Denise Paleothodoros Email & Phone Number

Greater Chicago Area

Owner of a brand growth marketing and PR boutique consultancy with deep expertise and commitment to women and family health & wellness brands in the U.S. and International Markets. *Strategic advisor in helping brands unlock new business growth opportunity, revitalize branding, create unique actions, and craft brand stories of modern endeavors and empathic leadership.*Builds bespoke talent teams to plan and execute creative omnichannel campaigns, prioritizing earned-first and organic reach and engagement actions along with integrated paid strategies.*Develops campaign strategy and comms planning with agencies, emerging and start-up brands, legacy brands, and media.*Counsels on consumer brands' investor pitch decks and serves as an advisor to start-ups in women and family health and wellness, pet health, parenting, and beauty categories.Citrine Minds client projects have included international consumer brands, emerging omnichannel growth brands, and corporate brand acquisitions and startups in women's wellness, menopause, home & lifestyle, pet health, and food and beverage.

Chicago

Head of Modern Legacy, leading global culture initiatives that sustain and build upon founder Al Golin’s principles. Created the Al Golin Fellowship program to build a pipeline of diverse talent – not only at Golin, but within the PR industry that stands at 88% white. The program is conducted in partnership with Roosevelt University, Al’s alma mater and one of the most diverse schools in the Midwest. Recruited to co-chair IPG's Women's Leadership Network comprised of women talent throughout IPG marketing agencies. Led strategic idea of IPG’s 2020 International Women’s Day campaign, “She Has a Point" - a sustaining effort to better train and cultivate women’s thought leadership in the marketing industry. Top favorite principles: Fix it Before it Breaks, Stay Curious to Stay Relevant, and Don’t Let High Tech Replace High Touch.

Chicago

Led modernization of agency's approach to new business and prospecting, and performance tracking and analysis of highest growth opportunities with the adoption of Salesforce. Facilitated change management across all global offices. Active member of IPG's 'Growth Gang' to initiate its 'open architecture' solutions and create bespoke agency models for clients' unique business needs.

Client Relationship Lead for McDonald's Global and U.S. Account. Led growth of the agency's business by demonstrating the value of PR counsel to various business functions, including HR, legal, labor, menu development and sustainability. Served as a trusted adviser for several corporate brand campaigns, TOP Olympic Sponsorship, product introductions, issues management and USA's C-suite executive visibility. Oversaw Golin's agency model transformation to better serve the McDonald's business with greater insights-led, digital and marketing integration. Client-appointed roles as outside agency counsel for the following committees: - McDonald’s U.S.A. PR Round Table - McDonald’s U.S.A. Brand Trust Council member- McDonald’s U.S.A. Owner/Operator Strategy Committee - McDonald’s U.S.A. Owner/Operator Marketing Committee Also served as communications strategy consultant for various food industry clients, largely on positioning of nutrition, sustainability, and reformulation statements and claims.

- Senior PR leader for client PepsiCo's major brands, Quaker and Tropicana. Served as integrated PR and marketing adviser on the launch of new products and line extensions, engaging health conscious consumers and nutrition stakeholders. - Appointed to the Quaker and Tropicana Breakfast & Nutrition Advisory Committee to assess the sustainability and consumer interests in product ingredients, production processes, reformulations, and the feasibility of functional benefits claims. - Counseled the stevia grower company, GLG, on its introduction to the marketplace on the heels of FDA approval, and managed executives' media training, messaging and briefings.

Served on the Florida Department of Citrus account for 10 years to promote the taste, nutrition and versatility of 100% Orange Juice, 100% Grapefruit Juice and fresh citrus. Engaged in every facet of the industry's communications priorities, from grower and industry relations to consumer marketing, media relations and stakeholder engagement. Led response to industry's major issues around rapidly declining grapefruit consumption, creating an effective strategy to end misinformation about Grapefruit-Drug Interactions, and creating a new market of younger, health-conscious female consumers. Efforts effectively stemmed the decline of grapefruit sales and earned PR industry's highest award honors. Other Key Clients: American Lamb Board: Lead agency consultant to introduce American-produced lamb to the U.S. restaurant industry and culinary food media, and create demand from 'foodies' for its distinct flavor profile and meat portion. Established strategic multi-year partnership with the Culinary Institute of America and leading innovative chefs and restaurateurs. Campaign led to significant increase in foodservice industry menu call-outs of 'American' lamb vs. imports and coverage in major food publications and cooking shows. General Mills: Agency lead for a corporate co-op initiative to promote it's porfolio of 'better for you' brands and products in partnership with the "Best Life Diet" approach created by Bob Greene, Oprah's trainer. Also led PR campaigns for a variety of new product launches within the General Mills food portfolio.