ABOUT

Learn more about us!

OUR HISTORY

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 in 2011 and was also named the organization’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2024. 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. After the pandemic, we transitioned to a hybrid office model with a space located in Dormont, just a few miles south of the City.

Today, many of our clients are located in the Pittsburgh region, but we also work with clients in more than six other states.

THE KCI TEAM

 Jeff Krakoff
President

Jeff Krakoff headshot

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 Bowlin
Creative Director

Scott Bowlin headshot

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.

 Courtney Page
Communications Supervisor

Josh Krakoff headshot

Courtney PageCommunications Supervisor

Courtney is a seasoned public relations professional with a passion for all aspects of communication, including media relations, writing, strategy and more. Before joining the KCI team, she served as an Account Executive at two other public relations agencies, working across various sectors. She is a proud alumna of Slippery Rock University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication with minors in leadership and business administration.

Outside of work, Courtney enjoys walking her corgis, coaching field hockey and exploring all the fun restaurants in Pittsburgh.

 Leah Hawthorne
Communications Associate

Sylvie August headshot

Leah HawthorneCommunications Associate

Leah was born and raised in Collier Township, a suburb of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Slippery Rock University with a degree in public relations. Prior to joining KCI, she was a content creator for Slippery Rock University, where she helped the University’s TikTok account reach over 13 million views.

Leah has had a number of experiences including everything from Barstool Sports to creative, retail and nonprofit organizations.

Outside of work, you’ll find Leah exploring new restaurants around Pittsburgh or playing softball with her closest friends.

 Rachel Wiles
Communications Associate

Rachel Haas headshot

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.

Interested in Joining Our Team?

We’re growing and expect to continue that trend in the future. We’re always interested in hearing from creative, talented and hard-working professionals. Please email us your resume and a cover letter so we can get to know more about you.

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.

 

 

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