Key Personnel

Leza Raffel, founder and president, is the driving force behind CSG. A graduate of Ithaca College with a BS from the School of Communications, Leza worked as a public relations specialist and director of public relations with other companies before starting her own firm. Leza specializes in overseeing the development and implementation of complete marketing plans. She also excels at media relations, with myriad contacts and connections. In addition, Leza has extensive experience in the area of marketing research.

Beth Drost received her undergraduate degree from Providence College and her graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. She also earned a J.D. from Temple University School of Law. Beth has managed several comprehensive public education campaigns and enjoys the challenge of taking technical information and packaging it in a format that is interesting to the general public. She also has extensive grant writing experience and has prepared grants for a wide range of projects. Beth joins the Communication Solutions Group as a public relations specialist.

Jessica Lester brings six years of experience in newspaper reporting and design to her position as public relations specialist. A Pennsylvania State University graduate with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in theatre arts, Jessica has worked at daily newspapers throughout the state. Her background as a reporter means she recognizes the components of a good story, and knows how to tell one. She comes to Communication Solutions Group with a desire to continue finding and writing those stories for clients.

Phil Ellingsworth Jr. brings three years of newspaper reporting experience, both as an editor of a weekly publication and journalist for a daily newspaper, to his position as public relations specialist with Communication Solutions. Graduating from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in public relations, Phil has worked in several newsrooms across Southeastern Pennsylvania, where he learned the importance of storytelling, teamwork and deadlines. In addition to his reporting and writing experience, Phil has an interest in social media marketing, especially how different forms of online tools can impact business strategies.

Shari Berg brings 12 years of experience in daily newspaper reporting to her position as public relations specialist with Communication Solutions’ Pittsburgh clients. Her background in reporting gives her the edge in not only understanding how to compose a good story, but also how to promote one to the local media. Shari brings her ability to work both sides of the story to Communication Solutions’ school district and nonprofit clients. Shari received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Pittsburgh, with a secondary concentration in English Literature. Shari has worked at daily newspapers in central PA and most recently, western PA.

Catherine Mokkosian Eves brings over 25 years of grant-writing expertise to Communication Solutions Group’s non-profit client base as the founder, and principal consultant of CME GrantPros, a national grant writing agency based in the greater Philadelphia area. She has a proven track record in securing government and foundation grants for clients with programs in North America, South America, Eastern Europe and Asia. Catherine was elected as the Pennsylvania Coordinator for The American Grant Writers’ Association in 2008 to assist organizations statewide in improving their overall fund development capacity. Catherine is a Cum Laude graduate of Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Sciences.

Sarah Snyder supports the social media needs of Communication Solutions clients with creativity and insight. Sarah plunged into social media after 11 years as a print journalist and has never looked back. A graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's degree in news and public affairs, Sarah's other specialties include Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and blogging. She stays on top of social media trends via "Tweetups" with fellow professionals and attendance at national conferences.

Beth Cohen brings more than 11 years of award-winning newspaper reporting experience to her position as a public relations specialist with The Communications Solutions Group, Inc. She graduated from Temple University in 1993, earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and volunteering her time assisting nonprofit organizations with their public-relations needs. She has worked at several newspapers in southeastern Pennsylvania, honing her skills as a dogged and dedicated reporter. Always searching for a unique edge, Beth knows how to get to the heart of a story and tell it in a way that appeals to the general public. Working in the news business also has given Beth an insider’s track into which stories will attract the best and most extensive news coverage. Beth looks forward to helping clients promote their stories, target the appropriate audiences and maximize the exposure they receive.

Jeff McGaw brings his news savvy writing and media relations skills to Communication Solutions‚ Harrisburg-area clients as a Public Relations Specialist for the company. Prior to entering the PR profession, Jeff spent 16 years as a newspaper reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Patriot-News, where his news beats ranged from municipal government and schools, to business, the courts, health, medicine and science. Jeff is a 1986 graduate of California State University at Chico in northern California.

Peggie Schommer has a varied background, with experience in newspaper and magazine reporting and editing, as well as in corporate and nonprofit communications. A graduate of Louisiana State University with a BA in journalism, Peggie's primary area of expertise is writing communications pieces: brochures, newsletters, annual reports and ads. Highly organized and detail oriented, she can adeptly handle even the most complicated projects. An Internet aficionado, Peggie has a bent for research.

Liz West is an award-winning graphic designer with experience in all aspects of design and print production. A graduate of West Chester University with a BA in art, Liz worked as an artist/designer and art director for several advertising agencies before coming to CSG. Her creative artistry puts a special sparkle into corporate identities and logos, brochures, newsletters, annual reports, ads and books. Liz works quickly and efficiently, taking projects from design through finished art for printing.

Sharon Wright Martin is a diverse graphic designer with experience in a wide variety of graphic design industries. From ads, brochures, logos to all aspects of packaging design, and also graphics for litigation, Sharon thrives on the challenge of each graphic puzzle. She graduated Alpha Kappa Beta from Bradley Academy for The Visual Arts. Sharon uses her creativity to solve difficult graphic design projects. She is very experienced in print production and is always conscious of how the final art should be presented for printing.