Trailblazing Publicists

Hey Vocal readers! Hope all continues to be well during these unprecedented times. I am sharing with you some major inspiration. Please share this article and connect with these highly accomplished Publicists you should know that is taken over, and making their mark in the world. The hard work and passion these talented PR Professionals put into their individual businesses and clients is a sight to see. I am so proud of each of them and completely honored to showcase these All-Star PR Specialists to you all. As an Independent Publicist and Journalist, Founder of Visionary Minds Public Relations and Media, I am inspired. Anyone who aspires to join the Public Relations industry takes notes from these professionals who are killing it in the game. Enjoy!

Ebony Porter-Ike

President

The epiMediaGroup, LLC

With over 15 years of strong business consulting experience with Fortune 500 companies in the space of mergers, acquisitions, energy, public sectors, and entertainment; Ebony Porter-Ike has been seen as the “Go To Person” for resuscitation of failing businesses. She has been known as the guru for assisting new start ups with a comprehensive marketing plan and objective. With a clear view of business, she has worked on brokering deals for reality shows, production of large-scale entertainment, fashion events, national hair shows, and building the brands of industry mega stars.

With an MBA in International Management and a certificate in Six Sigma Black Belt, Ebony has successfully guided new product development projects offshore to provide maximum return for her clients. Her experience is unparalleled and unique in nature. Ebony has been featured in business magazines, journals, blogs, and has spoken at numerous entrepreneurial conferences. She has received numerous awards for her exemplary work in Public Relations & Business. Ebony is revered in the industry as the "Guru of Business" with her creative skills in helping new and existing brands to maximize their market share. Ebony is also the author and founder of CoinologyTM: The Series and the CoinologyTM Program. Ebony has dedicated her life to her passion of assisting aspiring entrepreneurs.

Connect with Ebony at www.epimediagroup.com

Instagram: @epimediagroup



 Crystal Willis

Founder

The Omni Firm LA

Crystal Willis is an Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker and Transformation Life Coach. In 2019, she founded The Omni Firm to provide integrated digital marketing and communications strategies for corporations and celebrities. Prior to founding The Omni Firm, her professional background spanned 15 years in music, film, and television industries for major corporations such as CBS, Universal Music Group, Warner Bros. Records and The Walt Disney Company. She's been instrumental in campaigns and events for the Stellar Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Pan African Film Festival, TV One and BET Networks.

Willis has been integral in strategizing and implementing Film, TV, and Music release plans for slated releases by award winning talent such as 112, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Snoop Dogg, Lee Daniels, Ava DuVernay, Cuba Gooding Jr., Bone Thugs N Harmony, Lil Flip, Steve Harvey, E-40, Gucci Mane, Ginuwine, Joe Jonas, Queen, Zendaya, Breaking Benjamin, Sabrina Carpenter, Lucy Hale and many more.

Crystal became a birthmother from rape as a teen and now uses her story to inspire others a dynamic public speaker and published author. She’s been a featured guest for various Women’s and Humanitarian organizations, interviewed by Marie Claire Magazine, Sheen Magazine, appeared on national television, featured on major online outlets, and billboards. In 2019, she launched The Crysalis to offer a safe space for women creatives and survivors to own their story, reinvent their lives and manifest true joy and abundance.

Willis holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Marketing, an Associate of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts, and studied Voice and Music Business Management at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. She is also Senior Leader of Mastery in Transformational Training.

Connect with Crystal at theomnifirmla.com

Instagram: @mscrystalwillis



 Chandra Gore

Publicist & Principal Consultant

Chandra Gore Consulting

Integrity and hard-work has always been the hallmarks Chandra has used to build successful and profitable businesses through her consulting firm. Working with entrepreneurs to help them create foundations for success through her boutique consulting and public relations firm, Chandra Gore Consulting. Quietly making strides with placements for small businesses, entertainment, authors, therapists and motivational speaking clients on local and national news outlets she has been leaving her mark as a publicist in the industry. She is also an author, speaker, podcast host, festival founder and producer.

She also heads a production company, SCM Productions, which produces live comedic events and an upcoming Comedy Series, "They Said What?!", that will be launched strictly on Amazon. Hosting her successful inaugural comedy festival - Greater Northern Virginia Comedy and Film Festival in 2019 - she has anchored herself as a women to watch in comedy. With a strong feeling of pride in her community she founded The Urban Flight Foundation to help spread pertinent information, host voter registration drives and more within the Stafford County, VA. She is an author of several books, moderator and speaker on topics such as Business Strategies, Media Relations and Entrepreneurship. Launching Conversations with Chan - her personal brand that includes a podcast, YouTube channel and publication on Medium.com.

