Member Spotlight: Kelly Ann Packard, Hillgate Communications

Kelly Ann Packard is account manager at Hillgate Communicatons, a full-service communications and marketing support agency located on Sanibel Island. Kelly graduated from the University of Florida with a master’s degree in Mass Communication in May 2009. During her time at the university, she was the director of public relations for Gator Growl, the world’s largest student-run pep rally, and developed relationships with local and state media. She also served as promotions director and communications director for the UF Chapter of the American Marketing Association, where she created all print and website material and organized the chapter’s involvement on campus.

In the last two years, Kelly completed several public relations-focused internships at Haven Hospice, Shands HealthCare, University of Florida Student Health Care Center and University of Florida Office of Technology Licensing. As an undergraduate public relations student at Westfield State College in Massachusetts, she served as a media relations intern for the Springfield Falcons Hockey Team in Springfield, Mass.

Kelly has spearheaded several fundraisers and charities, including a holiday card drive for military service members, families and veterans, and a care package collection drive and shipment to University of Florida students and alumni serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. She participates in the March for Babies, Bikers on Parade for the USA, Adopt-a-Road and several local veteran organizations. She has also donated her time and public relations expertise to the Collegiate Veterans Society and Omega Delta Sigma National Veterans Fraternity.
Kelly is a member of the Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc. (CCMI) PR Task Force, Southwest Florida Gator Club, Junior League of Fort Myers and Florida Public Relations Association. She thrilled to be starting her career in Southwest Florida where she said there are so many resources available to young professionals.

Member Spotlight: Betsy Clayton, Lee County Parks and Recreation

Our February Member Spotlight is a new member to our chapter! 

Betsy Clayton is the waterways coordinator for Lee County Parks and Recreation. She assists with Lee County Parks’ media relations with editing and writing, and also works with the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau in hosting eco-, outdoors and kayaking journalists from around the country and globe.

Her primary job is to market and coordinate the Great Calusa Blueway, a 190-mile mile marked canoe and kayak trail from Bonita Springs to Bokeelia via Estero Bay, Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass, the Caloosahatchee River and its tributaries (see www.calusablueway.com). She coordinates the Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival (www.calusabluewaypaddlingfestival.com), a 10-day countywide eco-festival with more than 70 events. It happens each year the last weekend of October through the first weekend of November.

Clayton also is a freelance journalist. She’s a columnist for The News-Press’ Tropicalia and an outdoors columnist for Florida Weekly. She writes for luxury lifestyle magazines and boating publications throughout the U.S. and Canada.

A graduate of the journalism school at the University of Oregon, Clayton also has lived in Washington State, California, Washington D.C. and – of course – Southwest Florida, her home for 16 years.