Senior Leadership
![Ronn Torossian](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/RTheadshot2.webp)
Ronn Torossian
Founder & Chairman
![Michael O'Brien](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/michaelobrien.webp)
Michael O'Brien
Global CEO
![MATTHEW CAIOLA](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Matt-Caiola.webp?v=2)
Matthew Caiola
Co-CEO, Leader of Corporate & Technology Communications Practice
![ERICA KIRWIN](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/erika-kirwins-headshot.webp)
Erica Kirwin
Chief Operating Officer
![Peter Greer](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/PeterGreer.webp)
Peter Greer
Chief Financial Officer
![ILISA WIRGIN](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Wirgin_Illisa-9831.webp)
Ilisa Wirgin
Executive Vice President, Beauty
![ROBERT FORD](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/IMG_1265-EditCropv2.webp?v=2)
Robert Ford
Managing Partner & EVP, Corporate Communications
![LORI RUGGIERO](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Ruggiero_Lori_003.webp)
Lori Ruggiero
Managing Partner & EVP, Corporate & Technology
![Leslie Bishop](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Bishop_Leslie-9584.webp)
Leslie Bishop
Managing Partner & EVP, Global Strategy
![ANNETTE BANCA](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/IMG_2538-EditCropv2.webp?v=2)
Annette Banca
Executive Vice President, Health & Wellness
![Leigh Ann](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Ambrosi_LeighAnn-8995.webp)
Leigh Ann Ambrosi
Managing Partner & EVP, Consumer Packaged Goods
![Cory Crayn](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/cory-crayn-5wpr-headshots.webp)
Cory Crayn
Executive Vice President, Operations
![PAUL MISER](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/paul-miser-5wpr-headshots.webp)
Paul Miser
Executive Vice President & Group Director, Digital
![ELIZABETH MINTON](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/5WPR-Day-2-Headshots-150-Edit.webp)
Elizabeth Minton
Executive Vice President, Marketing
![CAROLINA LOPEZ HERZ](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Carolina_Lopez_Herz_50.webp)
Carolina Gartenberg
Senior Vice President & General Manager, 5WPR Miami
![ASHLEY BARTON](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Barton_Ashley-9528.webp)
Ashley Barton
Senior Vice President & Group Director, Lifestyle & Multicultural
![MARIJANA GUCUNSKI](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Gucunski_Marijana-8309.webp)
Marijana Gucunski
Senior Vice President, Consumer Packaged Goods
![KIMBERLY YORIO](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/kim-yorio-5wpr-headshotsv2.webp?v=2)
Kimberly Yorio
Senior Vice President, Consumer Packaged Goods
![NICOLE MILAZZO](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Milazzo_Nicole-7335.webp)
Nicole Milazzo
Senior Vice President, Lifestyle
![JASON HELLER](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Heller_Jason-6702.webp)
Jason Heller
Senior Vice President, B2B
![TAYLOR NAPLES](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Naples_Taylor-9786.webp)
Taylor Naples
Senior Vice President, Beauty
![NICHOLAS KOULERMOS](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Nick_Koulermos_046.webp)
Nicholas Koulermos
Senior Vice President, Corporate
![KERRI NUZIE](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Nuzie_Kerri-9903.webp)
Kerri Nuzie
Senior Vice President, Beauty
![CHRIS THATCHER](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Thatcher_Chris-8991.webp)
Chris Thatcher
Senior Vice President, Technology
![DIANA BUNCE](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Bunce_Diana-8440.webp)
Diana Bunce
Senior Vice President, Wellness
![GABRIELLA VELEZ](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Velez_Gabriella-6882.webp)
Gabriella Velez
Senior Vice President, Corporate
![MALLORY BROWN](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/mallory-brown-5wpr-headshots.webp)
Mallory Brown
Senior Vice President, Wellness
![POLA FINKELZON](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Finkelzon_Pola-7024.webp)
Pola Finkelzon
Senior Vice President & Business Unit Lead, Digital
![Monika Hathaway](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Hathaway_Monika-7235.webp?v=2)
Monika Hathaway
Senior Vice President, B2B
![Amanda Garland](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/img_1080_amanda4_720.webp)
Amanda Garland
Senior Vice President, Technology
![SARAH SHAEV](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Shaev_Sarah-7202.webp?v=2)
Sarah Shaev
Vice President, Technology
![Catherine Toor](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Toor_Catherine-7101.webp)
Catherine Toor
Vice President, Corporate
![Leigh Anne Arnold](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Arnold_Leigh_Anne-7063.webp)
Leigh Anne Arnold
Vice President, Corporate
![Roxanne Ducas](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/RD-headshot_edited.webp?v=6)
Roxanne Ducas
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
![Kim Capogna](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Capogna_Kim-7345.webp?v=5)
Kim Capogna
Vice President, Talent
![Steph Hadas](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Hadas_Steph_Rosenblum-6787.webp)
Steph Hadas
Vice President, Technology
![Lauren Scheer](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Scheer_Lauren_022.webp?v=4)
Lauren Scheer
Vice President, Beauty
![Grace Debono](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/grace.webp)
Grace Debono
Vice President & Business Unit Lead, Digital
![Gina McNamee](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/McNamee_Gina-8027.webp)
Gina McNamee
Vice President, Consumer Packaged Goods
![Andrew DiSanto](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Andrew_DiSanto_036.webp)
Andrew DiSanto
Vice President, Finance
![Jesse Miller](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/JesseMiller.webp)
Jesse Miller
Vice President, Media & Performance Lead, Digital
![Stephanie Baber](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Baber_Stephanie-6793.webp)
Stephanie Baber
Vice President, Technology
![Angie Castro-Patterson](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Castro-Paterson_Angie-9869.webp)
Angie Castro-Patterson
Vice President, Beauty
![Nicole Breen](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Rafajac_Nicole-9461.webp)
Nicole Breen
Vice President, Lifestyle
![Tori Sichta](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/torisichta.webp?v=4)
Tori Sichta
Vice President, Health & Wellness
![Kayla Perkins](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Perkins_Kayla-7644.webp)
Kayla Perkins
Vice President, Technology
![Kristin Martz](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/kmheadshot-web.webp)
Kristin Martz
Vice President, Creative Strategy & New Business
![Lora Soto](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/ls-seniorleadership.webp)
Lora Soto
Vice President, Design
![Michelle Greco](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/GrecoMichelle.webp)
Michelle Greco
Associate Vice President, Lifestyle
![Cristina Colossi](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Christina_Colossi_40.webp)
Cristina Colossi
Associate Vice President, B2B Technology
![Samara Cooperberg](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Samara_Cooperbergv2.webp?v=6)
Samara Cooperberg
Associate Vice President, Corporate
![Tori Donlon](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Donlon_Tori_013.webp)
Tori Donlon
Vice President, Health and Wellness
![Rachel Sharpe](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/RachelSharpe.webp)
Rachel Sharpe
Associate Vice President, Technology
![Kristin Ray](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Kristin-Ray.webp)
Kristin Ray
Associate Vice President, Health
![Dakota Orlando](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/dakota-orlando1.webp)
Dakota Orlando
Associate Vice President, Technology
![Jenny Rowe](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/JennyRoweHeadshot.webp)
Jenny Rowe
Associate Vice President, B2B Technology
![Lindsey Tannenbaum](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Tannenbaum-Lindsey.webp)
Lindsey Tannenbaum
Associate Vice President, Beauty
![Michael O'Brien](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/michaelobrien.webp)
Michael O'Brien
Global CEO
In his role as Global CEO, Michael oversees 5W's businesses both domestically and internationally, inclusive of client services and operational departments.
Michael provides top-tier strategic counsel to clients, enhancing overall client retention for both new and existing relationships.
Additionally, he is responsible for fostering the growth and development of 5W's talented staff, with a focus on identifying and nurturing the next generation of leaders within the organization.
Prior to joining 5W, Michael served as Global Chief Strategy Officer at Ketchum, part of the Omnicom Group. In his role, Michael led Global Client Service and was a member of the agency's Executive Team. He served as senior client counselor supporting the agency's largest global relationships including Wells Fargo, 3M, Tyson and Johnson & Johnson. For nine years Michael served as Global Client Director for FedEx, specifically leading support for the Express, Freight and Custom Critical Divisions.
Additionally, he coached client directors across the global network helping solve client challenges, training to promote best practices, managing agency effectiveness -- all with the goal of improving every Ketchum client engagement.
