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Charles Bakaly

A strategic communications counselor who has served as a former government official and lawyer, Charles applies his experience to help clients navigate enterprise, reputation and legal risks to make good decisions in a complex external environment. At Edelman, he conceives and executes campaign strategies for organizations to promote and protect their reputations. He regularly counsels senior leadership and boards of directors on governance and reputation management.​ Charles has been selected to counsel and advise government and business leaders in many high-profile situations. In 2006, he directed the release of the Iraq Study Group recommendations for the co-chairmen, former Secretary of State James A. Baker III and Congressman Lee Hamilton. In 1998, Independent Counsel Kenneth W. Starr appointed him counselor and spokesperson for the Office of Independent Counsel. He also served as counsel to Judge William Webster in the investigation of the Los Angeles Police Department’s response to the civil disorder in 1992 following the verdict in the first Rodney King case. ​ Charles’ government experience began in 1981 when he was appointed staff assistant to President Reagan and director of press advance. As an authorized spokesperson, Charles developed and implemented strategies to communicate the president’s policies to the American people. During President Reagan’s second term, he served as special assistant to then-Secretary of the Treasury James A. Baker III.​ In private law practice, he was a lawyer with the international law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and then, as a federal prosecutor, he investigated and prosecuted public integrity cases.​ Charles received his bachelor’s degree from The Colorado College and his Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. He attended Georgetown Law’s graduate program and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar. Charles has been a featured speaker and panelist on multiple industry programs and events to discuss strategic communications and reputation management challenges.​

Kevin Johnson

Kevin has worked with clients ranging from higher education institutions, large trade associations, financial institutions, hospital systems, multinational manufacturing companies, global automakers, energy companies and the federal government. With deep experience in crisis communications, issues and brand management, public affairs, risk and vulnerability assessments, workforce communications, and media relations. His highlights include: \tSupporting clients across the full spectrum of legal and business risk, including corporate litigation, executive misconduct congressional hearings, class action lawsuits, trademark and intellectual property claims, amongst others. \tPartnering with clients to anticipate, plan and manage confidential issues and crises through the creation of customized processes and protocols. This work requires coordination across the enterprise, including communications, legal (and outside legal counsel), human resources, marketing, sales and operations, along with alignment and buy-in from the C-suite and board of directors. \tPartnering with clients and inside and outside counsel to devise strategies to manage risk, reach stakeholders, and protect critical business objectives. The work requires understanding a broad range of risks across a large litigation portfolio, such as a global real estate brokerage or leading national non-profit. \tProviding litigation communications support throughout the course of the legal process, including guiding a leading technology logistics company through complex litigation in multiple venues nationwide. \tWorking alongside legal counsel to manage court of public opinion and communicate around sensitive settlements or investigations by the Department of Justice, Department of Labor, states attorney general, and other regulatory bodies.

Jason Levin

Jason Levin specializes in strategic communications, crisis management, public affairs, and issues navigation. A respected advisor to senior leadership teams, Jason counsels organizations through issues that define their public trust—navigating business disruptions, public controversies, regulatory challenges, and other reputation-defining moments. He helps companies anticipate, manage, and recover from crises that shape their ability to operate and maintain stakeholder confidence. His approach combines deep strategic thinking with practical, actionable guidance that enables organizations to move forward during periods of intense scrutiny. Jason’s work spans sectors including healthcare, higher education, aviation, and food and beverage clients ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to purpose-driven nonprofits. A lifelong communicator with roots in politics and public affairs, Jason began his career at Los Angeles City Hall and in the U.S. House of Representatives before transitioning into agency leadership. That experience grounds his counsel in both strategic clarity and stakeholder understanding—bridging policy, media, and culture in moments that demand credibility and action. Beyond his professional work, Jason remains deeply engaged in civic leadership. His community involvement includes the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles’s New Leaders Project, among others. A Los Angeles native, Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he graduated cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Jessica, and their daughter, Lucy.