We calm the chaos in your communications.

We are passionate about helping you communicate better, clearly, and consistently.

At our firm, we simplify your workload. Clear and consistent communication is essential for engaging and informing your audience. Our mission is straightforward: to help organizations communicate better, clearly, and consistently. This is the key to effective communication, no matter the type of organization. We're here to partner with you every step of the way. Relax and let us handle your communications.

Your Partner in Comms

Sharise M. Johnson was born and raised in Atlanta, GA and attended college at Hampton University in Hampton, VA, where she majored in Broadcast Journalism and Spanish. She has more than 15 years of experience in communications, particularly in internal and external communications, crisis management, public relations, and digital media, serving Fortune 100 corporations and educational institutions.

Prior to founding SMJ, Sharise served as the Senior Director of Communications for a school district based in Texas. In this role, Sharise stewarded the district’s brand locally and nationally by spearheading an effective and innovative internal and external communications strategy. Additionally, Sharise served as the Managing Director of National Communications for Teach For America, a Communications Manager at Atlanta Public Schools and managed corporate communication strategy and implementation for major campaigns and announcements at AT&T.

Sharise currently resides in Fort Mill, SC with her husband and daughters, Faith, Grace, and Joy. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, listening to a good book, sitting by the beach, spending time with family and friends, and participating in community service projects as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Meet the Team

  • Morgan Pinckney

    Communications Coordinator

  • Leah Rosser

    Fractional COO (Out of the Box Ops)

Case Studies

Accelerating Virtual Event Capacity for High-Impact Launch + Learn Sessions

LearnerStudio partnered with SMJ Communications to design, manage, and execute two high-impact virtual “Launch + Learn” events after recognizing internal capacity constraints and the need for expert event strategy, planning, and execution support.

  • LearnerStudio came to SMJ Communications seeking strategic and operational support to design and execute a new virtual event series. With limited internal bandwidth and no existing structure for producing high-quality webinars, they needed a partner with deep expertise in event communications, planning, scripting, and live execution. SMJ delivered a turnkey solution that positioned LearnerStudio to host professional, engaging, and seamless virtual events.

    • Limited internal capacity to plan and execute virtual events

    • No established structure, process, or templates for running webinars

    • Need for comprehensive communications and branded materials

    • Limited experience with technical management and live event facilitation

    • Desire to create a polished, professional experience that matched the quality of their brand

    • Developed the full event communications strategy and execution plan

    • Created all event communications, including save the dates, promotional emails, reminder emails, and follow-up messaging

    • Designed all branded event visuals, digital content, and website updates

    • Built the registration experience, including content and workflow

    • Developed a detailed lookbook to guide event follow-up, continued engagement,  and user experience

    • Produced the complete run of show and minute-by-minute event script

    • Drafted all speaker remarks, talking points, and facilitation notes

    • Designed the event presentation deck

    • Consulted on event structure, speaker lineup, agenda flow, and presentation strategy

    • Provided live technical support during the event, managing slides, spotlighting speakers, monitoring flow, and troubleshooting in real time

    • Supported post-event follow-up, including close-out communications and next-step messaging

    • Successfully executed two high-impact virtual Launch + Learn events

    • Each event drew approximately 175 registrants

    • Nearly 100 attendees participated live at each session, sustaining strong engagement throughout

    • LearnerStudio now has a repeatable, scalable event model they can use for future webinars

    • Strengthened LearnerStudio’s ability to host polished, professional events that expand their reach and visibility

Strengthening AERDF’s Brand Identity and Launching a High-Impact White Paper

AERDF partnered with SMJ Communications to clarify its identity within the education R&D ecosystem, refresh its narrative and brand guide, and develop a comprehensive communications toolkit to support the national launch of its flagship white paper.

  • AERDF sought strategic communications support to strengthen its organizational identity, unify its messaging, and ensure the release of its white paper functioned as a visibility-building milestone rather than a one-time announcement. SMJ Communications delivered an integrated suite of narrative, visual, and launch assets designed to reinforce AERDF’s position as an advanced R&D engine committed to inclusive innovation in education.

    • Fragmented messaging and lack of a unified organizational narrative

    • Need for clearer positioning within the education R&D ecosystem

    • Outdated or inconsistent brand materials

    • Limited internal clarity around core value proposition and differentiators

    • Need for a strong plan and toolkit to ensure the white paper launch had sustained impact

    • Desire to strengthen credibility, consistency, and recognition across audiences

    • Developed a key messaging framework, organizational boilerplate, and narrative assets to clearly articulate AERDF’s value, purpose, and differentiators

    • Updated and integrated the brand’s visual and written identity into a refreshed brand guide

    • Created an AERDF Writing Style Guide to support consistent tone, language, and usage

    • Produced a comprehensive communications toolkit to amplify the white paper across channels, including:

      • Press release

      • Social media content

      • Partner templates

      • Talking points, FAQs, and promotional assets

    • Reviewed and provided guidance on website content to ensure alignment with the new messaging

    • Provided strategic recommendations for rollout, partner engagement, and long-term amplification

    • Delivered a unified verbal and visual identity that strengthened AERDF’s clarity and positioning across the education R&D landscape

    • Equipped staff and partners with a comprehensive, ready-to-use set of communications assets to support the launch

    • Established a foundation for sustained amplification beyond the white paper release, including recommendations for editorial planning, thought leadership, and ecosystem engagement

    • Positioned AERDF to communicate with greater confidence, consistency, and impact across all channels

Building Foundational Communications + Brand Infrastructure for New and Emerging Schools

Great Schools North Carolina partnered with SMJ Communications to support its grantees and Founder’s Fellow recipients with the development of essential communications systems, branding, and marketing foundations. Acting as an intermediary between GSNC and school leaders, SMJ built the full communications and brand infrastructure for emerging schools preparing to launch in the next one to three years.

