Senior Team

Kim Lichtenstein – Co-Owner and Director of Public Relations

Kim is the founder and co-principal of k101 Agency. After graduating from Georgia State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, she earned a position as senior editor of Jezebel Magazine, an Atlanta-based fashion and lifestyle publication where she began establishing long-term relationships with local and national media. She soon found herself on the other side of a microphone as an on-air radio personality for some of Atlanta’s top radio stations including 96 Rock, 99X and Q100. Her wide-ranging experience also includes hosting high-profile events that include ABC’s “The Bachelorette” casting and MTV’s “The Real World Tour” and acting as the official celebrity interviewer for the “GQ Fresh Dressed Awards.” To round out her on-camera expertise, Kim was the “Party Reporter” for UPN’s “Atlanta Tonight” and served as a trend expert for the TBS hit show, “Movie and a Makeover.”

She currently sits on the board of directors for Step Up Women’s Network, a national nonprofit membership organization dedicated to strengthening community resources for women and girls. Kim also volunteers with the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago and teaches youth members about entrepreneurialism and fiscal responsibility through a program she created called, “Young Tykeoons.” She is also a founding host of Stimulus Social Club, a network of socially conscious professionals in the Chicago area who help highlight the needs of both local charitable organizations and Chicago’s restaurant and nightlife venues on the first Wednesday of every month. Kim has been on the cutting edge of virtual marketing and emerging media since 2002 and continues to provide her clients with the most progressive media solutions available.

After graduating from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications, Tia headed west to Breckenridge, Colorado to hone her marketing (and snowboarding) skills working in the marketing department for Marriott’s Mountain Valley Lodge. After her stint in the snow, she headed back to sunny Atlanta to continue her work in the marketing and promotions industry working for companies like Strottman International, Austin Kelley Advertising and Eric Mower & Associates where she serviced accounts like Chick-fil-A, YUM! Brands and PepsiCo. She then served as Account Supervisor for Eastman Kodak, where she provided strategic marketing recommendations and creative direction and coordinated product launches and national promotions for Kodak’s Consumer Products division.
 
In March 2002, her entrepreneurial spirit took over and she helped launch Cover Magazine - the insider's guide to fashion, style, music and culture.  As Editor in Chief she was responsible for the content of the magazine, including copywriting and editing, feature stories, conducting celebrity interviews, arranging fashion shoots and directing the overall creative product. Tia currently specializes in brand development and integrated marketing strategies for k101 Agency.

Betsy Helmkamp – Senior Publicist

After graduating from Ohio University with a Marketing degree and a brief stint overseas in Liberty of London’s press office, Betsy settled in Chicago and has spent the past eight years exploring the ins and outs of the city and its inhabitants.  A lover of fashion and design, she got her first job in Chicago with GHK, an architecture and design firm, where she marketed clients like Merrill Lynch, Quaker Oats Company and Bank One, alongside other Fortune 500 companies.  After four years, she made the move to a boutique PR consulting agency where she practiced PR on a more intimate level; when she wasn't managing a multi-million dollar advertising budget or leading her own accounts, LiLi Boutique and Squash U, she could be found writing radio scripts, copy for websites and print ads.  It was here where she truly honed her PR skills in the lifestyle industry.

Betsy joined k101 in 2008 and when not finessing her social skills at the latest hotspot, you can find her training along the lakefront for a marathon or taking Spanish class to prepare for her next trip abroad. She’s also a licensed Realtor with @Properties.

Staff

Amy Rader, Rob Mathew – Web Design/Development
Caren Anderson - Publicist
Chad Laufer – Graphic Designer
Jaime Christopher - Publicist
Jessica Mullis – Art Director
Joe Cutaia – Publicist and Social Media Renegade
Joran Thompson – PR Assistant
Megan Gallagher - PR Assistant
Nellie Hoeft – Social Media
Paige Bowers – Copywriter/Editor
Taurus Promotions – Branded Merchandise Partner