Presenter Bios
(Presenters listed in alphabetical order)
Molly Ancell , "O" Publicist, Cirque du Soleil After graduating from UNLV in 2007, Molly began her professional career with Cirque du Soleil as a coordinator for the Resident Show Division. In 2009, she was promoted to publicist for "O," Global Citizenship (the community outreach division of Cirque) and The Art of Richard MacDonald Gallery.
K.C. Brown, Cision As Senior Vice President & Global Head of Analysis, K.C. Brown leads all aspects of Cision's analysis business, focused on guiding public relations professionals through corporate reputation and social media analysis in more than 50 countries and 25 languages. Previously, he led Cision's client development, managing the company's U.S. client portfolio across all lines of business. He came to the company via the acquisition of Delahaye, where he managed the research and advisory services group. While there, he led many of the firm's methodological and technological innovations and founded the Delahaye Index (now known as the Cision Index).
Johna Burke, BurrellesLuce (@gojohnab)
Pete Codella, Codella Marketing (@codella) Pete is Accredited in public relations. He operates Codella Marketing, created the NewsCactus online newsroom software and co-hosts the Online PR Podcast. Pete is co-author of Integrated Marketing in the Digital World. He teaches on various social media topics as an instructor for the University of California, Irvine Extension and adjunct instructor for the University of Utah. Named the 2007 Communicator of the Year by the International Association of Business Communicators/Las Vegas, Pete is a 16-year veteran, award-winning, strategic business communicator. Pete has served as a member of the executive committee for the PRSA Independent Practitioners Alliance, is a former PRSA Western District board member and former president and assembly delegate for PRSA Las Vegas Valley Chapter. In 2009 he co-founded and served as president of the Social Media Club of Salt Lake City, then chaired the first Social Media Club-sponsored awards program, the Utah Social Media Awards. Pete is a sought-after presenter and consultant who leads workshops and webinars on all things related to social media and public relations. He works frequently with Ragan Communications presenting national webinars, speaking at conferences and planning Ragan conference events. A former singing gondolier at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Pete's song, Crazy Little Thing The Web, is the top social media song search result on YouTube. Pete holds a B.A. from Brigham Young University, blogs at PeteCodella.com and can be found on Twitter @codella.
Brian DeLong, Ideavise Inc. With a wit that is as charming as it is dry, Brian's 14 years in Information Technology and Project Management bring structure and organization to the Ideavise team. Holding a degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Arizona, Brian most recently served as the Director of I.T. for one of the world's foremost authorities on athletic coaching for endurance athletes. Prior to this role Brian was the Product Manager for an international line of hardware and software products serving the commercial and military flight test industries. He currently spearheads the development of the Applause mobile application framework powering the mobile applications of several national level organizations around the globe.
Sally Falkow , APR, PRESSFeed (@Sallyfalkow) Sally has trained more than 500 corporate and agency executives on how to integrate social media into their PR strategy and was named 2009 PR Trainer of the Year. She is the co-developer of PRESSfeed, the social media newsroom and she is an adjunct professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Her book, Mastering Social Media; a practical handbook for PR professionals, will be available online and in stores in May 2011.