  • GSNC engaged SMJ Communications to meet a growing need among its early-stage school grantees: foundational communications support. Many founders were mission-driven visionaries preparing to open new schools but lacked the time, resources, or expertise to develop core branding, messaging, websites, and early marketing systems.

    SMJ served as the bridge between GSNC and its grantees, delivering turnkey communications infrastructure that positioned each school, especially Founder’s Fellow Chela Wallace of Solace Rose Innovation Academy, to launch with clarity, credibility, and a strong public presence.

    • New school founders lacked the internal capacity to produce foundational communications and branding

    • No existing brand identity, messaging, or visual assets for emerging schools

    • Need for clear, compelling website content and design to support early enrollment interest and stakeholder engagement

    • Lack of planning frameworks to guide 6–12 months of communications, marketing, and community engagement

    • Need for consistent social media presence and professional visual templates

  • For GSNC’s portfolio, and specifically for Solace Rose Innovation Academy, SMJ Communications:

    • Served as the intermediary communication partner between GSNC and school leaders, ensuring continuity, clarity, and strong project management

    • Developed a complete brand identity system, including:

      • Logo

      • Color palette

      • Typography

      • Visual elements and design assets

      • Comprehensive brand guidelines deck

    • Created foundational key messaging for the school, including vision, mission, values, differentiators, and audience-specific statements

    • Wrote and built the school’s initial website on Squarespace, including all content development, layout, and page design

    • Developed a 6–12 month communications and community engagement strategy, mapping out priorities, campaigns, and touchpoints leading up to launch

    • Designed social media templates and created cohesive visual direction for the school’s ongoing digital presence

    • Built presentation deck templates and communications assets founders can consistently use with stakeholders, funders, families, and partners

    • Provided ongoing strategic guidance and advisory support to ensure GSNC and founders remained aligned and equipped to sustain the work

    • Delivered turnkey communications and brand foundations for early-stage schools preparing to open within 1–3 years

    • Positioned Solace Rose Innovation Academy with a complete, professional brand and online presence ready for community engagement and early recruitment

    • Equipped GSNC grantees with the tools, templates, and messaging needed to communicate clearly and confidently

    • Streamlined collaboration between GSNC and its grantees through consistent project management and communications support

    • Strengthened GSNC’s overall support model by ensuring founders had the essential communications infrastructure required to launch with success

Providing CCO-Level Leadership + Full-Scale Interim Communications Capacity

The Southern Education Foundation brought in SMJ Communications to provide interim, CCO-level leadership and full internal communications capacity during a period of organizational transition. SMJ fully embedded within SEF, rebuilding systems, refreshing strategy and messaging, managing the team, and leading all major communications initiatives.

  • SEF engaged SMJ Communications to stabilize, strengthen, and elevate its communications function amid internal capacity shifts and organizational restructuring. Acting as SEF’s Chief Communications Officer and communications department, SMJ conducted a full diagnostic of the communications ecosystem, implemented new systems and processes, revamped messaging and brand alignment, and provided both strategic direction and hands-on execution across all channels.

    This engagement exemplifies SMJ’s ability to step in as an interim or fractional CCO, providing seamless leadership, structure, and capacity during transitions such as maternity/paternity leave, team turnover, restructures, or expanded organizational needs.

    • Significant internal communications capacity gaps due to team transitions and restructuring

    • Need for immediate, high-level communications leadership and day-to-day implementation

    • Fragmented processes, outdated systems, and unclear workflows across teams

    • Inconsistent brand application and messaging across channels

    • Need to strengthen internal alignment, workflow clarity, and organizational communications strategy

    • Pressure to support major initiatives, announcements, and large-scale events in real time

    • Conducted a comprehensive assessment of SEF’s communications structure, systems, brand, and internal workflows

    • Revamped project management systems, request processes, internal forms, and team workflows to ensure clarity and efficiency

    • Developed a comprehensive organizational communications strategy and immediately began implementation

    • Created new organizational messaging and narrative positioning

    • Led and currently lead SEF’s ongoing brand overhaul, including streamlined templates, visuals, resources, and messaging alignment

    • Served as SEF’s interim CCO, providing daily senior-level advisory, thought partnership, and leadership guidance

    • Assumed management of the internal communications team, including prioritization, task management, and quality control

    • Executed day-to-day implementation across social, digital, email, media, web, and executive communications

    • Directed and managed major announcements, including high-profile legal and policy-related communications

    • Led all communications, branding, and marketing for the SEF 2025 Issues Forum in New Orleans

    • Ensured consistent, clear, compelling, and mission-aligned communications across all channels

    • Stabilized SEF’s communications function during a critical period of transition

    • Delivered a fully refreshed communications strategy, messaging architecture, and brand framework

    • Strengthened clarity, consistency, and quality across all communications channels

    • Implemented new systems that improved internal workflow, alignment, and cross-department coordination

    • Successfully executed communications for high-stakes initiatives and the 2025 Issues Forum

    • Positioned SEF for long-term success with a clear roadmap, revitalized brand, and stronger communications infrastructure