Good Work With Good People Makes For a Good Life

Abbey Korthals plays a vital role in preserving INK’s unique culture by overseeing and supporting operations and an ever-growing team. With superior organizational efficiency and problem-solving skills, Abbey ensures INK’s internal operations are streamlined. Her ability to keep the trains moving allows INK to continue delivering exceptional services to clients and serving as a nurturing and encouraging place to work. Abbey graduated from Texas State University with a degree in Public Relations and began her career at Porter Novelli where, in addition to managing clients, she managed their professional development program.

Abby O’Connor ensures INK’s marketing communications programs are informed and enhanced by research. She applies thoughtful curiosity and an analytical approach to every aspect of her work, whether crafting brand positioning, writing impactful content, or drawing industry and audience insights from data. Her expertise in developing meaningful and actionable personas earned her team a Platinum MarCom Award for its Whole Foods Market 365 audience research. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Abby has a drive to never stop learning and has since become professionally certified in Brandwatch analytics and the ThinkWrong problem-solving methodology.

Alex Bacon combines creativity, enthusiasm and analytical thinking to effectively run media relations programs at INK. With deep experience in cybersecurity, insurtech, fintech and healthtech, he’s worked with early-stage startups to enterprise organizations to tell their stories to audiences in a succinct, impactful way. A Chicago native turned Texan, Alex earned his bachelor’s from The Illinois Institute of Technology and Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications from Georgetown University.

Allison Ralston develops a connection between data, strategy, and current trends to generate media interest for her clients. Before becoming a full-time INKer, Allison’s background was intertwined with digital marketing, content writing and project management roles that emphasized crafting unique messages through effective communication. A native Californian turned Texan, Allison earned her Bachelor of Science in public relations and Master of Arts in mass communication from Texas State University.

Brittany Miller stays on top of industry trends and channels her curiosity to better shape client stories for media. Before her postgraduation career at INK, she gained experience through internships within the nonprofit, health care and journalism spaces. Brittany is a native Texan and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in public relations and a minor in business.

Caroline Patterson brings a strategic, creative, and resourceful approach to helping clients tell their stories. With experience on B2B accounts from cloud to cybersecurity to enterprise software, she has landed her clients in top outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, TechCrunch, and WIRED. Prior to INK, Caroline worked at Matter on tech and consumer clients such as Alert Logic, CVS, and Progress. Caroline is a Colorado native and graduated from the University of Kansas where she studied communications and was a four-year varsity swimmer and team captain for her senior season.

Danielle Scotto serves her clients with outside the box thinking to create and execute strategic communications programs which identify compelling narratives to reach their target audiences in a meaningful and impactful way. Danielle has years of experience in technology communications and has worked with clients in the manufacturing, cybersecurity, cloud, and enterprise software. Prior to joining INK, Danielle worked for Lumina Communications where she was responsible for providing support on client strategy development, planning initiatives, client relations and media outreach on a range of agency accounts. She is a born and raised New Yorker and graduated from Iona College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communications.

Erin Augustine has a knack for taking complex concepts and creating dynamic and thoughtful content for INK’s clients. With experience writing in-house for international non-profit organizations, national trade associations, tech startups, and a variety of freelance clients, Erin crafts messaging and communications that are compelling and clear. Born and raised in the heartland, Erin ventured to Chicago where she earned a BA in English from DePaul University. She also holds two masters, one in Applied Economics from CERGE-EI and the other in Political Science from Northeastern Illinois University.

Erin Eckert keeps an ear on the ground to maximize client opportunities and ensure that no stone goes unturned. Her agency background working with nonprofits in Austin, TX has fueled her passion for integrating community focused angles into larger campaigns. A graduate from Trinity University in San Antonio, Erin majored in Communications with an interdisciplinary minor in New Media which combines computer science, art, and communications.

Hailey Herzik is a writer at heart with a love for telling her clients’ stories. She has worked with clients in a variety of industries over the course of her career including B2B, telecommunications, nonprofit and consumer brands. Prior to becoming an INKer, Hailey worked at an Austin-based boutique PR firm that worked with international clean energy companies. A small-town Texas gal, Hailey graduated from The University of Texas in Austin with a major in public relations and minors in business and German. When she’s not working, Hailey enjoys writing, reading, and running (slowly).

