The Landmark Team
Landmark Communications, Inc. is a full-service political consulting and communications firm based in Duluth, GA. With a staff of nine, more than 17 years in continual business, and professional engagement in more than 650 elections, Landmark is Georgia's most experienced and successful political consulting and communications firm.

team member image MARK ROUNTREE
PRESIDENT AND CEO

Mark Rountree is President and CEO of Landmark Communications, Inc., the strategic planning and political consulting firm based in Duluth, Georgia. Mark founded the firm in 1991, since then becoming Georgia's most experienced political consultant. He has successfully managed more strategic planning efforts, advertising and political public relations campaigns than any political consultant in the state.

Mark is regularly quoted in publications and media including the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, MORRIS PUBLISHING NEWSPAPERS, the GWINNETT DAILY POST, and the FULTON COUNTY DAILY REPORT. He has appeared as a commentator for FOX NEWS on THE BRIT HUME SPECIAL REPORT and for FOX 5 NEWS Atlanta. Mark was named to GEORGIA TREND MAGAZINE'S 2005 list of Georgia's "40 under 40 Best and Brightest".

Mark is a graduate of the Henry Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, having earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations.

Mark and his wife, Angela, a professional political fundraiser, live in the Sweetbottom Plantation subdivision in Duluth. They have a son, Branan, and a daughter, Vivian. The Rountrees are members of Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church in Duluth, GA.


team member image GABRIEL STERLING
VICE PRESIDENT

Gabriel Sterling has been involved in successful campaigns in Georgia for more than 20 years. He has managed and consulted on dozens of winning campaigns ranging from U.S. Congress to the state legislature.

After managing Charlie Norwood’s congressional campaign in 1994, Gabriel joined the congressman's staff in Washington, D.C. as part of the "Republican Revolution".

As a member of the Congressman Norwood’s staff, Gabriel was directly involved in negotiating the "Freedom to Farm Act and Superfund re-Authorization". He also served on the Military Affairs Coordinating Committee (MACC), helping to protect Georgia bases during the base realignments and closures.

Gabriel returned to Georgia in 1996 to help build The Sterling Advisory Group, Inc (TSAG), a business-consulting firm. TSAG managed the financial and organizational affairs of their clients, which ranged from $1 million private companies to $125 million public companies.

In 2002, he founded his own chemical manufacturing firm specializing in chemical products to pool retailers around the US under the brand name pureblueTM.

Gabriel became a Board Member of the Committee for Sandy Springs, an organization that led the fight for the creation of a new city. He then Co-chaired the referendum campaign that garnered more than 90% of the vote to set up the City of Sandy Springs.

He serves as Vice-Chairman of the Sandy Springs Hospitality and Tourism Board that has a budget of more than $1.2 million collected through the city's hotel/motel tax.


team member image MIKE HASSINGER
SENIOR POLITICAL CONSULTANT

Mike Hassinger has more than a decade’s experience in applied public relations and communications management as a journalist, media professional, brand manager and media and marketing consultant. He has made his career in public relations, relationship building and image management.

As a political reporter for a daily newspaper in metro Atlanta, Mike learned how and why elected officials made headlines –- and when they didn’t want to. He covered government and politics at the city, county, state and national levels on a daily deadline, and developed his own sources and contacts throughout metro Atlanta.

Mike also served as a press secretary and speechwriter for the Chairman of Georgia’s largest County before working as a brand manager for BellSouth, working to help re-shape the “telephone company’s” image into a reliable provider of communication services in the Internet age.

His experience in journalism, corporate communications and the private and public sectors make a unique and valuable skill set that Mike has applied successfully as a consultant since 2001.

Mike and his wife Kendle have two children, Ben and Abby. They live in DeKalb County and are members of the Shallowford Presbyterian Church where Mike is actively involved in mission work. Mike is a graduate of Washington and Lee University with a degree in Philosophy.


team member image KELLIE AUSTIN
POLITICAL CONSULTANT

Kellie Austin has been involved in Republican politics for most of her life. She has been elected and served as the former Stephens County (Toccoa) Chairman of the Republican Party, has been active in both the 9th and 10th Congressional District Republican Committees, and served on the State Committee of the Georgia Republican Party.

In 1996, Kellie was elected as the youngest delegate to the Republican National Convention; she also served as a delegate to the 2004 Republican National Convention. She has worked on dozens of campaigns as both a volunteer and as a paid staffer, and brings a strong understanding of local grassroots politics and personal knowledge of North Georgia.

Kellie is an alumna of Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs and North Georgia College in Dahlonega. She is a professionally trained advertising copywriter, certified by the Radio Advertising Bureau as a CPCC Copywriter. Kellie is the mother of five children, Mariah 9, Berec 7, Abigail 6, Madelaine 4 and Sammy 3. The family attends North Point Community Church.

team member image FRANCES ALLEN
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER, OPERATIONS MANAGER

A native of the United Kingdom - the small market town of Wetherby, West Yorkshire to be precise - Frances and her family arrived in the United States in September of 2003. Frances and her husband, Paul, have two adult children, their daughter Hermione (now married to an American) and son Jack. Along with their very friendly American Pit bull, Schultz, the Allens are happily settled in their Sugarloaf Parkway home.