Richard Laermer, RLM PR (@laermer) A frequently-quoted authority on media culture and hype, Richard Laermer is a PR visionary, former journalist, and author of five bestselling books including 2011: Trendspotting, Punk Marketing and Full Frontal PR. As a blogger he pens the infamous industry watchdog Bad Pitch Blog and does his best to combat insanity on Huffington Post. His PunkMarketing.com is among the marketing industry's favorites and he contributes to several other blogs on a constant basis. Laermer's work as a reporter dates to 1979; his columns, reporting and reviews have been published in The New York Times, New York Daily News, Reuters, USA Today, New York Observer, People, US Weekly, Chief Executive, Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Editor & Publisher, and others. He founded RLM PR in 1991 after a stint as PR Director at Columbia Business School; there he recognized companies' increasing need for effective media representation and saw clearly that publicists were not grasping the intricacies of their clients' businesses. Laermer understood how to deliver results for his clients while respecting the demands placed on overburdened reporters, and created a new PR methodology to do just this. Over 18 years, RLM has gotten results for its clients by capitalizing on current and emerging trends. A sought-after media trainer, Laermer has taught hundreds of CEOs, celebrities and spokespeople (even a chimp for e*Trade) to deliver messages skillfully and with no punches pulled. A renown speaker, his outlandish - though logical - speeches, about trends, media, and marketing have wowed audiences on five continents; and thanks to those travels, Laermer lives behind a seatback. Laermer is a frequent guest on CNN, FOX News, CNBC, National Public Radio's Marketplace, Hints with Heloise, FOX's Good Day New York and CNNMoney.com. His "Unspun" media commentary regularly runs on radio and his columns on the PR business appear in Advertising Age, Ad Week, Meetings magazine, and PR News.
Karen McCarthy, m5pr Karen McCarthy is President of m5pr, a leading public relations agency on Canada's east coast which is also affiliated with the international public affairs firm, Hill & Knowlton. She directs offices in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, and is set next to establish operations in New Hampshire, USA. While today Karen enjoys a client base from the oil and gas, mining, health, transportation, gaming, retail, labour and public sectors in the UK, Canada and the US, she also spent 15 years in the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial public service in both the communications and policy capacities. It was here that she cut her teeth on the many issues which continue to impact her home province's economic and social sectors. Karen is an avid volunteer, serving positions in the cultural, business, education and public relations fields. She has a master of education from Memorial University; a bachelor of public relations from Mount Saint Vincent University; and received a Certificate of Achievement from the University of Windsor Law School in Alternative Dispute Resolution. She is currently enrolled in a post-graduate law program at the University of London in the United Kingdom where her focus is women and international human rights. In her spare time, she rides motorcycle and plays her Baby Grand.
Rob Madison, President, Graphics West
Peter O'Neill, R&R Partners Peter is a firm believer in results-oriented communication that gets there through creative, collaborative means. His management of R&R's PR practice across six offices emphasizes outside-the-box thinking and integration of the agency's research, media and event management resources to serve every aspect of a client's needs. Prior to joining R&R, Peter was the senior vice president of public and community relations for the Nevada operations of UnitedHealthcare, the nation's largest health insurer, where he directed corporate communications, media relations and corporate social responsibility activities for this market. Previously, he served as the vice president of public and investor relations for Sierra Health Services, Inc., a Las Vegas-based managed-care company that was acquired by UnitedHealth Group. In his investor relations role, he served as the primary contact for Wall Street analysts and investors, and directed Sierra's financial communications activities, including its quarterly earnings statements and annual report. Prior to joining Sierra, Peter was director of corporate communications for WellPoint Health Networks, a publicly traded Fortune 500 managed-care company previously headquartered in Southern California, where he was responsible for corporate and financial communications activities. He also served in communication management positions at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Hospital Association, both headquartered in Chicago. Peter holds degrees in communication disorders - a master's degree from Northwestern University in Chicago and a bachelor's degree from Loyola College in Baltimore. He is a graduate of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Leadership Las Vegas program and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, the International Association of Business Communicators and the National Investor Relations Institute. He also sits on a number of boards including Nevada Public Radio, Three Square and The Center. He is a trustee for the College of Southern Nevada and is a member of the board of advisers for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.
Emily T. Neilson, President and General Manager for 8 News NOW Neilson has been with Southern Nevada's 8 News NOW, a CBS-affiliate, for more than 30 years, primarily in news leadership positions. She was promoted to General Manager in 2004. She serves on numerous community boards and is past president of the local Society of Professional Journalists and Las Vegas Executives Association. She has been honored for community service, selected as Broadcast Manager of the Year and has been inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters' Hall of Fame.
