Chemistry Team

 

Audrey Doherty

Audrey Doherty is the principal of Chemistry.  With more than eighteen years of public relations and marketing experience, Doherty has established strong credentials in strategic planning, media relations, marketing, business-to-business, promotions, sponsorships, and special events.

Audrey’s industry experience encompasses commercial and residential real estate, travel, restaurants, consumer products and services, architecture and interior design.  Her recent client list includes: Andaz San Diego, Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina, Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp., Barona Resort & Casino, Spa Tiki, DPR Construction, KMA Architecture & Engineering, BOMA San Diego, Kelly Capital, Waste Management, Porto Vista Hotel and The Glass Door Restaurant.

She also serves as the Executive Director of the San Diego Building Owners & Managers Association, the leading voice of commercial real estate in San Diego.  As executive director, she manages public relations and marketing, membership services, community outreach and special events planning for more than two dozen commercial real estate events and educational programs annually.

Audrey is the recipient of numerous Silver Bernays Awards from the Public Relations Society of America, San Diego Chapter including Best Consumer Service Launch, Best Creative Tactic, Best Institutional Program, Best Travel, Tourism and Hospitality B2B Program, and Best Public Affairs Program.

A published author, her articles about real estate and hospitality issues and trends have appeared in the San Diego Business Journal and The Daily Transcript, and she has appeared as a spokesperson on many television news programs including NBC 7/39, KUSI, KGTV, KFMB and FOX 6 News.

Prior to launching Chemistry’s public relations division in 2000, Audrey served as an account manager in the public relations division of Stoorza Communications.  She has also worked as a public relations consultant for Sierra On-Line, Showtime Networks, Inc., Saban Entertainment and Warner Vision.

While at Murphy/O’Brien Communications in Los Angeles, Audrey developed and implemented national spokesperson media tours, press trips, print and broadcast promotions and special events for a roster of travel, restaurant, and consumer product and lifestyle clients including the Carmel Business Association (Carmel-by-the-Sea), Nestle, The Peninsula Group Hotels, Wailea Destination Association, Renaissance Hotels and Resorts and the Hollywood Athletic Club - Universal CityWalk. Her public relations career began at Rogers & Associates where her clients included VCRPlus+, DirecTV and Atari Games Corp.

Audrey earned a bachelor of arts degree in Communication Studies from the University of California Los Angeles. She is the Immediate Past President of the Public Relations Society of America, San Diego Chapter and serves on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Film Commission and the Center for Community Solutions.  Doherty also provides pro bono public relations services to Dress for Success, SOS Taste of the Nation and the Center for Community Solutions.  

Lori Kennedy

Lori holds a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management and is recognized as one of the hospitality industry’s leading communication professionals. Her exceptional organizational skills have enabled her to manage a multitude of marketing and public relations projects for leading hotels and resorts throughout her 25-year career.

In her early years, Lori garnered hotel operations experience at such prestigious properties as the Arizona Biltmore (Phoenix) and Hotel Del Coronado (San Diego). Lori worked at the Four Seasons Resort Maui, and opened the company’s Hualalai Resort and Las Vegas Hotel.  Other travel groups represented by Lori include the Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau, Wailea Destination Association, Maui Visitors Bureau, Peninsula Group, Renaissance Corporation, Laguna Beach Destination Association, and many others.

Shae Geary

Shae is a seasoned public relations professional with over 13 years experience working in the travel and hospitality industries. Her breadth of experience includes hotel openings, resort real estate, spa, golf, food & beverage and special events. Shae began her career in Hawaii, honing her skills at Peck Sims Mueller, a Honolulu marketing agency, and later at McNeil Wilson Communications where she represented clients such as the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, Kauai Marriot Resort, JW Marriott Ihilani, Waikiki Marriott and the Hawaii Hotel Association. Prior to joining the team at JLK, Shae served as Director of Public Relations at Four Seasons Resort Aviara, North San Diego. Shae holds a master’s degree in mass communications from Arizona State University and a bachelor’s degree from University of California Santa Barbara.

