Wilson PR Team

Tamara Wilson, President

Tamara Wilson has worked in the hospitality industry for over 25 years. She began with her own food and beverage establishment, using relationship marketing as her main promotional tool. In 1989 she joined Consolidated Restaurants as its director of public relations and marketing. In 1996 WPR was formed with a focus on hospitality-industry clients.  The firm has steadily grown to include specialty food products, agriculture, fashion, and luxury lifestyle concerns. 

As confidant and counsel to the Northwest’s notable power brokers and entrepreneurs, Tamara’s solid reputation is reflected by such notable clients as Canlis and Il Fornaio, as well as non-restaurant clients such as Mario’s, Gene Juarez Salons & Spas, Remy Cointreau, Metropolitan Market, Blue Horizon Organic Seafood Co., and TalkingRain Beverage Co.

Her candor and keen eye on trends keeps Tamara a relied-upon source for local, regional and national media. She has penned stories on public relations and often speaks to business organizations on how to effectively utilize PR.  As a cause-driven individual, Tamara has given hundreds of hours in charitable service each year. She holds several social affiliations and stays well connected throughout Seattle and the Eastside.

Heather Jensvold, Vice President

Heather Jensvold handles tactical and strategic management for the firm’s multi-unit restaurant brand clients and excels at launching new concepts in the Seattle market from the ground up. During her five-year career at WPR, Heather has spearheaded planning for numerous restaurant openings and other high profile public events and has a proven track record in leveraging these events for media coverage.

She manages clients such as Restaurants Unlimited, Inc., Il Fornaio and McCormick & Schmick’s.  She is an integral part in developing and executing NWsource.com’s traffic driving restaurant promotions New Urban Eats and New Urban Drinks and is currently handling the Washington State launch of Amber Liqueur, a new brand from Rémy Cointreau USA.

Heather graduated from the University of Washington with bachelor degrees in both Sociology and Communications.

Lisa Nourse, Vice President 

Lisa specializes in crafting strategic public relations campaigns and identifying opportunities on behalf of WPR clients. She enjoys working with media, devising story pitch ideas, and media training company spokespeople prior to press interviews.

Lisa manages the agency’s roster of hotels and luxury brand fashion. Her client set includes new hotel project Arctic Club Hotel Seattle, BOKA KITCHEN + BAR, Shenui and Gene Juarez Salons & Spas.

Nourse interned at The White House in Hillary Clinton’s press office and at Nordstrom corporate communications. Prior to joining WPR in 2004 she worked in the L.A. office of Washington DC-based political consulting firm GMMB, at The Edgewater hotel, and at Seattle PR firm Firmani & Associates. Nourse graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California with a journalism degree and Phi Beta Kappa distinction.  

Since 2001, Heidi has produced copy for WPR clients across all mediums.  She has written for national retailers, city municipalities, food products, restaurants, hotels and has published hundreds of by-lined news features.

All WPR clients have Heidi’s copywriting contributions and dedication to smart marketing. She can quickly assume the brand voice and take aim at the perfect opportunities to tell the story to a relevant audience. Heidi worked closely with Taco Del Mar from 2003 to 2007, successfully taking the Mexi quick casual brand to more than 39 new DMAs. She does the same with the agency's emerging food product clients, agricultural concerns and retail client partners.

Professional credits include Market Development Copywriter with Gannett Pacific’s The Honolulu Advertiser; she started in 1992 with EMA Public Relations and began copywriting in 1996 while working at the integrated marketing agency PCF Virtual in Honolulu.  Heidi holds a BA in Communications from the University of Hawaii and has certifications in multimedia, broadcasting, and crisis communication, as well as industry awards from the American Advertising Federation (ADDY) and the Newspaper Association of America (ACME).

Lauren Fior, Account Executive

Lauren has experience in hospitality, retail and client coordination. She enjoys crafting thoughtful media pitches and coordinating client events.

Previously Lauren worked at the Bellingham Farmer's Market and most recently, The Fearey Group, where she assisted on accounts for Vulcan Inc., Quadrant Homes and Equity Office Properties. At WPR, Lauren manages accounts for Morton’s The Steakhouse, Washington State Fruit Commission, and TalkingRain Beverage Company.
 
Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Western Washington University.

Carolyn Sueno, Account Executive

Carolyn is a marketing pro with a rich background in technology, entertainment and healthcare. She most recently served as Assistant Account Executive in consumer and business public relations at Edelman in Seattle. She worked comprehensively on Microsoft Zune and its launch of Zune 2 touching consumer, lifestyle and business programs.

Carolyn also spent three years in healthcare marketing and business development, spearheading marketing initiatives for First Rehabilitation & Physical Therapy that helped dramatically increase the clinic chain’s client load and customer satisfaction. 

Able to channel her skills to her personal passions, Carolyn has assisted fund-raising efforts for volunteer medical missions in the Philippines, and has created national media attention for Mix Revolution, Inc. a start-up Online Community for DJs Worldwide. Carolyn holds a B.A. in Communication and a Public Relations Certificate from the University of Washington, with additional professional education on event management and more.

Carrie Yatman, Assistant Account Executive
 
Carrie joined Wilson PR this spring after relocating from New York City.  Raised in Northern California within a large Greek family of peach farmers, Carrie has an innate passion for food and first-hand knowledge of the agriculture industry.  She brings to Wilson PR a wide variety of professional experience in the fields of public relations, consumer banking and retail management. 
 
Previously, Carrie worked at Lewis & Neale Inc., a premier full-service communications agency devoted exclusively to food marketing, headquartered in New York City.  There, Carrie facilitated the development of several national media campaigns, special events and recipe contests.  She also managed logistics and coordination for press trips, press release creation, and managed background and logistics process around celebrity chef product placement efforts for clients including Avocados from Mexico, Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, The Catfish Institute, Florida Tomato Committee, Fresh Supersweet Corn, Sesmark Crackers and KA-ME Boxed Meals. 
 
She is a graduate of California State University, Chico, where she majored in journalism with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in marketing.

Nicole Griffin, Account Coordinator

Nicole joined Wilson Public Relations in the fall of 2007 while completing her studies at the University of Washington. Prior to joining WPR, Griffin interned on the Seattle Mariners marketing team and at Northwest Events and Parties. 

Currently, Nicole assists on multiple accounts including the soon-to-open Arctic Club Hotel Seattle, BOKA KITCHEN + BAR, Mario’s and Gene Juarez Salons & Spas. Her most recent project included the launch of Lucky Strike Lanes in Bellevue, where she executed guerilla marketing tactics to build buzz, helped build an enviable list of invitees for its opening party and bestowed upon a chosen few the Lanes' coveted swag.

Nicole graduated from the University of Washington in December with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.