Leadership Team
Larry Kopp
Larry Kopp has nearly thirty years of experience in the advocacy and nonprofit sectors, in the political and public policy worlds and in the entertainment industry as a trained storyteller and communications expert.
In 2005, Larry founded The TASC Group to work with the most dynamic and inspiring leaders and organizations in the nonprofit, political advocacy and business worlds. He has worked on some of the most significant and high-profile public relations campaigns in the country. He has helped manage multi-million dollar political campaigns at the state and local level and worked on several Presidential campaigns. He has built political grassroots organizations in more than a dozen states. He has appeared as a professional actor in Hollywood blockbuster films, on award-winning TV shows and premiered the plays of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights on major New York and Chicago stages.
He has appeared as a communications expert and policy pundit on major news shows and has been quoted extensively in dozens of major national media outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters and the Associated Press. His writings have appeared in PR Week Magazine.
Larry graduated from Phillips Academy Andover and attended the prestigious acting program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He also graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Columbia University.
He is married with three children and lives in Montclair, New Jersey.
E-mail: larry@thetascgroup.com
Twitter: @larrykopp
Amy Ward Kaup
Amy Ward KaupAmy Ward Kaup is a marketing professional with more than 20 years of experience in various vertical markets, including the financial services and banking industries. She worked as a marketing executive at both Goldman Sachs and Bank of America, as well as The Maloney Group and Pricewaterhouse Coopers, where she served for more than a decade. Her expertise includes taking numerous products from concept to market, which gives her a unique perspective when it comes to strategy, positioning and integrated marketing. Amy has been with the TASC Group since 2006.
E-mail: amy@thetascgroup.com
Twitter: @amywkopp
Rida Bint Fozi
An award-winning PR pro, Rida Bint Fozi has a BA in English Literature from Brooklyn College and more than 15 years experience in the nonprofit world. She has served in leadership and development positions at a national youth organization and managed communications and social media for one of the leading national American Muslim organizations. Rida has spearheaded international and national media campaigns and her work has been recognized for excellence in public relations and communications by the Public Relations Society of America and the Public Relations Society of America New York Chapter.
Rida is known for her endless curiosity, passion for hyphen placement and deep love of maps, clean design, science and emoticons. In her down time she can be found planning Pinterest-worthy events or devouring non-fiction reads.
E-mail: rida@thetascgroup.com
Twitter: @BintFozi
Nico Ericksen-Deriso
Nico Ericksen-Deriso joined The TASC Group with a keen interest in politics and its intersection with public relations. Prior to joining TASC, Nico interned in media, communications and creative advertising roles at ABC News, LEAP (The Law Enforcement Action Partnership) and Cultivator Advertising and Design.
Nico received his BA in Political Science and International Studies from Case Western Reserve University, where his areas of focus included European economics, Congress, political finance, prison policy, bail policy, drug policy and social movements.
Originally from Boulder, CO, Nico has lived in Spain and spent a Semester at Sea, visiting 12 countries over the course of 100 days. At the age of 21, Nico founded the Running Road Trip, a fundraiser benefiting the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, one of the largest Alzheimer’s research organizations in the country. The Running Road Trip team visited and ran in every state in the contiguous United States to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and funds for Alzheimer’s research.
Nico is an avid runner and has an inordinate amount of knowledge about running shoes. In his downtime, he can be found playing with his kitten, Brewski, watching soccer, baseball and football (but never NBA basketball), and hopelessly rooting for the Cleveland Browns.
Email: nico@thetascgroup.com
Twitter: @nicstapig
Kaitlin Stewart
Kaitlin Stewart is an award-winning communications professional with a background in social issue advocacy. Prior to TASC, Kaitlin’s campaign and messaging work included projects with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the City of New York.
Kaitlin received her BA in Sociology from Franklin & Marshall College and an MPA from the NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service specializing in Nonprofit Management and Public Policy. During graduate school, she studied international development, women’s human rights and domestic food policy, taking additional coursework at the NYU School of Law and NYU Steinhardt Graduate School of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health.
Out of the office, Kaitlin can be found foraging the city’s many farmers’ markets and alternative eateries, working on her posture or enjoying live music and the occasional overpriced spin class.
E-mail: kaitlin@thetascgroup.com
Twitter: @stewkait
Ann Kaiser
Ann Kaiser’s background in journalism has made her a master storyteller and expert problem-solver. After graduating from Fordham University with a B.S. in Psychology, she spent time as a reporter for her local newspaper before working her way up to Senior Editor of athome magazine. Ann’s love of writing and appreciation for media bring a fresh perspective to The TASC Group’s clients. Her contributions are already helping the noteworthy organizations we serve further their missions. She is known for smiling a lot, staying cool under pressure and reading the works of JD Salinger over and over.
E-mail: ann@thetascgroup.com
Twitter: @the_annkaiser