Georgeann Pizzi, MassMedia Corporate Communications As an account executive at MassMedia Corporate Communications, Georgeann Pizzi provides comprehensive public relations and marketing services for the firm's corporate accounts. Georgeann represents more than fifteen of the agency's clients in the consumer, commercial real estate, utility and trade association industries. Her client roster includes Southwest Gas, NAIOP Southern Nevada, The Penta Building Group and the Southwest Division of ARS/Rescue Rooter. In her role, Georgeann is responsible for the development and execution of strategic public relations, branding, advertising, social media and community outreach campaigns. Prior to joining MassMedia in 2009, Georgeann held various marketing positions in the hospitality and gaming industry. She worked in the brand marketing division at the M Resort Spa Casino where she played an integral role in the property's grand opening and the advertising and public relations initiatives for the hotel, restaurants and entertainment venues. She also worked in the marketing department for Golden Gaming, Inc., which owns and operates the PT's Pub and Sierra Gold tavern locations throughout Northern and Southern Nevada. Georgeann earned a Bachelor of Science in business marketing from the University of Nevada, Reno. She dedicates her free time to a number of professional and charitable organizations and recently led a successful regional fundraising effort to help those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Georgeann is an active member of the Women's Chamber of Commerce of Nevada (WCCNV) and serves on the board of the organization's newest division, the Young Professional Women's Club (YPWC).
Brenda Prinzavalli, Balanced Organizing Solutions Brenda Prinzavalli is an organizer, author, consultant, speaker, FOX 5 Vegas TV's Organization Editor, and founder of Balanced Organizing Solutions. www.brendaprinzavalli.com Fueled with a passion for helping others and sharing her gift of seeing the world through a simplified perspective, she created a unique organizing business that perfectly marries her professional expertise as an educator and problem-solver with a personal commitment to health and wellness of the body and mind - beginning with a simplified, organized life. Brenda has served a variety of business and residential clients on projects large and small, and she regularly works with corporate executives to create more profitable businesses and greater work/life balance through streamlined systems. She also works with individuals and families who want to simplify their lives and gain more time to pursue their passions. Released in spring 2011, Organizing Social Media: Where Do I Start? is her newest book on streamlining actions and tasks with Social Media. Brenda is the co-founder of She Gets Results which provides tools and resources to assist in getting results such as the series she co-authored, The Accomplishment Journal. It is a daily planning system designed for executive women to be more effective, accomplish more in less time, and create a sense of a balance (http://www.shegetsresults.com/) She also co-developed the Keep Clients for Life Program designed to provide a simple and organized strategy for marketing.
Ken Ritter, Staff Writer, The Associated Press Ken Ritter covers state and federal courts and supervises breaking news coverage in Nevada and Utah for The Associated Press. In almost two decades as an award-winning newsman in Southern California and New York, and more than 10 years covering Las Vegas for the rest of the world, Ken has bylined crime, punishment, environment, education, politics, business and feature stories. He's fielded countless PR pitches, dug up hundreds of documents, and written, edited, designed and directed print and broadcast coverage of every kind.
Donavon Roberson, Zappos.com (@Zappos_DRob) Donavon Roberson is the Culture Evangelist for Zappos.com and Zappos Insights by day and a devoted husband, father, and friend by night. As a Culture Evangelist, he spends a great deal of time assisting business owners and senior leaders create a strong and actionable culture that makes sense for their company and that benefits their employees, as well as their customers. He has been with Zappos for just over three years and has held a few positions in the company, such as CLT Representative, Help Desk Operations Manager and now the Zappos Insights Culture Evangelist. In his past life (for 13 years), Donavon helped teenagers navigate some of the most trying times of life by serving as their Youth Pastor. When he finds a little extra time, he blogs at donavonroberson.com, his blog regarding his journey of faith. Donavon holds a B.S. degree in Christian education from Appalachian Bible College, and is working towards a MAR in Leadership from Liberty Theological Seminary.
