Our Firm

We love to build—and to help our clients build too—so they can create a positive impact for themselves and the people they serve. Our work is guided by respect, trust, integrity, and kindness. We partner with clients to strengthen relationships, build community, and measure meaningful impact and growth.

Our Firm

We love to build—and to help our clients build too—so they can create a positive impact for themselves and the people they serve. Our work is guided by respect, trust, integrity, and kindness. We partner with clients to strengthen relationships, build community, and measure meaningful impact and growth.

23 East Group

Our Story

Led by Devika Rao, we’ve evolved with intention. Devika acquired O’Neill Communications in 2022 and, in January 2023, rebranded and relaunched as 23 East Group. The name reflects her roots and our mindset: curiosity and change, grounded in the values that have always shaped our approach.

“23 East” points to foundation and new beginnings—an inspiration from the address of Devika’s generational family home in India, a place she describes as centering. “Group” represents togetherness and shared progress, built with clients, partners, friends, and colleagues. Our icon—a stylized “23”—invites interpretation and conversation, reinforcing our belief that what’s next should be explored together.

At 23 East Group, we stay grounded in respect, integrity, kindness, and service—while helping our clients move forward with what’s next.

Our Story

Led by Devika Rao, we’ve evolved with intention. Devika acquired O’Neill Communications in 2022 and, in January 2023, rebranded and relaunched as 23 East Group. The name reflects her roots and our mindset: curiosity and change, grounded in the values that have always shaped our approach.


“23
East” points to foundation and new beginnings—an inspiration from the address of Devika’s generational family home in India, a place she describes as centering. “Group” represents togetherness and shared progress, built with clients, partners, friends, and colleagues. Our icon—a stylized “23”—invites interpretation and conversation, reinforcing our belief that what’s next should be explored together.


At
23 East Group, we stay grounded in respect, integrity, kindness, and service—while helping our clients move forward with what’s next.

Let's start from the beginning

In 2014, our president and CEO, Devika Rao, was hired by O’Neill Communications. In 2022, she acquired the company from the former owners, and in January 2023, the firm was rebranded to 23 East Group. And as they say, the rest is history.

The Story behind the brand

The Name: 23 East is a nod to roots and foundation, a must-have for any good brand to center itself and thrive. It is a part of the address of Devika’s generational family home in India, a place that she considers to be her foundation, a place of centering. East represents new beginnings, innovation, and fresh ideas. Group highlights togetherness. We don’t get to our successes alone. And it is with our clients, partners, friends, and colleagues being a part of the firm’s ecosystem that our success has been mutual and formative.

The Icon

The icon is an artistic form of 23, allowing for interpretation and conversation, a result of effective marketing and communications. Additionally, two plus three equals five, and five represents curiosity and change. The icon enables curiosity, a must-have trait to be a good communicator and marketer. And, with curiosity, we can welcome and embrace our only constant: change. The firm continues to transform its services and capabilities to harness tomorrow’s demand. Through it all, our core foundational values remain the same: respect, integrity, kindness, and service.

"The firm has transformed in services and capabilities to harness tomorrow’s demand, but our core foundational values remain the same: respect, integrity, kindness, and service."
Devika Rao
President & CEO of 23 East Group
Woman standing at a podium with a laptop in a conference room while presenting, with audience members seated and informational posters in the background.

Who we work with

We partner with state government agencies and nonprofit organizations that work with and advocate on behalf of the intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD) community to help define and amplify advocacy efforts through effective storytelling.

We support nonprofit organizations as their marketing agencies to help them increase awareness and outreach.

We outfit as a Fractional Marketing Department for growth-stage B2B startups to help them build brand awareness and scale.

Meet the 23 East Team

With experience in nonprofit communications, event production, social media, graphic design, storytelling, and web design and development, the firm is powered by a talented team that brings together expertise, enthusiasm, moxie, and passion for the work we do.

Anna Freeman

Account Coordinator

Justin Gold

Marketing Operations Assistant

Daniel Gonell

User Experience Designer

Lorena Gonell

User Experience Designer

Ariana Kendricks

Lead Graphic Designer

Alexandra O'Neal

Multimedia Designer

Devika Rao

President & CEO

Kim Shoaf

Production Manager

Tiffany Wong

Social Media Specialist

Meet the 23 East Team

With experience in nonprofit communications, event production, social media, graphic design, storytelling, and web design and development, the firm is powered by a talented team that brings together expertise, enthusiasm, moxie, and passion for the work we do.

Anna Freeman

Account Coordinator

Justin Gold

Marketing Operations Assistant

Daniel Gonell

User Experience Designer

Lorena Gonell

User Experience Designer

Ariana Kendricks

Lead Graphic Designer

Alexandra O'Neal

Multimedia Designer

Devika Rao

President & CEO

Kim Shoaf

Production Manager

Tiffany Wong

Social Media Specialist