Frances joined the Landmark team in 2004 and has an extensive background in the graphic and print industry. As a ‘time-served’ member of the National Graphical Association in England, she has seen many changes in technology.

She has extensive pre-press knowledge with previous positions such as camera operator, proof reader, film planner and platemaker, print estimator and studio manager. Frances has owned and run her own graphic design firm as well as a sheet-fed print company.



team member image JEFF CORBIN
ACCOUNT MANAGER AND SENIOR WRITER

Jeff Corbin is an Account Manager and Senior Writer with Landmark Communications Inc. Jeff is a native of Louisiana, and he has lived in metro Atlanta for nearly 25 years.

Jeff has nearly a decade of progressive leadership roles in media and public relations. His professional experiences include years of service as a newspaper reporter and magazine staff writer. His has extensively covered business and political trends developing throughout Georgia.

During his time in the metro area, Jeff has lived and worked in Gwinnett, Cherokee, Cobb and Fulton Counties. He has reported on monumental periods in history, including the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as well as the Republican resurgence in Georgia politics.

Jeff has contributed news coverage receiving statewide awards from the Associated Press of Georgia and Georgia Press Association. He has completed numerous professional training sessions, including those offered by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism at the American Press Institute.

When he is not developing messages and strategies for Landmark Communications clients, Jeff travels near and far with his wife, Teresa. He is an attentive fan of almost any sport, but the Corbins share a love for all things baseball. Jeff is also a self-styled film critic and frequent blogger.

Jeff and Teresa are proud graduates of Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., where he majored in print journalism with a minor in political science.

team member image MIKE SEIGLE
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND DATABASE MANAGEMENT

Mike Seigle is the Director of Research and Database Management for Landmark Communications. Mike manages our firm's sophisticated statewide database of voters, creating mailing lists, phoning lists, walk lists and other "direct voter contact" projects.

Mike earned a Bachelor's degree in History and Geography from the University of Georgia. He then earned a Master's in History from Georgia Southern University, and has done graduate work in Urban Planning and Geography at Georgia State University. He is trained in SPSS statistical analysis software and manipulates the public opinion survey data for Landmark's clients.

As an instructor of History and Geography at Georgia Perimeter College since 1994, Mike regularly works with students. He has also previously worked as a business researcher for four years in the Investment Banking industry.

Mike is active in the Georgia Republican Party and has held Republican Party positions at the local, district, and state level. He is a former Political Director of the Georgia Young Republicans and the Georgia Conservative PAC. He has been a paid senior staffer on three statewide campaigns.

Mike and his wife, Kathy, live in Norcross.


DEBRA BOHN
COMPTROLLER

Debra joined Landmark in 2008 and serves as the firm's Comptroller. She manages business and financial projects for the firm, including invoicing.

She has earned a Paralegal Certificate and an Associates Degree in Business Administration, and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.

Prior to joining Landmark, Debra served as a Supervisor for the Deposition, Default & Stipulation Departments for a large collection law firm in Jacksonville, FL., as well as an Office Manager/Financial Manager for a Commercial Development Firm in Atlanta.

Debra is a native Georgian. She and her husband live in Lawrenceville and have a one year old daughter, Hannah.


PATTI PIEKUTOWSKI
GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Patti brings a vast range of experience to the team at Landmark. She has worked on both the client and agency side of both advertising and marketing. She has over 15 years experience in Design, Art Direction, Integrated and Multi-Channel Marketing, Publishing, Creative Production, Budgeting and Media Planning.

Patti’s experience includes five years as Creative Studio Manager for the advertising agency Fitzgerald & Company, where she worked on such accounts as Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Aruba Tourism, Neenah Paper, Quikrete, Jerzees, Coca-Cola, Marriott, and more. Along with her creative experience, Patti taught graphic design for over 10 years at the Portfolio Center of Atlanta.

Patti holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Georgia where she graduated cum laude. When she is not working at Landmark, she is active in the Atlanta Advertising Club and Creative Club of Atlanta. She plays tennis in ALTA tennis league and is a member of Northside United Methodist Church.

JASON MOORE
MEDIA CONSULTANT

Jason Moore serves as Landmark Communication's in-house media buyer and writer/director/producer of its television ads. A native Atlantan, he started in politics volunteering for Newt Gingrich and working on local political campaigns. More recently, Jason has written, directed, and produced numerous TV ads for Landmark Communication's clients.

A filmmaker by training, Jason has worked as a screenwriter for Walt Disney and has written, directed, and produced fiction and documentary programs that have aired on Sundance Channel, Starz Encore, HDnet, and international television. He graduated with honors in history from Stanford University, and earned his Masters in film production from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Jason splits his time between Los Angeles and Atlanta.