In an earlier stint with Ketchum, Michael headed Brand Marketing at Ketchum, New York and was the Client Director for clients including the Eastman Kodak Company and Visa USA. During this time, Michael managed integrated communications teams in as many as 25 countries around the world. Prior to returning to Ketchum, Michael spent four years at Cohn & Wolfe, as General Manager of the agency's New York office. He also led several client engagements including American Express, Ford and Panasonic.
Michael also served as the Director of Global Communications at MasterCard International. In this position, Michael managed global communications strategy and implementation for consumer credit, business payments and e-commerce products. He is currently the Chairman of Board for the Marist College Lowell Thomas School of Communications.
![Matthew-Caiola](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Matt-Caiola.webp?v=2)
Matthew Caiola
Co-CEO, Leader of Corporate & Technology Communications Practice
Matt is the co-CEO of 5W and the leader of its corporate, technology and digital divisions. Under Matt's leadership, 5WPR has been named one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces, a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, and has been awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year.
Matt, who was most recently honored by the American Business Association as Communications and PR Executive of the Year as well as PRDaily's Top Communicators of the Year, has served as a key force behind the growth of 5W for more than a decade. His leadership has driven both consistent year-over-year double digit growth for his teams as well as scaling the vision and service expertise of the overall agency as it has grown into a top 10 independently owned firm in the US.
A trusted advocate for his clients and his team, Matt has built an enviable team of experts, all of whom possess a deep understanding of the legacy structures and the forces of change that are driving today's revolution across all facets of the corporate and technology spaces.
He leads teams that are responsible for the reputation of some of the most sophisticated companies and visible public figures in the world, along with emerging brands and technologies that are making history. Under his leadership, 5W has launched and built new tech companies, enabled legacy organizations to cement their leadership in changing times, managed complex crisis matters and reputational issues for leading organizations, and driven campaigns for B2B and B2C companies across the digital landscape.
Matt holds a Bachelor's degree from Iona College and is an active board member of Little Baby Face Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to transform the lives of children born with debilitating facial deformities through world-class reconstructive surgery.
![Erica Kirwin](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/erika-kirwins-headshot.webp)
Erica Kirwin
Chief People Officer
Erica is a seasoned HR practitioner and strategic partner who has spent 15 years leading people teams across the retail, healthcare, and creative communications sectors. She is passionate about the employee experience, ensuring talent and business strategies align, and building policies that are progressive and inclusive for all employees.
![Peter Greer](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/PeterGreer.webp)
Peter Greer
Chief Financial Officer
Peter has spent more than 20 years building and leading finance teams, bringing a highly strategic and hands-on operational approach to the finance organization for impressive results in fast-paced environments, from start-ups to acquisitions, to large organizations with diversified businesses.
He excels in strategic planning and analysis, cost reduction and revenue generation - accomplished through building and motivating high performing teams, effectively partnering with business leadership, and creative problem solving to drive growth and profitability. He has a reputation for being level-headed under pressure, and a collaborative team leader who builds and motivates teams to achieve aggressive financial objectives and the highest integrity reporting.
As US Chief Financial Officer, he led Hill & Knowlton's team of Finance experts in the US. This included leading strategically-important profit increasing projects, taking learnings from across its international footprint and sharing best practice.
As WW Controller, Peter led H&K's Accounting experts, focusing on the financial integrity of H+K's books, ensuring processes are in place for proper controls and adherence to SOX guidelines. Based in New York, he was with H+K for four and a half year. Peter was previously at Time Inc., where he spent over 20 years in the media industry in various senior financial roles supporting iconic brands such as TIME, FORTUNE, and SPORTS ILLUSTRATED.
![Ilisa-Wirgin](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Wirgin_Illisa-9831.webp)
Ilisa Wirgin
Managing Partner & EVP, Beauty
Ilisa oversees 5W's Beauty, Grooming and Wellness Division. She has extensive experience working with leading and established brands as well as indie innovators in industries including cosmetics, skin care, hair care & hair removal, fragrance, men's grooming, oral care, and supplements.
Having partnered with many natural beauty and personal care brands, she has a strong understanding for the niche market. Ilisa has also executed media strategies for e-retailers, salons, spas, physicians, and pharmaceutical and aesthetic brands. Her exposure to both luxury brands and mass market products has allowed her to develop a wide range of expertise in the space.
As a seasoned practitioner in brand publicity, she is responsible for implementing creative and customized programs designed to impact her clients' overall brand awareness and bottom line, including media relations, influencer and digital marketing, and social media activities. She also offers branding and product development counsel for many of her clients.
Ilisa and her team also conceptualize media and consumer events, celebrity and influencer-driven initiatives, strategic partnerships and philanthropic initiatives, and secure appropriate partners for added value opportunities.
She also maintains strong relationships with key national and regional editors and media, which have allowed her to secure top-tier features and profiles for her clients on a consistent basis. Under her leadership, the team has run award-winning campaigns for clients like jane iredale and Rowenta Beauty and her agency has been named a top beauty marketer by Beauty Store Business Magazine, noting that 5W PR "has made an undeniable mark on the beauty industry."
Ilisa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is a proud mom and enjoys watching the world through her daughter's eyes and exploring Manhattan with her family.
![Robert-Ford](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/IMG_1265-EditCropv2.webp?v=2)
Robert Ford
Managing Partner & EVP, Corporate Communications
Rob Ford serves as Managing Partner and Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications division, and leads 5W's Crisis Communications strategy across all agency divisions. He specializes in crisis strategy and brand protection for high growth and well-established companies and has led response around ransomware hacks, data breaches, government investigations, high-stakes litigation, complex transactions, and activist investor proxy fights involving major companies. He developed 5W's crisis preparedness framework, advises c-suite leaders on crisis readiness and response, and media trains executives.
Rob's team represents clients across a range of industries including real estate, financial services/fintech, enterprise technology, artificial intelligence, legal services, healthcare, and public affairs. He serves as the primary engine for strategic direction and campaign management and specializes in high-level media relations.
Prior to 5W, he worked in Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. where he coordinated national grassroots and grasstops advocacy campaigns on behalf of Fortune 500 companies and their executives as well as trade associations and non-profit organizations.
During that time, his advocacy efforts spanned many industries including telecom, agriculture, food safety, biotech, retail, and defense. Rob's forte was directing real-time crisis response and management and shaping public opinion at both the local and national levels.
Rob has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Delaware.
![Lori-Ruggiero](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Ruggiero_Lori_003.webp)
Lori Ruggiero
Managing Partner & EVP, Corporate & Technology
Lori Ruggiero serves as Managing Partner & EVP, Corporate & Technology Practice and lead media and messaging strategist for 5WPR's Technology and Corporate divisions. She works on campaigns across numerous verticals and fields including, enterprise technology, B2B, ecommerce, fintech, cyber security, AI, CX, and more. She also heads 5W's Media Training Program which she launched in 2019.
Lori works with clients of varying ability to learn or improve public speaking, on camera presence, deep messaging, podcast hosting, and to understand how to navigate complexities within the media. She also has extensive experience creating and executing crisis communications strategies for both individuals and larger organizations.
A former journalist and television news producer for 16 plus years, Lori previously held positions at several global media entities including: NBC, CNN, Fox Business, ESPN and Al Jazeera America. She was a 2008 East-West Center Hong Kong Journalism Fellow and has won several accolades, including two Peabody Awards for her coverage of Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 presidential election.
Since joining agency life more than four years ago, Lori draws from her deep industry knowledge to offer clients advanced strategic council for creating company messaging and narratives that will best resonate with targeted audiences. She has personally guided c-suite executives through pivotal announcements such as IPO's and acquisitions, and sensitive topics such as layoffs and legal issues.
Lori graduated from Boston University's College of Communication with a bachelor's degree in Journalism and a minor in Psychology.
![Leslie-Bishop](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Bishop_Leslie-9584.webp)
Leslie Bishop
Managing Partner & EVP, Global Strategy
Leslie Bishop is Managing Partner and EVP of Global Strategy at 5WPR overseeing the agency's Lifestyle division. With a career spanning 20 years in strategic communications roles, Leslie is a firm believer that brands have the potential to become icons when strategic insights are leveraged to tell powerful stories.
With a proven ability to develop high level strategy for brands and organizations, Leslie leads a team of creatives, strategists, and media experts on campaigns for clients across sectors including lifestyle, travel/hospitality, entertainment, and fashion/retail. As the agency's head of Global Strategy, she leads the strategic planning, insights, research, and measurement that informs integrated creative communications campaigns.
