Aliza Sherman Risdahl is a principal in the firm, Conversify, a company that develops social media marketing campaigns for businesses and non-profit agencies.

Aliza is a Web pioneer, online marketing expert, published author, radio and television producer, international speaker and regular contributor to national magazines and web sites specializing in business, marketing and internet issues. She has been providing social media strategy and counsel to KD/PR Virtual clients since 2007.

Aliza was named by NEWSWEEK magazine as one of the “Top 50 People Who Matter Most on the Internet.” Her books include “The Everything Blogging Book,” “PowerTools for Women in Business,” and “Streetwise Ecommerce.” Her expertise includes developing strategies for Web site development or redesign, blogging, social networking, virtual worlds, online public relations and e-marketing, and multimedia content development. Learn more about her at www.conversify.com

Amanda Rothbarth is a graphic designer who works on a variety of projects from large display banners to logo development and all types of collateral. She prides herself in being both an artist as well as a communicator for her clients. Before starting her own business, Creative North, and joining the KD/PR Virtual Team, Amanda worked for Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Northwest Strategies ad agency, and CIRI. Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations and graphic communication from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay.

Aside from her design work, Amanda enjoys camping, fishing, quilting and she is a certified doula. She is married to John Rothbarth, who works on Alaska’s North Slope, and they have two daughters, Ava (4) and Iris (2). Learn more about Creative North.

Deborah Fields creates design and illustrations for a myriad of client needs. She specializes in collaboration and teamwork, and visual problem solving in creative means. D.Fields Design concentrates on excellent service with careful attention to detail and customer satisfaction. Besides print design, she now offers web site design and maintenance services.

In addition to her work, Deborah is an accomplished artist and donates a lot of time to school and sports activities with her two boys. Learn more about Deborah at dfieldsdesign.com

Elizabeth Odom has been an important partner on the KD/PR Virtual team since 2006. She began her “virtual” career with Kathy in the true sense of the word – they met over the Internet, just prior to Elizabeth moving to Anchorage with her Army husband!

Elizabeth has more than 20 years of public relations experience . She began her career with Ziff Davis Publishing in Silicon Valley, followed by several years in the newsroom and sales force at Business Wire in San Francisco and Seattle. In the late 1990s, she worked as a freelance writer, was PR counsel for a network security company, then opened her own high-tech PR firm. She has lived overseas in  several countries and rang in Y2K in London working for two major PR agencies focusing on global high-tech PR. Elizabeth is married to Colonel Mark Odom and has a daughter, Kate, who is 8. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English/Creative Writing from Colby College. Currently living in Seattle, the KD/PR Virtual team hopes to convince Odom to move back to Alaska. Until then, she continues to perform a variety of PR counsel, strategic planning, media relations and copywriting duties for KD/PR clients. read more »

Jordan Hanson is the owner of Black Sheep Public Relations, an Eagle-River-based sole practitioner public relations firm. She joined the KD/PR Virtual team in 2008 and specializes in special event planning, copywriting, social networking and collateral development.

 Jordan was raised in Alaska, but moved Outside when she was in her teens. She graduated with a degree in public relations from the University of Alabama in 2004. She then worked as a marketing consultant for Big Kat 98.9 Radio in Duluth, Minnesota and as director of public relations for DeBora Rachelle Inc., a fashion design company.

 Jordan is married to Carl Hanson and they have two children, Bella (3) and Holt (1). When she’s not working, Jordan can often be found exploring the outdoors with her family.

Kim Taggart is the owner of Kim Taggart Media Services, a leading independent media planning and buying agency. She develops the marketing and advertising strategies for a portfolio of companies in Alaska creating extremely effective results for their clients through innovative measured and focused advertising and media strategies. She joined the KD/PR Virtual team in 2008.

Kim’s career began in 1978 at Baggott & Pierce Advertising in Sacramento, California where she quickly rose though the ranks of the media department, eventually managing and planning the media for the agency’s top clients. In 1984, she moved to Alaska and worked at Bradley/Reid Communications as Media Director, before opening KTMS in1990.

In addition to specializing in corporate clients, political candidates, health care, fast food, and trade show industries, she is often hired as a media consultant for local advertising agencies in Alaska.

KTMS offers a complete range of service, which include; media objectives and strategies, strategic planning, tactics and media buying, extensive demographics, market and media research and competitive spending and budget development.

Kim is the proud mom of two grown children, Kala and Kyle.

Larry Bottjen owns and operates DVD Technology, a company that produces documentaries, promos, commercials, special events and short films. He joined the KD/PR Virtual team in 2006 and has produced several video projects for KD/PR clients including the Anchorage Home Builders Association and Kenai River Sportfishing Association.

Larry is a past president of the Alaska Society for Technology in Education and is also the current Artistic Director for the Valley Performing Arts in the Mat-Su Valley. When he’s not shooting video, he’s likely on his boat out of Whittier or riding his motorcycle. Learn more about his company at www.dvdtech.us

Matt Cassens is the owner of Alaska Shooter a complete video production company based in Wasilla Alaska. He has worked on the KD/PR Virtual team for the last three years. He provides a variety of video services for KD/PR Virtual clients including media training, providing video and sound bites to news stations and adding video to client websites and presentations.

After graduating form Collins School of Graphic Design in 1990, Matt started his career as a photojournalist at a small TV station in New Mexico. After three years, he became the Production Manager, primarily focusing on 30-second TV spots. In 1995, Matt moved to Las Vegas Nevada were he worked as a ‘run and gun’ photojournalist for NBC, FOX, and became assistant chief photographer at WB. After nine years of 120-degree heat and police shootouts, he decided to try a slower pace and moved to Alaska.

Matt spent one year as chief photographer at KTVA, Channel 11, the CBS affiliate in Anchorage. In 2005, he opened Alaska Shooter and aspires to evoke an emotional response for everyone using video. Matt always says’ If a picture tells a thousand words-video tells a million. Matt has a wife, Brianna, who helps out with production, and is dad to 4-year-old Jason. Learn more at www.AlaskaShooter.com

With fifteen years of professional experience, Taughnee has excelled in all aspects of communications services: advertising, marketing, public relations, graphic design and web development.

Taughnee established Endeavor Creative, a full-service web design studio, in January 2002, where she specializes in blog and content management system design and development utilizing tools such as Expression Engine and WordPress.

She has built a reputation for imaginative, reliable and friendly service, and is tireless in her approach to stay current with the latest web technologies and best practices. From a small operation in Anchorage, Alaska, Endeavor Creative has grown to serve clients in most major U.S. markets and as far reaching as the U.K. and Australia.