The word “cerveau ” translates to “mastermind ” in French. Precisely what you can expect from this change agency and smart counsel.
WHO WE ARE
Change is inevitable. But smart change takes Cerveau.
In today’s global environment, leadership of corporate communications and legal departments requires a unique blend of business, legal, and management skills. It also requires collaboration with professionals who develop and strengthen relationships with key policymakers and demonstrate effective lobbying outcomes. Hands-on experience in the guidance to Fortune 10 executives along with our dedication to the analysis of policy, fostering public and media relations, and education of officials on issues of shared interest, makes Cerveau a critical resource to an organization’s leadership team.
WHAT WE DO
Welcome to Cerveau, A Change Agency.
Every business, big or small, needs a comprehensive strategy for successful outcomes. At Cerveau, our professionals analyze your needs, goals, and resources to develop internal and external strategies to more efficiently grow and protect your brand through stakeholder engagement management tools. Get started now.
MASTERMIND
ADVISING
Issues-based advisory opinions for companies and institutions without directors, and those wanting unbiased third-party evaluations of board decisions.
EFFECTIVE
PHILANTHROPY
Experienced expert advice developing a value-neutral framework for your values driven philanthropic goals.
CRISIS
MANAGEMENT
Development of crisis management plans, stakeholder engagement maps, community investment models and provides trained media spokespersons.
LOBBYING
Cerveau provides registered lobbyists who represent big and small businesses on the local, state, national and global levels.
LEGAL
Providing an extensive array of services across a number of practice areas and industries in connection with business acquisition, organization, development, expansion, litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
DEVELOPMENT
Cerveau professionals can also provide expertise in housing, International and Domestic relocation services, and real estate sales and management.
STRATEGY &
PLANNING
High quality advice on plan creation based on extensive corporate, small business, government and nonprofit experience.
CHANGE
MANAGEMENT
Thriving businesses analyze, train and adjust their workforce to maximize output efficiently while increasing safe and profitable operations. Cerveau provides personalized strategies to facilitate smooth transitions.
STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT
Identify grass-root and grass-top stakeholders And develop government and community affairs strategies in line with company goals.
SPOKESPERSONS
High quality spokespersons for media, government and community events. Eliminate the need for “astro-turfing” by engaging an effective local spokesperson to transparently represent company positions.
TECHNICAL
WRITING
We make the complex plain working with your subject matter experts to create the most readable format content for journal articles, technical and instructional manuals, training guides and assessments.
WHO WE SERVE
Our firm provides expert guidance and stakeholder engagement strategies that promote efficiency and accountability across industries and functions.
- Multinational corporations
- Small businesses
- Global research and management consultant firms
- Telecommunications companies
- Energy firms
- Watershed management businesses
- Food service enterprises
- Real estate sales and development firms
- Healthcare management firms
CONTACT
Keep in touch with Cerveau, A Change Agency.
KARL J. CONNOR, JD, LL.M.
CHIEF CHANGE AGENT
MONIKA MCKAY
CHIEF FACILITATION AGENT
KARL J. CONNOR, JD, LL.M.
CHIEF CHANGE AGENT
Karl J. Connor is a native of New Orleans and a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana, as well as an honors graduate of Loyola New Orleans College of Law and Columbia Law School, where he earned his LL.M. with distinction as a Harlem Fiske Stone Scholar. After 15 years as a senior level external affairs leader at BP, Karl opened Cerveau, A Change Agency. The consultancy practice advises Fortune 10 and small businesses using strategy, efficiency, and leverage to attain solutions which maximize profitability, safety, and company reputation. Previously, Karl served as a federal bankruptcy trustee panelist, an assistant United States attorney, law clerk to two federal judges, and as managing editor of IMDiversity’s legal magazine and web channel.
In today’s global environment, managing corporate communications and legal departments requires a unique blend of business, legal, and management skills. It also requires a professional who is skilled at developing and strengthening relationships with key policymakers and demonstrating effective lobbying outcomes. Having hands-on experience providing guidance and leadership to Fortune 10 executives along with his dedication to monitoring legislative activities, analyzing policies, fostering public and media relations, and educating officials on issues of shared interest, makes Karl a critical member of an organization’s leadership team propelling businesses forward.
Passionate about education, Karl is a founding board member of the KIPP New Orleans Charter Schools and Mentorship Academy in Baton Rouge. Through his family’s scholarship fund, Connor helps fund college students who excel academically and in their campus and community service. He is also a life member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Connor is married to Monika McKay and has one son, Quinn.
MONIKA MCKAY
CHIEF FACILITATION AGENT
Since 2004, Mrs. McKay has worked extensively in the development of large, mixed-income housing, construction project management, real estate finance, and data analysis of transformative projects in distressed urban areas. Mrs. McKay is a native New Orleanian and is proud of her post-Katrina contributions to the redevelopment of her beloved city. She previously served as a project manager at McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS) and was responsible for the coordination and implementation of mixed-finance and mixed-use projects at B.W. Cooper and Iberville. Her activities include working with local agencies and officials, securing and leveraging project financing, and coordinating public and private partners. Prior to joining MBS, Mrs. McKay completed a University of Pennsylvania Center for Urban Redevelopment Excellence (CUREx) fellowship, during which time she was the project manager for Columbia Residential’s Columbia Parc development in New Orleans. She oversaw the development/construction of the first 460+ housing units at the site.
She is active in New Orleans public policy, having served as a board member for Citizens for a Better New Orleans and as a policy committee member for the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance. Monika was in Gambit Magazine’s 40 Under 40 in 2011. She is current Chair of the Grants Committee at the Greater New Orleans Foundation and a trustee of her alma mater, Ursuline Academy. Mrs. McKay partnered in the market analysis firm, Spark InSites, and was a certified market analyst. For the last five years, Mrs. McKay has assisted families’ relocation to New Orleans for work with Fortune 500 companies.
Mrs. McKay has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Houston and a graduate certificate in Urban Development from the University of Pennsylvania. She currently holds a real estate sales license and is the Chief Facilitation Agent at Cerveau, A Change Agency.