amplify your voice, build trust and create lasting impact. Together, we’ll ensure your brand doesn’t just participate in conversations — it will lead them.
Calm, Cool, Strategic
Matt leads the corporate communications practice as part of the executive team at Falls & Co. Matt’s specialties include crisis communications, labor relations, change management, media relations, executive transitions, corporate transactions, litigation PR and cyber security. Matt’s extensive network of legal, corporate, insurance and private equity professionals, plus his experience working with some of this region’s most well-known companies, make him a go-to communications resource for the corporate community.
Through Matt’s relationships with major insurance companies, he also has counseled clients on many high-profile engagements, including more than a dozen NTSB investigations into air, rail and pipeline accidents. Aviation is both a passion and an area of expertise for Matt as he has extensive experience working for airlines, airports and private jet operators as a senior crisis and corporate communications counselor.
Matt is a 30-year veteran in both agency and corporate communications roles, having worked early in his career as a communications director for cable TV and phone companies in Denver before following the boomerang arc back to Cleveland, where he was born, reared and remains a long-suffering Cleveland sports fan. Matt attended the University of Colorado and holds both MBA and BA degrees from that institution.
Matt attended the infamous 1981 Cleveland Browns playoff game featuring the end of the Kardiac Kids run when Brian Sipe threw an interception to end the game in an overtime loss to Oakland. The game temperature was in the single digits.
Matt enjoys going to Spring Training to watch the Cleveland Guardians. It’s a reminder that good things are ahead, and winter is almost over.
Matt has played golf his whole life but hasn’t had a single hole-in-one yet. This is the year.
Matt’s Favorite Thing:
Doughnuts!
Matt claims doughnuts are his primary weakness.
360 strategic vision + operational excellence = Success
As President and COO of Falls & Co., Tom brings 25+ years of experience in the product development, manufacturing, construction, distribution, ecommerce and professional service sectors to the agency. In these positions, he demonstrated extensive expertise in product innovation, brand strategy and digital customer experiences.
Tom’s role at Falls & Co. is twofold. As COO, he looks for ways to bring operational efficiencies to the firm by leveraging automation, technology and data. His responsibilities as President afford him the opportunity to help world-class organizations apply marketing, brand and digital transformation strategies that drive business growth and market advancement. During the course of his career, Tom has worked overseas, run global projects and has had the opportunity to work with world-class organizations such as Moen, STERIS, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Whirlpool, Panasonic NA, Diebold and ITW to name a few.
Tom is a graduate of John Carroll University. Active in the community, Tom holds seats on a number of nonprofit boards, volunteers with multiple organizations, coaches youth sports and still finds time to tend to his garden.
Tom has enjoyed an extensive career, holding a multitude of leadership positions in both corporations and agency settings. This balance allows Tom to provide insight and perspective to a range of clients, helping them navigate their unique and complex business challenges through digital, advertising, marketing and communications strategies.
Holding diverse leadership positions within organizations throughout his career, Tom has developed a unique perspective that gives him a 360-degree understanding of businesses and how marketing and technology can fit into an organization to drive innovation and create better customer experiences … ultimately driving revenue. He is a thinker and collaborator — strategic in engagement and adept tactically in execution.
Tom holds the NCAA defensive pass efficiency record by completing two interceptions on his first two (consecutive) plays of collegiate football, elapsing 6 seconds of play.
Tom has 27 countries stamped in his passport.
The first athlete Tom ever coached ended up being an NFL quarterback.
Best advice Tom ever received:
“You can either choose to be right or you can choose to be happy.” — Tom’s Father…the day of his wedding
Solutions-Focused Team Building
Rob is considered a valued and trusted advisor to many corporate, governmental and civic leaders. He is known as a strategic thinker, as well as recognized for his creative ideas and approaches in finding solutions. He is an accomplished professional and successful entrepreneur with a 40+ year agency career in marketing, public relations and advertising in Cleveland and Detroit. He credits a superior team in building Falls & Co.
