About
Mission
Leveraging our collective intellect and ability, FairWinds expertly balances each client’s potential risks and rewards to produce leading portfolios of digital names. FairWinds also provides forward-looking advice to clients so they may improve their business and stay ahead of the ever-evolving digital ecosystem. Through our partnership, clients gain confidence while facing the opaque areas of strategic importance that involve domain names.
Vision
FairWinds delivers quality services to its clients through the application of novel and strategic ideas and methods to improve the value derived from clients’ digital name assets. We enhance our clients’ digital business potential, and reduce online threats to their brands, partners, and customers.
Your Partner in Navigating Internet Strategy
At FairWinds Partners, our mission is threefold: to help our clients chart the most favorable course for their domain name portfolio; to keep them abreast of emerging online opportunities; and to ensure that they avoid common pitfalls. By increasing the speed at which our clients adapt to changing landscapes, we enable them to provide relevant content to Internet users and stay ahead of elusive cybersquatters.
FairWinds is the leading domain name strategy consulting firm, offering its clients authoritative knowledge on domain names, online trademark enforcement, and online traffic optimization. Fortune 500 companies, global industry leaders and other professional organizations rely on our team of experienced thought leaders to achieve their online business goals.
Partner Brands
DigitalDNA specializes in digital asset valuation, acquisition, and divestiture. Owning the right digital assets, such as domain names or social media usernames, can provide instant and significant competitive advantages to a company or brand. DigitalDNA discretely and candidly advises brand owners on how to optimize their digital presence and leverage opportunities as they arise.
Kalorama is the preeminent IP advisory boutique, working with companies globally on both their IPv4 acquisitions and divestitures as well as their transition to IPv6. Kalorama promotes transparency and transaction consistency, which will increasingly bring the market efficiency to levels in line with other marketplaces further along in their maturation.
Management
Josh Bourne
Managing Partner
Josh Bourne is a recognized thought leader on internet domain name and number spaces. Josh’s businesses are trusted authorities in their respective fields. In addition to FairWinds Partners, Josh founded and runs DigitalDNA, a specialist in domain name transactional advisory services, and Kalorama, a leader in the marketplace for trading IPv4 addresses. Josh is a frequent speaker at industry events and has provided expert witness testimony in private-sector and public-sector settings. A graduate of the University of Richmond, he received a B.A. Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and a Minor in Leadership Studies.
Joshua S. Bourne
Managing Partner
A recognized thought leader on the domain name system and digital marketing and brand protection strategies, Josh Bourne is a frequent speaker at industry events. Bourne also serves as President of the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA). A graduate of the University of Richmond, he received a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and a Minor in Leadership Studies. Bourne lives with his wife, Blair, and their two sons and daughter in suburban Washington, DC.
Our Clients
FairWinds partners with brands across a variety of industries. From Fortune 100 companies to leading nonprofits, we help our clients protect their online reputation.
Partner Brands
Leveraging our collective intellect and ability, FairWinds expertly balances each client’s potential risks and rewards to produce leading portfolios of digital names and strategies for IP addresses. FairWinds also provides forward-looking advice to clients so they may improve their business and stay ahead of the ever-evolving digital ecosystem. Through our partnership, clients gain confidence while facing the opaque areas of strategic importance that involve domain names and IP addresses.
Vision
FairWinds delivers quality services to its clients through the application of novel and strategic ideas and methods to improve the value derived from clients’ digital name and IP address assets. We enhance our clients’ digital business potential, and reduce online threats to their brands, partners, and customers.
The FairWinds Staff
Consulting
Liz Sweezey
Vice President
Liz Sweezey has been with FairWinds Partners since September 2007, working with clients to optimize their domain name portfolios in step with online and industry changes. Liz oversees the consulting team, which provides clients with the targeted and knowledgeable FairWinds-backed advice they need to make informed decisions relating to protection and promotion of their brands online. An alumna of the University of the South in Sewanee, TN, Liz graduated with a B.A. in Political Science.
Melissa Verrilli
Manager of Client Services
Melissa joined the FairWinds team and immediately became a new gTLD specialist, helping to develop our services to help clients apply for, acquire, and leverage their own new gTLDs. She also serves as a liaison between clients and vendors and partners on a regular basis in order to make sure each company’s needs are effectively met. Melissa graduated with Honors in Economics from Georgetown University.