Leslie has developed and implemented communications programming for globally recognized brands that drive and inform culture including G-Shock, Kangol, BET, KITH, Dr. Martens, Target, Sparkling Ice, Converse, Coca-Cola, Revolt, Microsoft, and Uniqlo.
Leslie lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and three children.
![Annette-Banca](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/IMG_2538-EditCropv2.webp?v=2)
Annette-Banca
Managing Partner & EVP, Health & Wellness
Annette Banca is an Executive Vice President leading the Health & Wellness and Parenting practices at 5W. Annette works with established, as well as up-and-coming brands, including GNC, ColdEEZE, Humann, Isopure, Pish Posh Baby, Yoto, Delta Children, Medifast, The Cookie Diet, Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa, and Promises Treatment Center.
Annette has also worked for a wide array of beauty brands such as AHAVA Skin Care, DECLEOR Paris, CARITA Paris, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Supersmile Smile Care, Jordin Sparks Fragrance, as well as top medical professionals in the plastic surgery, aesthetic, and dental industries-Dr. Anthony Griffin from ABC's Extreme Makeover, Dr. Michael Fiorillo from The Real Housewives of NJ, Dr. Oz Garcia, and the "Father of Aesthetic Dentistry" Dr. Irwin Smigel.
With her extensive public relations and marketing background in health, beauty, skin care and parenting, Annette has coordinated and executed several major product launches, celebrity and media-driven events, working with celebrities such as Kristin Davis, Giuliana Rancic, Jenny McCarthy, Russell Simmons, Jordin Sparks, Lorna Luft and Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi to name a few. She has created key celebrity partnerships that have garnered brand awareness and national media features for her clients.
Annette maintains strong relationships with key industry players across print, broadcast, and web outlets which have allowed her to secure top-tier features in outlets such as the People Magazine cover, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Financial Times, WWD, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The View, and Access Hollywood.
Previously, Annette worked at Shiseido Skincare, where she launched their men's line, ZIRH International, as well as its licensees-FCUK (French Connection) Fragrances and John Varvatos Fragrances.
Annette holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Baruch College in NYC. She has been with 5W for 15 years and is a proud mom of two little ones, Sienna and Matteo, who keep her very busy when she is not working.
![Leight Ann](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Ambrosi_LeighAnn-8995.webp)
Leigh Ann Ambrosi
Managing Partner & EVP, Consumer Packaged Goods
Leigh Ann Ambrosi leads the CPG division at 5W. With over 25 years of experience, she is a seasoned expert in brand development, publicity, and media relations. Whether shaping strategy, restructuring workflow, handling multiple clients or managing budgets big or small, she effects change with a constant eye towards producing results.
Prior to joining the 5W team, Leigh Ann was Executive Vice President, and Chief Administrative Officer at Magrino Public Relations for over nine years. While at Magrino, she oversaw the Consumer and Food, Wine, & Spirits divisions, and managed the operations of the agency. She was responsible for signing new clients, strengthening existing client relationships and programs, and providing oversight for brands including Martha Stewart, Hunter Douglas, SCOUT, The Ranch, Vaughan, Flybird Cocktails, and Horse Soldier Bourbon, among others. Her passion for her work is paramount, which positions her as a strong mentor to junior staff, inspiring them to a higher level of performance.
One of her many accomplishments previous to her agency work include a career in book publishing publicity and marketing, where she created multi-platform marketing campaigns that encompassed advertising, events, social media, buzz marketing stunts, publicity, brand building, and strategic partnerships. During her tenure in publishing, she helped to build the brands for authors including Mario Batali, Deepak Chopra, Jillian Michaels, Tyler Florence, Haylie Pomroy and more.
Leigh Ann holds a degree in Mass Communications, with a minor in Journalism, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She lives with her two kids in Maplewood, NJ
![Cory Crayn](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/cory-crayn-5wpr-headshots.webp)
Cory Crayn
Executive Vice President, Operations
Cory Crayn is an Operations, Compliance and Experiential Marketing leader with more than 20 years of experience serving diverse organizations across varied industries, directing the strategy and implementation of diversified programs to maximize organizational efficiencies, minimize risks and manage top-performing teams.
Cory has spent the last 6+ years leading complex operations, compliance initiatives, program management, and real estate for TodayTix Group, the global e-commerce leader for cultural experiences. TodayTix Group designs frictionless e-commerce experiences via innovative product design and industry-leading technology. Through its powerful consumer matchmaking technology, unparalleled access to engaged audiences, and expansive portfolio of brands, including TodayTix, Secret Cinema, Goldstar, and Show-Score, TodayTix Group is transforming the way tickets are sold.
Cory was the founder of Cory Crayn Events, an experiential agency, where he orchestrated marketing campaigns and sponsored activations for some of the world's biggest
brands including ESPN, Vail Resorts, Wyndham Hotel Group, Hasbro, and Givenchy. Other agency experience includes managing marketing and advertising campaigns for Time Warner Cable and Empire BlueCross/BlueShield.
A native New Yorker, Cory resides in Manhattan with his husband, David, and their dog, Sigourney.
Cory's additional in-house experience includes leading experiential marketing for the women's clothing brand, Eileen Fisher, where he developed and oversaw innovative and dynamic campaigns and brand activations across hundreds of events and in-store experiences annually throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Cory's agency experience includes 4.5 years at 5WPR previously, leading their event and experiential marketing division. His work included spearheading Evian's multi-year sponsorship of the US Open, Olympus US Open Series (nine-city tour), and the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, amongst others.
![Jonathan-Mark](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/paul-miser-5wpr-headshots.webp)
Paul Miser
Executive Vice President & Group Director, Digital
Paul Miser is the EVP, Digital at 5W focused on building brand influence at the intersection of content and performance marketing. Working on clients like Lincoln Motor Company, Novartis Healthcare, Colgate-Palmolive, LG & Xerox, Miser's work has been recognized globally by Cannes Lions, the Clios, the Webby's, the One Club and the Effie Awards. Miser is also the author of Digital Transformation: The Infinite Loop - Building Experience Brands for the Journey Economy.
Prior to 5W, Miser was the Chief Strategy Officer of Icreon building customer experience transformation strategies for its clients. Miser joined Icreon after they acquired his growth strategy agency, Chinatown Bureau - where they focused on finding growth opportunities at the intersection of strategy + technology. Chinatown Bureau helped Fortune 500 companies and late-stage startups, build go-to-market strategies and consumer experiences to connect with consumers in new ways.
Prior to starting Chinatown Bureau, Miser spent his career in advertising agencies - VMLY&R and Hudson Rouge where he built multi-million-dollar business units innovating, establishing, and operationalizing digital and technology for business growth. These businesses included an outsourced digital marketing agency, an innovation and emerging media lab, a brand content publishing organization, and a consumer experience and product development accelerator.
Miser lives in Brooklyn with his wife and children. He received his MBA at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri.
![Elizabeth Minton](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/5WPR-Day-2-Headshots-150-Edit.webp)
Elizabeth Minton
Executive Vice President, Marketing
Elizabeth Minton serves as Executive Vice President of Marketing at 5W Public Relations. Elizabeth and her team are responsible for all aspects of 5W's marketing and communications program across the agency and its practice areas.
With over 15 years of experience in marketing, communications and business development, Elizabeth combines creative thinking with an understanding of bottom-line business needs to drive growth. With demonstrated experience in strategic planning and executing on traditional and digital marketing programs for B2C and B2B brands, Elizabeth works closely with the 5W executive team to build global brand awareness for the agency, its award-winning team and client campaigns.
An innate relationship-builder and leader, Elizabeth manages both external and internal communications at 5W, fostering an environment of positivity, relatability and transparency for the firm and its people.
Prior to rejoining 5W in 2022, having led its marketing and business development teams from 2013-2019, Elizabeth oversaw global content and communications for Clarity, a global technology firm, as well as leading marketing and business development for Blue Fountain Media, a digital and web design firm.
Elizabeth has a Bachelors of Arts degree in political science and a minor in business from Tulane University.
![Carolina Gartenberg](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Carolina_Lopez_Herz_50.webp)
Carolina Gartenberg
Senior Vice President & General Manager, 5WPR Miami
Carolina is a Senior Vice President and General Manager of 5WPR Miami.
Prior to joining 5W, Carolina spent almost a decade at BCW, a global strategic communications firm. At BCW, Carolina advised organizations going through complex reputational challenges and high-stakes issues and crises. Carolina also served as senior counselor to the agency's most senior leaders - developing strategy, optimizing operations and assessing talent. In 2020, Carolina was named to PRWeek's Women to Watch List.
