President
Gillian Renault has more than 22 years experience in communications, including 15 years in management and leadership positions and proven skills in strategy development, crisis communications, media training, development of corporate image and brand, domestic and international publicity campaigns and executive training. Clients rely on her creative and strategic thinking, professionalism and results-oriented motivation.
Gillian specializes in developing and implementing media strategies for a select number of national corporate clients who are leaders in their industry. Prior to launching RCI in 1997, Gillian's corporate management experience included developing and running successful public relations departments for NBC-TV, E! Entertainment Television, and the Travel Channel.
Her early career included learning the ropes at two top public relations agencies in Los Angeles, Clien + Feldman Public Relations, for whom she handled the "Entertainment Tonight" account, and Stone/Hallinan Associates. At this well-regarded, boutique agency, Gillian handled national publicity campaigns for the Hallmark Hall of Fame and other corporate underwriters of quality television programming such as IBM and Exxon.
Prior to entering the world of public relations, Gillian was a journalist and broadcaster in Los Angeles, writing for the Herald Examiner, Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Magazine, California Magazine, and reporting for the local National Public Radio affiliate.
She is a voting member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the NATAS, PRSA, CTAM, Women in Cable and Telecommunications, and the Atlanta Press Club.
Account Executive
A media relations expert with more than 13 years of public relations and marketing experience, Denise has experience managing all phases of public relations for clients in the technology, entertainment and hospitality sectors and maintains relationships with key local and national business and consumer media and analysts.
Denise's past agency clients include: target.com, Dell Computer, BellSouth, Manheim Interactive (a Cox-owned B2B auto exchange for car dealers), PocketCard Accelerator@McKinsey, comScore, Support Technologies, and WebMD.
Denise most recently spent two years as an Account Director at Ogilvy Public Relations.
Prior to joining Ogilvy in 1999, Denise worked for three years at Turner Network Television as a Public Relations Manager in charge of regional publicity and events for the network's Original Films. Before Turner, Denise worked for Hilton Resorts Hawaii securing national media coverage for the hotel corporation's three Hawai'i properties.
Denise is a member of the Atlanta Press Club and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences where she is an Emmy voter. She earned a B.S in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin.
Account Executive/Hi-tech Specialist/Media Trainer
Paul Sims is a 24-year media and strategic communications veteran with extensive experience in television news and feature show writing, public relations and business marketing communications for leading companies in a variety of industries.
Prior to his work with RCI, Paul Sims headed up the 1996 Olympics public relations efforts for AT&T, Bausch & Lomb, and Georgia Tech, as vice president and group manager at the Cohn & Wolfe agency. He has also served as public relations director at both Scientific-Atlanta and MCI.
His career blends creative writing and video production vision with strong public relations and marketing strategy. His award winning stints as a television news reporter and anchor at WBIR-TV (NBC) in Knoxville, Tennessee; WSOC-TV (ABC) in Charlotte, North Carolina; WAGA-TV (CBS) in Atlanta, Georgia; and CNN in Atlanta, set the stage for a broad range of capabilities including media training. He also specializes in writing video scripts, feature shows, executive speeches and press announcements for a wide variety of clients.
Sims' consistent focus on results has led to years of prominent press coverage for clients in local, regional, national, and international business and trade publications and broadcasts, including CNBC's Squawk Box, CNN's Moneyline, Bloomberg TV, PBS' Nightly Business Report, USA Today, The Today Show, Late Night with David Letterman, Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, Multichannel News, Cable World, CableFAX Daily, Communications Technology, CED, Kagan Broadband, Telephony, Wireless Week, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Investor's Business Daily, Financial Times, The New York Times, Interactive Week, eWeek, InfoWorld, tele.com, and the Associated Press.
Sims, earned a bachelor of communications degree from the University of Tennessee, is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, the PRSA Independent Counselor's Forum, and the Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM).
Account Executive
Jenny Snegaroff specializes in strategic development of communication plans designed to help her clients meet their most aggressive business goals. Her dedication and drive to achieving placement in the media has led to documented successes for her client.
