Our Story

Rain Barrel Communications is a New York-based agency created in 2008 by Directors Robert David Cohen and Paul Hoeffel, after long careers in journalism and with the United Nations. 

When Rain Barrel was set up in 2008, it was a two-person consultancy: Paul and Robert. Sometimes we were asked to consider projects that we didn’t have the time or the expertise to take on. For this reason, we have gradually expanded Rain Barrel to include more than 60 exceptional colleagues and professionals who have complementary skills and competency to take on specialized assignments.

Now into our second decade, we are the company that "Speaks the Language of Sustainability & Social Justice.” Over the past years we have successfully developed communication strategies and initiatives that have been used to address a multitude of important issues. From ending violence against children and improving nutritional habits of adolescents, to speaking up about mental health at the workplace.

We are proud of our work, our achievements and our people, and we love what we do.

Oh, about our name? Rain Barrel Communications conjures up purity, simplicity, transparency, sustainability and, yes, fun. We even get orders for rain barrels sometimes... and our quirky name has become a memorable brand that sets us apart from other communication consultancies.

Our Management Team

Robert David Cohen and Paul Hoeffel are Rain Barrels’ Directors. Our management team also includes Tomas Jensen – Senior Advisor and Director, Social and Behavior Change Communication; Andrea Brandt – Administration, and Barry Koch and Beatrice Spadacini – both Senior Advisors on Business Development. Nhi Tong supports us with our digital platforms.

Paula Claycomb, who also had a distinguished career at the United Nations, served as a Co-Director between June 2017 and December 2019, and has now re-joined our network of Associates.

Robert D. Cohen, Director

Paul Hoeffel, Director

Robert David Cohen is an award-winning poet, journalist, children’s rights expert and communications strategist. For the 20 years before founding Rain Barrel, he was a communication specialist for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). During part of that time, he served as chief speechwriter to two successive Executive Directors, helping to articulate the mission of the world’s leading organization for children on issues ranging from preventable child and maternal deaths and hunger to HIV/AIDS and child soldiers. His focus as part of the Rain Barrel management team tends to be on C4D, children and media and development of communication strategies.

My life has been privileged: writing, reporting, traveling and searching for justice and citizenship in the bigger world.

My work with Rain Barrel Communications enables me to engage with the wonderful diversity of people, including many in the private sector, who want to do the right thing in dealing with the deeply-imperiled future facing us all. These challenges are alternately discouraging and inspiring. Yet we always gladly share our knowledge and energy to help give voice to those who are struggling to make life a little better for everyone. And we even have some fun doing it.

Tomas Jensen

Director, SBCC & Digital Engagement

Tomas Jensen, a Danish national residing in Cairns, Australia, is a communication specialist and project manager. He has extensive experience in designing, managing and documenting large- and small-scale behavior and social change initiatives in Asia, the Pacific and Africa.

Tomas’ work focuses on child development, social inclusion, community engagement, emergency preparedness, and climate change adaptation. He places special emphasis on achieving results through participatory communication, collaboration and coaching.

Tomas is an experienced workshop facilitator and team leader, and he works across all media types, platforms and formats. He has an MA in communication and development, certificates in advocacy, networking and digital marketing, and 17 years as a UNICEF staff member based in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Fiji.

Tomas is also supporting Rain Barrel with management advice around digital engagement. Tell Tomas what you think about our website…

Bea Spadacini

Senior Advisor on Business Development

Maria B. Spadacini (aka Bea) is a social justice advocate, writer and podcast producer who has worked in the fields of international development and humanitarian relief for two decades. From 2005 to 2012, she was based in Nairobi as the Regional Information Officer for CARE and later for the European Commission Humanitarian Office. She has also worked for USAID, the World Bank and other UN agencies.

Bea’s specialty is strategic communication to further programmatic goals, influence policies and behaviors, engage with communities and position critical development and social justice issues.

Bea has written for the Christian Science Monitor, Sojourner Magazine, The Guardian, il Corriere della Sera, The East African, La Voce di New York and Internazionale weekly. She has an M.A. in International Relations and Communications from Boston University and a B.A. from Connecticut College with a major and a passion for medical anthropology. Originally from Italy, she lives with her daughter Zawadi in Silver Spring, MD. 

Barry Koch

Senior Advisor on Business Development

Andrea Brandt

Administration

Barry Koch was senior vice president and general manager of the Turner Kids and Youth Business in Latin America and the Caribbean from 1999 to 2017. He oversaw programming, creative services, digital media, marketing, public relations, corporate social responsibility, licensing and network operations for Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Tooncast. Under his leadership, Cartoon Network Latin America became a market leader in pay television and multiplatform entertainment. Barry also developed a highly successful CSR program – The Cartoon Movement – in conjunction with Rain Barrel.  Since leaving Turner, he is focusing his efforts on several community and non-profit organizations, including Visiting Nurse Health System, Georgia’s largest non-profit healthcare provider, as well as helping Rain Barrel expand its client base. 

Andrea Brandt is an independent contractor based in the Land of Enchantment — also known as New Mexico. Prior to living in New Mexico, Andrea lived in Papua New Guinea — Land of the Unexpected. Her formative years were spent in Southern California where she grew up and still travels to visit family.

Andrea is self-taught in document design and layout, has completed a variety of business courses, and has a BA in English. With Rain Barrel, she provides project admin and financial reporting to the Directors and coordinates logistics and payments for teams working in the field. She also contributes to document design/layout, editing, and website updates. 

OUR CLIENTS

Rain Barrel’s clients reflect a range of organizations, from the private sector, to non-governmental organizations, inter-governmental bodies, especially the United Nations, and universities.

We have ongoing relationships with UNICEF, ECPAT International, Knology, and Brand New World Studios, among others.