Carolina is originally from Caracas, Venezuela and currently lives in Miami with her husband and son (and her parents, siblings, nieces and nephews). She's lived in Boston, New York and most recently, Washington, DC, and feels a special connection to the East Coast.
![Ashley-Barton](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Barton_Ashley-9528.webp)
Ashley Barton
Senior Vice President & Group Director, Lifestyle & Multicultural
Ashley Barton serves as Senior Vice President of Lifestyle & Apparel at 5W PR. Ashley is a successful brand-building publicist with over 10 years of experience, implementing and executing strategic campaigns across a variety of media verticals and partnerships.
Prior to joining 5W 8.5 years ago, Ashley was the PR Manager at the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Ashley has also worked with clients including Payless, Miami Fashion Week, WNBA, Ashley Stewart, Aerosoles, William Murray, Fit Body Boot Camp, DUBGEE by Whoopi Goldberg, and more.
Currently, Ashley provides day-to-day client counsel, strategic direction, and an innovative approach to targeting top media outlets for her clients. Through her keen understanding of media relations and by maintaining her strong media contacts, her clients have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, CNBC, Associated Press, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Allure, BuzzFeed, ABC News, TODAY, GMA, and more. In addition to overseeing strategy within her division, Ashley continues to support team member's roles and growth within the company.
Ashley holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Stony Brook University, and recently achieved a Master of Science in Public Relations & Corporate Communications from New York University. She loves cooking, traveling, horseback riding and brunch on Sundays, and currently resides in New York City with her husband.
![Marijana-Gucunski](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Gucunski_Marijana-8309.webp)
Marijana Gucunski
Senior Vice President, Consumer Packaged Goods
Marijana Gucunski serves as Senior Vice President within the Consumer division at 5W Public Relations, leading communications programs for global and emerging brands, including The Coca-Cola Companies' ZICO Coconut Water, Santa Margherita Wines, and more.
Acting as a true extension to client partners, she is accomplished at developing and executing integrated communications strategies that include media relations, events, influencer and celebrity programming, digital/social campaigns, partnerships and more. With a focus on strategy that drives measurable results, Marijana and her team take pride in building dynamic, creative and impactful programming.
In addition to her public relations experience, Marijana holds an MBA from Rutgers University, specializing in Marketing and Strategy, and a BA in Communications. In her spare time, Marijana loves to travel, compete in marathons and explore the outdoors.
![Kim-Yorio](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/kim-yorio-5wpr-headshotsv2.webp?v=2)
Kimberly Yorio
Senior Vice President, Consumer Packaged Goods
As Senior Vice President of the CPG division, Kimberly Yorio is a storyteller. For as long as she can remember and the entirety of her professional life, she's been crafting messages for media, thought leaders, and consumers.
During her 22-year tenure running YC Media, Kimberly worked with most of the top culinary brands and talent including Calphalon, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Ippodo Tea, Sea Tales, and Food Network magazine as well as Jamie Oliver, Michael Symon, Curtis Stone, and Carla Hall. Her results range from frequent placements on national television to features in top mainstream magazines and newspapers. As the media climate has evolved, so has Kimberly's approach: brand strategy, content creation, digital strategy, and media training all fall within her expertise.
Kimberly is widely considered a thought leader in the industry, speaking at women's and culinary conferences across the country. As the co-author of four bestselling business books for women, Kim has appeared on the TODAY show and CNBC. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder.
![Nicole-Milazzo](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Milazzo_Nicole-7335.webp)
Nicole Milazzo
Senior Vice President, Lifestyle
Nicole Milazzo serves as the Senior Vice President of Lifestyle division at 5W Public Relations. With over 10 years of industry experience, Nicole provides day-to-day client counsel, strategic direction and an innovative approach when it comes to developing and executing campaigns that deliver meaningful and impactful results.
Throughout her career, she has spearheaded creative programs ranging from brand activations and stunts, celebrity and influencer campaigns, media relations, red carpet events, launch events, brand collaborations and more.
Through her keen understanding of media relations and by maintaining her strong media contacts, her clients have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Page Six, Vulture, The Hollywood Reporter, Business Insider, Deadline, The Associated Press, Reuters, Good Morning America, TODAY, CBS This Morning and more. In addition to overseeing strategy within her division, Nicole continues to support team member's roles and growth within the company.
Since joining the agency in 2011, Nicole has worked on clients including The New York Comedy Festival, Wendy Williams, Macy Gray, JetSmarter, XO, Topps, Luna Park in Coney Island, Sparkling Ice, The Wiggles, The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, CheapOair.com, Paris Baguette, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Landry's Restaurants, Rand Luxury, &Pizza, and more.
Nicole is a graduate of Seton Hall University, with a Public Relations and Journalism degree
![Jason-Heller](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Heller_Jason-6702.webp)
Jason Heller
Senior Vice President, B2B
Jason Heller serves as Senior Vice President within 5W's Technology division, specializing in B2B businesses. With over 11 years of experience, he helps lead teams launching and building high-growth tech companies - from seed stage to publicly traded - in a range of industries, including finance, real estate, ecommerce, cyber security, digital marketing, blockchain and Vice. In his tenure at 5WPR, Jason has led his teams on strategic and integrated campaigns for such clients as Avant, Commercehub, RealPage and BioCatch.
In addition to securing strategic trade media, Jason excels at breaking down companies' complex technologies and inserting them into the mainstream news cycle, including with announcements, thought leadership, profiles, case studies and data campaigns. He has been integral part of 5W's tech team's growth since joining the firm in 2013.
Prior to joining 5W, Jason worked at Beckerman Public Relations and Antenna, a Beckerman company, representing clients in real estate and ancillary industries, as well as clean technology. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Rutgers University and lives in Jersey City with his wife and dog, Duffy.
![Taylor-Naples](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Naples_Taylor-9786.webp)
Taylor Naples
Senior Vice President, Beauty
As Senior Vice President of the beauty division, Taylor spearheads comprehensive public relations campaigns for her clients who range from niche indie brands, to some of the most recognized legacy beauty brands in the industry.
Taylor is a forward-thinking publicist with a strong understanding of the beauty category. She oversees a robust team of beauty enthusiasts and works closely with her team on strategic planning and programming, media relations, influencer campaigns, celebrity and brand activations, collaborations and much more.
She ideates integrated creative strategies to help drive clients' bottom line - whatever their goal is. Her years of experience have enabled her to understand her clients - what they need, how to get there - and how to keep programs evolving so that brands can continue to grow in a changing beauty landscape.
Since joining the agency in 2010, Taylor's client work has included L'Oreal Professionnel, KOSE, Guthy-Renker, AHAVA, Arbonne, Baxter of California, Decleor Paris, Supersmile, Uni K Wax Centers, Nad's, Borghese, NuMe, Merle Norman, Lumenis and more. She has worked with many industry professionals including leading dermatologists, makeup artists, aestheticians and cosmetic surgeons, along with key industry trade shows including IECSC, IBS, and the Indie Beauty Expo.
Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and Marketing from Quinnipiac University. She grew up on Long Island and currently resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband.
![Nicholas-Koulermos](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Nick_Koulermos_046.webp)
Nicholas Koulermos
Senior Vice President, Corporate
Nicholas Koulermos is a Senior Vice President within 5W's Corporate Practice. With over 12 years of experience in policy, public affairs and public relations, Nicholas leads teams specializing in corporate communications and media relations.
Nicholas has a wide range of industry experience, including in B2B and B2B2C verticals across fintech and financial services, healthcare, real estate, cannabis, SaaS technologies, M&A, legal, industry associations, agriculture and food. Currently, Nicholas and his team manage strategic communications and campaigns for industry leading tech clients such as eMoney Advisor, as well as prominent entrepreneurs including former Blue Apron Co-Founder, Matthew Wadiak, and former CEO of Apple, John Sculley. Since joining the firm in 2015, Nicholas has brought passion and energy to his team and clients.
Prior to his role at 5W, Nicholas served as a Public Affairs Consultant at bmgzstrategies and as a Policy Specialist for the U.S. Department of Education - leading public affairs and communications efforts for both agencies. Nicholas also served as a Project Coordinator for the Mayor's Office of Chicago and was a Public Affairs Officer for a Member of Parliament at the European Union. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political science, a degree in International Affairs, and a degree in Environmental Science from DePaul University in Chicago.
