Blocks

Michele Litzky

Everyone has a superpower. Michele’s is her memory: people, places, things, great campaigns—and those not so great. When you’ve been doing something you love for more than 40 years, it’s rewarding to be able to remember, celebrate, and share the memories. It’s why teaching and mentoring are high on her list of favorite things. Fact: Michele loves white gum balls and black jellybeans.

Josslynne Welch

Josslynne began her career as an LPR intern in 1998. Having grown up at the agency, she has been instrumental in building the business from a three-person shop to the current team of powerhouse PR professionals known for delivering results that matter. During her 25-year tenure, Josslynne has worked with industry-changing entrepreneurs, leading global play companies, and innovative start-ups, providing her with deep expertise in the kids and family space and a diverse network of trusted peers. Josslynne is equally passionate about the work we do as she is the people who make it happen, and finds great fulfillment in nurturing talent and mentoring the next generation of leaders. Today, she leads LPR with candor and compassion – and as our clients can attest, she is always available for gut checks, counsel, or a cocktail.

Kelsey Wheeler

Kelsey is an expert in the parenting and entertainment space, with twelve years of experience partnering with top brands that speak to families, including Hasbro, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Carter’s, Kamik, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. She is driven by the opportunity to build a brand and shape its story for years to come. Her biggest claim to fame is appearing on Perez Hilton during a My Little Pony movie premiere!

Maria Ryder

From when she started as an intern in 2013 till now, Maria has used her creativity and excitement to tell stories and create experiences for her clients that have ranged from iconic consumer product properties like Monopoly, Play-Doh, and Disney Princess to up-and-coming brands like KidKraft, Healthy Roots Dolls, Millie Moon and more.  When she’s not shopping, Maria is almost always in the kitchen baking up something new for her family to try.  

Kaylie Easton

Kaylie started her career as an account coordinator with LPR in 2008, and over time has served a broad spectrum of clients reaching kids and families along with industry associations spanning toy and licensing. She is passionate about the role PR plays in brand building, and has worked with some of the biggest – from icons like Pokémon, Schwinn, and Ringling, to startups with standout stories like Ageless Innovation and Playper. With over 15 years of expertise, Kaylie has led high-profile product launches, strategic brand campaigns, and once fielded Q&A between One Direction and hundreds of screaming fans. Today, she oversees all client accounts at the agency and ensures the work delivers what we promise.

Jenna Schwartz

Jenna began her career at LPR as an intern – immediately impressing everyone with her PR skillset.

When she’s not playing with the latest toys from her clients, she’s discovering new influencers and exploring all the creative avenues social media has to offer. She is always first to spot a trend, identify a newsworthy media angle, and knows all the latest celebrity gossip. After hours, you can find Jenna checking out the latest restaurants or getting last minute tickets to Broadway Shows.

DeAnna Varilias

From binging horror movies and The Bachelor to catching the latest Brooklyn Nets game, DeAnna is a true pop culture junkie so tapping into the latest trends and influencers comes naturally. When she’s not hustling on the job she can be found watching re-runs of The Sopranos or cooking up some of her (soon-to-be) famous risotto!

Alyssa Hackman

Alyssa has a knack for events. She got her start in entertainment PR, which included red carpet premieres, after parties and talent press junkets, and now you can find her geeking out (and working hard, of course) at every fan and pop culture convention you can think of – hello Comic-Con and Star Wars Celebration!  Outside of work, her time is spent forcing her sassy cat to snuggle, listening to more Bachelor-themed podcasts than she’s willing to admit, and daydreaming about her next New England beach vacation. Sadly, no. She is not related to Gene Hackman (we know you thought it!).

Christie Ziv

Christie is a smart, confident, and strategic leader with more than a decade of experience under her belt at LPR. Her intense work ethic and love for the job have allowed her to successfully execute global campaigns, newsworthy product launches, and exciting media events for some of the worlds’ most iconic, beloved brands in the kids’ and family entertainment space, including Pokémon, Hasbro, Schwinn, Hess Toy Trucks, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and countless more. Her fun fact, which she never fails to tout, is that she is a triplet! (No, they are not identical. And, no, they cannot read each other’s minds. But they do finish each other’s sentences… sometimes!)

Danielle Mulholland

As the resident Disney fan-girl, Danielle has the pleasure of mixing work with her own personal interests on iconic and fast-paced brands such as Marvel and Star Wars! In addition, Danielle is an unapologetic cat enthusiast and self-proclaimed French fry connoisseur. You can often find her eating an entire bag of cheddar Goldfish at her desk while she peruses the unpredictable depths of Reddit and TikTok.

Nastassia De Leon

A self-proclaimed smile with a backbone, Stassi is an ambitious self-starter who excels in office administration. When she’s not in the office ensuring everything is flowing to her liking, she is almost always at home relaxing with her son Ethan, reading books or manga, and watching anime. 

Tara Wood

An integral part of the LPR team since 2011, Tara has the magic touch when it comes to creative activations, events, mailers, and branded experiences that connect audiences to our clients in memorable, tangible ways. Her love for party planning is so strong that she leads our very own PPC (Party Planning Committee) and has a hand in planning all our internal agency events.

Marisa Papa

Marisa is a media relations powerhouse, landing features for her clients, authors, and spokespeople in USA Today, MarketWatch, the Today Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and CNN – and that’s just a recent sampling! She knows how to craft a compelling story (whether it’s about a small startup, an iconic brand, or an up-and-coming author) and maintains longstanding relationships with the editors and reporters who bring them to life beyond headlines. After (and before) hours, Marisa can be found walking her dog Lexi, taking a HIIT class, or listening to Taylor Swift.

Meg Rice

A loyal Swiftie, Moe’s enthusiast, and Instagrammer extraordinaire, Meg started her PR career as an LPR intern and recently rejoined the agency full time.  Passionate, detail orientated, and an excellent communicator, Meg excels at finding the perfect influencer partners for our clients. Outside of work she is always on the hunt for great gluten free restaurants or buying concert tickets to see artists on her beloved Spotify playlists.

Beth Kimmerling

Beth has more than 20 years of experience in a wide range of consumer-facing industries, including toy, pet, consumer healthcare, restaurant, and hospitality, to name a few. She loves the challenge of developing fresh strategy and creative concepts to craft holistic campaigns that drive meaningful results for our clients. Now a mom (and grandma!), Beth still proudly touts her hula hooping skills, which she once showed off in a toy segment on the Today Show!