Tom Carroll
Manager of Reclaim and Research
Tom brings experience in project management, as well as a knack for creative thinking and problem solving to his role as Manager of Reclaim and Research. He works with clients to develop effective online marketing strategies that save them time, money, and hassle. Tom is also responsible for overseeing FairWinds’ team of interns. Tom holds a B.S. in International Business and Marketing from Georgetown University.
Alex White
Engagement Manager
Alex contributes to a variety of projects as Engagement Manager, all of which aim to help clients optimize their use of digital identifiers to improve their online branding strategies. He has advised clients through the FairWinds Advisory Brief, has helped clients improve their domain name enforcement efforts, and has provided strategic guidance on all aspects of the New gTLD Program. Alex also helps grow FairWinds through business development activities. Before FairWinds, Alex worked as a Sales Executive at Vocus, a PR and Marketing software company. He received a B.A. in History from Bowdoin College.
Morgan Wimberley
Associate
Morgan works with clients to devise effective online strategies that integrate trademark protection and brand promotion. She also provides targeted advice to clients based on FairWinds’ proprietary research and expertise, which enables them to make the best decisions about how to protect and promote their brands online. Morgan graduated from Harvard University in 2008 with a B.A. in Government.
Inha Choi
Associate
As an Associate on the Consulting team, Inha works with clients to provide them with targeted and strategic recommendations to help them build their business online by protecting and promoting their brands. Inha received a B.S. in International Political Economy from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
Lillian Fosteris
Associate
Lillian, an associate on FairWinds’ Consulting team, contributes to a variety of projects that help clients optimize their digital brand promotion and protection strategies. She also specializes in providing new gTLD consulting services. Lillian received a B.A. in Economics, with minors in Mathematics and Modern Greek, from Georgetown University in Washington, DC, in 2011.
Molly Burke
Associate
Molly joined the FairWinds Consulting team after a successful internship. As an Associate, she provides support for a wide range of client projects, keeps clients up to date on the latest domain name recommendations with the FairWinds Advisory Brief, and helps to research and develop new services. Molly earned a B.A. in History from Georgetown University, where she also minored in English.
Mark Wasmund
Associate
Mark mans FairWinds’ Saratoga, NY office, where he works closely with Managing Partner Phil Lodico on a variety of projects, focusing on business development and outreach strategies to increase FairWinds’ profile and attract new clients. Mark graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where he studied Economics and minored in Latin American Studies.
Domain Name Administration
Brenda Forrester
Manager
Brenda works with Wendy to fulfill components of FairWinds’ Outsource Administration Solutions by providing domain account management for FairWinds clients.
Brenda has been on the operations side of the domain name business for nine years. Through her previous work as a Client Representative at Iron Mountain and a Fulfillment Analyst at VeriSign Inc., she has become an expert on the processes and procedures involved in registering, modifying and transferring domains. In addition, Brenda’s extensive experience conducting transactions in international registries will enable her to help FairWinds clients maintain a healthy and robust portfolio. Brenda graduated from Lone Star College in Houston, TX, where she received a certificate in Legal Assisting.
Wendy Zimmerhanzel-Gitlitz
Manager
Wendy works with Brenda to fulfill components of FairWinds’ Outsource Administration Solutions by providing domain account management for FairWinds clients.
Before joining FairWinds, Wendy spent six years as a Client Executive at Arcemus LLC (which was purchased by Iron Mountain in May 2004) where she provided intellectual property protection and brand strategy services on the Internet to the Fortune 1000, Small/Medium Enterprises and SOHO businesses. Having been in the domain industry for a total of 11 years, she has mastered the ins and outs of domain name management. Wendy will provide FairWinds clients with the personalized and expert attention that they need in order to maintain a strong and flourishing portfolio. Wendy graduated from the Brazos Business College in Bryan, Texas and holds Certificates in Human Services from both Tomball Junior College and Prairie View A&M University. She currently resides in Montgomery with her husband, David, and her daughter.
Kelly Doane
Domain Name Administrator
Kelly works on FairWinds’ Domain Name Administration team with Wendy and Brenda, managing domain name accounts for FairWinds clients.
