ABOUT US
A Family-Owned Firm
J. Phil and LaRonda met as students in Pau, France during the summer of 2000. Philippe was a university student on campus during the summer break and LaRonda attended courses as an American study abroad student.
The rest is history . . . a few decades later, after 18 years of marriage and two beautiful boys, they own and operate their family-based public relations firm to meet high standards of integrity, service and ingenuity in the field.
Expertise
ECCO | Crisis Management | Crisis Communications | Organizational Dynamics
Education
Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, 2009, B.A. Public Relations
Camden County College, Camden, New Jersey, 2007, A.A. Communications & Advertising
Languages
English (fluent), French (fluent), Spanish (fluent), Italian (proficient), Latin (fluent), Agni – West African dialect (fluent)
J. Phil Koffi
Owner | Principal
J. Phil Koffi is the Owner and Principal of Akanson Consulting Group Inc, a firm that provides media and public relations services. The public relations branch designs personalized ECCO plans, which is an approach that integrates communications and contingency planning to keep organizations up and running under any circumstance. The firm also offers professional development training, and translation and tutoring of French, Spanish and Italian.
Before attaining his Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations with Superior Academic Achievement from Rowan University, one of 22 accredited public relations schools worldwide and 11 in the United States, Philippe interned at the United States Department of Labor, Office of Public Affairs. Phil studied advanced Spanish at Universidad del Pais Basco in San Sebatian, Spain. He also achieved an Associate of Arts degree in Public Relations and Advertising from Camden County College.
Phil is fluent in French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, and Agni (West African dialect). He also studied constitutional law at Université Montesquieu Bordeaux IV in Bordeaux (France) and history at the Université de Pau and Pays de l’Adour in Pau (France). He has lived for extended period in West Africa (Ivory Coast) and Europe (France and Spain), where he was an honor graduate sergeant of the French Army and bronze medallion of honor recipient for exceptional service rendered.
He is member of Golden Key, International Honor Society, Lamdda Pi Eta, National Communication Honor Society, Phi Beta Delta, Honor Society for International Scholars, and Phi Theta Kappa, International Honor Society for two-year Colleges. Phil was also awarded the following distinctions: December 2008 PRaction Publications Award for outstanding service and dedication to the chapter’s publications; May 2008 PRaction Award for endless support and dedication to PRaction, and for contributing a significant amount of time, energy and effort to the firm’s success; November 2007 PRSSA Member of the Month award; May 2007 Camden County College Departmental Award for Academic Excellence in Public Relations/Advertising; May 2001 French Military Bronze Medallion of Honor for Exceptional Service Rendered; and, September 2000 Honor Graduate and Certificate of Achievement French National Army.
Expertise
Syngeries4 | Organizational Dynamics | Copywriting/Editing | Grant Writing & Project Management
Education
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2007, Master’s, Governmental Administration/ Policy Analysis
Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, 2002, B.A. Economics & Political Science, International Studies/French
Languages
English (fluent), French (proficient)
LaRonda Koffi
Chief Executive Officer
LaRonda Koffi was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to hard working parents from Mobile, Alabama. She has pent most of her life in South Jersey. LaRonda has vast experience working in government for nearly two decades, with most of her career in governmental and public affairs. She has also held federal government positions in grants management, program and project management. At Akanson, she is the creator of Synergies4 and specializes in document editing, web design and development, and media relations. She has served in the U.S. Army National Guard for eight years, earning her “wings” by successfully completing a Parachutist Airborne Course. LaRonda studied advanced French at Université de Pau in Pau, France, and interned at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York City.
LaRonda earned her Master of Governmental Administration degree from University of Pennsylvania, Fels Institute of Government, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree with a distinction of Magna Cum Laude in a dual-major of Political Science and Economics, a concentration in International Relations, and a French Minor from Rowan University. LaRonda enjoys spending time with her boys, knitting, triathlons, competitive running and ultra-marathons. LaRonda qualified for the Boston Marathon with a 3:36 (2018) marathon time and completed the 2020 Boston Marathon Virtual Experience.