From Words to Movements

In 2013, McLane founded the Mach 1 Group — leveraging decades of experience in communications and crisis management to provide outstanding service to brands and organizations whose issues are on the front pages every day. Today, Mach 1 has assembled a nationally recognized team recruited out of newsrooms and the halls of government providing a wide range of public relations and public affairs services.

McLane formerly served as Vice President for Communications & External Affairs for the LIVESTRONG Foundation. She is a veteran of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration and a former Press Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education during the George W. Bush administration. McLane’s roots are in Texas, where she began her career at Public Strategies Inc.

McLane has built a reputation both locally and nationally as an innovative content creator, insightful and compassionate business owner, and steadfast community advocate. She was named Leader of the Year by the Bulldog PR Awards (’25); Top Women in PR, Business Entrepreneurs list by PRNEWS (’23); PR Professional of the Year by Public Relations Society of America (’13); Outstanding Communicator of the Year by Women Communicators of Austin (’22); an Austin Business Journal Profiles in Power Finalist; the Female Entrepreneur of the Year at the 18th Annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business (’21); and one of Insight Success’ Most Disruptive Women Entrepreneurs to Watch (’21). McLane is a proud pro-bono PR partner for Keep Austin Fed, member of the Austin Women’s Symphony League, and former chair of the Ann Richards School Foundation Board of Directors. She serves on the Austin Business Journal Leadership Trust and Capitol Area Council of the BSA, formerly Boy Scouts of America.

McLane is a graduate of Texas A&M University and she and her husband, Brett, are proud parents to Jack and Ian.

Love is a public affairs expert with extensive media relations, political strategy, crisis management and strategic communication expertise. Love manages a wide breadth of clients for Mach 1 – from higher education institutions and non-profits to trade associations – and, as director of the firm’s natural resources practice, specializes in oil and gas, water and electric industry communications.

Before joining the Mach 1 Group, Love served as Director of Public Affairs for the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) Chairman, where she was nominated for Outstanding Women in Texas Government.

Love’s experience and savvy have received attention locally and nationally. She has been recognized as one of the country’s Top 50 Women Chief Operating Officers by Women We Admire (’24) and received a Bronze Stevie award for Female Executive of the Year (’23) and Agency Planner of the Year (’23) from the Austin Alliance for Women in Media, as well as a nomination for Austin Business Journal’s Women in Business (’22), which celebrates Central Texas women at the top of their industry.

Love is a 7th-generation Texan who is passionate about sharing her talents to serve her local community. She is the co-founder and board member of the American Energy Institute. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Pink Granite Foundation and Women’s Symphony League of Austin. She’s served as a Commissioner on the City of Austin’s Water and Wastewater Commission (appointed by former City Council Member Ellen Troxclair) and as a board member for both the Austin Alliance for Women in Media and the KLRU Community Advisory Board. In addition, she serves on the Austin Business Journal Leadership Trust and is an active member of Women Communicators of Austin and the Public Relations Society of America.

Love earned her Bachelor’s and Masters of Fine Arts degrees from Texas State University. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling the world with her husband, Jarod, and spending time at her family’s ranch with their dogs, Henry and Rory.

Brett Fey is an operations expert with 30 years of experience managing teams big and small. His strengths in financial planning, strategy and resourcing keep Mach 1 thriving.

Tyminski is a crisis communication expert and public affairs professional with experience in the public and private sectors. She has over half a decade of experience in and around Texas state government. Prior to joining Mach 1, she led the Texas Workforce Commission’s Crisis Communications response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her quick rise in the public relations world has been recognized nationally, earning her a spot as a PRNEWS Rising Star (’23) and Ragan Communications / PR Daily Rising Star (’23).

Tyminski holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Economics from Bradley University, where she was a three-time national runner-up in informative and impromptu speaking. She received her master’s degree in communications studies from Texas State University and attended the University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson Women’s Campaign School where she currently serves as Marketing Co-Chair of the Alumni Board.

She is an active member of Austin’s Young Women’s Alliance, Emerge America’s Young Leaders Cabinet, Women Communicators of Austin and the Pink Granite Foundation. In 2021, she was appointed to the City of Austin’s Minority-Owned Business, Women-Owned Business, Small Business Enterprise Procurement Program Advisory Committee.

Payne, who leads Mach 1’s Houston division, is an accomplished communications professional with extensive knowledge about the intricate workings of state government. Before joining The Mach 1 Group, she served as Government Relations Manager at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, where she expanded and cultivated relationships with elected officials, monitored legislation, and communicated with external stakeholders. She also has an impressive background in political consulting, collaborating with teams at every level of government on proactive strategies while providing counsel on complex challenges.

Her quick rise in the public relations world has been recognized nationally, earning her a spot as a Bulldog PR Up and Comer (’25) and a Capitol Women 40 Under 40 award (’25).

Payne is an emerging leader in Texas politics and policy whose energy, insight and dedication to women’s empowerment have already made a significant impact early in her career. She also serves on the board of Capitol Republican Women, where she plays a key role in shaping programming, strengthening political networks and supporting the advancement of women in public service, and on the Make Our Schools Safe (MOSS) Advisory Board, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to fostering safe and vigilant school environments for students, teachers and staff.

Payne graduated from Texas A&M University (WHOOP!) and holds a master’s in public policy and administration from the University of St. Thomas.‌

Shahreen Abedin is a public relations strategy expert with a focus on driving national media coverage of innovation in a wide cross-section of industries including health care, higher education, life sciences and nonprofits. From two decades as a national multimedia journalist and communications professional, Abedin developed a keen understanding of local, regional and national news processes on all formats. She was a medical news Senior Producer at CNN in New York for Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and honed her journalism skills even further as a freelance science and health reporter. Abedin led in her career for almost a decade in Communications Director roles, first at Ascension and later at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin. 

