WHO WE ARE
Meet our team.
Meet Our
Founder & CEO
Donelle Harder
donelle.harder@pinkston.co
Donelle Harder is senior vice president at Pinkston and owner of Harder Consulting LLC. She joined Pinkston after her PR and marketing firm, Pliris Strategies, was acquired in December 2021. Prior to starting her firm, she served as one of four direct reports to Governor Kevin Stitt in the role as Senior Advisor for the Governor's 15-person cabinet and more than 12 additional state agencies comprised of more than 9,000 individuals and $12 billion in expenditures.
Harder first joined Stitt when he announced his candidacy for Governor in the fall of 2017, serving in a key advisory role in the $10 million campaign that took a a candidate with no name identification to achieving a 12-point final victory against a third-generation politician. The marketing and grassroots effort led to the largest voter turnout rate in state history with a gubernatorial race at the top of the ticket. In March of 2021, Harder returned as Campaign Manager for the re-elect effort under Harder Consulting, LLC.
Before joining the campaign, Harder was Vice President at the Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association and spent nearly 10 years in Washington, D.C. where she served in senior roles in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, for elected officials as well as for U.S. Senate committees to include the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.
Harder and her husband reside in Oklahoma City with their two daughters.
Kelly Hughes
Account Executive
Kelly is a seasoned marketing and public relations specialist. She is an experienced public relations professional with a history in advocacy, grassroots movements, social media management, consumer and digital marketing, digital advertising, writing and media pitching.
Baylee Lakey
Account Executive
Baylee is an experienced public relations professional with a history in strategic and crisis communications, writing, media pitching, social media and website management, and videography and photography. Prior to joining Pliris, Baylee served as the communications director for Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt.
Hannah Davis
Account Executive
Hannah is an experienced communications and public relations professional who is skilled in graphic design, writing, social media, website management and advocacy. Before joining Pliris, she helped lead communications efforts for Oklahoma Farm Bureau.
Jessica Cockroft
Copy Editor &
Content Creator
Jessica supports the Pliris Strategies team with editing and content creation, as well as event organization and other critical operational needs of the team and our clients. Cockroft is currently pursuing her certification in digital marketing through Oklahoma State University.