Daphne Ortiz is a freelance publicist covering clients in film, TV, sports, lifestyle, fashion, beauty, healthcare, and non-profits. She began her career at a tech PR firm working at some of the industry’s top celebrity PR firms. Ortiz was a member of the publicity team for New Line Cinema film studio and worked on films such as The Notebook and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King that swept the 2003 Academy Awards. In 2007, she decided to pursue a freelance career enabling her to work alongside former colleagues and various companies. Ortiz commutes between Chicago and Los Angeles and has offices in both cities.
Lauren Brynjelsen is the founder of One Life Kitchen. While going back to school to further her education in the Nutrition and Health Coaching field, Lauren dreamed of what it would be like to combine her knowledge of nutrition with her passion for cooking, fitness and entertaining. Residing in Barrington, IL, her mission is to provide an atmosphere where each guest finds nourishment for the body, mind and soul. One Life Kitchen represents the nourishing of Lauren’s favorite things. It is a place where guests come to gather together to learn, feast and share.
Pamela Powell is a film critic Pamela Powell in Chicago where she has been reviewing big blockbuster films as well as independent gems for the last 10+ years. With a graduate degree from Northwestern she has tailored her writing, observational, and evaluative skills to encompass all aspects of film. With a focus on women in film, Pamela also gravitates toward films that are eye-opening, educational, and entertaining with the hopes of making this world a better place. Pamela has raised her two now-grown children, travels to film festivals around the world and makes time to backpack and travel to reconnect with nature.
Ksenia Kotova is an artist and designer from Rome, Italy and grew up in a family of artists. During her university years, she discovered a passion for drawing female figures and faces. Through years of practicing live nude drawing, the female form and the beauty of the human body became her favorite artistic focus. While living in Milan, the fashion capital of the world, and attending design school, Ksenia developed a deep passion for fashion. Ksenia's career path is dynamic and ever-evolving, with fashion, cinema, and the Italian dolce vita serving as the cornerstones of her inspiration. She works with both traditional and digital media, always eager to experiment with different materials to expand her creative horizons.
Katherine Fleischman is a travel expert, publicist and journalist beginning her career at 16 in the fashion and accessories closet of TeenVOGUE magazine. In 2007, she launched Do Tell PR: a public relations firm focusing on travel, food, and fashion, inspired by the global-citizen lifestyle of the modern-day millennial. Living between Miami and Italy and of Peruvian descent, Kat aims to empower people to travel, as she believes it is through exploring the world that we will bridge cultural gaps.