Hands-on public relations professional with 15 years of media relations and management experience on the agency and client
side. Global client focus with concentration on consumer brands across a
variety of industries, including fashion, retail, e-commerce, lifestyle and technology.
Highly motivated and passionate leader who maximizes media
impressions, raising awareness for brands, products, and marketing initiatives. Utilizes outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, developing and maintaining lasting relationships with media, clients, staff and management. Â Â Â Â .
Areas of Expertise
PR, Communications and Messaging Strategy
Media Relations
Crisis Communications
Brand & Product Launch
Budget Management
Team Leadership
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
Publicity Club of New England, Expected in – –: - GPA:Recognized in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 - received Bellringer Awards for excellence in writing, communication, and implementation of PR placements
Core Accomplishments
Launched RueLaLa, the first invitation-only private sales e-commerce site for designer brands. Media coverage resulted in over 48 million impressions through placements in Associated Press, WWD, TIME, Forbes, Dow Jones, Internet Retailer, MediaPost, TechCrunch, eCommerce Times
Secured top tier media placements for clients including Zappos, RueLaLa, Spreadshirt, and others, consistently delivering double & triple digit ROI's, elevating brand awareness
​Successfully delivered over $68 million in publicity value and over 1.7 billion impressions in a single year to agency's marquis account through broadcast, online and print coverage
Negotiated dedicated national television segment on The Oprah Winfrey Show, exponentially increasing Zappos' brand awareness and association as "more than shoes," aligning with key business objectives
Managed experiential "ReCharge" activation for Zappos at New York Fashion Week in NYC. Leveraged fashion designer, Betsy Johnson and fashion blogger Leandra Medine (Man Repeller) to drive media coverage. Generated 46.7 million impressions and 147K Twitter impressions. Hits in WWD, New York Times, NY Daily News, StyleBistro, Madly Chic, Examiner.com, BBC, Shoeography, Footwear News
Professional Experience
Blackberry Limited - EVP, Media Relations New York, NY, 04/2012 - 03/2016
Responsible for the strategic and tactical execution of all outreach initiatives for Kel & Partners' clients, ensuring communications strategies and results align with client business objectives. Direct report to Founder & CEO.
Collaborated with global CEOs, CMOs, and leadership teams, delivering outstanding results through targeted PR strategies & plans
Created and implemented communications plans utilizing digital, social and traditional media tools, attracting the attention of consumer, business & trade news media, raising awareness for clients' and driving SEOÂ
Worked closely with clients and agency partners to incorporate digital & social media, video & blog content in outreach communications to help drive SEO trafficÂ
Nurtured, maintained and leveraged strong media relationships to consistently deliver outstanding consumer, business and trade coverage
Oversaw client messaging and communication across all touchpoints internally and externally to ensure brand consistency
Developed strategies to exploit real-time opportunities
Achieved notable media placements in Ellen’s 12 Days of Giveaways (6.3 million impressions), TODAY Show (4.1 million impressions), Cosmopolitan, People StyleWatch, InStyle, US Weekly, Seventeen, Glamour
Established an imbedded knowledge of clients' business, business plan, industry trends and competitive landscape to create and implement communications strategies and PR launch plans to support them. Measured, prepared and reported metrics/results through quarterly statistical and descriptive reports tied to marketing and performance goals.Â
Built and managed targeted programs, working with agency partners, to influence the influencers; worked closely with fashion bloggers, accessory bloggers, stylists, celebrities and other influencers relevant to clients' business and objectives
Developed proposals and managed budgets for client events and marketing initiatives
Developed key talking points & messaging for client spokespeople
Managed experiential activations including the Zappos "Happiness" Toll Event on busiest travel day of the year, which garnered 22.7 million impressions and over 1.1 million Twitter impressions through notable coverage in Wall Street Journal, CBS, Boston Globe, Consumerist, Metro, Business Insider, NECN, Washington Post; Zappos Baggage Claim Game at Houston Airport which garnered 41 million impressions through notable coverage in USA Today, AdAge, Business Insider, Digiday, Los Angeles Times, Internet Retailer
Supported and leveraged clients' cause marketing efforts, including "Think Pink" pink glasses initiative for breast cancer awareness, "Movember" limited edition product initiative to raise awareness for men's health, and "Change the View" community events to help visually impaired people in third world countries, while driving media coverage
Achieved notable media placements on The Oprah Winfrey Show (Zappos exclusively featured), 20/20 with Barbara Walters (Zappos CEO interview), Glamour, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Life & Style, People StyleWatch, Refinery29, PopSugar
Kel & Partners - Director, Public Relations City, STATE, 04/2009 - 03/2011
Directed public relations strategy, managing relationships with key consumer, business and trade media. Developed targeted PR plans to support individual key selling seasons and verticals, implementing integrated strategic marketing and communications plans to advance the clients' brand identity.