![Kerri-Nuzie](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Nuzie_Kerri-9903.webp)
Kerri Nuzie
Senior Vice President, Beauty
Kerri Nuzie serves as a Senior Vice President in 5WPR's Beauty division. An experienced publicist with a passion for spearheading media and influencer relation programs, Kerri has been an instrumental part of executing strategic traditional and digital PR campaigns for a variety of beauty & wellness brands ranging from skincare to haircare, color cosmetics, supplements and more.
Kerri works closely with her team to achieve success via smart programming, including tailored pitch efforts, buzzworthy events and brand partnerships.
Through a keen understanding of media relations and by maintaining strong contacts, she's garnered game-changing placements for her clients with outlets including TODAY, Good Morning America, The View, The New York Times, Allure, Town & Country, Marie Claire, WWD, Huffington Post and Refinery29, among others.
Since joining 5WPR in 2011, her client roster includes work with PUR Cosmetics, The Mane Choice, Catrice Cosmetics, Sky Organics, The Master Plan Partners Portfolio of Brands, Brown Girl Jane, and more. Previously, Kerri was at Maury Rogoff PR where she contributed to the success of cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Apa and Oscar Blandi-colorist Frank Friscioni.
Kerri holds a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising from the University of Delaware and spends her free time exploring Manhattan with her husband and son.
![Chris-Thatcher](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Thatcher_Chris-8991.webp)
Chris Thatcher
Senior Vice President, Technology
Chris Thatcher serves as Senior Vice President of 5W's Technology practice. An accomplished and driven communications professional with a proven record in building brands, Chris has a keen understanding of business strategy and needle-moving objectives.
With more than 15 years of experience, he leads a team of seasoned media relations experts across the B2C and B2B spaces, touching a wide range of verticals within the technology sphere, including consumer goods and services, healthcare, HR, automotive, esports, enterprise, travel, cannabis, crypto, space and more.
Since joining the agency in 2009, Chris' experience has spanned several divisions at 5W. He's worked within multiple groups and helped to build out 5W's award-winning Consumer Technology practice. His client work encompasses a diverse range of industries, including leading successful campaigns for Samsung SmartThings, CoinFlip, Cannabiniers, HINT Water, Nectar Sleep, Axiom Space, Electra Meccanica, Reis & Irvy's, Dating.com Group, Harvest Hosts, and more.
With an eye for spotting stories, Chris specializes in media relations, and his clients have been featured in everything from The TODAY Show and TechCrunch to Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations from SUNY Oswego. He grew up in upstate New York and currently resides in Manhattan.
![Diana-Bunce](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Bunce_Diana-8440.webp)
Diana Bunce
Senior Vice President, Wellness
Diana Lombardi serves as a Senior Vice President in 5W's Health & Wellness division, representing a diverse client roster including addiction centers, psychologists, and healthcare apps, as well as medical doctors-surgeons, dermatologists, orthopedic surgeons, and allergists.
Diana is passionate about incorporating innovative strategic campaigns in all client initiatives and brings strong leadership experience and professional background to her diverse portfolio of health & wellness brands. Since beginning her career at 5W almost 12 years ago, Diana has developed strong relationships in the healthcare space representing a wide range of clients including: SmileDirectClub, Anavasi, Promises Treatment Center, Allergy & Asthma Network, Newport Academy, Loosid and FEND.
Her media efforts have garnered features in all facets of top-tier media such as The Today Show, Wall Street Journal, O The Oprah Magazine, The Doctors and more.
Diana holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Wagner College.
![Gabriella-Velez](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Velez_Gabriella-6882.webp)
Gabriella Velez
Senior Vice President, Corporate
Gabriella Velez serves as Senior Vice President within 5W"s Corporate Division. With over a decade of experience in developing and implementing integrated marketing and PR solutions, Gabriella has worked with top fortune 500 organizations where she built brands from the ground up and played a leading role in their overall marketing, communications and digital strategies.
Gabriella has led successful campaigns involving company acquisitions, funding, partnerships and integrations that work parallel to driving company goals. She is well-versed in the technology space overall, having a strong understanding of the various buyers, customers and partners and the intricacies of supporting a publically traded companies.
Since joining the agency, Gabriella has worked with high growth companies including VIZIO, Columbia Care, JPay, Bespoke, Sedgwick and more.
Gabriella is a graduate of Pace University with a Bachelor"s degree in international business marketing.
![Mallory-Brown](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/mallory-brown-5wpr-headshots.webp)
Mallory Brown
Senior Vice President, Wellness
Mallory Brown serves as a Senior Vice President within 5W's Wellness division specializing in consumer wellness and parenting. She spearheads comprehensive public relations campaigns for her clients who range from up and coming brands to widely-recognized global companies within the diet, fitness, supplement, baby/juvenile and parenting goods and parenting app space.
Mallory's passion for the overall wellness space is unparalleled, specifically working to find new and unique ways to integrate wellness within all aspects of the family and parenting industry. She spearheads strategic PR campaigns encompassing media and influencer relations, events, celebrity partnerships and more that drive measurable results. Mallory and her team act as true partners to all clients, always keeping a close eye on the industry to maximize programming and grow her client's overall business.
Since joining 5W Public Relations in 2013, Mallory has developed strong client relationships in the Wellness and Parenting space representing a wide range of clients including: Medifast, Cold-EEZE Cold Remedy, Rainbow Light, Delta Children, Owlet, Lansinoh, Greenlight, Bark and more.
Her media efforts have garnered features in all facets of top-tier media such The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, ABC's Strahan, Sara and Keke, TIME Magazine, CNBC, Forbes.com, USA Today, Parents Magazine, Health Magazine, Women's Health, Shape, Mashable, Wired, and many more.
Mallory graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Public Relations and a Minor in Business.
![Pola-Finkelzon](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Finkelzon_Pola-7024.webp)
Pola Finkelzon
Senior Vice President & Business Unit Lead, Digital
Serving as the Senior Vice President of 5W's digital practice, Pola works closely with her clients to deliver results-driven digital strategies and solutions. 5W offers an integrated approach to digital marketing and a variety of digital services including social media management, technical services (SEO, ORM), paid media management, creative services, production and more.
Pola and her team work together to ideate creative and effective campaigns to help drive the clients' goals.
Since joining the agency in 2016, Pola's clients have spanned a variety of industries including beauty, home and housewares, tech, health and wellness and more. Clients Pola has worked with include SodaStream, It's a 10 Haircare, G-Shock, Samsung SmartThings, ThriftBooks, GetYourGuide, Foxwoods, Orveon and more.
Prior to joining 5W, Pola worked at Colangelo & Partners for 5 years, launching and expanding their digital department. She managed a variety of clients in the food, wine and spirits space including Wines from Spain, Diplomatico Rum, Tequila Partida and more. Pola holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing-Management from the Zicklin School of Business - CUNY Baruch.
![Monika Hathaway](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Hathaway_Monika-7235.webp?v=2)
Monika Hathaway
Senior Vice President, B2B
A Senior Vice President in the technology group and Silicon Valley transplant, Monika wears her "nerd" title as a badge of honor. She's spent over a decade working with B2B and B2C tech companies in areas including IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, privacy, fintech, manufacturing, semiconductors, SaaS, telecom, blockchain, AI, no-code and logistics. She prides herself on having a much deeper than surface-level understanding of her clients' technologies, allowing her to create stories that resonate with specialized audiences including developers and hackers.
A fierce privacy advocate, Monika has volunteered with DEF CON, the world's largest, longest continuously run underground hacking conference for the last six years on the press team, helping to highlight the great work the community is doing to make the internet a safer place.
In her free time, you'll likely find Monika reading non-fiction books or listening to podcasts about the evolving influence of technology on society. She resides in Brooklyn with her husband and their dog, Brisket.
![Amanda Garland](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/img_1080_amanda4_720.webp)
Amanda Garland
Senior Vice President, Technology
Amanda Garland is Senior Vice President of 5W's Technology practice at 5W. A seasoned communications professional, Amanda has more than 15 years of experience, both in agency settings and in-house.
With a demonstrated history of successfully managing media relations, consumer facing campaigns, brand strategy,
celebrity relations and large scale events, Amanda has led clients ranging from big box retailers to boutique startup
companies across tech, consumer, lifestyle, wellness, fashion + beauty and food + beverage verticals.
Self-motivated and knowledgeable in the industry landscape, Amanda regularly identifies relevant story angles and thought
leadership opportunities, resulting in features on The TODAY Show, The New York Times and Business Insider to People, Refinery29
and Vogue. Amanda's acute understanding of strategy and brand building have allowed her to engage both clients and consumers while
consistently driving results. She also facilitates media trainings on behalf of the agency, ensuring clients are prepared for
opportunities as presented by the team.
