Jess Flynn, Principal, President
Jess Flynn has embraced a career founded on telling good stories for the past 13 years – taking her from Texas to Pennsylvania to Idaho. With a foundation in journalism excellence, she now applies her reporting and producing instincts to highly successful public relations campaigns on behalf of clients large and small, local and global.
Flynn’s specialty is in promotion of places, including economic development, destination marketing, and brand enhancement; where she integrates social media and multi-media into communication plans and consumer outreach. Flynn is recognized as a specialist regionally in utilizing social media opportunities, and develops and implements social media programming and training on behalf of City of Meridian, Tucanos Brazilian Grill, CradlePoint Technology, Idaho Community Foundation, Idaho Department of Commerce, College of Western Idaho and SUPERVALU.
Prior to jumping into the entrepreneurial pool as a founder, owner and President of Red Sky Public Relations, Flynn was the first Communications Manager for Idaho’s Tamarack Resort. At Tamarack she was responsible for a global public relations effort to promote the destination resort. News coverage in 2006 and 2007 reached a circulation of more than 355 million, covering all Idaho media outlets and top-tier international outlets such as USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Irish Times, Sunday Times, New York Times, L.A. Times, SKI magazine, Sunset, National Geographic Adventurer, Golf Digest, Men’s Journal and Bloomberg Markets Magazine. Her role included providing strategic counsel to senior management for crisis communications, public affairs, and internal communications initiatives.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, she holds a degree in Broadcast Journalism and worked as a news producer and executive producer in Austin, Pittsburgh, and Boise. For her work in news, Flynn has been honored with an Emmy, admittance to a premier news leadership academy, and multiple Idaho Press Club awards. She is also a recipient of the Idaho Business Review’s “Women of the Year” and “Accomplished Under 40” awards.
Stephanie Worrell, Principal
Stephanie Worrell has more than 17 years of public relations experience, including corporate, education, non-profit, retail, food, health, technology, sports and real estate clients. Worrell is particularly noted for her work with health experts on issues related to healthy eating, wellness, food science, culinary arts and childhood obesity.
Worrell’s current client relationships include Supervalu/Albertsons, Primary Health, the Idaho Community Foundation, the College of Western Idaho, and the Idaho State Historical Society.
She has conducted public affairs work for the Idaho Consumer Information Council, a coalition of leading businesses helping to shape privacy policy and served as assistant information director, Big Sky Athletic Conference (a college athletics organization with members across the West). As a senior director at the Treasure Valley YMCA, her responsibilities included public relations, marketing, membership and health promotion. During that period, she served as a distinguished national marketing trainer for the YMCA of the USA and traveled around the country training YMCA professionals marketing and promotions best practices. She also served as vice president of a Boise-based public relations agency.
A prolific freelance writer, her work is regularly featured in a variety of national women’s, family, business and construction publications. She is also a local radio personality, providing insightful (and humorous) book reviews for Borders books.
Worrell is past a recipient of the Idaho Business Review’s “Accomplished under 40” and is a 2008 “Woman of the Year” honoree, along with receiving numerous awards from the Idaho Press Club. Worrell holds a journalism degree from Iowa State University and is working towards earning her master’s degree in journalism (public relations emphasis) at that same institution.
Robert Deen, Principal
Robert Deen is a former Managing Director of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, one of the world’s largest public relations agencies.
He was the founder and former owner of Deen+Black Public Relations, which was California’s largest independently owned agencies when it was acquired in 2001 by British communications conglomerate WPP Group and merged with Ogilvy. At the time of the acquisition Deen+Black had 50 employees, $15 million in annual revenue and offices in San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego.
Following the acquisition Deen served as a managing director for Ogilvy -- coordinating the national pursuit of state and local government contracts. He left Ogilvy in 2004.
Prior to founding his own firm Deen served as communications manager for Amfac Distribution Corporation -- one of the nation's largest wholesaler distributors (electrical, plumbing, healthcare), and worked in Sacramento for an independent PR firm.
During his career he served as Chairman of the national affiliate network of Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, and was a founder (and first chairman) of the Phoenix Network, a national association of independent agencies.
He holds a Bachelor Science degree in Technical Journalism from Oregon State University, and a Master of Arts degree in Communications from California State University, Chico. A former officer in the United States Marine Corps, he is a distinguished honor graduate of the Department of Defense Information Officer School, and served as a combat engineer, parachutist, scuba diver and public affairs officer.