Hallie is a savvy PR professional who works strategically to raise her clients’ profiles through creative and impactful storytelling that moves the needle. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2016, Hallie relocated to Sydney, Australia where she kickstarted her career. From launching world-first products for the likes of Uber and Twitter to amplifying cutting-edge work of technological innovators such as eStore Logistics and Swoop Aero, Hallie is passionate about telling the stories of disruptive brands shaping the future of how we live and work.

Hannah Lynch has a passion for building efficiencies and ensuring employees feel supported and balanced in the work they do. Prior to INK, Hannah gained experience in account management at a Dallas-based agency as well as process development at a large international professional services firm. Hannah supports INK teams through project management, budgeting, and resource planning and believes that a good process can fix anything. A graduate from Dallas Baptist University with a degree in Business Management, Hannah relocated from Dallas to Austin where when she’s not working, you can find her hiking and kayaking to her heart’s content.

Hillary Crusan harnesses her empathetic nature to craft content that promotes lasting relationships between her clients and their target audiences. With communication experience in a range of industries from public radio to cybersecurity and finance, Hillary thrives on the opportunity to build expertise in new disciplines and the up-and-coming technologies behind them. A native of the Midwest, Hillary earned her degree in mass communications and public relations from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Isabel Bagsik is a passionate visual storyteller and lights up when creating for organizations whose missions have social impact. Her design career has spanned a variety of industries, such as magazine publishing, nonprofits, healthcare, and advertising with clients like Lenovo, Kaiser Permanente, Google, and Michelle Obama. Her multidisciplinary creative skillset led her and a team to win a Streamy’s Agency of the Year for a branded series with Target. She takes those creative leadership skills to dive deeper into her Filipina American cultural identity through community building and collaborative passion projects.

Jimena De la Mora integrated her curiosity for life into her media expertise. With experience in writing, editing, social media and research, Jimena focuses on how to maximize coverage for her clients. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism with Honors and a minor in Communications and Social Change, which opened the doors for her into the world of marketing and into the arms of INK. To connect with her, simply share an interest in cooking, car racing, or any funny story that comes to mind.

Joey Held is a digital marketing and content creation madman. At INK, he’s worked with clients in the tech, supply chain, and retail space, navigating social campaigns, developing copy for newsletters, and writing expert content that makes you think and click. He also serves as the company’s podcast expert, pulling from experience producing and hosting series such as his own Parks n Wrecked show. A graduate of the University of Miami’s broadcast journalism program, Joey has shared his expertise speaking at events for the Public Relations Society of Austin and the American Society of Journalists and Authors.

Kathryn Hudack is a child of the internet with a passion for all things media. Her strengths lie in building strategies that live at the intersection of creative and calculated, keeping up to date with the latest trends, and finding that "ah-ha" piece of info that ties everything together.

She joined INK in the summer of 2021 as an intern, and after graduating from the University of Texas in fall 2021 with a B.S. in PR with a specialization in media and data analytics, she joined INK full-time as a digital associate.

Kersa Haughey is a fervent organizer. She combines top-notch management skillsets with a grounded sense of curiosity to deliver marketing insights, communications strategy, and media relations that work. Her experience spans wireless technology, cloud services, consumer brands, and energy for clients large and small. Kersa graduated from Trinity University with a BBA in marketing and a new home state. She loves her Seattle roots and Texas life.

Lindsay Laulis combines her expertise in the latest social trends with her passion for data-driven strategy to turn fans into customers and customers into advocates. Her experience includes organic & paid digital strategy for technology, telecommunications, nonprofit, and tourism. She maximizes campaign results by letting analytics lead the way and looks at social media as the key to reputation management, impact, and influence. She holds a BS in Strategic Communication with Double Honors Emphasis in both Advertising and Public Relations from Northern Arizona University.