Created online/social media campaigns, including SMNRs (social media news releases) targeted at key bloggers & influencers
Sought methods to increase effectiveness of pitching brands, products, spokespeople and events
Provided on-site client support for live and taped broadcast segments and photo shoots; provide talking points and media training
Created and implemented strategic PR launches for individual brand initiatives, including exclusive product designed for major motion picture, Water for Elephants. Media coverage generated 42.9 million impressions including WWD, USA Today, InStyle, The New York Post, Life & Style, US Weekly, SheFinds, among other notable lifestyle & fashion media outlets
Achieved notable media placements on The View, Rachael Ray Show (Zappos
& Coastal.com holiday segments), Cosmopolitan,
US Weekly, OK! Weekly, Self, Better Homes & Gardens, Lucky, Every Day with
Rachael Ray
Kel & Partners - Sr. Account Manager City, STATE, 01/2006 - 03/2009
Managed day to day operations of agency's marquis account, Zappos.com, including all media activity, speaking opportunities, sample request activity, incoming media requests, pitching and bi-weekly PR update calls.Â
Evaluated and managed all incoming PR requests for interviews; coordinated appropriate client spokespeople to ensure responses result in positive media exposureÂ
Researched, developed, recommended, coordinated and implemented Deskside Media Tours with key editors in NYC
Implemented and managed sample request procedures & tracking to ensure media contacts receive samples on time for photo shoots and product placement opportunities
Opportunistic pitching, leveraging clients as expert source for trending news stories, creating editorial opportunities, and raising brand awarenessÂ
Led team brainstorming sessions to develop topics for national press releases for execution across all clients
Planning and execution of special projects, sponsorships and celebrity endorsements to help drive media coverage
Achieved notable media placements in Nightline (Zappos CEO interview, CBS Sunday Morning (Zappos profile piece), People StyleWatch, Life & Style, Lucky, Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, Examiner.com, Woman's World, First for Women
The Holmes Group - Communications Supervisor/PR Specialist and Trade Show Manager City, STATE, 02/2001 - 01/2006
Individual contributor and manager of overall PR function for multiple brands and product lines. Direct report to the VP of Marketing and Global Communications.Â
Developed internal PR team which generated over $2.5 million in publicity value for multiple product brands including Crock-Pot, Bionaire, Holmes, Rival
Secured major product placements across all media outlets; highlights include Good Morning America, The Today Show, Good Housekeeping, Real Simple, Health, Smart Money, Fitness, The New York Times, USA Today
Tracked PR plan to budget and consistently delivered outstanding results annually without exceeding budget
Managed corporate trade show program, including booth design, coordination and implementation, as well as outside PR agency and vendor partners
Created and developed criteria for successful implementation of Communications/Public Relations Internship Program - the first of its kind for the company
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Publicity Club of New England
Job Titles Held:
EVP, Media Relations
Vice President, Public Relations
Director, Public Relations
Sr. Account Manager
Communications Supervisor/PR Specialist and Trade Show Manager
