At Hutchens PR, we pride ourselves in knowing your business and delivering innovative ideas that have real impact on your sales, brand, and reputation in the market. We bring together the best minds across all disciplines and assemble a team customized to your company’s specific needs and goals. With the top local and national talent in public relations and marketing, branding, design, websites, speaker training, video and social media, our team is prepared to meet any challenge.
Karen Hutchens, President
Karen Hutchens is president of Hutchens PR, a full service public relations and marketing communications firm. The firm
specializes in the development and execution of communications strategy that help clients achieve their goals and deliver a consistent return on investment.
Karen has over 25 years of experience in business management. Prior to leading Hutchens PR she was Managing Partner of NCG and led a team of 75 professionals, having worked as an executive in a Fortune 500® electric utility company directing the company’s external affairs function. Subsequent to that position, she founded a communications firm in San Diego and grew the company to be one of the largest and most successful public relations firms in the state of California. In 1999 the agency was named the leading independent public relations agency by Inside PR.
Karen founded Hutchens PR in 2004, after successfully completing the sale of her firm to an international, publicly traded corporation.
Her expertise includes issue and crisis management, public relations strategy development in support of major infrastructure projects including nuclear, LNG terminals, combined cycle power plants, gas and electric transmission lines, airport expansions and other major projects. Some of her clients have included ChevronTexaco, PG&E, Southern California Edison, and the San Diego Unified Port Authority.
Karen plays an active role in the San Diego community. She is a member of the board of directors of the San Diego United Way San Diego, The Rueben H. Fleet Science Museum, CleanTECH San Diego and has formerly served on the boards of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation . Her civic involvement includes San Diego Downtown Rotary and Point Loma Nazarene University Presidents Council. Karen is also the chair of United Way’s 90th Anniversary and is the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) 2010 Woman of the Year.
Caitlin Gaffney, Associate
Caitlin Gaffney, associate at Hutchens PR, brings a dynamic perspective to the Hutchens PR team, with a keen eye for market trends and social media platforms. A passionate PR professional, Caitlin manages media relations, social media and project and account coordination for clients in a wide range of industries, including energy, real estate, clean technology and nonprofit. Caitlin also specializes in coordinating very special events, including market launches, press conferences and dedications.
Caitlin has a proven track record for managing the details of media relations and offers effective approaches to generating coverage for clients in key industry verticals. She has experience in connecting clients with target audiences, including opinion leaders, top bloggers and trade, local and national media. Her work has resulted in client coverage in top business and trade publications, including New York Times.
Since joining Hutchens PR, Caitlin has completed award-winning work on behalf of HPR clients. She recently planned Soitec’s North American Manufacturing Facility Dedication in San Diego, securing participation from top governmental officials and business leaders, including California Governor, Edmund G. Brown, California Public Utilities Commissioner, Timothy Simon, San Diego Mayor, Jerry Brown and San Diego Gas & Electric President, Jessie K. Knight. The successful event generated attendance from over 300 community and business leaders as well as produced media coverage in local, trade and national press – including Wall Street Journal and Business Week. Also recently, Caitlin completed an extensive award submittal on behalf of San Diego Gas & Electric, resulting in the company’s win of the 2012 Organizational Leadership Award from the EPA’s inaugural Climate Leadership Awards.
Prior to joining Hutchens PR, Caitlin gained experience in social media, branding, media relations and market research at full-service public relations firms in Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Diego. Her strong background provides her with a comprehensive knowledge of industry trends and techniques, ultimately allowing Hutchens PR to produce measurable results for clients.
Caitlin enjoys giving back to the San Diego community and is an active member of The Junior League of San Diego, currently serving on the community impact committee Kids in the Kitchen (KITK) Olivewood. A transport from Phoenix, Arizona, Caitlin spends her free time enjoying San Diego’s beaches, mountains, and delicious restaurants.
Caitlin earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Emphasis in Marketing from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Nola Green, Account Coordinator
Nola Green, account coordinator at Hutchens PR, plays an active role in coordinating and implementing daily account activity on behalf Hutchens PR clients. Nola is responsible for competitive analysis and trend tracking by monitoring client and market news coverage, for providing instantaneous information using online news services, and for collaboration in written materials. Nola also assists on competitive and market research, social media, special event coordination and award submittals for Hutchens PR clients.
