Meet Our Team of Experts
Linda Varrell, APR
President/CEO
Linda Varrell is the founder and president of Broadreach Public Relations, a women-owned firm based in Portland, Maine. Established in 2007, Broadreach specializes in strategic and crisis communications, public relations, marketing, event services, and government relations working with clients across northern New England. Running on…
Paula Stanton
Vice President of Client Services
With more than a decade of experience in the newsroom and public relations, Paula is skilled at managing complex projects with a cool head and focus on results. Since joining Broadreach in 2017, she has played a pivotal role in advancing the firm’s growth and…
Josiah Petrin
Senior Client Manager
As Senior Client Manager, Josiah leads a range of accounts primarily in financial services, professional services, and government. He is trained in advanced public relations measurement, holds certifications for crisis communications and emergency management through the Public Relations Society of America and FEMA, and has…
Jennifer Van Allen
SENIOR CLIENT MANAGER
As Associate Director of Client Services, Jen provides public relations, strategic communications, and content strategy support for Broadreach clients. Jen has 26 years of experience writing for daily newspapers, magazines, and digital channels. She loves helping organizations develop creative ways to leverage communications to achieve…
Hannah Lilly
Client Manager
Hannah joined the Broadreach team in 2024 after spending ten years working in newsrooms and marketing positions. Her previous experience includes working as a local news producer in two New England television markets, including in Boston where she earned an Emmy nomination; running a children’s…
Autumn Hall
Senior Client Associate
Autumn joined Broadreach in October of 2022 after completing an internship at a mid-size communications agency in Boston, Massachusetts. During her internship, she got a glimpse of life in the world of Public Relations while focusing on client and media relations. Outside of Broadreach, Autumn…
Chance Viles
Senior Client Associate
Chance joined Broadreach in 2022 after spending five years in the newsroom, covering everything from local government to arts and entertainment. The newsroom helped foster a work ethic focused on direct communication, collaboration and clarity. When not working with clients or keeping up with statewide…
Cassandra Chabot
CLIENT ASSOCIATE
Cassandra joined Broadreach in 2024 as a client associate after graduating from the University of New Hampshire and reporting for the Granite State News Collaborative. With a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism, Cassandra is deadline oriented, and detail focused. She values human connection and…
Russell Leonard
Strategic Advisor
Russell Leonard serves as Strategic Advisor to Broadreach Public Relations, bringing decades of leadership in advertising, marketing strategy and client development. Leonard is a longtime president of NL Partners, a Cape Elizabeth-based advertising agency he led for nearly two decades. Under his leadership, the firm became…
Andy Thorington
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Andy Thorington is Associate Creative Director at Broadreach Public Relations, where he brings more than two decades of experience leading creative strategy and execution across advertising, branding and multimedia campaigns. Prior to joining Broadreach, Thorington spent more than 20 years with NL Partners, a Portland-based…