Nancy Ives Schroeder

Nancy Ives Schroeder is a seasoned communications professional with over 20 years of experience in developing and executing public policy and corporate communications, along with related advocacy and public relations strategies. Schroeder has an extensive background in both the political arena and the private sector; a veteran of Capitol Hill, she was the longtime communications director for U.S. Senator John McCain, and subsequently worked in global media outreach for the Vaccine Fund, a grantee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

In 2005, Nancy founded NIS Strategies, an independent consulting firm specializing in the development and execution of communications strategies to achieve positive outcomes for clients.  More recently, she conducted domestic and international communications strategies for Rio Tinto, a global natural resources company.  Other clients have included the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, El Paso Corporation, the Waitt Family Foundation, Sports Star Relocation, APCO Worldwide, and Stonefield Development, among others. 

Nancy is an outcome-based expert with demonstrated ability to formulate creative solutions, build strategic alliances, and work closely with regional, national and international media and other stakeholders to successfully deliver on identified goals and initiatives.

Stephanie Heliker

As an account executive, Stephanie Heliker is responsible for media relations, developing press materials, securing coverage for clients in local media, social media strategies, client research and event planning.  She is also experienced in website management, SEO and strategic social media implementation for various clients.

She is largely in charge of managing the organization of membership, event coordination, communications and publicity efforts for the San Diego Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA). In addition to BOMA, she contributes to such accounts as Andaz San Diego, Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, Porto Vista Hotel, The Glass Door and KMA Architecture & Engineering, and has worked with Chemistry’s pro bono clients including the Center for Community Solutions on successful events such as the annual Chef Showdown.

Stephanie has earned coverage for Chemistry clients in such publications as San Diego Union-Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Sunset Magazine and USA Today as well as numerous regional and national publications.

Stephanie most recently held the position of account coordinator. Prior to Chemistry, Stephanie was an intern in San Diego State University’s (SDSU) Marketing and Communications department. She earned a bachelor’s degree at SDSU in journalism and media studies, with an emphasis in public relations and an allied discipline in political science.

Becky Parker

As account coordinator at Chemistry Public Relations, Becky Parker supports a wide range of the firm’s restaurant, travel and real estate clients. She is largely responsible for spotting trends, uncovering newsworthy angles, producing memorable special events and creating social media strategies. She also contributes to the communication efforts and event coordination for the San Diego Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA San Diego).

During her time at Chemistry Public Relations, Becky has contributed to such accounts as BOMA, Andaz San Diego, Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, KMA Architecture & Engineering, DPR Construction and Barona Resort & Casino. A large part of her role at Chemistry is brainstorming creative pitch ideas and developing social media strategies to maximize visibility online and gain media attention for her clients.

Prior to joining Chemistry, Becky worked as an intern at The Nth Element and then at the Los Angeles-based global advertising agency, TBWA\Chiat\Day as an account management intern. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Loyola Marymount University, where she received top honors and was an active member of her service organization. 

Amy Zimmerman

Amy Zimmerman is a strategic communications consultant and writer who launched A.Z. Communications in 2007, a strategic partner of Chemistry PR. With more than 17 years experience, Amy specializes in working with financial and other professional services firms on their strategic communication plans, public and media relations as well as content development.

Prior to starting her business, Amy held several marketing and public relations positions with financial services firms including public relations manager at Nicholas-Applegate Capital Management, content director for Internet Stock News as well as marketing for LPL Financial Services. She has also worked on the agency side, directing the accounts of health care communications firm, MedAccess, where she managed large-scale communications programs for pharmaceutical and medical device clients. At Elan Pharmaceuticals, she managed and facilitated the development of publication of Elan’s drug research studies.

Amy recently served on the Board of Directors for Women's Empowerment (WE) International, an organization that provides microfinance loans to some of the world’s most disadvantaged women. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham University in New York City.

Lauren Parenti

As Chemistry Public Relations’ intern, Lauren Parenti is largely responsible for developing client social media content and strategies and supporting all client accounts.  Lauren drafts, plans and measures the social media for select clients, as well as Chemistry.  Lauren is in charge of uploading client clips and press releases to the Chemistry website as well. Lauren also helps the team with conducting research, clipping and tracking coverage for all clients, drafting press releases and newsletter articles and assisting with client special events.

Lauren has assisted with many of Chemistry’s clients including the San Diego Business Owners and Management Association (BOMA San Diego), Andaz San Diego, Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, Barona Resort and Casino, KMA Architecture and Engineering and she also assists Chemistry’s pro bono client, Center for Community Solutions.

Prior to joining Chemistry, Lauren worked as an intern at West Public Relations, DiscoverSD and Fashion 5.0 Magazine. Lauren earned a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University in journalism and media studies, with an emphasis in public relations and an allied discipline in marketing.