Connect with Chandra at www.chandragoreconsulting.com

Instagram: @cgoreconsults



Keaira G. Turner

CEO/Lead Publicist

KGT Communication

Keaira G. Turner CEO and Lead Publicist at KGT Communication is a determined and inspiring young woman who has an interest in helping up and coming brands. Keaira graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Bachelors in Communications Studies and obtain her Masters in Media Communication from Webster University.

For over three years, Keaira has worked with independent artist, local small business to help maximize their exposure through securing magazines and blog post and using organic social media posting to gain the attention of their target audience. Keaira is ready to take the over the PR world and decided to begin her own business in 2018.

Connect with Keaira at www.kgtcommunicationllc.com

Instagram: @keairagturner





 Michelle Mackel

Founder/CEO

Plugstar Entertainment

Oklahoma native Michelle Mackel founded Plugstar Entertainment with the mission of developing, enhancing, and investing in artists’ talent. Raised in a military family, she had put her own artistic ambitions on hold in order to serve in the Army herself. That experience taught her the value of teamwork and camaraderie, which became the ideals on which Plugstar is based. Having suffered a traumatic brain injury during Army training , Mackel dug deep in order to successfully navigate her recovery. Because of that, she is an especially compassionate representative for others who are working to overcome adversity. In addition to being a former club owner and a live concert producer, she also created a community events business. She knows first-hand how difficult it is for people to find success in the entertainment industry without the right team behind them to provide brand development, guidance, publicity and support. Her client roster includes music artists, models, authors and more. In her personal life, Mackel is a dedicated mother. She also served as previous Vice President of Creative Imaginationz, an organization that sets educational standards and establishes policies, procedures to benefit K-12 students via a tutoring, arts and counseling program in her local community. In that role, she worked to ensure that strategies meet the needs of the organization, including grants, donor campaigns, fundraising events and planned giving. Mackel holds degrees from Cameron University and Central Texas College, as well as public relations-related certificates from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, the University of Oklahoma, and Muck Rack Academy.

Connect with Michelle at www.plugstar.org

Instagram: @plugstar_socialclub



 Brian Geldin

Founder

Brian Geldin Public Relations

Based in New York City, Brian Geldin Public Relations specializes in successful publicity campaigns for film festival premieres and theatrical releases for both feature fiction and nonfiction films, both U.S. and foreign, and more recently, Off-Broadway theater as well.

Recent films Brian has represented include Alison Reid’s THE WOMAN WHO LOVES GIRAFFES (Zeitgeist Films), Thomas Heise’s HEIMAT IS A SPACE IN TIME (Icarus Films), and Michael Sparaga’s UNITED WE FAN (Brainstorm Media), among many others. He also recently repped his first Off-Broadway musical, THE GREEN ROOM at the American Theatre of Actors, and is the publicist for actor and cabaret star Stephen S. Miller, who hosts “The Mama Rose Show.” Among Brian’s most proud achievements are A VERY SORDID WEDDING, the long-awaited sequel to Del Shores' cult comedy SORDID LIVES, Ela Thier’s sci-fi dramedy TOMORROW EVER AFTER, Adam Irving's critically acclaimed, award-winning documentary OFF THE RAILS and Michael Collins & Marty Syjuco’s ALMOST SUNRISE. Brian previously worked as the Communications Manager at the Emmy-winning PBS documentary series POV, and was also the publicist for the Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking. He has also worked in various publicity roles for several film festivals including DOC NYC, Brooklyn Film Festival and Festival of Cinema NYC.

Brian is always actively pursuing high-quality and entertaining films that tell compelling social interest stories by often overlooked, marginalized and underrepresented people and communities, exploring topics of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, human and civil rights, women's rights, education, healthcare, the environment and more.

Through his press outreach efforts, Brian has secured coverage in such major national media outlets and film industry trades as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, USA Today, Ms., The Advocate, MSNBC, NPR, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Indiewire, Filmmaker Magazine and many others.

Connect with Brian at www.briangeldin.com

Instagram: @briangpr

 Danielle Shavonne Reed

CEO

Reed Limited Entertainment, LLC

Danielle Shavonne Reed is a bilingual publicist and CEO of Reed Limited Entertainment, LLC, a public relations consulting company based in Washington, DC. Reed Limited Entertainment or “RLE” was originally created in December 2016, to be a platform for Reed’s personal talent whom she managed as a talent and artist manager in Atlanta, Georgia. But with the creation of the platform, more and more talent sought management, assistance and a variety of other services. Reed decided to take on more talent and juggled so many that after one year, she saw the need for a better system. Today RLE is a consulting company that represents celebrity talent, brands and entrepreneurs. With a passion for music, news and entertainment and a Bachelor of Arts degree in African American Studies and Spanish Language, Literature & Culture from Syracuse University, Reed is well-traveled, trained and experienced. RLE offers the following services: press and publicity, talent development and booking, and social media management and marketing to clients on a monthly basis. We are currently accepting new clients. The RLE network includes contacts at places like Viacom, Def Jam, Atlantic Records, BET, Revolt, the Trap Music Museum and more. Reed is driven by her passion to diversify the music, television and film industries. Her goal is to represent the stories, voices and shades of all people.

