Local Teams. Global Reach.
VANCOUVER HEAD OFFICE:
ELENA VERLEE, Founder and Managing Partner
Elena began her career at leading technology PR agencies in San Francisco and London, UK. With two decades of brand building experience, she is a passionate publicist who has worked with numerous clients from Autodesk to Xantrex – start-ups as well as billion dollar technology companies.
Elena has been named twice in a Forbes list: In 2011 for “25 Most Influential Women Tweeting on Entrepreneurship” and in 2010 for “20 Women for Entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter”. Other social media accolades include All Facebook’s “10 Facebook Pages Every PR Professional Should Follow” and PR Web’s “25 Essential PR Blogs You Should Be Reading.” Elena’s do-it-yourself blog PR in Your Pajamas is often cited by media and bloggers as a must-read resource. Although she’s crossed off a mini-triathlon from her bucket list, these days Elena gets her exercise from running after her two young boys.
JACKIE PETERSON, Director of Client Services
With a science background and a love of technology, Jackie is a traditional media relations specialist known for attracting investor interest to deserving but neglected companies. Jackie started her career with Pengrowth Energy Trust’s PR team then moved on to Business Development in their M&A division during which time the Trust completed over $2 billion in acquisitions, doubling their market cap. Originally from Montreal, Jackie received a degree in science from the University of Calgary and now resides in Vancouver. She has an unparalleled network of Canadian media contacts and is a self-proclaimed cool nerd who loves and lives for nature.
SILICON VALLEY:
LIZ ESTRELLA-BASILIO, Managing Partner
Based in the heart of Silicon Valley, Liz (formerly Liz Martin) is the main artery to the high technology community at Cross Border Communications. She has been Managing Partner at Cross Border since its founding in 1999. Liz is a 20-year marketing communications veteran, well-known for her energy and creative take on all outreach programs.
Over the years, she has built a wealth of personal relationships with media pundits and industry influencers that have become a key element in the successful execution of PR programs for clients. Liz is also a weekly blogger for PR in Your Pajamas where she recommends #FollowFriday Worthy media personalities on Twitter. She is a foodie and maniac in the kitchen who can feed an army in minutes.
OUR SENIOR ASSOCIATES:
KEVIN WILSON, Media Relations and PR Writing
Kevin has worked in high tech PR for more than 15 years. He specializes in strategy, messaging and media relations, helping to secure coverage in trade, business and national online, print and broadcast media. Kevin works closely with company executives at all levels to uncover, craft and share stories that capitalize on the strengths of the company, their people, products and services. Based in Cincinnati, Kevin eagerly plays the roles of hero, villain, security blanket, coach, teammate, tag-team partner, cheerleader, agitator and consoler to his four kids and wife. Serenity occasionally comes between the hours of 10 pm -12 am at night when life slows to a marathon pace.
CURT CHEREWAYKO, Story Positioning and PR Writing
Curt Cherewayko was previously a full-time reporter with the weekly newspaper Business in Vancouver, where he primarily reported about the startup-to-commercialization development cycle of companies, products and ideas in the Internet, technology, biotechnology and energy sectors of B.C. Now based in his hometown of Winnipeg, Curt continues to leverage his journalistic skills to help clients and publications with news reports, press releases and case studies that translate highly technical ideas into easily understandable media-worthy stories. He spends his spare time trying to keep his 1983 300D Mercedes-Benz (somewhat) roadworthy.
HEATHER DRUGGE, Branding and Marketing Communications
Based in Vancouver, Heather has almost two decades of experience in marketing products and services for high-tech and biotech companies. She directs her energy and creativity to leading technology-based companies through corporate branding and positioning, producing interactive software demos, white papers, web sites, brochures, press releases, annual reports and much more. Heather commutes to work on her bike named “Dream” and lobbies for safe, flat, maintained bike lanes on the North Shore of Vancouver.
ANNA VUE, Media Relations and Media Training
Anna brings more than a decade of public relations and marcom experience to the team. She offers a diverse set of skills including media relations, media training, reputation management, brand development, promotions, event planning, and developing communications strategies that have delivered results for private and public companies in the US and Canada. Based in Sacramento, California, you can catch Anna rain or shine in her running shoes getting ready for her next marathon.
SHERYL SEAPY, Financial Media Relations and Industry Positioning
Sheryl is a consummate storyteller with 20 years media relations experience helping to raise the visibility of companies in the technology, venture capital, financial services, consumer technology, business-to-business and medical technology industries. Whether working on a campaign to launch a new product or proactively communicate a company’s unique value proposition in the marketplace, Sheryl’s fingerprint was on the positioning. Based in Southern California, Sheryl has built a network of relationships with reporters at national business, industry trade and consumer media outlets, generating coverage for clients in a variety of media outlets including New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Forbes, CNN, Reader’s Digest, CNBC, Dow Jones Newswires, ABC News “Nightline,” Investor’s Business Daily, The Economist, Washington Post, CBS News “Sunday Morning,” Barron’s, CNET News, Fortune, Maxim, Reuters and USA Today.
