Travis Smith

Travis has worked at all levels of politics, from the George W. Bush White House to serving as a Congressional Chief of Staff on Capitol Hill. From state legislative races, to coalition building for a Presidential campaign, to managing multiple top-tier, nationally targeted House races, Travis has experience in nearly every facet of a political campaign.

At Creative Franking, Travis helps guide both incumbents and first-time candidates to winning elections. Travis also regularly consults corporate clients on political issues.

He graduated from Liberty University in Virginia where he received his degree in Politics and Policy. A San Francisco Bay Area native, Travis now lives in Richmond with his wife Kristin, their three boys, Sutton, Weston and Barron, and their daughter Elin.

Rob Simms

Rob Simms, founder of St. James Strategies, brings a wealth of experience from his 25 years of advising a diverse range of clients, from candidates and campaign committees to corporations and public affairs clients across the U.S.

Before establishing St. James Strategies, Rob co-founded the highly successful Convergence Media, a leading name in advertising, digital and consulting services. His work spans across U.S. Senate, Governor, andCongress campaigns, Super PACs, political party committees, and more.

Notably, in 2017, Rob played a key role as the general consultant and media strategist for Karen Handel’s historic special election campaign, the most expensive congressional race in U.S. history. His roster of high-profile clients includesGovernor Ron DeSantis, Governor Mike Parson, Congressman Carlos Gimenez, the NRCC, the NRSC, and the RGA. His award-winning consulting and creative work have earned him accolades such as “Best Bare-knuckled Street Fight,” “MostOriginal Ad,” “Best Use of Humor,” and “Best Republican Ad.” In addition to his campaign work, Rob offers strategic advice to Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, public affairs organizations, and non-profits, guiding them through the complexities of political, public affairs, and regulatory landscapes.

Before his current roles, Rob served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Bill Shuster and Deputy Secretary of State under Karen Handel in Georgia. Here, he handled the administration of the 2008 presidential elections and later testified on voter fraud and Photo ID issues before the U.S Senate. Rob, also an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University, enjoys sharing his insights as a featured speaker at conferences, panels, and roundtables.

Justin Roth

Justin Roth is a seasoned political and policy professional with expertise in legislative strategies, critical domestic policy matters, and foreign affairs. He has more than two decades of experience in government affairs and lobbying for multiple trade organizations. Most recently, he served as Chief of Staff for three prominent United States Congressmen and a U.S. Senator, including former Senator Martha McSally, and former Congressman Ron DeSantis.

Throughout his tenure, Justin has leveraged his experience in public policy and communications to advise representatives and shepherd major legislative victories. He has overseen virtually every aspect of the legislative and policy process, with expertise in the areas of financial services, foreign affairs, and press and legislative operations. During his time as a Chief of Staff, he also oversaw the political operations of each Member he served.

Justin has also utilized his legislative and policy background to advance the mutual interests of organizational partners such as the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America. During this time, he served as a leading government affairs professional, running federal lobbying efforts, providing strategic planning, and representing members on all federal legislative and regulatory issues. 

Justin graduated with his Master of Science in History of International Relations from The London School of Economics. He also holds his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University, where he currently serves as a University Trustee, with a double major in Political Science and History.  He splits his time between Northern Virginia and Florida with his wife Jill and their two boys.

Scott Weldon

Scott Weldon joins the team as a veteran of campaigns, policy, and public affairs. Starting his political career at a local public relations firm in Virginia Beach, VA, Scott has managed some of the toughest races around, including defeating a senior incumbent Congressman while being outspent 10 to 1.

Scott’s focus on poignant messaging and ability to adapt to the data and emotion of the environment make him a great addition to our team. He has served as a legislative aide in Virginia and went to Capitol hill as Communications Director for several members of Congress. Scott finished his career on Capitol Hill as Deputy Chief of Staff to Congressman Jeff Van Drew(R-NJ) where he helped the member switch political parties from Democrat to Republican and oversaw the policy and communications operations in the office.

Scott has worked with a broad range of clients helping them build the most effective strategies to achieve their desired outcomes. Scott currently resides in Arlington, VA with his wife Laura and two children.

Jay Walker

Jay Walker is a 20-year veteran of Georgia politics and public affairs. Jay most recently served as Senior Political Advisor to Governor Brian Kemp’s successful 2022 re-election campaign, and continues to advise Governor Kemp. Throughout his career, Jay has worked to elect Congressmen Drew Ferguson, Barry Loudermilk, and Rick Allen and served as an advisor to Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. Jay was the Chief of Staff to Speaker of the Georgia House Glenn Richardson and Executive Director of the Georgia House Republican Caucus from 2019 to 2020.

A proud graduate of the University of Georgia, Jay currently resides in Perry, GA with his three daughters.

CJ Grover

CJ Grover is a 10-year veteran of Kansas Republican politics. Most notably, he managed Derek Schmidt’s Kansas gubernatorial campaign in 2022 and Kevin Yoder’s Kansas Third District congressional campaign in 2018. 

At Creative Franking, CJ works with some of the firm’s most competitive and high-profile clients, including managing direct mail and texting for Donald J. Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. In 2023, he helped several Republican candidates win election to the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates. 

In addition to managing campaigns, CJ worked as communications director for the Kansas GOP and executive director of a Senate Leadership Fund-affiliated Super PAC. He also worked as senior staff in Rep. Yoder’s office on Capitol Hill and AG Schmidt’s office in Topeka. Grover began his career as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator Pat Roberts. 

Grover resides in Overland Park, Kansas with his wife and their three children. 

Jacob Hawkins

Jacob Hawkins is an ultra-competitive digital operative with over a decade of experience strategizing and executing award-winning political and public affairs campaigns. His experience includes consulting on presidential and statewide campaigns, the highest-spending ballot initiatives in history, and leading the launch of a $300MM+ education foundation as its first Executive Director. He can build a digital program from the ground up: from identifying and acquiring target audiences, to developing software platforms and websites, to designing and placing advertisements.

Jacob is a graduate of Georgia College. He resides in Atlanta with his wife Lenze.