Amanda holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Connecticut. She grew up in CT and currently resides in Manhattan.
![Sarah Shaev](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Shaev_Sarah-7202.webp?v=2)
Sarah Shaev
Vice President, Technology
Sarah Shaev is a Vice President within 5W's B2B Technology division with over 7 years of experience developing and leading the execution of earned media programs and integrated campaigns for B2B clients.
Sarah has represented a diverse array of organizations and executives from multinational public enterprises to early stage startups in industries including ad-marketing and digital media, fintech, and SaaS. Her work with companies including AvidXchange, Five9, PBS Digital and The Trade Desk, as well as leading VCs including General Catalyst, NEA, and Tusk Ventures, positioned them for customer/portfolio and talent acquisition as well as industry eminence.
Sarah began her career at Spark, and SutherlandGold, where she worked on countless campaigns, launches and thought leadership programs. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from Hofstra University.
![Catherine Toor](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Toor_Catherine-7101.webp)
Catherine Toor
Vice President, Corporate
Catherine Toor is a Vice President on the Corporate team at 5W Public Relations. With nearly a decade of public relations experience, she has worked with a broad range of clients in the real estate, financial, technology, cannabis, healthcare, and consumer space, including Datasite and Webull. In her current role, Catherine oversees the development and execution of campaign strategy, media relations, and team growth and development.
Prior to her role at 5W, Catherine held an internal public relations role at one of the world's largest beauty companies, in addition to positions at beauty and real estate-focused PR firms in NYC.
Catherine is a graduate of The George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs, with a degree in journalism and mass communication.
![Leigh Anne Arnold](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Arnold_Leigh_Anne-7063.webp?v=4)
Leigh Anne Arnold
Vice President, Corporate
Leigh Anne serves as a Vice President within 5W's Corporate Division. With over a decade of communications and management consulting experience, Leigh Anne has led countless industry-transforming initiatives aimed at navigating crises, driving innovation and improving lives. Throughout her career, Leigh Anne has provided top-level strategies for clients in the healthcare, manufacturing, technology, financial, defense, and consumer space. In her current role, Leigh Anne is responsible for the successful development and execution of campaign strategies, media relations and the overall team development and growth across a portfolio of accounts.
Before joining 5W Public Relations, Leigh Anne worked in Washington D.C., where she served as a strategic communications executive and senior advisor for the Department of Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, Defense, and Treasury. In 2019, Leigh Anne was named one of PR News' Top Women in PR.
She was also honored as a Game Changer by Ragan's Top Women in Communications Awards. Leigh Anne holds a Master of Arts degree in Strategic Communications from American University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from Sweet Briar College.
![Roxanne Ducas](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/RD-headshot_edited.webp?v=6)
Roxanne Ducas
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Before joining 5W, Roxanne was at Rubenstein PR, where she worked for 8 years and served as the Director of Communications, acting as a strategic sounding board to the agency's CEO and fostering the development of internal and external messaging for the company.
Prior to Rubenstein, she was on the Corporate Communications team at AECOM, the world's largest infrastructure company, where her team was the recipient of a Stevie for Best Communications Department from the American Business Awards.
In her free time, Roxanne serves as Communications Chair for the University of Alabama Alumni - NYC Chapter. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations and a minor in political science and French from the University of Alabama.
![Kim Capogna](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Capogna_Kim-7345.webp?v=5)
Kim Capogna
Vice President, Talent
Kim Capogna is the Vice President of Talent at 5W Public Relations. Kim leads all talent acquisition planning and strategy for 5W, supporting the unprecedented growth of the agency across divisions including Health & Wellness, Lifestyle, Entertainment, Travel & Hospitality, Food & Beverage, Home & Housewares, Beauty, Corporate, and B2B & B2C Technology.
Prior to her leadership role on our talent team, Kim was the Chief of Staff to the CEO, where she worked directly with senior leaders to provide strategic counsel within the organization. Since joining 5W in 2010, Kim has contributed to the success of 5W all while proving to be a trusted resource within the agency. Her unique experience and growth within the firm gives her the special perspective to be a career "matchmaker" for roles in the PR, Digital & Marketing space.
Kim earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Pace University in NYC. She currently resides in Huntington, NY with her husband, two sons and their two French Bulldogs.
![Steph Hadas](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Hadas_Steph_Rosenblum-6787.webp)
Steph Hadas
Vice President, Technology
Steph Rosenblum Hadas is a Vice President on the Consumer and Emerging Technology team at 5W Public Relations. Steph focuses on brands in the HR/workplace, travel and adtech/martech arenas, with experience managing and executing campaigns for both industry leaders and high-growth startups including CareerBuilder, Hibob, WorkForce Software, Kenshoo, Harvest Hosts, and Klaviyo. In her role, Steph is responsible for strategic planning, the mentorship and development of junior staff, and driving consistent and impactful media coverage.
Before joining 5W in 2017, Steph worked in the parenting and fashion industries, managing key media relationships in order to build awareness for brands such as Earth's Best, Ella's Kitchen, and Armitron Watches.
Steph graduated from The George Washington University School of Business and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing Management.
![Lauren Scheer](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Scheer_Lauren_022.webp?v=4)
Lauren Scheer
Vice President, Beauty
Lauren Scheer serves as an Vice President of 5W's Beauty team and is a connected, results-driven publicist with proven successes managing impactful media and influencer relation programs for both established and indie brands.
Lauren brings creativity, strong relationships, and industry knowledge to her clients to secure and amplify powerful brand coverage that alters consumer behavior and impacts business results. Prior to 5W, Lauren was a Senior Account Executive at Behrman Communications and also served as an Account Executive at The Dana Agency PR.
Lauren holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from the University of Miami and has been promoted several times throughout her tenure of more than eight years with 5WPR.
![Grace Debono](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/grace.webp)
Grace Debono
Vice President & Business Unit Lead, Digital
Grace serves as Vice President on the 5W Digital team. With a true global approach having lived in Asia for 14 years, Grace provides day-to-day client council and strategic direction to elevate digital marketing programs, optimize performance and drive results
Since joining the agency in 2021, Grace has worked on B2B and B2C clients including CarParts.com, Freight Farms, GNC, Nest Bedding, SmartThings by Samsung, and Sparkling Ice.
Prior to joining 5W, Grace worked for two award winning NY-based agencies managing a variety of clients including Angry Orchard, Benjamin Moore, Hi-Chew, Kips Bay Decorator Show House, Maker's Mark, Prudential, and TEFAF [The European Fine Art Fair] as well as in-house at L'Objet. Grace holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business from the State University of New York at New Paltz.
![Gina McNamee](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/McNamee_Gina-8027.webp)
Gina McNamee
Vice President, Consumer Packaged Goods
A passionate storyteller at heart, Gina's early journalism background sparked her initial interest in the public relations field, where she has spent the last ten years of her career. A holistic and media-minded thinker, Gina has sharpened several specialties for her clients to execute winning programs that touch earned media, influencer partnerships, event production, brand collaborations, celebrity programming, B2B activations, and more. As a five-year veteran on 5W's CPG team, Gina has lead successful PR campaigns for a diverse roster of clients, including SMEG, My/Mochi, Cleancult, Lenox, Nectar Sleep, among others. Always taking pride in a tailored approach, Gina considers herself an extension of her client's team, and believes true client collaboration is the formula for success.
![Andrew DiSanto](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Andrew_DiSanto_036.webp)
Andrew DiSanto
Vice President, Finance
Andrew is a Vice President of Finance here at 5WPR. Here he oversees the Finance department and provides the leadership teams with the financial tools and analysis they need to maintain a healthy and balanced financial structure. With his over 10 years of experience in implementing and maintaining the financial systems of an organization, Andrew's tasked with bringing 5Ws financial systems into the future.
Before joining 5W, Andrew spent time at Berlin Rosen there he served as a Vice President of Client Finance where he oversaw the financial reporting and budgeting of their Digital and National practices. Prior to Berlin Rosen, Andrew spent most of his early career at Global Strategy Group where he helped implement many processes and systems to ensure organization efficiencies and analytics for over 8 years.
Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master's in Business Administration from Canisius College. Andrew is originally from Upstate NY but currently resides NYC.
