Emel Shaikh (she) is a strategic media relations consultant and communications professional with 14+ years of experience leading PR & media relations, brand-awareness campaigns and external communications efforts both in-house and at boutique agencies. Her work spans multiple disciplines and industries, including lifestyle, food & beverage, hospitality, arts & entertainment and more. She has secured top tier media coverage in The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, The TODAY Show, and many more, for clients (past and present) such as One Stripe Chai, Minor Figures, Diaspora Co., Fly by Jing, The Original Farmers Market, Winston Pies, La Morra Pizzeria, and more.

Building Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programming, trainings and workshops for the JBC team, particularly through the lens of media relations and brand communications support. Developing inclusive language for internal and external media materials, producing and hosting ongoing guest speaker series with diverse thought leaders and ensuring that JBC provides a warm, welcoming and safe environment for staff and clients from all walks of life.

JBC was launched in January 2014 to bring a more thoughtful approach to public relations. We craft meaningful narratives and devise dynamic, results-driven strategies that ultimately drive growth and scale for our partners. We are a media relations agency approaching PR in a way that speaks to consumers, investors, and the industry as a whole to secure market share and a defining foothold within our brands’ respective categories.JBC represents fast-growing, venture-backed start-ups and uniquely competitive brands who are addressing the evolving consumer market. We tell stories across all media platforms, consumer and business, for our partners in industries spanning fashion, beauty, health & wellness, CPG, food / beverage, technology and home.Clients included: Recess, SIMULATE, Snow Days, Firebelly Tea and more.

• Managed fresh and innovative PR campaigns for 5 - 7 startup clients in the food and beverage consumer packaged goods (CPG) space from creative brief to implementation and delivery. Clients included Forager Project, Pukka Herbs, Emmy’s Organics, Minor Figures, Minna, Nona Lim and Good Culture• Increased consumer awareness of individual brands to amplify sales and revenue growth. Built buzz and secured earned media placements for new product launches, brand innovation, positive company news and more• Cultivated dynamic strategic partnerships and collaborations with like-minded brands to drive brand awareness. Presented in-kind opportunities at conferences and lifestyle events; coordinated influencer and VIP product drops• Managed junior staff’s workload to ensure completion of tasks in alignment with client objectives and deadlines. Identified roadblocks and adjusted strategies as necessary. Provided additional training and guidance as neededKrupa Consulting is a boutique public relations and branding firm that works with restaurants, better for you food brands and wellness pioneers.

• Account lead for 8 - 11 clients in the restaurant, food / beverage and hospitality industries. Clients included The Original Farmers Market, Humphry Slocombe, LA Times’ The Taste + Festival of Books, Bacari W. 3rd and more• Responsible for day-to-day client management, developing and implementing big picture media strategies, providing counsel, forming story ideas and securing continual editorial print, broadcast and digital coverage• Strategized and executed media relations plans for openings and launches while generating ongoing awareness for clients already in business. Pitched various initiatives for each client to a range of national and local outlets• Oversaw all aspects of social media management and digital strategy for clients and agency. Provided direction to social strategists on content creation, non-paid influencer outreach, brand voice consistency and regular analytics • Senior-most staff member leading and mentoring junior staff of 6 publicists and digital strategists. Managed account workload to ensure completion of tasks in alignment with client objectives and deadlines. Identified roadblocks and adjust strategies as necessary• Actively sought out new business opportunities. Created and presented new business proposals for prospective clientsJS2 PR is an integrated communications and consulting firm providing a full range of strategic public relations and social media services specializing in the Food and Beverage and Hospitality industries. Each and every one of our campaigns is individually designed to build awareness and produce maximum publicity results according to our clients’ needs.

• Execute publicity campaigns and strategies for 3-5 A-list clients in the brand, lifestyle and entertainment industries• Generate awareness for film releases, product launches and store openings through strategic media placement• Identify and establish relationships with top-tier regional and national press and community influencers• Pursue new business opportunities; brainstorm and collaborate interdepartmentally on pitches and proposals • Provide direction and guidance for Junior Publicists and Coordinators on the team to ensure completion of tasks in alignment with client objectives. Identify roadblocks and adjust strategies as necessary• Pitch and produce press conferences, press junkets, red carpets and other promotional events as needed• Coverage highlights include Mashable, Medium, MovieMaker Magazine and LAist.comAllied Integrated Marketing works with the world’s premiere entertainment, lifestyle, and consumer brands to reach consumers on a national, regional and local level. Our network of 23 offices across the U.S., Canada and in London gives us the marketing power and national reach of a large agency, while maintaining individual market expertise and custom client attention.