Before joining FairWinds, Kelly worked at Melbourne IT, where she administered registrations in ccTLDs and gTLDs for clients. Prior to that, she worked in the Corporate Services Division for Register.com and later, Corporation Service Company. She brings eight years of experience working with clients to manage their domain name portfolios. Kelly is a native of Nova Scotia, Canada, and holds a degree in Business, Information and Technology from Nova Scotia Community College, where she studied at the Burridge campus.
Domain Name Reclaim Services
Steve Levy
Counsel
As counsel with 20 years experience practicing law, Steve Levy oversees and manages FairWinds’ Domain Name Reclaim Services. FairWinds’ Domain Reclaim Services provide a cost-effective and reliable means of prioritizing infringements and successfully reclaiming those that will optimize each client’s online presence. Steve Levy manages all of the administrative and legal aspects of domain name recovery and determines the optimal means for reclaiming valuable infringements.
Steve was previously The Home Depot’s Senior Director - Legal for ten years, handling worldwide intellectual property matters that included trademark and domain name management. Prior to that, Steve was a Senior Associate at Proskauer Rose LLP, Trademark Counsel at Sony Corporation (Tokyo) and an Associate at Amster Rothstein & Ebenstein. Steve’s experience covers a broad range of legal tools to manage the assets and exposures of both large, multinational companies and small businesses alike. He also has extensive experience with, and perspective on, the full range of intellectual property tools and assets including trademarks, copyrights, patents and domain names. Steve is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and currently resides in Philadelphia, PA.
Communications and Marketing
Yvette Miller
Vice President
Yvette Miller oversees FairWinds’ communications and marketing team, developing outreach strategies and managing their implementation. She works closely with FairWinds’ Managing Partners on FairWinds’ messaging, and increasing awareness of the company’s research and services in various media. She also fulfills these duties for the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA). Yvette holds a B.A. in English and Government from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
Samantha Demetriou
Director of Marketing and Communications
Samantha manages the development and production of FairWinds’ communications materials, including both internal and external publications, which are designed to educate audiences about FairWinds’ research and leadership in the field of domain name and digital identifier strategy. She is responsible for media relations and press outreach to raise FairWinds’ visibility among the public. She also fulfills these duties for CADNA as part of its Communications team. Samantha received a B.A. in Linguistics and Spanish with a minor in Business, as well as an M.A. in Language and Communications from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
Elizabeth Cummings
Marketing Manager
Elizabeth takes the lead on many of FairWinds’ major marketing, advertising, and promotional efforts. She is constantly seeking out new and innovative ways to increase FairWinds’ visibility and appeal to new clients. She specializes in developing creative promotional materials, including marketing collateral, print brochures, and various digital media. Elizabeth is also one of the Communications and Marketing team’s elite squad of grammar enforcers. She graduated from Georgetown University with a B.A. in French and minors in Government and Arabic.
Zane Bundy
Associate
Zane works closely with the members of the Communications & Marketing team to develop and execute on a variety of initiatives, focusing on brand management and external outreach. She also coordinates communications and marketing efforts across FairWinds’ business units, making sure the various groups are all on the same (pun intended) page. Prior to joining FairWinds, Zane worked as a treasury management sales analyst at Wells Fargo. She received her B.A. in English with a Minor in Economics from Vassar College, and is now working toward a Masters Degree in PR and Communications at Georgetown University.
Tucker Johns
Associate
Tucker handles many of FairWinds’ internal communications and provides supporting work and research to help create a wide range of the company’s marketing and communications materials. He also performs media monitoring to keep the FairWinds team up to date on the latest news developments. Tucker graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his B.A. in Urban Studies and Hispanic Studies. He spent a semester in Barcelona and speaks Spanish.
Domain Name Acquisitions and Divestitures — DigitalDNA
Taylor Frank
Vice President, Strategy and Development
Taylor specializes in transacting digital assets, and works closely with clients to identify and capitalize on unique business opportunities. He leads a team that conducts industry research, analyses, and competitive comparisons to assess the real and potential value of digital assets, and transforms that knowledge into targeted, strategic advice to clients. Taylor is also responsible for identifying and executing on new ways to evolve the DigitalDNA business.