He is the author of two books and numerous professional articles ("The Alternatives to Gridlock", California Institute of Public Affairs, "Opportunities in Business Communications", National Textbook Company.")
Tracy Bresina, Business Manager
Tracy Bresina brings to Red Sky more than 10 years of accounting and human resources experience. She has a strong background in the healthcare industry, having worked at St. Alphonsus Nephrology Center, Idaho Nephrology Associates and most recently Intermountain Orthopaedics as the Human Resources Manager for a company of 160 employees.
In 2007, Tracy accepted a position at The Idaho Community Foundation, a Red Sky client. This path eventually led her to Red Sky Public Relations where she is able to work in a creative field and utilize her background in business and employee management.
Tracy is a native Montanan, but made her home in Boise after receiving her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Business Administration from Boise State University. She and her husband are owners of the local restaurant Falcon Tavern and active members of the community. Volunteerism plays an important role in her life. She is a founding member of the Little Black Dress Club - a women’s charitable giving circle, and actively works with the Idaho Humane Society and the Women’s and Children’s Alliance.
At Red Sky, she manages the agency's finances, human resources, business development and marketing.
Ashley Ford, Public Affairs Practice Group Leader
Ashley Ford joins Red Sky to lead the agency's public affairs practice as the Idaho component of a regional capability with strong public affairs partners in Oregon and Washington.
Ford was formerly the Principal Land Use Planner of the Rose Law Group’s Boise office, where she was involved in a wide range of land use and development issues.
With eleven years of land use planning; public policy; public involvement and project management experience in the Treasure Valley, Utah, Valley County, Idaho and North Dakota, Ford is well known for her dedication to the needs of her clients and the respectful relationships she has with elected officials and agency staff members. She is and has been involved in many public policy initiatives and groups including the BluePrint for Good Growth Technical Steering Committee; the North Ada County Transportation Task Force; the State Highway 55 Transportation Study; and the Citizens for Power Transmission on Public Land as examples.
Ford is a member of the Idaho and American Planning Associations, a graduate of the Northwest Community Development Institute, member of the Leadership Boise Class of 2009-2011, and belongs to the Boise Young Professionals. She serves on the Urban Land Institute Idaho District Council Executive Board, the Young Leaders Executive Board, and chairs the District Policy & Practice Group.
She was a recipient of the Idaho Business Review’s Accomplished Under Forty award in 2008, and was recognized in 2009 in the IBR’s Women of the Year program. Ford was the Outstanding Graduate Student of the year when she received her masters degree from Idaho State University and holds a bachelor of science degree from Truman State University.
Julie Hahn, Account Executive
Julie Hahn joins Red Sky after a career in print journalism and public relations for the state of Idaho. A longtime Idahoan, Hahn graduated with a degree in print journalism from the University of Montana and returned to the state to work at the Idaho Statesman. She started as a copy editor and eventually held a number of jobs in the newsroom, including columnist and editor of the Life section. During her tenure at the Statesman, Hahn developed the prototype for “Our Towns,” a weekly publication by the highlighting communities in West Ada County.
Following her journalism career, Hahn joined Boise State University as a Communications Specialist working with Student Activities and the Colleges of Education and Arts and Sciences, designing communications for a broad spectrum of stakeholders from students to faculty to administrators and distinguished guests. Her experience included everything from handling requests for experts in the psychology of love to event promotion strategy to helping the university capitalize nationally on the tremendous success of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. Hahn's writing has been featured in the alumni magazine, Focus, the university’s research magazine, Explore, and in President Bob Kustra’s weekly radio show, “New Horizons.” Hahn also developed and launched BSU's foray into social media, acting as the University's social media voice.
At Red Sky, Hahn supervises the agency's junior staff, develops social media strategy, and works with the agency's nutrition/wellness, retail and public sector state clients.
Jenn Connor, Account Executive
Jenn Connor joins the Red Sky team with extensive knowledge of non-profit marketing and communications. For the last six years, she has acted as the Marketing and Communications Director for the Treasure Valley Family YMCA – the last stop on her fourteen-year journey with the local organization.
Her responsibilities included developing the overall association marketing and communications plan, branding guidelines, collateral design/layout, committee recruitment and development, media and donor relations, and staff training and development.
During her time with the YMCA, Connor facilitated the marketing and communications plan that led to the organization growing from 18,000 members in November 2004 to more than 42,000 members in January 2005.