• Strategize and execute publicity campaigns for year-round initiatives of Sundance Institute, including Sundance Film Festival, Sundance NEXT FEST, artist support initiatives such as Labs, digital distribution program #ArtistServices, Women at Sundance and annual benefit • Manage $152,000 budget for Media Relations department by tracking monthly expenditures, revising budget based on projections and planning and submitting budget recommendations for following fiscal year• Recruit and supervise seasonal staff of 8 publicists leading up to and during annual Sundance Film Festival• Pitch and produce Sundance Film Festival Day One press junket and manage all press and photography needs at Festival panels and events• Devise and implement strategy for Institute programs by collaborating on creative briefs, writing press releases and media alerts, pitching stories and interviews sand maintaining daily reports of coverage secured• Collaborate with Marketing team to integrate media relations tactics with overall Communications team efforts• Coverage highlights include Angeleno Magazine, C Magazine, Fast Co.Create, The Hollywood Reporter Huffington Post, Indiewire, USA Today and Variety Since 1981, Sundance Institute has evolved to become an internationally-recognized nonprofit organization that actively advances the work of risk-taking storytellers worldwide. Originally founded by Robert Redford in the mountains of Sundance, Utah, Sundance Institute has always provided a space for independent artists to explore their stories free from commercial and political pressures. By providing year-round creative and financial support for the development of original stories for the screen and stage, Sundance Institute remains committed to its mission to discover and develop independent artists and audiences across the globe.

• Account lead for touring performance company Los Angeles Ballet. Successfully executed publicity campaign for The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Giselle and annual Los Angeles Ballet Gala• Responsible for talent management and episodic coverage for America’s Next Top Model and The Voice• Implemented publicity strategy for a variety of theatrical film campaigns, including Moonrise Kingdom, In the Land of Blood and Honey, and Hit so Hard• Pitched stories and interviews, compiled reviews, feature articles and reactions for all accounts• Coordinated logistics for several high profile media events, including BAFTA Los Angeles’s “Brits to Watch” event featuring the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards• Coverage highlights include front page coverage in the Los Angeles Times’ Calendar section, front page coverage in the Chicago Tribune Arts & Entertainment section and feature segment on NBC News Los AngelesMPRM serves the four-screen world of entertainment with a creative blend of advanced communication techniques. We harness strategy, experience, and passion to connect clients with audiences in order to build business, box-office, tune-in or sales.

• Rotated through four departments, including Digital Media & Technology, Film, Home Entertainment and TV• Identified potential reporters and outlets to pitch and tracked editorial calendars and trade shows• Pitched giveaways and regional interviews, maintained media lists and compiled comprehensive coverage reports• Provided on-site support at press junkets and red carpets by managing RSVPs, confirming attendance and coordinating interview schedulesMPRM serves the four-screen world of entertainment with a creative blend of advanced-communication techniques. We harness strategy, experience, and passion to connect clients with audiences in order to build business, box-office, tune-in or sales.

• Identified potential reporters and outlets to pitch and tracked editorial calendars and trade shows• Collected media hits and create wrap reports• Updated status reports on a regular basis• Clients included Hollywood.com, Cost Plus World Market, World Pet Association, and Toyota Pets.Formula is a national public relations boutique with offices on both coasts and premier clients across the country. Unlike more traditional PR agencies focused purely on publicity, Formula creates strategic, integrated brand activation programs incorporating a diverse marketing mix: from media events and influencer campaigns to co-branding, promotions and grassroots initiatives. With this approach, Formula aims to create numerous avenues that enable a brand to establish connections with its target audiences.

• Assisted the Communications Manager and Marketing department with day-to-day tasks• Drafted press releases for the various products, including Kettle Classics, California Classics, and Baked Classics• Researched tastemakers for product samples• Created and maintained media lists• Managed content creation and posting schedule for Facebook and Twitter• Organized and implemented summer-themed promo and giveaway

• Elected by the Board• Managed, trained and oversaw 16 member staff of ASI Board of Directors• Voting member on multiple University-wide committees to emphasize importance of student voice in makingdecisions that impact the whole campus• Oversaw the proper management of the Associated Students, Inc. through budget preparation, shared governance and student advocacy

• Elected to position by garnering 46% of student vote within the academic college• Liaison to the College of Communications and Inter-Club Council (SOAR) through weekly contact meetings• Overall representative and one of two student representatives for College of Communications students to the Associated Students, CSUF, Inc.

• Effectively managed a $14,000 budget encompassing marketing, event planning and payroll• Planned, marketed and executed on-campus student government elections with about 15 candidates for 8 seats on the ASI Board of Directors, and two teams for the single ASI President/Vice President platform• Hired and trained a staff of approximately 15 student assistants to work polling stations• Worked independently with little supervision to eliminate bias during campaigning• Garnered 3885 total student votes on a commuter campus. Highest voter turn out in past ten years