Taylor graduated from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business with a B.S. in Business Administration, having double-majored in Finance and Management of New and Small Businesses.
Cameron Gordon
Associate
Cameron conducts extensive research and analysis on a wide range of digital assets and online properties for DigitalDNA, assessing the value they hold for buyers and sellers. He also identifies new business leads and opportunities to grow DigitalDNA. Cameron holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where he majored in Finance and Marketing.
Operations
Peter Langdon
President & Chief Operating Officer
Peter Langdon is FairWinds’ President and Chief Operating Officer. He has 20 years of experience in market-facing business innovation in the Internet and technology sectors around solution sales, marketing, business strategy, operations, and management. Peter manages the operations of the business and oversees the Consulting, Communications & Marketing, and Operations teams. Peter graduated from Colorado College with a B.A. in Political Science with emphasis on International Relations and a minor in Contemporary French Studies. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife and two children.
Melina Pardo
Director of Operations
Melina serves as FairWinds’ Director of Operations. She manages all accounts payable and receivables, as well as vendor relations, and also handles all of FairWinds’ human resources needs. Melina graduated from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, where she studied Business Management.
Peter Gage
Manager of Finance and Operations
Peter is in charge of all things financial at FairWinds. Not only does he ensure that all the proper procedures are in place and complied with, he is also responsible for overseeing all the tactical aspects of FairWinds’ financial activities. Additionally, Peter manages the organizational and logistical operations of FairWinds. Prior to joining FairWinds, he served as the Finance Director for Bungalow LLC. Peter earned a B.A. in Economics from Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO.
Cara Cattaneo
Office Manager
As FairWinds’ Office Manager, Cara supports the Operations team, namely the President and COO and the Manager of Operations and Finance, in a variety of tasks related to running the office. She manages general upkeep and handles accounts payable and receivable. She is also responsible for recruiting new hires. Cara graduated from Roanoke College in Salem, VA, with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.
The FairWinds Advisory Board
FairWinds Partners benefits from the strategic guidance of proven experts from diverse fields.
Naotaka Matsukata
Chair of Advisory Board and Chief Policy Advisor
As Managing Director for Six Trees Partners, Naotaka Matsukata advises multinational corporate and international public sector clients on global trade, investment and regulatory issues in Asia and Europe. He advises sovereign governments on economic, trade and investment policies, as well as economic policy planning. For private sector clients, he develops strategies addressing the complex regulatory and political challenges confronting organizations of global scope. Prior to Six Trees, Dr. Matsukata was Senior Vice President for Global Policy for Mylan Corp., one of the world’s largest generic pharmaceutical companies. Before joining Mylan, he was a Senior Policy Advisor at the law firm Alston & Bird, LLP for five years where he led the International Strategic Business Practice. Previously, Dr. Matsukata was director of policy planning for U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick and served as advisor to the USTR, where he currently serves as a member of the private sector Trade and Environmental Policy Advisory Committee. From 1995 to 2000, he served as senior policy advisor to United States Senator Joseph I. Lieberman. Dr. Matsukata has a B.F.A. from New York University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Japanese history from Harvard University, where he also served on the faculty. He is currently an adjunct professor of Japanese history at SAIS, the School for Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
Kenneth Hittel
Digital Strategy Advisor
For over a decade, Kenneth Hittel led the Corporate Internet Department at the New York Life Insurance Company, where he was instrumental in shaping the company’s digital marketing and branding strategy across a variety of websites and other digital media. Dr. Hittel has nearly 20 years of experience overseeing the planning, construction, promotion, and strategic use of websites, online customer portals, mobile, and social media. During his tenure at the New York Life Insurance Company, Dr. Hittel conceived and implemented the first Web-based customer service functionality provided by a life insurance company for its customers. He is an expert in digital marketing, and in driving customer engagement and sales through the strategic use of online properties. Dr. Hittel received a B.A. from Notre Dame University in British Columbia, Canada, followed by participation in Johns Hopkins University’s M.L.A. Program. He went on to complete an M.A. in Philosophy and Economics and a Ph.D. at the New School for Social Research, where his thesis received The Kurt Reizler Memorial Award in the fields of Philosophy and Political Science.