Liz Chavez creatively brings analytical thinking and a unique consumer prospective for demystifying complex technology to help her clients execute strategic communications programs. Prior to INK, Liz worked at Hill+Knowlton Strategies in its Austin office, where she worked across a wide range of industries including retail, energy, healthcare, consumer product goods, automotive and veterinary care. Liz grew up in Austin and graduated from University of Texas at Austin where she double majored in public relations, and international relations and global studies.

Lorissa Gonzalez is determined to find the “so what” in all of her work and challenges her teammates and clients to lead with an inquisitive mindset. By constantly staying in tune with media and industry trends, she keeps her teams informed, agile, and one step ahead. She brings her analytical background to INK to deliver powerful results. Lorissa is a Southern California native and moved to Austin to pursue public relations at The University of Texas at Austin.

Madeline Forwerck takes a holistic approach to media relations, drawing parallels between brand narratives, industry trends, and cultural moments to craft compelling stories and help clients reach new audiences. With a background in local news, digital marketing, and content creation, she has driven results for clients across industries including fintech, cloud computing, publishing, sustainability, and nonprofit, with placements in Forbes, Rolling Stone, TechCrunch, and more. Based in the North Carolina mountains, she holds a B.A. in technical writing with a minor in marketing from Western Carolina University.

Mallory Baker is passionate about sustainability and believes in the power of unlocking businesses' potential to combat our world's biggest issues. Equipped with the SASB FSA Credential, she helps our clients tell their ESG stories by drawing the link between sustainability and enterprise value. Mallory also has a keen eye for the just and clean energy transition from experience with influential players in the energy space including Enel, Vestas, and the Environmental Defense Fund. Mallory is thrilled by a challenge, which has taken her to live in US, Spain, Portugal, and Canada, driven her to learn Spanish and Portuguese, snowboard across the world, and attempt to crack to code on, well, coding.

Manuel Llosas is a natural problem solver with a passion for building web experiences that are both useful and beautiful, and gained experience in web development and digital marketing working for agencies and with a variety of freelance clients. As a lifelong learner, he enjoys keeping up with the latest trends in web development and is always trying to find a better way to address challenges.

Mary Brynn Milburn is a natural story teller and has a passion for building relationships with clients, media and everyone in between. She has past agency experience managing public relations, writing and social media programs, but her true passion lies in media relations and engagement. When she's not pitching a journalist, you can find Mary Brynn on the hunt for the next interesting story angle for her clients. Mary Brynn is proud to join numerous fellow Longhorns at INK - she graduated in 2018 with a degree in public relations and a minor in business administration. In her free time, Mary Brynn teaches and takes Pilates classes, obsesses over the latest additions to her Spotify Discover Weekly playlist and loves trying all of the restaurants and activities Dallas has to offer.

Nash Levitt leverages his enthusiasm and creativity to support his clients and colleagues. With communication experience in real estate, lifestyle and nonprofit industries, Nash has cultivated brands from their beginnings and differentiated existing titans like Tide, Subaru and SpeedPro through public relations, brand strategy and social media. As a board member of Ad Club CO NEXT and stand-up comedian, Nash knows how to connect with audiences to deliver value from unique perspectives to eye-roll-inducing dad jokes. Born and raised in Arizona, Nash beat the heat to graduate with honors from the University of Colorado Boulder, earning an advertising major and business minor.

Olivia Thomas has a love for project management and team organization. She brings critical thinking to her resourcing team and helps balance workloads for various clients. Before starting at INK, Olivia gained experience in account management through two local San Antonio agencies. A graduate of Trinity University, she studied Communication and Sport Management. Olivia believes that every team can benefit from a good Excel sheet and communication is the key to success. In addition to resourcing, Olivia loves to bike and hike in the Colorado mountains.

Paige Buescher brings creativity, thoughtfulness, and inquisitiveness to her work every day. Her need for knowledge drives her to absorb complex concepts and broad perspectives to create unique and impactful content for INK’s clients. Previously, she worked in politics with large corporations and national trade associations to craft their messages and communications to achieve their legislative initiatives. Paige grew up in Oklahoma City and graduated with honors from Oklahoma State University where she double-majored in strategic communications and psychology.

