By Mallory Johnston
Picture credit – A Murray Photography
Inside the Woman Who Protects Reputations, Negotiates Futures, and Builds Unshakeable Leverage
Before most professionals reach for their first cup of coffee, Raquel Riley Thomas is already shaping the trajectory of someone’s career.
A contract clause is being reviewed. A reputational issue is being quietly contained. A strategic pivot is underway before the public ever senses a tremor. Her mornings rarely begin with noise. They begin with decisions.
Raquel Riley Thomas has a certification from Harvard Business in Mastery of Negotiations. Thus, she does not need to chase attention. She engineers outcomes.
As Founder and CEO of An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC (AOAGWLLC) a veteran-owned global media and entertainment firm, Raquel leads a four-division operation designed to protect, position, and scale talent, brands, and organizations operating under intense scrutiny. Her firm integrates public relations, talent management, brand management, and production into a single, coordinated ecosystem, giving clients not just visibility, but leverage.
“We don’t sell hype,” Raquel says. “We protect power.”
That distinction has made her one of the world’s most trusted behind-the-scenes strategists in media, entertainment, corporate consulting, and advocacy spaces. AOAGWLLC has successfully negotiated multiple six-figure agreements, including deals exceeding a quarter of a million dollars, while simultaneously managing high-risk reputational scenarios capable of derailing careers, partnerships, and institutional funding.
Picture credit – A Murray Photography
Much of her most critical work never becomes public.
“There are moments when one sentence in a contract, one phone call, or one response determines whether someone moves forward or collapses,” she says. “That’s not the moment for emotion. That’s the moment for strategy.”
Clients describe her as composed, precise, and relentlessly prepared. Friends half-jokingly compare her to a real-life Olivia Pope, a popular television character. Raquel understands the comparison, but reframes it quickly.
“Real crisis management isn’t dramatic,” she explains. “It’s disciplined. It’s preventive. If I’ve done my job correctly, no one ever knows there was a crisis.”
An Architecture Built for Control
Picture credit – A Murray Photography
AOAGWLLC was never designed to resemble a traditional media and entertainment agency. Raquel built it as an infrastructure company, one capable of handling the full life cycle of a client’s brand and career.
- Public Relations Division: Media relations, narrative architecture, and crisis communications
- Talent Management Division: Contract negotiations, bookings, and long-term career strategy
- Brand Management Division: Partnerships, sponsorships, and corporate collaborations
- Production Division: Film, live events, and content development
This integrated structure eliminates fragmentation, one of the most common causes of career instability.
“When publicists, managers, and brand strategists aren’t aligned, things fall apart,” Raquel says. “We removed that risk by housing everything in one ecosystem.”
The result is speed, clarity, and control, three advantages that matter most when stakes are high.
Forged in Military Leadership
Picture credit – A Murray Photography
Raquel’s calm under pressure style did not originate in entertainment.
It was forged in the United States Army, where she served as an Ordnance Captain, responsible for operational leadership, logistics oversight, and mission planning.
“The military teaches you to assess risk quickly, make decisions with incomplete information, and own the outcome,” she says. “That mindset transfers perfectly to executive leadership.”
After transitioning to civilian life, she noticed a troubling pattern: talented people were being placed into high-visibility positions without protective infrastructure. They were celebrated publicly but unsupported strategically.
She built AOAGWLLC to close that gap.
“I saw people failing not because they lacked talent, but because no one protected them,” she says.
Power as a Family Language
Picture credit – Leo Marshall Photography
Leadership is also woven into Raquel’s personal life. Her husband, a West Point graduate and attorney, is known for resolving complex problems quietly and decisively.
“He fixes things before people even realize there’s a problem,” she says, smiling. “That kind of leadership is powerful. And honestly, it’s sexy.”
Their 20-year marriage mirrors her professional philosophy: anticipate, act, protect.
Building Futures—Not Just Moments
Picture credit – Leo Marshall Photography
Since founding AOAGWLLC in 2011, Raquel has supported national film releases, major brand campaigns, advocacy initiatives, and corporate programs.
Most recently, AOAGWLLC’s Talent Management division assisted in casting for the psychological thriller Watch It, produced by Sis-to-Sis Productions and starring actress Towanda Braxton. Raquel also negotiated a cameo appearance and soundtrack placement for her daughter, Maria Raquel, a singer, songwriter, and composer, approaching the opportunity with the same contractual rigor she applies to every client.
She has likewise negotiated international magazine coverage and product placement for her teen gourmet chef, Sophia.
“I don’t separate family from business ethics,” Raquel says. “Every contract deserves full protection.”
Defense as Philosophy
Picture credit – Leo Marshall Photography
A high-ranking martial artist in Taekwondo, Raquel also leads DefendRILEY, an advocacy platform focused on self-defense, situational awareness, and personal empowerment for women and girls.
Through workshops and partnerships, DefendRILEY equips participants with practical tools for safety, confidence, and awareness.
“For me, advocacy and business are connected,” she explains. “Both are about reducing vulnerability through knowledge.”
Redefining Where Power Lives
Picture credit – Leo Marshall Photography
Raquel has been inducted into the Library of Congress and has received more than 75 industry awards connected to projects and clients supported by her firm. But accolades are not her measure of success.
“I care about what still exists five years from now,” she says. “Careers. Companies. Programs. Longevity is the real win.”
Looking ahead, she is expanding AOAGWLLC’s corporate consulting arm, increasing international partnerships, and scaling crisis negotiation services for organizations facing complex reputational and contractual exposure.
She is also intentionally shifting how executive female leadership is perceived.
“Women are often invited into rooms for branding,” she says. “I’m in the rooms where contracts are signed and decisions are made. That’s where real power lives.”
Raquel Riley Thomas does not seek the spotlight.
She builds the structure that decides who stands in it.
