Lovell Communications, a strategic public relations, marketing and crisis communications firm based in Nashville, Tenn., is expanding its footprint with the opening of an office in Baton Rouge, La., and has hired Nicole Kleinpeter to lead the new office.
Ms. Kleinpeter is a veteran healthcare marketing and public relations strategist. Most recently, she was vice president of marketing and communications for Baton Rouge General/General Health System, where she oversaw the development of population health and valued-based messaging campaigns.
Ms. Kleinpeter also has experience as a public relations and crisis communications strategist and has managed communications response to issues including natural disasters, industrial accidents, community and governmental affairs, regulatory issues, personnel matters, workforce changes and service realignments, according to a news release.
She is immediate past president of the Louisiana Hospital Association Society for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing.
Three new team members also join Lovell Communications' Nashville office.
Here are 16 things to know about the new members.
Melissa Wyllie will serve as senior account supervisor.
1. Ms. Wyllie has 15 years of experience in marketing and media communications. Specifically, she has strong knowledge of the wellness, disease management, prevention, behavioral health and mobile health sectors.
2. Previously, she worked with diverse media outlets across the country such as Redbook, Elle, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Al Jazeera.
3. She has prepared clients for live on-air interviews with international media including CNN and helped stage events such as a press conference in Washington, D.C., with former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R) and former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), as well as a large corporate event keynoted by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R).
4. Ms. Wyllie graduated from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Sam Prichard joins Lovell Communications as asenior account executive.
5. In his role, he willmanage public relations and marketing efforts for agency healthcare clients, specializing in the areas of media relations, thought leadership, content creation and event planning.
6. Ms. Prichard began her career at Memphis, Tenn.-based St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in the entertainment marketing division, then further developed her public relations skills at Viacom, working in CMT and VH1's publicity department.
7. She has agency experience at Los Angeles-based Rogers & Cowan and New York City-based Weber Shandwick.
8. She's worked with national clients such as Avon, City of Hope, General Motors, Carl's Jr. and Hardee's.
9. Most recently, she was director of media relations at the Bradford Group in Nashville, where she secured national media placements in The Huffington Post, Forbes and Entrepreneur, among others.
10. Ms. Prichard graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Kristy Lucero was chosen as an account executive.
11. Ms. Lucero is a content creator and marketing and public relations specialist with expertise in the consumer, healthcare, nonprofit, hospitality and tourism industries.
12. She started her career with the public relations department at the U.K. tourism board, VisitBritain, where she worked on film tourism campaigns and helped promote the 2012 London Olympics.
13. She previously worked at Weber Shandwick on national accounts including City of Hope, Bausch & Lomb, MAKO Surgical and Dollar General.
14. Most recently, Ms. Lucero was an account executive with New Heartland Group, where she helped develop marketing strategies and lead implementation for several client accounts in nonprofit and consumer industries.
15. Ms. Lucero received a bachelor's degree in public relations and communication from the University of Southern California, based in Los Angeles.
16. She is a food blogger and frequently contributes to national food websites.
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