Tony Welz, Principal and Co-Founder
Co-leading efforts that fuel the overall success of Welz & Weisel Communications, Tony Welz focuses on delivering client services and driving strategic programs that establish IT executives as thought, market and technology leaders. An expert in messaging and positioning, Welz ensures that clients’ value propositions are skillfully conveyed, and that technical topics are presented comprehensively yet clearly.

During a career that has spanned more than 18 years in both corporate communications and agency-based technology public relations, Welz has directed aggressive media and analyst campaigns, designed social media programs, managed crisis communications initiatives and developed in-depth executive and thought leadership programs. He has consulted with start-up and emerging businesses, as well as global organizations such as IBM and Network Associates (McAfee).

Welz maintains a wide breadth of technology expertise, ranging from infrastructure to security technologies to enterprise software/services to telecommunications solutions. He leverages a deep understanding of topics and issues that drive market news to create technology PR programs which position clients at the forefront of their industries. As a result, he has fostered long-term and trusted relationships with the industry’s top reporters, analysts and bloggers.

Welz has won numerous awards for both organizations and as an individual   named by PRWeek as one of the "Top 50" internal public relations professionals during his time with Network Associates. He received his bachelor's degree in public relations from Rowan University. Welz is an Eagle Scout, avid concert-goer (with a bent toward old school heavy metal and classic rock) and a NASCAR fan. He lives in Loudoun County with his wife and three children.

Evan Weisel, Principal and Co-Founder
With 18 years of technology public relations experience, Evan Weisel delivers strategic counsel to local and national business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) technology companies as well as to Federal agencies. In 2003, Weisel co-founded Welz & Weisel Communications to provide organizations with integrated communications campaigns comprised of traditional PR, social media, thought leadership programs, content development and go-to-market product support. The company is committed to partnering with its clients to produce aggressive, "total package" communications programs that generate meaningful, long-term results.

Weisel currently serves as the public relations advisor on the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) Board, the nation's largest technology council. In addition, he is a board member of the NVTC's charitable arm, the Equal Footing Foundation. Prior to launching his own tech PR firm, Weisel spent more than a decade in the Washington D.C./Virginia region working in senior-level roles at technology-focused technology PR agencies. Weisel started his career in the early 1990's at one of the largest local PR agencies at the time, Stackig Advertising & Public Relations.

Weisel earned his bachelor's degree in communication studies with a focus on public relations from Virginia Tech. In 2010, Weisel completed his first Iron Man triathlon in St. George, Utah. He is a dedicated runner, having competed in more than 25 marathons (four before the age of 12) and also enjoys playing ice hockey. He resides in Alexandria, Va., with his wife and four children.

Jayna Kliner, Vice President
As vice president, Jayna Kliner oversees account teams at Welz & Weisel Communications and ensures quality of performance and results for clients. With more than 15 years of technology PR and marketing experience in both corporate communications and agency environments, Kliner commands expertise in strategic plan development and deployment, media/analyst relations, written communications, crisis response and message creation.

From launching start-ups to providing technology public relations counsel to some of the nation’s best-known technology brands   including AOL, VeriSign, Qualys and Verizon Business – Kliner has established a long track record of helping her clients build industry awareness and market credibility.

Kliner graduated cum laude from Ohio University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. As a member of Women in Technology, she serves as Vice-Chair of the Communications Committee, and has a black belt in Taekwondo. She lives in Northern Virginia, with her husband and two children.

Wayne Schepens, Vice President
Wayne Schepens brings more than 20 years of technical and government experience to Welz & Weisel Communications. As vice president, he leads our Go-to-Market services and delivers product and corporate messaging and business strategizing/positioning, as well as thought leadership services to technology companies. Schepens has advised companies through all phases of business   from fundraising and start-up status to product launch and strategic acquisitions.

His government service culminated with the National Security Agency (NSA), where he most recently served as Chief of the Office of Global Network Awareness within the NSA Threat Operations Center. In addition, Schepens has worked with the U.S. Military Academy and Naval Surface Warfare Center.

He earned a Master of Science degree from Virginia Tech and a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Maritime College in electrical engineering. Schepens played semi-professional baseball and continues to coach and run clinics with Ripken Baseball. He lives in Severna Park, Md., with his wife and three kids.