Since joining Hutchens PR, Nola has produced results for Hutchens PR clients, including Soitec, CleanTECH San Diego, SDG&E and Employment & Community Options.
Prior to joining Hutchens PR, Nola held internships at Natural High, Come Recommended and San Diego Unified, where she gained experience in working with the media, writing press releases and blog posts and coordinating events, including soliciting sponsorships for large fundraising galas.
Nola earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with Emphasis in Public Relations from San Diego State University.
Ada Ramos, Office Manager
Ada Ramos is the office manager at Hutchens PR, and an asset to the HPR team with her strong communications skills and ability to multitask. As the office manager, Ada organizes and coordinates office operations and procedures in order to ensure organizational effectiveness and efficiency. She continually surpasses expectations as she designs and implements office policies, controls correspondences, prepares time sheets and client invoices, manages the books, establishes and maintains systems for office records, and liaises with other agencies, organizations, and groups.
Adrienne Moch, Editor
Adrienne Moch, editor (http://www.adriennemoch.com/), uses the skills she developed as a journalist, corporate communicator, newsletter writer, and PR professional to assist companies with all their writing and editing needs. Her passion is ensuring clients’ written materials aren’t just competent…but compelling. Typical projects for Adrienne include websites, marketing collateral, newsletters, articles, proposals, blogs and press releases.
Adrienne was honored by the San Diego Regional Chamber Commerce in 2006 with its Most Innovative Marketing Micro Business Award. In 2011, she was named Women’s Advocate of the Year at the BRAVO! Awards, hosted by the San Diego chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), which she led from 2008-2010 as president. Adrienne is a member of the 2011-2012 NAWBO California Board of Directors Executive Committee, serving as Director of Communications.
Jill Addison, Online Video Producer
Jill Addison is an online video producer (www.JillAddison.com) who loves blending her skills in video production and marketing to help small business owners gain new clients with 1- and 3-minute online video commercials.
She is also the host of “Bloom Video Blog–Where Budding Entrepreneurs Get Ideas and Inspiration” (http://BloomVideoBlog.com). This video blog features women entrepreneurs who have successfully launched and grown their businesses. It provides valuable free information for aspiring entrepreneurs and powerful exposure for established entrepreneurs. (All guests featured on the show also receive all their video assets to utilize in their own online promotions and publicity.)
Jill lives in San Diego with her husband, Eric, who is also in the video production industry (www.100AcreFilms.com).
Jenni Prisk, Spokesperson Training
An award-winning, international motivational speaker, communications coach and trainer, Jenni Prisk founded Prisk Communication (www.prisk.com) in 1990. Her mission is to provide comprehensive and outstanding training and coaching in public speaking and communication skills.
Jenni works across the United States with companies and individuals in diverse aspects of communication. A native of New Zealand, she holds a Diploma in Adult Teaching and is qualified as a Human Relations and Communications Instructor for the New Zealand Marriage Guidance Council. She also has a Diploma in Speech and Drama from Trinity College of London, England.
Her diverse professional background includes five years in the newspaper industry where she received four writing awards. She wrote and produced 70+ commentaries and interviews for KPBS Radio, for which she also received awards. In 2001, she founded Voices of Women (VOW), to expand knowledge of global issues, advocate for human rights, and support the equal participation of women and men in advancing human security (www.voicesofwomen.org).
Bonnie Schwartz, Branding & Graphic Design
Founder and president of Schwartz Design Group (http://www.schwartzdesigngroup.com/), Bonnie Schwartz, offers clients a service oriented creative resource for branding, marketing, advertising and web development. She helps small to medium size businesses effectively connect with their customers to sell their products or services, and has built a reputation for establishing long-standing relationships, and for providing direct communication, exemplary service and contemporary market driven solutions for her clients.
Bonnie was named recipient of the BRAVO award for Business Woman of the Year 2001 by the National Association of Women Business Owners, San Diego Chapter (NAWBO). In 2008 she received the San Diego Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award.
Bonnie is also a past president of the Downtown Rotary Club 33, a previous member of Toastmasters International, and a 1998 YWCA TWIN (Tribute to Women in Industry) honoree. She is a past president of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) San Diego, the Executives’ Association of San Diego and Women in Business.