He is currently board chair of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. He also serves on the boards of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Destination Cleveland, The City Club of Cleveland and the Cleveland Leadership Center. He has also chaired The Greater Cleveland Film Commission and the Detroit Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Rob was a founding board member of Global Cleveland. He also served as a board member for: The Achievement Centers for Children; Public Relations Organization International (PROI); The Cleveland Chapter of Minds Matter, The Detroit Chapter of Myasthenia Gravis Association. He is also a graduate of Leadership Cleveland.
Rob began his career as a journalist, a stringer, writer and columnist for several newspapers and magazines. He earned his undergraduate degree in English from Western Michigan University, then his master’s in journalism from Michigan State University.
Prior to his work in agencies, Rob served as a senior staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives. He also managed and consulted on U.S. Congressional campaigns across the country.
He joined a Detroit-based public relations firm in the early 1980s and rose to the rank of senior vice president and led national accounts in manufacturing, sports, food, franchising, insurance, retail, transportation, government relations and professional services. He then was appointed to president of a newly formed PR agency in Cleveland for his firm. In a few years, Rob purchased himself out of the parent company and formed his own firm, which eventually became Falls & Co.
Rob got his start as an entrepreneur when he was 5 years old selling his own conceived club memberships to NFL executives in the 1950s on an overnight train ride to Colorado.
Rob was the spring training bat boy for the Detroit Tigers at 11 years old.
Rob collects everything.
The best advice Rob ever received:
“Never give casual advice.” — Tom Monaghan, longtime client and founder of Domino’s Pizza and Ave Maria Foundation
Transforming at the speed of change
Maureen is recognized as a strategic communications leader who provides vital counsel to nonprofit leaders, senior management teams and public administrators across diverse sectors. She is known for her expertise in public affairs, public policy communications and reputation management. As an SVP at Falls & Co., she has built a reputation for helping organizations navigate change and developing transformative communications strategies. She currently serves on the board of City Year Cleveland, chairs the Government Selection Subcommittee for Cleveland Leadership Center, is a 2023 U.S. Department of State Professional Fellow, is a member of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs and a member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2018.
Maureen began her career in the public sector, starting as a publicist for the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections before moving to Cleveland City Council as a public relations manager. She then served as Chief of Communications for the City of Cleveland for nine years, where she led strategic communications for major initiatives like the Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools, Healthy Cleveland and Sustainable Cleveland as well as day-to-day media relations and crisis communications for the Jackson administration. Her work expanded to Colorado, where she served as Chief Communications Officer for Denver Public Schools and as a Public Information Officer for the City of Wheat Ridge. These experiences laid the foundation for her current role, where she provides strategic communications support to purpose-driven organizations.
Maureen’s favorite job ever was a backpacking guide in the Sangre de Cristo mountains of northern New Mexico.
She once hired an auto-rickshaw driver for a full day in Chennai to explore the city like a local.
An avid animal lover, she is passionate about rescuing dogs, especially mutts.
The best advice Maureen ever received:
“Train your mind to think.” – Jim Russell – banker and father of seven
Mission-Driven, Earned-First Storytelling.
Chanté Jones heads Falls & Co.’s Communications Group, guiding the strategy and teams behind high-impact public relations, corporate communications and integrated marketing. A transformational communications and marketing leader with 20+ years of experience, she is a trusted advisor to C-suite leaders and boards—known for shaping narratives, navigating complexity and aligning communications with mission and business objectives.
Chanté partners with clients to build integrated paid, earned, shared and owned programs; elevate executive visibility and thought leadership; and protect reputation through issues and crisis communications. Before Falls, she oversaw national public engagement and digital presence for the United Church of Christ, served as the chief communications strategist for OhioGuidestone, and advanced brand and communications work with the American Heart Association, KeyBank and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. At Falls, she also chairs the internal Marketing Committee and co-chairs the DEI Committee.
Chanté earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications & Broadcast Journalism from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Early in her education and career, she learned that everyone has a story worth telling, and that the most powerful communications start by listening first and finding the human truth inside the facts. She carries that approach into her work at Falls & Co., where she operates at the intersection of strategy and execution—helping leaders clarify their message, earn trust, and move organizations forward through communications that perform. Her work includes guiding and growing key accounts such as Kichler Lighting, Progress Lighting, Swensons, Downtown Cleveland, Inc., and more—bringing an earned-first mindset, sharp storytelling, and steady leadership to complex, high-stakes moments.
