CCPA

Rick Alcantara – Tara Communications, LLC

Rick Alcantara is knowledgeable writer and lively presenter who delivers insightful observations on PR/marketing/social media trends and tactics that help organizations entice, engage and educate valued prospects, customers, employees, donors and more. He has received numerous awards for his work in Internet communications, public relations research and strategic planning. Rick is the founder of Tara Communications LLC, and formerly the president of the Philadelphia Chapter of PRSA, VP of the Gloucester County Business Association, VP of the Professional Communicators of South Jersey, founder of the Agency Leadership Council, board member of IABC Philadelphia, and adjunct instructor at Drexel University and Rowan University. For the last 18 years, he has been a youth soccer coach. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Rowan University and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Susquehanna University.

You can find Rick blog at http://jerseycoachonline.com and reach him Twitter @jerseycoach.

Ursula Augustine – Ursula*s About PHace

Ursula Augustine is a Licensed Cosmetologist/ Educator/ & Professional Makeup Artist whose career spans over 20 years, and includes working for some of the top names in the beauty industry: Chanel, Bobbi Brown,  Francois Nars, and Jeanine Lobell (Stila).
Ursula is the owner of Ursula’s About PHace Rittenhouse Makeup Studio ~ Best of Philly Winner 2007:  PHace Model Management and PAUSE Health & Wellness PHacial Suite.

Audrey Julienne – Raison d’Etre

Audrey Julienne is an independent marketing expert who helps companies and brands navigate the marketing, advertising and promotion seas. Through a successful career both in agencies and as a marketing manager for a $20 million brand in the US, she acquired a solid grasp of all promotional tactics, both on and off-line and their relevance to one’s objective and situation. In 2008 she created Raison d’Etre, with the objective of bringing her corporate level knowledge and experience to the small business industry. Audrey is involved with CCPA as the chair of the Blog Committee.

Kirk Kirkpatrick – Essential Ventures, LLC

R. L. (Kirk) Kirkpatrick has worked in marketing, merchandising and product development throughout his career concentrating on direct commerce for the past 20 years. He has held senior management positions in marketing for major corporations including HSN (division of InterActive Corp.) as Vice President of New Business Development, Discovery Communications as Vice President/General Manager of Commerce at Discovery Health and The Franklin Mint as Director of Collectibles and New Product Concepts.  His work as a marketing and merchandising consultant includes assignments with AAA Mid-Atlantic, Aetna/US Healthcare (founding merchant InteliHealth Healthy Home catalog), Lenox Collections, Paralyzed Veterans of America and The Company Store.  Product development assignments included L. L. Bean and Christian Dior Art de la Table. He earned an MBA in marketing from New York University and a BA in economics from University of Pennsylvania.

Susan Perloff – Susan Perloff Writes

Susan Perloff, freelance writer, editor and writing coach, has earned 4 national writing awards. She writes web content, newsletters, annual reports, training manuals, profiles, corporate histories and more. In corporate workshops, institutional settings and individual coaching sessions, Susan teaches adults to write. Susan’s motto is: I can write it or teach you to write it.

Keith Scandone – O3 World

Keith Scandone is one of the principles of O3 World, LLC, an Interactive Design and Development company located in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Keith oversees the company’s operations, and handles most of the marketing initiatives and business development opportunities for the company. O3 World consists of 10 people and has been in business for 4 years.

Laura Sicola – Sicola Consulting Group

Laura Sicola, Ph.D., is a language acquisition coach who provides people with the tools necessary to successfully learn additional languages. She has worked with Americans and international expatriates, guiding them to identify their own unique learning style, and helping them match best-practice strategies to maximize foreign language learning. Individual coaching sessions, single workshops, and longer-term program development are provided. She also lectures part time at the University of Pennsylvania, where she got her Ph.D. in educational linguistics, independently provides accent training for professionals who want to learn a standard American accent, and develops training programs on language and culture for corporations interested in going global. Dr. Sicola is also co-founder of Silver Bullet Education, creating English-language-learning programs and applications for iPhone and online platforms. She speaks Spanish and Japanese (and of course English) and is starting to learn Italian. On the side, she is an avid chef and loves to salsa and swing dance.

Joan Silverstein – Center City Concierge

Center City Concierge founder, Joan Silverstein, is a long time resident of Center City Philadelphia.  As a busy professional living in Center City, Joan has shared many of the  frustrations we all have- trying to strike a balance between work/life.  While working for one of Philadelphia’s major corporations she won numerous awards for her sales marketing and customer service skills, created a client advisory board and was leader and facilitator of Process Improvement teams.
Upon leaving corporate life, Joan decided to utilize her numerous skills and the knowledge of the city she loves and created Center City Concierge to help individuals and business reclaim a most precious commodity…TIME !