Victor Rodriguez, eurie creative Victor Rodriguez is creative owner of eurie creative, a strategic graphics/communications firm focused on branding, integrated communications and community outreach. With more than 20 years in visual communications, Victor's holistic approach is based on partnership, inclusion and collaboration. With a passion for giving back, Victor created "eurie cares" to provide design and communications support to non-profit organizations. In other community involvement, he serves as a founding member on the UNLV Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies Integrated Marketing Communications Track Advisory Board; and on the Advisory Board for Frederick Douglass Family Foundation. He held long-term leadership positions with AIGA, the professional organization for design; and is the current Senior Communicators' Council Director and Executive Vice President for IABC Las Vegas. He also serves on the steering committee of KNPR's Desert Companion magazine and on the organizing committee of the Las Vegas Science Festival. Victor is a two-time IABC Pacific Plains region Silver Quill recipient, has been recognized by the AIGA as "Ambassador of the Arts," and was a Graphic Design:usa "Top 50 People to Watch" in 2001 and 2005. He was named 2009 "Communicator of the Year" by IABC Las Vegas. Victor studied Media and Communications at Michigan State University, and Graphic Design at Western Michigan University.
Craig A. Ruark, LEED AP (BD+C), Nevada by Design Since1993, Craig has been involved in the engineering industry, providing marketing and business development for geotechnical, environmental, and civil engineering firms. In recent years, Craig has expended his services to include green marketing and sustainability solutions. Craig is accredited as a professional under U.S. Green Building Council "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" (LEEDTM), providing him a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles - a service increasingly in demand by his clients.
Ken Rudin, National Public Radio Ken Rudin is NPR's Political Junkie where, for most of the past 20 years (beginning in 1991), he has been, as political editor, the eyes and ears of political coverage for the network. Ken's focus is on all aspects of politics, from the presidential contest - the primaries, national conventions, debates and general election - to the races for the House, Senate and governor, as well. He has analyzed every congressional race in the nation since 1984.
Derek Schoen, Social Media Specialist, Aria Resort (@DerekSchoen) Derek is a Las Vegas native and UNLV graduate who worked his way up from CityCenter's recruitment unit to internal marketing and then to social media specialist. One of the first employees to hold such a position at an MGM Resorts International property, Derek manages the strategy and daily administration of ARIA, Vdara and CityCenter's social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, text messaging, and mobile accounts. Using a combination of traditional techniques and new technologies, Derek focuses on building relationships to develop the online brands of each property as well as CityCenter as a whole.
Randy Snow, R&R Partners He'll tell you that marketing success comes from creativity and perseverance, not necessarily from having the biggest budget. An expert on destination marketing, Randy is equally expert in the psychology of persuasion. He's been pushing the creative envelope for more than 25 years. In his role as supreme commander of R&R's brand development division, he provides strategic guidance to our clients, which span a wide range of industries - from travel and tourism to energy and utilities to public transit and healthcare. In this capacity, he oversees R&R's Brand Integration Group (BIG) process and leads our strategic planning and research teams across all five offices. During his tenure at R&R, Randy has recruited a world-class team of no-holds-barred creatives who produce work that consistently lands in the pages of The Wall Street Journal, Archive, Adweek, Shoot and Communication Arts. Under his guidance, R&R Partners have won ADDYs, Kelly Awards, One Show Golden Pencils and Clios. That impressive string of successes has spawned somewhat of a cult following for Randy, whose prognostications on the fortunes of the advertising biz have been quoted in The Wall Street Journal and Adweek. He can also be found sharing his creative wisdom with professional groups, ad clubs, civic organizations and more than a few college classes - not to mention a recent group of rapt fourth graders.
Bruce Spotleson, Greenspun Media Group Bruce Spotleson is a group publisher with the Greenspun Media Group. He has senior management responsibilities for VEGAS INC (formerly known as In Business Las Vegas) and Las Vegas Weekly, and was instrumental in the launch of other media owned by the company. Spotleson has managed three separate media companies in Nevada since coming to the state in 1993. He previously was publisher of the Las Vegas Business Press and CityLife. Previous to that, he was publisher of the Tahoe Daily Tribune. Most of his career has been spent in managing daily newspapers. Spotleson also is active locally with community organizations and non-profits.
