WHO WE ARE
Nixon & Associates is a public relations, emergency planning and crisis response firm based outside Washington D.C. We focus on helping our clients plan and manage sensitive issues, ranging from the construction of new facilities and projects to turn-key crisis response planning, training and support. We specialize in RP1162 Compliance strategies and programs related to Public Awareness. While our primary expertise is the energy industry, we have clients in the utility and chemical industries as well.
Since our founding in 1999, our success is rooted in our commitment to provide our clients with turn-key solutions to their needs through our senior level staff and associates.
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THE TEAM
NEIL NIXON
President
Prior to forming Nixon & Associates, Neil was chief operating officer for Informative Design Group (IDG), a multi-faceted communications company based in Washington D.C., with satellite offices in New York and London. There he coordinated efforts for some of the most prominent companies in Corporate America -- names like Shell Oil, Kimberly-Clark, International Paper and Sears. While at IDG, Neil also established a separate communications company, The Reputation Factor, the forerunner to Nixon & Associates.
Prior to moving to the Washington area, Neil worked for Hill and Knowlton Inc. -- one of the world’s largest public relations organizations – serving as vice president and deputy general manager of the firm’s Houston office, where he was responsible for day-to-day operations. Before joining Hill and Knowlton, he worked 11 years with Tenneco, the last five of which were spent managing the public relations, marketing communications and community relations’ functions for Tenneco Energy.
During the past 17 years, Neil has primarily focused on issues management and crisis communications, effectively organizing campaigns and responses to violent labor disputes, refinery fires, chemical spills, pipeline explosions and environmental issues, among others. A frequent speaker on crisis and corporate communications, Neil has authored award-winning crisis plans and video programs and has provided training to more than 9,000 people in almost 350 different organizations on how to deal effectively with the news media.
JESSICA COLEMAN
Vice President
Jessica's primary focus rests on Pipeline Public Awareness Programs. Jessica has been instrumental in the development of numerous vehicles to facilitate electronic communication with emergency responders, and has served as Public Awareness Coordinator for one of the largest natural gas companies in the country. Facilitating her interest in effective outreach with emergency responders, Jessica previously conducted a widespread survey of the emergency response community, and was tasked by INGAA with writing a white paper on industry best practices of communicating with emergency responders. She also provides logistical, administrative and project management support on various client projects and mock emergency drills. Jessica holds a B.S. degree in Communication from Radford University.
GLEN BOATWRIGHT
Associate
Glen has 25 years of experience in the natural gas pipeline industry in the safety, compliance and emergency planning/response areas. Glen is currently Vice President of York County Natural Gas. Glen was a longtime Vice President with Nixon & Associates, and prior to that he served as Project Manager for South Carolina Pipeline Corporation, an intrastate transmission pipeline operator. He managed the emergency planning and response program for South Carolina Pipeline as well as operator qualification, integrity management, and pipeline compliance programs. Prior to his service at South Carolina Pipeline, Glen was an emergency manager for a large South Carolina county with a nuclear facility and large industrial base. During this time, Glen was directly involved in the management of numerous actual and simulated emergencies. He was a hazmat team technician and officer, as well as a combination volunteer and paid firefighter for eight years.
He holds the Certified Utility Safety Administrator (CUSA) designation through the National Safety Council. Glen has been very active in promoting emergency management in the natural gas industry through service on numerous Southern Gas Association committees as well as serving as a technical advisor during the development of the National Association of State Fire Marshals’ Pipeline Emergencies training program. Glen holds a B.A. degree from the University of South Carolina and is a commissioned officer in the South Carolina Air National Guard