Connect with Danielle at www.reedlimitedent.com

Instagram: @daniellesreed.

Shauna L.

Owner & Lead Publicist

Lamore Lifestyle Public Relations

From teen mother to the owner of a successful PR firm, Shauna L. is proving that she does not play small when it comes to her business. Shauna founded Lamore Lifestyle Public Relations, a boutique public relations firm, in 2016. Since the beginning Shauna has dedicated her career to representing clients across various industries, including Authors, Media Personalities, Speakers, Beauty Brands, and many more. As an experienced Director Of Public Relations with a demonstrated history of working in the public relations and communications industry, Lamore Lifestyle Public Relations specializes in Media Relations and Brand visibility. Over the last 4 years she has been able to expand Lamore Lifestyle PR from a one woman show to a fully qualified team of PR professionals, placing clients at large events such as For Sister’s Only, Essence Fest, Black Girls Rock, London fashion week, exclusive NFL events and countless celebrity events. Clients have been featured in Essence, Sheen, Femi, HelloBeautiful, ESPN radio, Fox45 and more. Her team offers unparalleled exposure to all of their clients and is determined to see every job through to its success.

Connect with Shauna L. at www.lamorelifestylepr.com

Instagram: @lamorelifestylepr





Demi Janell

Publicity Executive

Press Pass LA

Demi Janell is a triple threat who was born in California but grew up primarily in North Carolina. After completion of high school at the age of 16, she was offered many grants and scholarships to attend various universities, but decided to stay close to home and attend an HBCU, Fayetteville State University, to enrich her both mentally and culturally before venturing out in life on her own. She began an undergraduate program that focused on Biology to veer her towards a concentration in Medicine for her goal of becoming a pediatrician. It was towards the beginning of her junior year that she auditioned for her first play, got cast in a lead role, and forever changed her direction in life.

Demi has appeared in film, television, commercial and music videos on the local and national level. Demi is also no stranger to the world of hosting, whether it was on the red carpet or alongside a co-host on the coach. Demi has interviewed A-List celebrities, musicians, and athletes such as Halle Berry, Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom, Carson Kressley, RuPaul Charles, Miranda Kerr, Holly Robinson-Peete, Larry Fitzgerald, and many more.

Demi parlayed her talents in the entertainment world and as a high level executive in the hospitality industry to seamlessly transition into the field of Public Relations. At PPLA Social & PR, she represents clients that are well known producers, physicians, and fitness influencers.

Between acting, hosting, singing, and networking, you can find Demi volunteering and advocating for social justice and equality. She believes we should all use our platforms and voices to promote diversity and change, no matter where we are in life. “Sometimes our biggest test can become our greatest testimony.”

Connect with Demi Janell on Instagram: @demijanell

Follow PPLA on Instagram : @presspassla



Victoria Adigun

Founder & CEO

Ovacom Media LLC

Victoria Adigun is a brand strategist, public relations consultant and a social change agent. She is the founder of Ovacom Media, an outfit committed to promoting international brands in the diaspora as well as building a solid platform for US-Africa social and business relations. She has been in leadership positions since middle school, while serving as a voice for the international community in Oklahoma City as an adolescent.

Victoria thoroughly enjoyed participating in civic duties and in 2004; she became the youth leader in the Nigerian Association of Community leaders of Oklahoma State. While in college, she continued to excel in areas of service and was elected as the President of the Nigerian Student Association, while also participating as a member of the International Student Association, Model United Nations, French Club, and Young Democrats Organization.

With developed skills in customer service, brand strategy, and public relations, Victoria launched Ovacom Media; an International public relations, branding, and events enterprise in 2008. She noticed that there was a need to bridge the gap between USA & Africa business relations, transcending the boundaries of conventional PR and Marketing practices. Her company quickly became known for delivering intelligent PR programs with measurable business results across the American and African regions.

Ovacom Media has expanded to include subsidiaries such as; Ovacom Events, Ovacom Concept, and Ovacom Experience, due to her broadening impact in the marketing world. She has managed to connect with political, social, religious, and entertainment figures globally; while also securing meaningful-long lasting business relationships along the way. As doors continue to open for her brands, she continues to lead the way to opportunities for both her clientele and partners.

Connect with Victoria at www.ovacomconsulting.com

Instagram: @ovacommedia

Now that you are extremely inspired by each Publicist like I am please be sure to connect with them online, and follow their careers.

Until next time Vocal readers, keep being awesome! 





Tammy Reese

Founder of Visionary Minds Public Relations and Media

Vocal Media Journalist

NYWIFT

Instagram: @tammyreesemedia