Payton Ricci is a graphic designer with a passion for telling stories through thoughtful, user-centric design. Before starting her post-graduation career at INK, Payton gained experience through internships and contract work with companies like Gensler, Google, and Urban Outfitters. She believes that design should not only look good, but also effectively communicate a message. In addition to design, Payton practices crochet, printmaking, and analog photography, and uses each unique process to inform her design thinking.

Armed with a passion for collaboration and a slight obsession with AP style, Reagan Costa brings creativity and enthusiasm to her client’s communications programs. The word “conventional” doesn’t exist in her vocabulary as she finds nothing more satisfying than identifying new and unique opportunities to tell her client’s stories and reach new audiences. She’s results-driven in every sense, securing coverage in Insider, Fast Company, Forbes and more. A Tennessean turned Texan, Reagan graduated from the University of Tennessee (known as “the other UT” by her Longhorn colleagues) with a major in public relations and a minor in business.

Doubling as a design nerd and social media junkie, Ryan Riggins has a passion for all things print and pixel. He uses his love for design to help our clients bring their messages to life visually. Ryan spreads this love to his other passion, soccer, by offering his talents to the MLS Austin supporter’s group, Austin Anthem. Ryan is INK’s resident videographer and photographer, creating work in these mediums for clients like CORT Furniture and 365 by Whole Foods Market. Born and raised on the West Coast, Ryan attended Azusa Pacific University. He headed to Austin with a desire to be in a creative city filled with unique people and a job to spend his days practicing the craft he loves.

Sami Sauerman creates and executes strategic communications programs that help her clients reach the right audience, at the right time, with the right message. Sami works with B2B companies in the financial services, SaaS, and manufacturing industries. Prior to joining INK, Sami worked at Ogilvy in its Los Angeles and Denver offices, where she worked across a wide range of industries, including tourism, healthcare, corporate social responsibility and sustainability, automotive, and plastics. She is a Midwest native and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications.

Savannah Burns uses her sleuthing skills to keep everyone informed on the latest industry trends and happenings to help make connections between clients and the media. She found a passion for media relations through the knowledge she gained interning in the journalism and tech PR spaces. Born and raised in Texas, Savannah obtained her bachelor’s degree from Texas State University with a major in marketing and a minor in psychology.

Stacy Slayden is an ex-reporter turned public relations professional with a unique perspective in how to tell stories that keep her B2B and B2C clients one step ahead. Relying on journalistic instinct, she has a knack for media relations and catching the attention of reporters with timely news hooks which have landed her clients in publications such as Business Insider, Forbes, and Huffington Post. A Texas-native, Stacy received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas Tech University. During her time as a newscaster, she received an Associated Press award and was nominated for an Emmy.

Valerie Martinez strikes the perfect balance of creativity and analytical thinking in her work at INK where she helps teams run efficient programs and deliver results that meet client objectives. With experience in project management and investor relations, Valerie manages resource allocation, project timelines and budgeting, and supports INK teams and clients with research and project leadership. A graduate from The University of Texas Moody College of Communications, Valerie is the ultimate skeptic of a business-as-usual approach and always tries to find a better way to address any challenge she faces.

Vanessa Villescas’ drive and inherent curiosity has helped her craft distinctive digital strategies for a variety of industries. Her background in marketing, advertising and graphic design has empowered her to approach problem solving with a wide lens. Vanessa’s expertise in developing engaging digital content earned her Texas State University marketing team a Gold Circle of Excellence Award from The Council of Advancement and Support of Education for its Alumni Relations digital campaign. She received her Bachelor of Science in advertising from Texas State University and is currently working on her Master of Arts in mass communication.

Will Gilbert is as bold in his personality as he is in his professional pursuits. He doesn’t let the word “no” stop him from thinking of creative ways to bring his clients’ stories to life. Will’s experience includes social and digital communications for B2B and B2C brands, including consumer goods, technology, and internal marketing. His background in video journalism gives him the ability to tell a story from multiple angles and perspectives. Expect Will to bring big ideas to the table before executing and delivering measurable results, all while entertaining you with a funny story or three.