Before joining RCI in March 2001, Jenny was most recently Vice President, Corporate Communications for iwin.com, a leading Internet site dedicated to sweepstakes, games, prizes and entertainment. While at iwin, she was responsible for founding and managing the company's public relations department; creating and executing its launch publicity campaign; generating substantial, positive ongoing media coverage of the company and its executives; and enhancing investor relations.
Previously, Jenny was Head of Public Relations for TVN Entertainment Corporation. At TVN, a leading provider of digital transactional television services, she devised all trade and consumer press strategies on behalf of the company. She successfully repositioned the former satellite company in the press as a cable-industry programmer and service provider. Prior to joining TVN, Snegaroff served as Director, Corporate & International Publicity for E! Entertainment Television, where she helped the organization grow from a $35 million to a $1 billion company.
Jenny holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley.
Account Executive
Becky Peterson brings over 11 years of public relations counsel and media relations expertise to RCI. For Discovery Communications, she handles the Discovery HD Theater account, working closely with trade and consumer media in the new technology space. With a strong consumer background, Becky's past agency positions have included Hill & Knowlton and Burson-Marsteller where she produced results for such clients as United Airlines, Texaco, Haagen Dazs, Coca-Cola, Gillette and Doubletree Hotels. She has also worked extensively with The Greenbrier, McDonald's and American Resin Corp.
As public relations manager for Foley's Department Stores, she acted as corporate media contact and spokesperson for the Houston-based retailer. Throughout her career, Becky has made it a priority to give back to the community; pro bono efforts have included United Way and YMCA board positions, communications writing and media relations work for various public schools and classical musical groups, and director roles in neighborhood and church organizations. She is a freelance writer most recently published in Atlanta Parent Magazine and is a member of PRSA, active in the Atlanta chapter's Independent Counselor's Forum. Becky holds a BA in journalism from the University of Houston.
Publicist/Talk Show Specialist
Amanda Leesburg has spent her public relations career working directly with the media, representing clients in the entertainment, business-to-business, corporate and consumer industries. Through this experience she has become a local, regional and national media relations specialist. Leesburg plays a
significant role in the planning, creative strategy, development and implementation of media outreach programs and campaigns.
She has worked with well-known corporate brands such as Delta Air Lines, Lanier Worldwide, Visa, Tenet Healthcare, Philips, Microsoft Corporation, Cingular, Equifax and Nike. She has also developed public relations initiatives for high profile non-profit organizations including The Tiger
Woods Foundation, Captain Planet Foundation, Southern Regional Council, Celebration of Excellence, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP), Performing Arts Program for Youth (PAPY) and the Metro Atlanta Super Bowl XXXIV Host Committee. Her clients have been featured in every form of nationwide media including all major U.S. newspapers and magazines as well as appearances on all national morning and entertainment talk shows, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, CNNfn, Bloomberg News, 20/20, Dateline, 60 Minutes, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic Explorer, HGTV, Fine Living, Lifetime Television and Oxygen.
Prior to becoming a media relations specialist, Leesburg worked for nationally recognized public relations agencies and organizations in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta including Ketchum, Edelman, PBS and Dowling Langley & Associates.
Leesburg, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, received her B.A. in Speech Communication from The University of Southern Mississippi. Actively involved in her community, she is a member of The Atlanta Press Club, Entertainment Publicist Professional Society (EPPS) has served as the Programs Director for the Atlanta chapter of the Association for Women in Communications, and sits on the Board of Directors for The Performing Arts Program for Youth (PAPY).
Publicist
With over thirteen years of experience in media relations, unit publicity and event planning, Melanie Pope has serviced a variety of clients in the television and film industry. Most recently, Pope has worked on national media relations campaigns for Renault Communications Inc. (RCI). Specific projects have included Discovery Health Channel's Gift of Life, Discovery Home Channel's Cookin' in Brooklyn, Travel Channel's Beach Week 2003 (hosted by Ali Landry), Travel Channel's Beach Week 2002 (hosted by Jenny McCarthy), Travel Channel's American Icons: West Point and American Icons: Grand Canyon-Nature's Great Escape.