Tom Resau, Vice President
As vice president, Thomas Resau oversees account teams and provides strategic direction and support to Welz & Weisel Communication’s campaigns and client programs. With a high command of information security issues, Resau has specialized in how these topics relate to a diverse range of public sector, legal and regulatory subject areas. Resau’s more than 14 years of technology public relations experience includes serving on Symantec’s corporate communications team and leading the company’s public sector PR programs to reach federal, state and local government audiences, as well as education and health care organizations. He also has compiled years of PR experience representing top information security vendors, consultants, and systems integrators – including many focused on U.S. military and other government customers.

In addition, Resau has spearheaded thought leadership campaigns for senior law firm attorneys. These campaigns have covered privacy, security, regulatory and intellectual property issues associated with espionage and data breaches, cloud computing, export controls and government contracts. He regularly places clients in top business, broadcast and vertical industry trade media and oversees a wide range of PR planning, management and outreach activities, from 1:1 media relationship-building to crisis communications, product positioning and establishing customer reference programs. His expertise in national security, public policy, technology and history supports credible and compelling PR strategies for clients within sensitive industries and missions.

Resau earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations from Penn State University. He lives in Northern Virginia and is an avid skier, outdoor chef and college football fan.

Dennis McCafferty, Director of Content
As director of content, McCafferty seeks to ensure that "just right" information/presentation is matched with the wealth of available digital, social media, broadcast and print-media platforms for Welz & Weisel Communications clients. McCafferty brings more than 20 years of experience in editorial, working in all forms of content: metro/national newspapers, regional/national magazines, custom publications, radio, TV, blogs and social media. Since joining Welz & Weisel Communications in December 2010, McCafferty has produced well over 100 content projects for more than a dozen clients. Those projects have included blogs, industry-publication byliners, op-eds, podcasts, white papers and case studies. He also oversees blog content for Welz & Weisel Communications, and the agency’s "Five Minutes With ..." podcast on iTunes.

Previously, he launched his own B2B/B2G/custom-publishing business, DM Enterprises, and worked with clients such as IBM, Advanced Micro Devices, USAA, Nationwide, Amtrak, Ritz-Carlton, MasterCard, GM and many others creating custom content. He has also contributed to publications and digital content distributed by Ziff Davis Enterprise, Post-Newsweek Business News and others, for titles such as Baseline, CIO Insight, Washington Technology and VARBusiness magazine.

From September 1997 through March 2010, he served as Senior Writer at USA WEEKEND, for which he interviewed among others Presidents Bush and Clinton, Caroline Kennedy, Donald Trump and Web founder Tim Berners-Lee. During his time with WEEKEND, McCafferty appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, NPR, Bloomberg Radio, ESPN and numerous other outlets. Before WEEKEND, he was a staff writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he won a national, first-place award for investigative reporting. He graduated from Duquesne University, where he received a Senior Award as a "top 12" graduate for both academic accomplishments and university-life contributions. He enjoys trivia and is a self-confessed fantasy football "geek." He lives in Herndon with his son.

Joyson Cherian, Account Director
Joyson Cherian brings to Welz & Weisel Communications a diverse public relations background – covering network and Internet security, mobility, open source, software, telecommunications and wireless communications. With a passion for social media, Cherian develops strategies and implements communications programs for clients using online tools such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. By leveraging these outlets, Cherian tracks client-specific news and insights, cultivates relationships with key industry influencers/media members/analysts and lends counsel on leveraging social media to effectively tell a client’s story.

Previously, Cherian worked at Cavalier Business Communications, where he oversaw new business acquisitions and renewals and created brand/product awareness via marketing techniques. Prior to Cavalier, Cherian worked with several agencies, including Ketchum. He graduated from the University of Maryland and is an avid Terps fan. He lives in Bethesda, Md.

Chris Leach, Account Director
Chris Leach drives integrated technology PR and social media campaigns for both public and private B2B/B2G clients in IT services, security, satellite and telecommunications. He has worked closely with clients to create messaging that resonates with key vertical and mainstream media outlets, including Businessweek, CIO, Forbes, Military Information Technology, PCWorld, Washington Technology and USA Today.

In addition to leading PR campaigns for technology clients throughout the country, Leach previously supported internal corporate communications as a member of the department of corporate affairs and communications for Iridium LLC, a satellite communications company in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Salisbury State University and lives in Damascus, Md. Leach is an avid car/motorcycle enthusiast.