Our team comprises veterans of the communications industry. Our successes range from working with nonprofits to better market their unique programs and services to influencing successful legislation through strategic use of the media.

JAMIE SHOR, PRESIDENT

With a rich background in public policy and journalism, Jamie creates communication plans that put her clients in the national spotlight—and keeps them there. Whether it’s managing a crisis, devising long-term strategies, or assembling top-notch teams to execute campaigns, Jamie’s boundless enthusiasm and insider’s perspective add clarity and credence to any project.

A former D.C.-based television news writer and producer, Jamie served as press secretary to U.S. Representative Sam Gejdenson of Connecticut during his historic 1994 21-vote victory. She promoted an agenda that included campaign finance reform, healthcare reform, and environmental and trade issues. 

After Capitol Hill, Jamie was named Communications Director for Handgun Control, Inc. and the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. She served as a spokesperson for Jim and Sarah Brady and was a lead strategist for gun control and education initiatives. 

In 2010, Jamie partnered with Josh Levin to open the West End Cinema, an independent movie theater that aims to bring a wider variety of films to Washington, D.C.

Jamie’s most recent campaigns include media and outreach for the Oscar Nominated documentary RESTREPO, Harry Shearer's THE BIG UNEASY, and Robert Redford's THE CONSPIRATOR. She is the co-founder of the Impact Film Fund, which produced the Impact Film Festival at the 2008 Democratic and Republican Conventions. The festival was featured multiple times in the New York Times, Washington Post,Los Angeles Times, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, National Journal, The Hill, Roll Call and many other key trade and political publications.

Jamie holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.

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RENEE TSAO, VICE PRESIDENT

Renee joined the PR Collaborative fresh from Los Angeles where she worked as a specialty film publicist for independent, documentary and foreign films. Her experience includes theatrical and awards campaigns for movies spanning many genres. Her films include MILK, BURN AFTER READING, CORALINE, PAN’S LABYRINTH, PARIS, JE T’AIME, JESUS CAMP and THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO.

Prior to her career in public relations Renee worked in the news media, which included stints at CNN, MSNBC and Air America Radio.

She holds a B.S. in broadcast journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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HOLLY COWAN, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Holly has been with the PR Collaborative for two years. She manages communications and marketing strategy for policy and activism projects including the MIT Collaborative Initiatives, the Helsinki Design Lab, and the Alliance for Global Conservation, and oversees publicity for authors Roya Hakakian and Ron Glasser. Holly joined the PR Collaborative after several years on the New York advertising scene, where she worked as an Account Manager and Copywriter at Lloyd & Co, a boutique fashion advertising agency. There, her clients included Express, Movado, Theory, Healing the Divide, the Surfrider Foundation, and the CFDA, among others. She brings her extensive experience in creative and informative writing, brand building and awareness, and high-impact campaign development to the PR Collaborative. Holly graduated with honors from Colgate University with a degree in English and Spanish Literature.

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JOHANNA BARRON, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

After discovering a deep interest in all areas of film production and marketing while working on a documentary film project as an undergrauate student, Johanna followed her love of film to the PR Collaborative. She works primarily on publicity and marketing for the West End Cinema. Recent films include LIFE IN A DAY, THE BANG BANG CLUB, and THE CONSPIRATOR.

Johanna graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a BA in American Studies with a focus on Film Studies.

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RACHEL FINAN, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Rachel joined the PR Collaborative after spending a year in Malawi working for Grassroot Soccer - a nonprofit utilizing soccer and local role models to educate African youth about HIV/AIDS. In Malawi, she helped develop, publicize, and implement a life-skills curriculum for HIV-positive youth. Related work included running large community awareness events and securing funding from donors such as the US State Department, the English Premier League, and the Abbott Fund. Rachel brings her experience in messaging and communications to PRC where she helps clients use independent film to achieve environmental, public health, legislative, and numerous other goals. She has worked on films such as THE LAST MOUNTAIN, DESERT FLOWER, THE BIG UNEASY, and LOUDER THAN A BOMB.

Rachel graduated magna cum laude from Dickinson College with a BA in International Relations and a minor in Economics.

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JODY ARLINGTON, SENIOR COUNSELLOR

Jody is an in-demand industry veteran with a wealth of experience in strategic communications and public interest PR.  She has an impressive track record designing and implementing successful research-based and strategy-driven integrated public education campaigns, and counts among her recent work successful initiatives for Aspen institute and Family Violence Prevention Fund.
 
Jody formerly directed the Entertainment Practice at Weber Merritt.  Previously, she was a Vice President at Fleishman-Hillard where she managed the U.S. Mint, one of the agency’s largest accounts. Her other clients included the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Defense.  Before joining Fleishman-Hillard, Jody was a manager at Burson-Marsteller where she directed the U.S. Treasury Department and Federal Reserve System’s redesigned currency public education programs. She has also executed strategic communications strategies for the ACLU, Benton Foundation and a prestigious campaign to prevent youth violence initiated by the White House following the Columbine shootings.
 
Jody holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Georgetown University. She is the Director of the D.C. chapter of the Georgetown Entertainment & Media Alliance and teaches Storytelling 2.1 at Georgetown’s Journalism Department, SCS.

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JOANN DONNELLAN, SENIOR COUNSELLOR

Joann Donnellan brings 20 years of experience as a creative media relations strategist, public affairs campaign director, television producer and assignment editor to the PR Collaborative. Joann is the President of JD MEDIA, a media and public relations consulting firm in Washington, DC. Prior to founding JD MEDIA, Joann was the traveling press secretary for the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors, which was co-chaired by former Senator Bob Dole and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna E. Shalala. Before joining the Commission, Joann was the Director of Media Relations for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. She was also the architect of a national campaign to establish the AMBER Alert program in every state in the nation to save abducted children. Joann has made appearances on NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, BBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, NPR and many others. Additionally, Joann has 13 years experience in television working as a senior producer for the FOX television network show America’s Most Wanted as well as an assignment editor and producer for New York-1 News in New York City, WTTG-TV in Washington, DC, WBAL-TV in Baltimore, MD, Fox News Channel and Reuters. She is a longtime advocate for children having served on the Board of Directors for St. Ann’s Infant and Maternity Home which offers emergency care for abused and abandoned children in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In 1996, Joann worked in Calcutta, India, at Mother Teresa’s children’s orphanage Shishu Bhavin, which cares for more than 400 children. Joann received her B.A. from Radford University and currently serves on the President’s Advisory Council.

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JULIA COHEN, SENIOR COUNSELLOR

Julia Cohen develops and executes grassroots and grasstops outreach campaigns for a wide range of clients in the entertainment and non-profit industries. She has over 20 years experience in United Nations, government, nonprofit and public health management, civic engagement, advocacy, marketing, fundraising and technology development. Cohen’s diverse experience includes serving as Deputy Director for Campus Progress at the Center for American Progress and directing major initiatives for the National Democratic Institute, YouthNOISE, Youth Vote, Rock the Vote, Planned Parenthood and the U.S. State Department, among others. At Voxiva, she led efforts to develop global health, political and civic engagement mobile technology applications and directed projects for AIDS relief and Tsunami recovery. Cohen is a Board member of WITNESS, founded by musician Peter Gabriel, which uses the power of video to expose human rights abuses.