Mark Tratos, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig Focusing his practice on a variety of intellectual property and litigation matters, Mark Tratos represents numerous resort, hotel and casino entities in federal court litigation involving trademark, copyrights, domain names, rights of publicity and privacy law for known casino brands. His legal experience includes representing nine of the twelve largest resorts in the world on brand development and protection strategies, enforcement and infringement litigation; successfully performing brand litigation for night clubs, Studio 54 and XS; and has successfully performing domain name enforcement for Bellagio, Mirage, Treasure Island, MGM Grand, Wynn, Encore, New York New York, Golden Nugget and Steve Wynn.
Cathy Tull, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Cathy Tull is Senior Vice President of Marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). The LVCVA is the destination marketing organization for Las Vegas and Southern Nevada and its mission centers on creating the world's most desirable destination for leisure and business travel. The LVCVA also owns and operates the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. As SVP, Cathy oversees all of the organization's marketing, advertising and sales efforts. With extensive business experience in travel and tourism, health care administration, and journalism, Cathy worked at the LVCVA as Vice President of Strategic Planning prior to being promoted to her current position. Cathy also has oversight of the Board of Directors office and communication efforts with resort stakeholders. As a 14-year resident of Las Vegas, Cathy previously worked as Vice President of Administration for MedicWest Ambulance before joining the LVCVA in 2005. Prior to moving to Las Vegas, Cathy worked as a reporter and in public relations.
Karen Wickre, Google (@kvox) Karen has worked in business communications via journalism, publishing, and content strategy for 20 years. Since 2002, she has worked on the Google corporate communications team with a specialty in new media strategies. She developed Google's global communications platform that disseminates news & information from Google to readers and followers around the world. Karen started the main Google blog (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/) and built the platform that now offers over 150 corporate blogs via the Google Blogs Directory: (http://www.google.com/press/blogs/directory.html). Karen manages @google on Twitter, and also set the process for over 100 corporate Twitter accounts: http://www.google.com/press/twitter_directory.html Prior to Google, Karen spent several years managing content teams for web consultancies. Earlier, she was the executive producer of several content sites for business & consumer publications, wrote and edited books about technology, and served as a tech magazine columnist and editor.
Fletcher Whitwell, R&R Partners Fletcher is the chief architect of R&R's diversely talented media and digital activation department, which extend across all six of the company's offices. This powerful group of specialists solves business challenges for our clients by creating engaging and integrated plans that reach across the spectrum of communications outlets. From breakthrough content integrations and unique partnerships that pump millions of dollars into clients' promotional budgets to strategic social media efforts, email campaigns and online strategies that keep brand messaging relevant and immediate, Fletcher's team is a critical pivot point within the agency to connect with our clients' customers. He has overseen integrated partnerships for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority account with such top brands as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, ESPN, E!, CBS Radio and has inspired groundbreaking work for such diverse clients as the MGM Resorts International, Southern Nevada Water Authority, NV Energy, Saint Mary's, America's Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, Cox Communications, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, just to name a few. The effectiveness of this work has been widely recognized by the industry, with R&R Partners' media and digital activation team bringing home all four of the most prestigious national media awards- Adweek Buzz, MediaPost Creative Media, Mediaweek Plan of the Year and OMMA Integrated Online Award.
Denis Wolcott, APR, The Wolcott Company (@WolcottPR) As President and founder of The Wolcott Company, Denis brings nearly 20 years of broad and diverse experiences in public relations and public affairs counseling. The Wolcott Company offers a progressive, cost-effective public relations solution by creating specific teams to meet the unique needs of clients.
Throughout his public relations career, Denis has successfully negotiated beneficial partnerships and developed winning strategies to advance environmental initiatives and enhance reputations for a range of companies and organizations. He regularly gives presentations on sustainability communications, including a recent program on how ethical corporate behavior factors into sustainability reporting. Denis managed a team that earned a national communications award for its unique and far-reaching environmental-themed public outreach campaign. Sponsors |
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