![Jesse Miller](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/JesseMiller.webp)
Jesse Miller
Vice President, Media & Performance Lead, Digital
Jesse Miller leads the 5W Digital paid media team and has more than 7 years of experience within performance marketing. From overarching campaign strategies to data driven optimizations, Jesse and his team ensure client goals are met and exceeded to create the most efficient and scalable digital marketing programs. With the ever-changing landscape in paid media, our team acts as an extension of your marketing department to further scale your digital presence. Jesse and his team, work with clients to pinpoint gaps in their business or marketing programs, whether it's creative guidance or website optimizations.
Jesse has led various projects within both B2B and B2C sectors and prides himself on being able to quickly pivot and learn each brands industry while being the expert matter within paid media. Jesse has extensive experience within SEM, SMM and programmatic advertising platforms. Due to his keen understanding of each brand or clients' marketing goals, Jesse can provide a strategic and tactical approach for each and every deployable digital marketing campaign.
Prior to 5W, Jesse worked at a development agency in NYC managing various brands' paid media efforts. There he was able to further gain experience within search and social advertising while garnering experience in developing and managing client relationships.
![Stephanie Baber](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Baber_Stephanie-6793.webp)
Stephanie Baber
Vice President, Technology
Stephanie Baber is a Vice President on the Consumer and Emerging Technology team at 5W Public Relations. Stephanie has proven success leading integrated media relations strategies and thought leadership programs across the consumer tech, food & health and lifestyle practice areas, managing B2C and B2B programs for clients ranging from CPG products to apps to smart home.
With top tier results helping technology and food brands launch new products, execute at major trade shows and experiential events and build awareness through targeted media efforts, Stephanie has a passion for creative storytelling and brand strategy.
Before joining 5W, Stephanie worked across lifestyle, commerce and top CPG brands, helping develop media and event
strategy for the likes of Quaker, Unilever, Danone, Shopify and Jabra.
Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and Anthropology from the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill. She currently resides in Jersey City.
![Angie Castro-Patterson](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Castro-Paterson_Angie-9869.webp)
Angie Castro-Patterson
Vice President, Beauty
Angie Castro-Patterson serves as a Vice President of 5W's Beauty team. Having worked on a plethora of brands over the years, Angie is entrenched in the overall beauty category offering vast experience in color cosmetics, skincare, haircare, oral care, nutraceuticals, and laser aesthetics.
She also brings tremendous success to the table by working with her network of top personalities in the industry such as celebrity dermatologists, aestheticians, makeup artists and hair stylists to bring media results to fruition.
Angie has a Bachelor's in Communications & PR from Rutgers University. She began her PR career at 5WPR, remaining at the agency for more than nine years, and has been promoted several times throughout her tenure.
![Nicole Breen](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Rafajac_Nicole-9461.webp)
Nicole Breen
Vice President, Lifestyle
Nicole is a highly motivated PR professional with 10 years of communications-marketing experience across a variety of consumer brands in the lifestyle, CPG, fashion and beauty arenas. Regarded as an overachiever who is committed to excellence, Nicole has outstanding account management, strategic media relations, and event production/activation skills. Nicole builds and manages brand reputation through creative storytelling that drives real change for brands including; Dove Men+Care, Fabletics, Payless, SheaMoisture, Shapermint, among others.
![Tori Sichta](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership//torisichta.webp?v=4)
Tori Sichta
Vice President, Health & Wellness
Tori Sichta serves as a Vice President within the Health & Wellness silo at 5W Public Relations. Tori has worked on a wide range of clients including mental health professionals, apps and digital wellness platforms, and many different medical experts including plastic and cosmetic surgeons, dental professionals, orthopedic surgeons, addiction experts and more.
During her seven years at 5W Public Relations, Tori has developed strong relationships within the health and wellness arena representing a range of clients including: GNC, Newport Academy, Zwivel, Cure Urgent Care, PlushCare, SmileDirectClub, Lumenis and Rehab.com just to name a few. Tori is passionate about media relations, garnering results for clients across the board in all sectors of broadcast, print, and online media.
Tori dives deep into her client's brand and takes the time to not only understand their story, but figures out how to creatively pitch that story with a media appeal explicit to a certain outlet or contact. With a creative and aggressive approach, she has secured features with top-tier outlets such as The Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, The New York Times, E! News, The Associated Press, Health Magazine, Fast Company, and many more.
![Tori Donlon](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Donlon_Tori_013.webp)
Tori Donlon
Vice President, Health and Wellness
Tori Donlon serves as an Associate Vice President within the Health and Wellness division at 5W Public Relations. With over six years of industry experience, Tori provides day-to-day client counsel, supports strategic direction and provides an innovative approach when it comes to media relations and executing campaigns that deliver meaningful results for her clients.
Throughout her career, she has helped spearhead creative programs ranging from brand launch events, industry events and medical conferences, celebrity and influencer campaigns, brand collaborations, cause-marketing brand partnerships with top philanthropic organizations such as Feeding America, and more.
Tori has worked with clients including but not limited to GNC, Vital Proteins, Ulta Beauty, Bath and Body Works, Goli, ISOPURE, eos, Nutrafol, COOLA, Perricone MD, CalPak, Colorescience, AQUIS, Patchology, Balanced Health Botanicals, The Dorm, Greenlight, Yoto, and Anavasi Diagnostics.
Thanks to her "always on" work ethic and understanding of maintaining strong media relations and contacts, her clients have been featured in various publications such as The New York Times, FOX Business, Newsweek, Fortune, TIME, Fast Company, Variety, CNN Underscored, Mashable, Buzzfeed, Forbes, and more.
Tori is a graduate of St. John's University with a degree in Public Relations.
![Kayla Perkins](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Perkins_Kayla-7644.webp)
Kayla Perkins
Vice President, Technology
Kayla Perkins is an Associate Vice President within 5W's technology practice with over seven years' experience managing communications programs for tech companies. She has proven success driving thought leadership and media relations strategies for B2B tech firms across myriad industry verticals. She's passionate about impactful storytelling and has proven results turning incredibly complex technologies into storylines that resonate with media.
She began her career in house at BlackBerry in enterprise sales for its cybersecurity software arm. From there, she moved into the agency world, representing B2B technology startups from seed stage through IPO. She's worked with clients of varying specialties including cybersecurity, logistics, venture capital, fintech, ecommerce, IT, New Space, privacy, workplace tech, ESG, cloud computing and more. Her extensive media relationships regularly land placements for clients across top-tier and trade outlets including TechCrunch, Forbes, Business Insider, WIRED, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and Fortune.
Most recently, Kayla led the technology team at North 6th Agency and ran campaigns for clients including Unqork, Alloy, Electric AI, SecurityScorecard, PowerFleet, Morpheus Space and more. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Corporate Communications from Bentley University.
![Kristin Martz](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/kmheadshot-web.webp)
Kristin Martz
Vice President, Creative Strategy & New Business
Kristin Martz is Vice President of Creative Strategy for New Business at 5W. As a seasoned creative professional with expertise in creative direction, strategy, trend analysis, digital experience, and beauty & wellness, she comes to the agency from an in-house career with over 12 years of creative experience. Throughout her career, she has excelled in shaping brand aesthetics, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and delivering captivating creative campaigns.
Kristin was previously with Victoria's Secret on the concept team for VS, Pink, and Beauty divisions, as well as spearheading the creation of their whitespace tween brand from start to finish, happy nation. Her experience on the concept team allowed her to oversee and collaborate with all facets of business - from marketing to PR, merchandising to planning, in-house to outside agency - to ensure the storytelling carried through from ideation to execution.
Kristin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Photography from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
With a keen eye for emerging trends and extensive experience in trend analysis, Kristin consistently develops strategies that resonate with target audiences. She has a deep understanding of the digital landscape, incorporating innovative technologies such as ChatGPT, AI, AR, Metaverse, and Experiential into her work to create engaging and immersive digital experiences. She also has a passion for beauty and wellness, which has driven her to partner with beauty teams, leading to the development of innovative concepts that promote self-care, body positivity, and overall wellness. She continuously mines for big ideas and stays at the forefront of industry trends, ensuring her campaigns are fresh, relevant, and impactful.
![Lora Soto](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/ls-seniorleadership.webp)
Lora Soto
Vice President, Design
Lora leads the 5W Digital design team through the creative process to deliver innovative graphic solutions. From concept through completion, the design team delivers on budget and on time. The team excels in ideating and beautifully executing creative for social media, print and digital advertising, OOH, email campaigns, websites, installations, and event graphics
Lora has led the team to successfully design on behalf of clients like Nest Bedding, CareerBuilder, SMEG, and SodaStream. Her strengths are being able to seamlessly switch from tech to CPG to beauty while surprising and delighting clients with creative explorations.
