Learn more about us!
The story begins when the company was first founded on April 1, 1993 on Pittsburgh’s South Side. April Fools’ Day may not be the most strategic day to start a business, but it has worked out just fine.
Founder Jeff Krakoff has three decades of top-level experience. In addition to his role at Krakoff Communications, he served as Communications Director at a national trade association and Senior Director in the Brand Marketing Practice at one of largest PR firms in the world. Jeff was inducted into the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Pittsburgh Renaissance Hall of fame and is on the PRSA Board of Directors. He also teaches PR classes at the business school at the University of Pittsburgh.
In the early years, we worked as a PR and design firm for manufacturing, consumer and nonprofit clients, but also as a support partner to some of the larger ad and public relations firms in the city. We had offices in downtown Pittsburgh and then in the South Hills suburbs.
After years of growth—we were listed among the Top 20 of the Pittsburgh Business Times 100 fastest growing companies (and #1 for growth in the communications and public relations category)—the company grew mostly because we delivered on all the promises we made and produced great work on time and on budget. If we were approached by a prospective client we didn’t think we could help or would not be a good fit for us, we declined the work.
In 2013, the firm made its home in the thriving Main Street business district in Carnegie, Pa., just outside of downtown Pittsburgh. It’s a great area with plentiful parking, and a short walk to a variety of restaurants and retail shops.
Today, many of our clients are located in the Pittsburgh region, but we also work with clients in Philadelphia as well as in New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Wisconsin, Colorado and California.
Jeff KrakoffPresident
Jeff has more than three decades of PR, branding and marketing communications experience and has been inducted into the PRSA Pittsburgh Renaissance Hall of Fame. He graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) with a degree in Journalism & Public Relations and has held leadership positions at several organizations, including Burson Cohn Wolfe (BCW) Global. Jeff is also an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh Business School.
His hobbies are cycling, soccer, golf and music. Jeff enjoys spending time with his wife Lori, three adult children Andy, Rachel and Josh, and their golden retriever Leo.
Scott BowlinCreative Director
Scott ran his own graphic design firm for more than 15 years before rolling it into Krakoff Communications. He works on everything that includes design from new brands to signage, ads, printed/digital collateral, websites and more. Scott has delivered design solutions for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small startups. He earned his degree in design from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
Scott is also a firefighter and spends his free time working out, cycling and spending time with his wife Erica and their boxer Piper.
Sylvie AugustCommunications Associate
Sylvie is a writer at heart, and she enjoys storytelling in any medium. She graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in Digital and Print Journalism and a minor in Art History.
Throughout her classes and multiple internships at Penn State, she studied technical journalism composition but also marketing, film production and social media. She was the Copy Editor for the University’s premier student-run life and style magazine, VALLEY, where she collaboratively edited and helped advise a team of 30 writers.
In her free time, Sylvie enjoys cooking, reading, shopping and exploring the city.
Rachel WilesCommunications Associate
Rachel is an established public relations professional with robust experience in media outreach, writing, content creation and more. Prior to joining the KCI team, she served as an Assistant Account Executive at a Boston-based PR firm, where she specialized in strategic branding development for various clients. Rachel also enjoyed having a hand in communication efforts for non-profits such as the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation. A proud Florida Gator, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a concentration in Communications from the University of Florida in 2022.
Outside of work, Rachel dives into her passion for watching her favorite sports teams, writing restaurant reviews and watching way too many movies.
Josh KrakoffCommunications Associate
Josh has worked at KCI in various capacities over the past couple of years and currently works on a variety of client projects while also driving our firm’s new business activities.
A graduate of Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising/Public Relations, Josh has experience working with global paints and coating giant PPG as a Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Intern as well as a Corporate Communications Contractor. Additionally, he was a Marketing Intern at Thompson Creek Window Company, one of the nation’s largest independent window manufacturers and retailers serving Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C. and North Carolina.
Josh is an avid golfer and enjoys fitness, friends and family.
Juliana TarcsonIntern
Juli helps us with many important tasks including media list development, research, content writing, social media and much more. She is a senior at University of Florida in Gainesville who will be graduating in December 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a minor in Business Administration and will begin working on her master’s degree in Mass Communication with a concentration in Digital Strategy.. She is President of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and a member of the UF chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).
Juli enjoys Starbucks for a daily XL cold brew, spending a lot of time on Tik Tok and Instagram to keep up on the latest trends, and spending time with her family and dog Zeus.
Leo
Director of Barketing
Leo joined our team (and the Krakoff household) in December 2018. He is regularly in the office and has vast experience playing fetch, receiving belly rubs and chewing on his many chew and rope toys. Leo brings a lot of fun to the team even though he’s not the most focused employee.
Our team includes a variety of strategists, media relations professionals, content creators, designers, digital developers and more. We’re always interested in hearing from talented professionals who may want to join our team. Please email us your resume and a cover letter so we can get to know you better.
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