Outside of her career, Chanté stays deeply connected to her community through Hudson City Schools, where she serves on the Parent Advisory Committee for New Teachers and served as Chair of the Cultural Proficiency Advisory Committee for several years.
Chanté has a deep love for live theater—Broadway, community stages, even school plays. If there’s a spotlight and a story, she’s there for it.
She’s happiest when traveling with her husband and kids, especially if the trip includes good food, great culture and sunshine (not too hot though).
Her dog, Patches, is more than a pet. He’s a spoiled family member with main-character energy.
Her kitchen is her happy place: cooking, baking and feeding people she loves.
She’s unapologetically holiday obsessed. Christmas is her season!
Her favorite movie of all time is The Wizard of Oz (favorite line: “Begone, before somebody drops a house on you, too!”).
Favorite Quote:
“Until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” – African Proverb
Process, People and Performance.
Julie is a results-driven leader with more than two decades of experience at the intersection of strategic communications and organizational development. She plays a dual role in advancing the agency’s internal operations and delivering high-impact solutions for clients.
As Chief Talent Officer, Julie leads the agency’s Human Resources strategy, designing and implementing innovative talent and organizational development initiatives. Her approach fosters continuous growth, drives employee engagement and cultivates a vibrant, authentic workplace culture.
In her capacity as Vice President of Operational Excellence, she oversees the agency’s integrated delivery processes—aligning people, technology, resource planning and reporting to ensure seamless collaboration and sustained operational success.
Julie also heads the agency’s Employer Brand and Employee Experience practice group. In this role, through the development of internal programs, she partners with clients to create engaging, high-performance workplaces that strengthen employee alignment with business goals.
She holds degrees from Ashland University and Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management. Outside of her professional pursuits, Julie is deeply committed to animal advocacy and has served on multiple animal welfare boards during the past decade.
A trusted advisor and accomplished communicator, Julie continues to provide strategic external communications counsel to a diverse client roster. Spanning the years, she has worked with a wide array of organizations including Energy Harbor, Vitamix, Sherwin-Williams and Kichler Lighting among others.
Julie has fostered and found forever homes for more than 100 dogs.
She’s an avid Jazzerciser, jazz hands everyone!
She has never owned a “Live, Laugh, Love” sign.
Favorite Quote:
“Every storm runs out of rain.” – Maya Angelou
If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative.
Julie leads the Advertising division at Falls & Co., overseeing paid media, creative and account services while serving as a key member of the executive leadership team. With more than 30 years of experience in the advertising industry, she brings a wealth of expertise in brand strategy, client growth and team leadership.
Julie’s extensive category experience spans both B2B and B2C brands, including Parker Hannifin, Marathon Petroleum, Cleveland Clinic, Moen, Cleveland State University, Huntington Bank, and more.
Julie holds a Master of Education degree in Training and Development and a Bachelor of Science in Visual Communications from Bowling Green State University. A dedicated industry advocate, Julie is a past president of the American Advertising Federation – Cleveland (AAFCLE), where she served on the executive board for six years. She currently contributes her expertise as a member of the BGSU Schmidthorst College of Business Leadership Council.
Julie began her career in Minneapolis–St. Paul as an Innovation Production Manager in the commercial printing industry, collaborating with high-profile clients such as Deere & Co., Harley-Davidson (MotorClothes Division), Northwestern Mutual Life, and Supervalu Foods. During the past 24 years in Cleveland, she has built a reputation for fostering strong client relationships, driving brand success and mentoring teams to deliver best-in-class marketing solutions. Her strategic approach and dynamic leadership have made her an invaluable partner to clients who return year after year.
Julie is a “Francophile” – J’aime Paris
She loves tennis and the Cleveland Guardians
Favorite Thing:
Diet Coke!
more specifically from the McDonald’s fountain. ☺