Ridge Global LLC

Sandra Baer
Principal, Business Development

Sandra Baer is responsible for securing new clients, supporting engagements and advancing each client’s business, political and security needs.  Throughout Ms. Baer’s professional career, she has focused on relationship marketing, business development and external affairs. She has held high level positions in the communications industry—telecommunications, wireless, internet, broadcasting and cable—and has extensive experience in homeland security, government affairs and public safety preparedness.  She has held senior positions at Sprint Nextel, BellSouth, Verizon, The Discovery Channel, Cable & Wireless and Cox Communications. Ms. Baer works with national and global clients to build effective strategies to generate new business, enter new markets and solve business challenges. As an innovative leader, Ms. Baer has utilized her collaboration skills to build several public private partnerships. As a professional speaker, Ms. Baer has spoken to domestic and international audiences on resilience and preparedness.  She holds a B.A. from the University of Missouri and an MBA from Georgia State University.  

S. Michele Nix
Principal, Senior Strategist and Chief Communications Officer

S. Michele Nix leads Ridge Global's communications, media, marketing and branding functions and serves as the company's chief spokesperson. Additionally Ms. Nix partners with internal and external team members to ensure that organizational development, business strategy and client services are consistent with the company's core principles and premier reputation. Ms. Nix brings 20+ years of experience to her post, previously serving as a senior public affairs official to Secretary Ridge at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. For eight years prior, Ms. Nix was a consultant, focusing on executive visibility, reputation management, crisis communication, speechwriting and media training for high-profile CEOs and prominent national political figures. Before that, Ms. Nix served as a member of President George H. W. Bush's White House speechwriting team and later as a senior corporate communications aide to the chairman of MCI. A published author, Ms. Nix lectures on the subjects of presidential address, leadership communication and public messaging and currently serves as a member of the Center for the Strategic Study of the Presidency, the World Affairs Council and the European Institute. She holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Texas and an M.A. in Public Communication from American University.

Luke Ritter
Principal, Global Trade Security

Mr. Ritter provides strategic management support to clients focused on security and resilience initiatives in global trade.  He brings significant leadership experience in trade security and business process improvement to this practice area. Mr. Ritter is the co-author of Securing Global Transportation Networks (McGraw Hill, 2006), which has received widespread critical acclaim from industry publications and was selected as the American Society for Industrial Security's "Book of the Month." Prior to joining Ridge Global, Mr. Ritter was the founder and CEO of Trident Global Partners, a management consulting firm specializing in global trade security. He has been published and quoted in Journal of Commerce, Security Management, Directors Monthly, Traffic World, and Cargo Security International. Mr. Ritter has pioneered the concept of Total Security Management (TSM), a business process improvement strategy designed to create value by managing security and resilience requirements as core business functions. He is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and holds an MBA from Old Dominion University. He is board certified by the American Society of Transportation and Logistics (AST&L), and serves on the Transportation Security Council of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS).

Susan Galen
Special Assistant to Tom Ridge

As the chief aide to the CEO, Ms. Galen serves as Secretary Ridge's confidential assistant and additionally manages day-to-day administrative operations. Previously, Ms. Galen was the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security beginning February 2003 through March 2005. From June 2001 to January 2003, she held the position of Special Assistant to the President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Following the 2000 Election, Ms. Galen was an Assistant to the Executive Director of the Presidential Inaugural Committee. She also served on the George W. Bush Presidential Exploratory Committee beginning in March 1999. Prior to her government service, Ms. Galen worked for EDS Corporation for over 18 years starting in the Government Services Division in Washington DC in 1977. From 1990 through 1995, she worked for the Chief Financial Officer at corporate headquarters in Dallas and Plano, Texas. Ms. Galen worked for Frito Lay Corporation 1996 to 1998 and held the position of Assistant to the Chairman.

Kathleen Landy
Associate

Ms. Landy works alongside Ridge Global principals to identify, meet and implement client strategy, marketing and business development solutions.  She manages client relationships, bringing tactical and creative direction to projects and initiatives and ensuring dynamic and efficient communications.  Ms. Landy facilitates key project components, including client reports, briefings and other materials for both internal and external stakeholders. Ms. Landy serves as an in-house analyst and primary research director on key subject issues, ranging from global trade security to international development issues to market trends. Additionally, she manages all research resources for both client and in-house teams. Conversant in French, Ms. Landy has worked, traveled, studied and volunteered abroad, and holds a B.B.A in Marketing with a minor in English literature from James Madison University.