San Diego public relations firm Scatena Daniels has announced that Arika Daniels and Denise Scatena, founding partners, are now co-CEOs.
In addition, the firm announced two promotions, including Ann Marie Price from senior account manager to director, and Geneva Gámez from senior account executive to senior account manager. Also, Connor Christiansen has been hired as senior publicist.
“As we enter our 15th year of business, we’ve been able to work with some of Southern California’s most impactful, philanthropy-focused organizations, bring on a team of full-time staff, and expand our clientele to work with some of the region’s most recognizable higher education and healthcare institutions,” said Daniels.
Scatena Daniels currently has seven employees.
“Elevating to a two-CEO structure reflects the value we have in our partnership while showing our commitment to innovation,” said Scatena. “We see this dual CEO approach emerging in other industries. We have clear responsibilities and our personalities have helped us maintain a strong business relationship. Scatena Daniels performs well and continues to grow. There aren’t many co-CEOs who run communications agencies, we may be among the first in the region.”
Price, who has worked for the firm for eight years, will oversee overall PR strategy and planning for a select portfolio of clients and contribute to the management of the agency. In 2015, she was named New Professional of the Year by the Public Relations Society of America, San Diego-Imperial County chapter.
Gámez, who joined the firm in December 2021, has spearheaded numerous campaigns for a variety of clients, including assisting in media relations with Spanish-language media outlets. She spent nearly a decade in producer roles at Entravision and Telemundo outlets in San Diego, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Christiansen, a San Diego native, was previously a copywriter and public relations specialist with Archer Education.
Scatena Daniels was founded in 2009 when the two founder partners pooled together $3,000 in seed money. Since then, the firm has implemented PR campaigns and communications strategies for more than 100 charitable organizations in San Diego and Orange counties. With clients in higher education, healthcare and nonprofit sectors, the firm says it earns more than 275 media interviews annually.
Kevin Leap Transitions to Top Job at San Diego Business Journal
Kevin Leap can cross-out the word “interim” from his title as publisher at the San Diego Business Journal. After serving for eight weeks in an interim role, Leap has been given the top job at the weekly business newspaper.
“I got a phone call from corporate (executives) in Kansas City,” Leap told Times of San Diego.
The 62-year-old Leap has more than 30 years of publishing and event management experience.
His previous titles have included West Coast president at Modern Luxury (2006-2007), publisher at San Diego Magazine (2002-2006) and associate publisher at North County Times newspaper (1985-1996).
Also, for 14 years (2006-2019), he was the executive director of the San Diego International Auto Show.
“The day I stepped in here I was home. I missed being in publishing,” Leap said in a message to San Diego Business Journal subscribers. “I’ve got ink in my blood, and it just started to boil when I sat down in that chair.”
According to Leap, the current media landscape in San Diego is an opportunity for the Business Journal, as competing publications downsize their local business coverage or move to online-only formats.
“We’re the only game in town,” he said. “We are the voice of San Diego business and no one else is talking about it except for us. The fact is that no one else is bringing together the business community like we are. Every single day I turn around, I see another opportunity for us to be relevant and important.”
The San Diego Business Journal is owned by CBJ LP, which also operates the Los Angeles Business Journal, Orange County Business Journal and San Fernando Valley Business Journal.
Marisol Rosas Promoted at Univision San Diego
Marisol Rosas has been promoted to executive producer at KBNT-TV, a San Diego Spanish-language TV station affiliated with the Univision network and owned by Entravision Communications.
Rosas has spent 27 years working at KBNT since joining as an intern in 1996. In her new role, Rosas will oversee production of daily news programs and content across all platforms. She was most recently news producer of the 6 p.m. newscast.
Over the years, Rosas has held various roles, including producer for “Despierta San Diego,” a morning news-talk show, and producer of El Centro and Costa Central local newscasts from San Diego. She also has served as social media manager and assignment managing editor.
San Diego Press Club Presents Webinar on Moving Pictures
The San Diego Press Club will present “Visual Storytelling: The Power of Moving Pictures,” a free, live webinar over Zoom from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 24. The public is invited to attend.
Organizers said the webinar will feature a panel of speakers sharing tips on how to improve visual storytelling using different social media platforms.
Panelists will include: Luis Cruz, former community and public relations director for The San Diego Union-Tribune who is now the marketing communications director for the American Heart Association, Los Angeles chapter; Alejandro Tamayo, The San Diego Union-Tribune’s lead visual journalist who works with U-T photographers to create high-impact video stories; and Maggie Espinosa, a travel and tourism journalist, author and content creator for the past 23 years.
Moderator for the program will be freelancer Elaine Masters, a San Diego Press Club board member.
For more information on the event and speakers, visit www.sdpressclub.org, and register online. The webinar will be recorded and a web link will appear on the Press Club website and Press Club YouTube channel for viewing at a later date.
The webinar is part of the Press Club’s longstanding “Nuts & Bolts” educational series, which is part of the Press Club’s professional development program.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.