Additionally, Pope was instrumental in launching a publicity campaign for Stone Mountain Park's newest attraction in 25 years, Crossroads, supervising a successful satellite media tour in over ten markets.
Pope's film background includes a feature film for New Line Cinema. She served as unit publicist handling all press visits and talent interviews including E! Television, Entertainment Weekly and SPIN magazine. She also supervised the gallery photography shoot, behind-the-scenes shoots and wrote the press kit copy.
Additionally, Pope has worked with the writer/director/producer Joe Camp (For the Love of Benji, Benji the Hunted) in his national search for Benji #4 and handled all press opportunities surrounding his stop in Atlanta. National and local press hits included FOX's Good Day Atlanta, Daily Variety, Associated Press and The Atlanta Journal.
Before starting her own consulting business in September 2000, Pope was director of publicity and unit publicist for Time Warner (TBS Superstation), overseeing unit publicity, media relations, talent relations and event planning for the network's original movie franchise. During her time in this position, Pope oversaw publicity campaigns for such television films as High Noon, First Daughter, Fatal Error, On Hostile Ground and First Target. She worked directly with national media, talent and producers, as well as serving as a liaison between the production and the network. Pope also planned, executed and coordinated industry screenings in the New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Nashville markets.
Prior to working with the original movie franchise, Pope was manager of publicity for TBS's award-winning documentaries and specials. Such shows included Dying to Tell the Story, The Hidden Zoo, Nascar at 50, Animal ER and the company's annual Trumpet Awards special.
Pope holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of West Georgia. Currently she resides in Atlanta with her husband and two daughters, and is a member of the PRSA's Independent Counselor's Forum (ICF).
Account Executive/Writer/Non-Profit Specialist
Erin Flynn has spent the past 20 years working in communications, public affairs and international finance. After achieving senior positions at the public relations agency Hill and Knowlton, Delta Air Lines and the American Cancer Society, Flynn became an independent communications consultant.
For the past five years, she has used her skills to address important social issues by providing editorial and public relations services to organizations engaged in meaningful work. Her clients include: the American Cancer Society, CARE, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities, the Stepfamily Association of America and the Georgia Justice Project.
Recent editorial work includes feature articles in Atlanta Parent magazine's special editions for the disability community. While reporting on the financial and social issues facing special needs parents for the past two years, she has established ties to experts and such resources as SNAP and the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Prior to this, Flynn was Director of National Cancer Control Communications at the American Cancer Society. In this position she developed national campaigns and partnerships to raise awareness for cancer prevention and treatment. Her extensive work on women's health issues, in particular breast cancer and nutrition, led to her helping to write and design one of the organization's most well-received books, A Breast Cancer Journey, Your Personal Guidebook from the Experts at the American Cancer Society. (ACS, 2001).
Her work for Delta Air Lines, from 1995-98, also involved national communications. There, she promoted the airline's new services while directing communications for its Olympic sponsorship and community affairs department. One initiative that received international attention was cited by the Public Relations Society of America for "showing creativity, flair, energy, and alignment with corporate strategy."
Flynn began her career in London working for Fuji International Finance as a Eurobond salesperson. While in London she attended Richmond College and worked for a Minister of Parliament at the House of Commons. Her interest in international affairs brought her to New York City in 1986, where she worked at the Council on Foreign Relations. This led to joining the public relations agency Hill and Knowlton, where she rose to vice president, working for clients that ranged from 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games to Kuwait's Mission to the United Nations during the Gulf War.
A graduate of Simmons College, Boston, Flynn serves on the board of directors for iCD Media, an interactive media business, and the Stepfamily Association of America. Flynn has traveled extensively for work and pleasure to Tanzania, Kenya, Greece, and Europe. She and her husband live in Atlanta with their children Ethan, Avery, and Alex.
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Gillian Renault
Denise Arrigali
Paul Sims
Jenny Snegaroff
Becky Peterson
Amanda Leesburg
Melanie T Pope
Erin Flynn
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