She earned her bachelor’s degree at Southern Methodist University and her Juris Doctor degree at The University of Texas at Austin School of Law, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Leadership Austin.

Claiborne is an experienced strategic communications leader specializing in earned media, crisis response and high-stakes messaging in complex policy and political environments.

Currently, she leads her firm’s earned media practice, collaborating with clients to develop and implement media strategies that elevate voices on critical issues. Her efforts have successfully placed clients in local, regional, national and political media, amplifying messages that influence public opinion and policy.

Claiborne began her career as a television news producer, refining her skills in understanding the media landscape and mastering the ability to navigate fast-paced, high-pressure situations with precision and composure. She took those skills into public service, serving as Communications Director for Texas State Sen. Donna Campbell and former Austin City Council Member Ellen Troxclair.

She has directed numerous award-winning campaigns. Her commitment to her work was recognized on a global scale at the 20th Annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, where she won the Gold Prize for Female Employee of the Year in 2023.

A fifth-generation Texan and a graduate of Oklahoma State University, Claiborne is also a devoted wife and mother.

Chapman is a veteran journalist, accomplished storyteller and recognized crisis communications expert. She brings extensive experience managing breaking news and high-stakes events, offering clients calm, clarity and strategic focus when it matters most.

Before joining The Mach 1 Group, Chapman served as Executive Features Editor at the Austin American-Statesman, where she built trusted relationships with public officials, entrepreneurs and communication professionals across Texas and the nation. Under her leadership, her team earned multiple storytelling and writing awards from leading journalism organizations.

A past president and current board member of the Society for Features Journalism, Chapman continues to strengthen media relationships nationwide. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas and previously worked at The Kansas City Star and the Salem (OR) Statesman-Journal. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, live music and hiking with her rescue dog, Dottie.

Jamie Billman McCormick is a seasoned public affairs professional with nearly 20 years of experience in communications, external relations, and public policy. She has a strong track record of developing and executing strategies for complex issues across public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Most recently, McCormick was the Vice President of Public Affairs for the Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services, where she led policy, communications, and design efforts. Her key achievements include securing major funding reforms and leading a campaign for federal pandemic relief for former foster youth in Texas. A veteran Texas Senate staffer, she previously served as Communications Director and Analyst for Senator John Carona. McCormick’s background also includes campaign work, advancing state and federal initiatives, and collaborating with public agencies.

A graduate of Oklahoma State University, McCormick is a proud mom to Suzanna and Milo and wife to Shaun. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, climbing, and playing with their dogs, Floyd and Bessie. When alone, she can be found reading or painting.

Young is a distinguished communications professional with experience in national cable broadcast news, federal and state government, and campaign strategy. She began her career at The Fox News Channel in New York City, where she helped produce hit cable news shows such as “Glenn Beck,” “The Five” and “Hannity.” While in Washington, D.C., Young worked as a Communications Director on Capitol Hill and later as the Director of TV and Radio for the National Republican Congressional Committee. Prior to moving to Texas, she was Director of Communications for the North Carolina Speaker of the House, worked in Gov. Pat McCrory’s Administration and helped run a gubernatorial primary campaign in South Carolina.

At Mach 1, Young’s unique expertise and sharp senses have helped craft and lead award-winning communications campaigns and advise clients on national outreach. A graduate of the University at Buffalo, Young now enjoys exploring the world with her husband, Brian, and their three young children.

Carsyn Collins is a rising policy and communications professional with a passion for advocacy and public affairs. She has cultivated a robust skill set through her work with diverse organizations. Prior to joining The Mach 1 Group, Carsyn served as a Graduate Assistant at UT Austin’s newly established Disability Cultural Center where she quickly gained recognition for her ability to develop outreach strategies, manage comprehensive communications efforts, and spearhead events that promote disability advocacy within higher education.

Carsyn brings multifaceted experience in digital fundraising, legislative affairs and strategic communications, having worked across multiple sectors. As a Public Policy Intern at the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, she contributed to advancing pro-disability policy during the 88th Texas Legislative session. Her background also includes digital fundraising at Mothership Strategies and strategic communications for political campaigns where she applied her marketing skills to engage diverse audiences for nationally recognized PACs.

Carsyn holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Texas State University and a Master of Public Affairs from The University of Texas at Austin. In her spare time, she enjoys taking dance classes and exploring the live music scene in Austin.

Madeleine Bell is a marketing strategist who specializes in brand development, communications and operations. She has worked extensively across the restaurant, luxury real estate and private chef services industries, where she has led marketing campaigns, developed training programs and created systems that ensure brand consistency and measurable growth. At The Mach 1 Group, Bell supports both the team and clients by building processes that keep operations running smoothly and by bringing clarity and strategy to communications.

Before joining Mach 1, Bell served at the Texas Capitol as a staff member for Representative José Aliseda, where she supported legislative priorities and maintained constituent relations. Her early experience in government sharpened her skills in organization, messaging and advocacy, strengths she now applies to the structure and support of Mach 1’s internal operations.

Bell has since directed marketing and brand strategy for companies in the restaurant industry, where she oversaw design, digital campaigns and CRM systems to enhance efficiency and consistency. She has also consulted for luxury real estate groups and high-end hospitality brands, developing systems and strategies that elevate visibility and strengthen engagement.

Originally from Texas, Bell earned her degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Advertising and a minor in Psychology from Texas State University. She is passionate about building clear and compelling systems that strike a balance between creativity and precision. Outside of work, she splits her time between Austin and San Miguel de Allende with her three children, where she enjoys travel, local food culture and community-driven projects.