Prior to 5W, Lora worked for a small advertising agency for eight years that specialized in luxury real estate design. She began her career at Studio Rappy, which gave her the foundation for her branding skills. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in photography from the University of Arizona.
![Michelle Greco](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/GrecoMichelle.webp)
Michelle Greco
Associate Vice President, Lifestyle
Michelle is an Associate Vice President within 5WPR's Lifestyle division specializing in entertainment, tourism, and hospitality. As the day-to-day team lead, Michelle manages comprehensive public relations campaigns for her clients, who range from up-and-coming brands in the consumer industry to renowned attractions, experiences, and events nationwide.
Michelle's passion and vast knowledge of the media landscape has excelled over the course of her nine-year career in publicity. At 5WPR, she spearheads strategic campaigns encompassing media and influencer relations, events, celebrity partnerships, red carpets, stunts, activations, brand collaborations, and more that drive significant results for her clients. A natural self-starter, Michelle has built and maintained strong media relationships, understands what it takes to secure meaningful results, finding solutions and providing advice and guidance to clients daily.
Since joining 5WPR in 2019, Michelle has represented a wide range of clients including Caroline's Comedy Club, the New York Comedy Festival, REVOLT TV, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, Tavern on the Green, Philippe Chow, Margaritaville, Landry's Restaurant Group, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Luna Park in Coney Island, Sparkling Ice, H&H Bagels, Kodak, Smokey Bear, Hess Toy Truck and more.
Michelle's media relations efforts have garnered features in all facets of top-tier media such as the New York Times, Associated Press, CNN Entertainment, the TODAY Show, Good Morning America, Travel + Leisure Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, CNBC, Forbes, USA Today, Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, TMZ, Adweek, Ad Age and many more.
Prior to joining 5WPR, Michelle primarily worked in the music and entertainment industry, representing some of the most iconic talent in the business such as Zac Brown Band, Depeche Mode, Solange, Leon Bridges, Sunny Hostin, Randi Zuckerberg as well as professional athletes PK Subban and Victor Oladipo.
Michelle graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Global Media & Communications.
![Cristina Colossi](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Christina_Colossi_40.webp?v=4)
Cristina Colossi
Associate Vice President, B2B Technology
Cristina Colossi works closely with clients to develop and implement media strategies directly in-line with their business goals. Her expertise in various industries, including retail and ecommerce, mobile payments and fintech, venture capital, CX and the public sector has helped her secure feature coverage for clients in Business Insider, The Hill, The Associated Press, Reuters, FOX Business, TechCrunch and more.
Prior to 5W, Cristina served as an Account Supervisor at Grayling, working in the firm's environmental, mobile payments and hospitality tech departments. She also co-led North 6 Agency's cybersecurity and blockchain division for four years. Cristina began her career at Workman Group Communications, a boutique agency, working stints for Northside Festival in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Cristina holds a Master of Science in Public Relations and Corporate Communication from New York University. She is a magna cum laude graduate of St. John's University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Arts and minor in Business Administration.
![Samara Cooperberg](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Samara_Cooperbergv2.webp?v=6)
Samara Cooperberg
Associate Vice President, Corporate
Samara is an Associate Vice President on the Corporate team at 5W Public Relations. With over eight years of experience, Samara has worked with a variety of clients clients across multiple industries to develop impactful media campaigns that drive results and positively affect their bottom lines.
Before joining 5W, Samara worked at a startup PR agency where she oversaw the growth of the company and managed clients across multiple verticals, including real estate, finance, healthcare, law, technology, entertainment, and more.
Samara graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a Bachelor's degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications.
![Rachel Sharpe](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/RachelSharpe.webp)
Rachel Sharpe
Associate Vice President, Technology
Rachel Sharpe is an Associate Vice President within 5W's Consumer and Emerging Technology division. She has a proven track record of planning and implementing strategic PR programs, including corporate communications, media relations, executive visibility, thought leadership, and internal communications. Rachel prides herself on serving as an extension of her clients' teams and is passionate about working with fast-growing, emerging, and established brands to enhance their reputations, strengthen relationships with key stakeholders, elevate their executives, and support business objectives.
As a seasoned generalist, Rachel draws from her corporate experience at global agencies Weber Shandwick, Ogilvy, and Edelman. She has led integrated award-winning campaigns, company milestones, and product launches that have earned national recognition from PRWeek, SABRE, and PRSA. At 5W, Rachel applies her knowledge to a range of B2C and B2B clients, from burgeoning startups to prominent global powerhouses, including e.l.f. Beauty, Therabody, Samsung SmartThings, CarParts.com, and Richtech Robotics.
Rachel's strong business and financial media relationships enable her to secure consistent and timely coverage in top-tier outlets, including CNBC, Bloomberg, Business Insider, Forbes, Fortune, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from the University of Florida, with a minor in leadership. Rachel currently resides in South Florida.
![Kristin Ray](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Kristin-Ray.webp)
Kristin Ray
Associate Vice President, Health
Kristin Ray is an AVP on 5W's Health team. Since joining 5W in 2016, she has developed a rolodex of media relationships across the parent and wellness spaces. She has worked with a variety of clients including Kids2, Green Sprouts, Greenlight, Delta Children, and Stokke. Kristin has secured client features and product placement hits in top-tier media outlets that include TODAY, Motherly, What to Expect, Forbes, INSIDER, Well + Good, Buzzfeed, Best Products and more.
![Dakota Orlando](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/dakota-orlando1.webp)
Dakota Orlando
Associate Vice President, Technology
Dakota Orlando is an AVP on 5W's Technology team and has been with the agency for seven years. A true generalist, she provides strategic guidance and executes creative campaigns across industries, including cryptocurrency, fintech, real estate, cannabis, fitness, education, Web3, and social media.
Dakota excels in crafting unique brand stories for established and challenger brands, regularly driving results that drive impact. She is also versed in thought leadership programming, helping to establish and raise profiles of executives through daily story generation, speaking opportunities and events. Dakota is known to build trusting relationships with clients through thoughtful recommendations and transparency. She leads strategy development and manages day-to-day account activity, ensuring brands see 5W as an extension of their teams.
Before joining the agency in 2017, Dakota held several positions in the technology and fashion spaces working with rbb Communications, the Green Room, and Luxe Intelligence. She also specifically worked with brand consultancy agency, Derris, where she played a role in the grand opening of NYC's newest neighborhood, Hudson Yards, and supported the rebrand and expansion of cannabis leader and MSO, Green Thumb.
Dakota was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and graduated from University of Miami with a Bachelor's of Science in Public Relations. She currently resides in Fort Lauderdale with her dog, Rocky.
![Jenny Rowe](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/JennyRoweHeadshot.webp)
Jenny Rowe
Associate Vice President, B2B Technology
Jenny Rowe is an Associate Vice President within 5WPR’s B2B technology practice with almost a decade of experience driving media relations and communications strategies for clients in the advertising and marketing industries.
During her tenure with 5W, Jenny has leveraged her ‘chronically online’ nature and expertise in media relations to lead successful PR campaigns and secure coverage across top-tier and trade media with national print, online, podcast and TV publications, such as The Wall Street Journal, NBC News, POLITICO, USA Today, Business Insider, Reuters, and Yahoo! Finance. She has cultivated experience in crafting strategic communications plans across verticals including the creator economy, retail, business of television, entertainment, branding, and more.
Prior to her time at 5W, Jenny started her career at Rubenstein Associates where she conducted PR initiatives for high-profile, NYC-based clients including Rockefeller Center, Association for a Better New York, and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation.
Jenny is a graduate of Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Political Science.
![Lindsey Tannenbaum](/imagesWebp/Senior-Leadership/Tannenbaum-Lindsey.webp)
Lindsey Tannenbaum
Associate Vice President, Beauty
Lindsey Tannenbaum serves as an Associate Vice President of 5W's Beauty team working across haircare, skincare, color cosmetics and aesthetics for a mix of emerging and established brands.
Lindsey focuses on shaping brand strategy, impactful storytelling and executing creative programming to deliver needle-moving results for her clients. She cultivates meaningful relationships with editors and influencers that allow her to secure in-depth coverage across beauty, wellness, lifestyle, business, trade and social media outlets.
Prior to 5W, Lindsey worked across fashion and beauty clients at LaForce. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Michigan and has been promoted several times throughout her tenure of eight years with 5WPR.