A native Idahoan, Connor attended Boise State University. In 2001, she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in International Business, with a marketing emphasis.
At Red Sky, Connor will work to bring awareness to and improve mobility options for Idahoans in both rural and urban communities.
Alena Shea, Account Executive
Alena Shea works primarily on Red Sky's national health, nutrition and wellness accounts, especially the “healthy eating” campaigns conducted for Albertsons/SUPERVALU. She has a strong knowledge of health care issues and of the reporters who cover them in the western U.S.
Her previous public relations professional experience includes two summer internship stints with Monsanto, Inc. Her responsibilities included organizing a commercial video shoot, conducting focus group research, updating tour protocols, conducting oversight visits on Monsanto Fund major grant project and developing a network for Southeastern Idaho sportsmen. At Boise State, Shea served as the financial manager of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). Her responsibilities as an officer included management of the budget, applications for funding, travel, and various other group activities.
Shea served as a United State Senate Page, sponsored by Senator Larry E. Craig during her junior year in high school. As a senior, she served as an Idaho State Senate Page, sponsored by President Pro Tempore Robert Geddes.
Chad Biggs, Account Executive
Chad Biggs has extensive communications experience both as an Internal Communications Manager for a Fortune 35 company and as a public relations consultant for multiple public and private entities.
At Albertsons Biggs managed companywide internal communication channels that spanned video, electronic and print media which reached approximately 250,000 associates. He regularly wrote and developed executive-level speeches and presentations and played a critical role in providing transition updates to employees during the company's $17B acquisition by SUPERVALU, Inc. This coordinated campaign throughout the transaction process garnered a Bronze Quill Award from the Minnesota chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators for the SUPERVALU communications team.
During his public relations and freelance roles, Biggs gained exposure to a wide range of clients spanning travel and tourism, alternative energy, health care and education. He supported these clients with writing, design, social media and Web expertise gained throughout his years as a professional communicator.
Many roles and a number of years later it is still about the story for Biggs. He is driven to capture what drives his clients, to articulate their vision and drive home why it matters. At Red Sky, he focuses on the national and industry needs of the agency's technology and corporate communication clients.
Samantha O'Lea, Account Executive
Samantha O’Lea joins Red Sky Public Relations after relocating from Los Angeles, bringing with her more than six years of industry experience. With extensive knowledge of consumer lifestyle and entertainment campaigns, she will provide quality support to major client accounts and relationships.
In the Los Angeles office of HL Group, O’Lea was responsible for beverage, fashion, luxury lifestyle and design account management and strategic consultation. She brings expertise in media campaigns, product launches and national and regional event coordination. O’Lea excelled in securing placements in top media outlets across the country ranging from USA Weekend and Elle Decor to People Magazine and Extra!
Prior to HL Group, O’Lea worked at Clifford Public Relations, a bi-coastal boutique PR agency, where she gained experience with corporate entertainment, consumer product and fitness accounts. Her strong relationships with media, talent representatives and well-known designers resulted in exceptional media placement and unique partnership opportunities. She has created and executed targeted PR strategy and timeline for product launches, trade and consumer events and special project initiatives.
For several years, O’Lea was an annual keynote speaker for a public relations extension course at the University of California, Los Angeles and was a long time associate member of Entertainment Publicists Professional Society, Los Angeles.
A graduate from University of California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts in English, O’Lea worked briefly as a published freelance journalist for a Scripps Howard newspaper prior to starting her public relations career.
Gloria Miller, Account Coordinator
Gloria Miller is a recent Boise State University Communication graduate who proved herself through an agency internship supporting multiple accounts including Albertsons, the Idaho Transportation Department, the Idaho State Historical Society and the 'Go On' campaign. She currently manages Red Sky’s pro bono PR efforts for the inaugural Boise Rec Fest and supports tactical campaign execution for all agency clients.
Prior to Red Sky, Miller interned with Idaho Stampede NBA-D League, familiarizing herself with sports public relations, and with the first annual Boise Curb Cup. Miller has been a member of PRSSA; a pre-professional student ran public relations organization at Boise State University for four years. She played an active role as an officer for three years. Her peers in PRSSA elected her as Project Manager and University Liaison. Miller was also an active member of ASBSU, student government at Boise State University. Her position as the Secretary of Personnel Recruitment was vital for campus wide committees to function.