Kathleen has witnessed and played a part in the evolution of communications ever since her entrance into the tech industry more than 20 years ago, first as a journalist, then as a PR professional. Nothing if not resolute, Kathleen has acted as a public relations shaman for some of the largest technology companies and some of the smallest, most promising startups during many of the most turbulent times in tech, from the rise of global telecommunications, nanotechnology and personal computing to international mergers, acquisitions and IPOs.
An exceptional manager of people, clients and reputations, her ability to think critically and intuitively in a pinch has led to more than one successful crisis resolution, including the immediate fallout of 9/11 overseas and the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong in 2003.
After a successful and award-winning career working for IBM, JPMorgan, Ketchum Worldwide and other global brands and agencies, Kathleen moved to Austin just as the city began its meteoric rise as a hotbed for tech startups and investment.
In the time since, she has helped countless companies of all stages clarify their purpose, tell their unique stories, differentiate from their competitors and establish lasting relationships with clients and customers. The tenacity with which she approaches her clients’ problems is matched only by her dedication to the Austin community. She serves on several boards—including Austin Gives and the ABC Kite Fest—and donates much of her and her staff’s time to local nonprofits that have tangible impact throughout the community, including the Corporate Engagement Council for the Austin mayor’s office and the Mike & Sherry Project, an Austin-based organization providing mental health support to local bar and restaurant workers.
Kathleen is a regulator contributor to the Forbes Agency Council, covering critical communications topics like crisis management, brand positioning, thought leadership, corporate communications and the fundamentals of great brand storytelling. She is a frequent guest speaker at influential podcasts, accelerators and communications and business schools, including the Wharton School, the University of Texas at Austin, the Confident Communications podcast and the MassChallenge startup accelerator, where she also serves as a mentor.
We partner with brands that have a diverse range of communications needs that map back to one strategic goal: Drive value.
We brought Red Fan on to announce Versatile’s Series B funding—one of the largest raises in the construction industry’s history. Through the announcement and subsequent campaigns highlighting our enterprise partnerships and CEO’s thought leadership, Red Fan secured placements in Business Insider, Forbes and several key industry trades. Our team at Red Fan understands Versatile’s business goals and seamlessly collaborates with us to build awareness for our company’s groundbreaking technology.
The Red Fan team brings a ton of energy, passion and knowledge to everything we do. They’re more than just an extension of our communications team, they work as a truly integrated partner that drives outstanding execution and takes a strategic approach across communications, digital, social and overall marketing programs to help us achieve our goals.
Before hiring Red Fan Communications, BuildFax didn’t have a strong national presence. Since collaborating with Kathleen and her team, we have been in such prestigious publications as The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Bloomberg and appeared on the CNBC television network. We can’t express enough gratitude for their strategic partnership and the momentum it has and continues to create for our company.
Red Fan has been a critical strategic adviser to my team from the moment we hired them. As a high-growth company, we’re constantly faced with new business challenges, and we needed a partner whose approach is built on trust, adaptability and results. Red Fan has brought a much-needed outside perspective to my own teams, from executive-level meetings and strategy down to specific marketing tactics and processes, and Fluence-LED is simply better off because of it. I’m confident Red Fan is the right agency to execute on the evolving needs of our business, including media relations and thought leadership as well as global expansion and growth.