Nils Montan
Trademark Consultant
Nils Victor Montan has over 30 years of experience as an intellectual property lawyer and consultant in various settings, including private practice with law firms, 14 years as Vice President and Senior Intellectual Property Counsel with Warner Bros., and 2 years as the President of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coaliton (the "IACC"). During the time he was at Warner Bros., Nils was also a Member of the Board of Directors, an Officer and a President of the International Trademark Association (the "INTA"). Mr. Montan is the author of the book "Trademark Counterfeiting In Asia And the Pacific Rim" (2000) and the chapter on AntiCounterfeiting in the book "Famous And Well-Known Trademarks." He also co-authored a chapter entitled "How To Build An Effective Anti-Counterfeiting Program," in the book "Trademark Counterfeiting," as well as many articles concerning intellectual property published in journals and magazines. In recent years, Mr. Montan has devoted much of his attention to the intersection of law and Social Media. He is the owner of two well-known membership websites, IPAlly and Law & Social Media.
Caroline Pearlstein
Consultant
Caroline Pearlstein, an attorney with nearly 20 years of intellectual property experience, will now be assisting FairWinds as a Consultant and Advisory Board Member. In 2008, Ms. Pearlstein served as Marketing, Trademarks and Operations Counsel for the Glaceau International Business Unit of The Coca-Cola Company. Prior to accepting the position with Glaceau International, Ms. Pearlstein worked for 12 years as Trademark Counsel for The Coca-Cola Company, where she handled all aspects of trademark law for North America and various foreign jurisdictions of Coke. Ms. Pearlstein’s duties as Trademark Counsel included the clearance and prosecution of trademarks, the prevention of and defense against third-party conflicts and the handling of multi-billion dollar acquisitions of intellectual property. In 1996, Ms. Pearlstein authored The Coca-Cola Company's first and subsequently long-standing Internet enforcement policy and implementation guidelines and procedures. Ms. Pearlstein has served as past President of the Corporate Counsel Section of the Atlanta Bar Association and as a Board Member and Vice President of Advocacy and Communications for the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel. Ms. Pearlstein received her JD from UCLA School of Law and is a member of the State Bars of California, Georgia, and Washington, D.C.
Katie Kendal Richards
Consultant
Prior to working as Director, Europe for FairWinds Partners and European Liaison for the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse from 2009 to 2010, Ms. Richards served on FairWinds’ Advisory board. Katie worked at Credit Suisse from 2000 to 2009, and served in a number of roles across bank divisions, most recently as Director responsible for Innovation and Implementation with in Global Research. Previous positions in the bank include Business Risk Manager for Marketing Corporate Center for CS Private and Retail Banking; Risk Manager, Controls and Compliance for on-line e-trading; Head of Web Identity and Usability at CS Group; and as a Senior Investment Manager for CS Private Banking. In addition to her wealth of experience, Ms. Richards is a certified financial risk manager by the Global Association of Risk Practitioners (GARP) and a certified Lean Sigma Black Belt in Operational Excellence. Before Credit Suisse, Ms. Richards was a financial risk management consultant for IBM Switzerland and worked in derivatives sales for Salomon Brothers in New York, London and Zurich. Ms. Richards has a Masters of Philosophy in International Relations from King’s College in Cambridge, United Kingdom and a Masters of Science in Shipping, Trade and Finance from Cass Business School in London. She completed her Bachelor of Commerce degree at McGill University and her Diploma of Collegial Studies at John Abbott College, both in Montreal, Canada.
Arthur Silverstein
Trademark Consultant
Arthur Silverstein has been a corporate trademark attorney throughout his career, working in the law departments of J. C. Penney Company and Nabisco Brands, Inc. before joining Pfizer Inc. in 1990. He became the head of Pfizer's Trademark Department in 1995 and retired from Pfizer as Assistant General Counsel in January 2008. Mr. Silverstein has been an active member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) for many years, having served on the Board of Directors, the Editorial Board of the Trademark Reporter and the U.S. Legislation Committee. He also represented Pfizer in the Pharmaceuticals Trade Marks Group (PTMG) and chaired the U.S. Trademark Law Committee of the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) from 2002-04. Art is currently Deputy Publisher of The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, a monthly print and online publication serving the corporate legal community.