Derek Mora
Monrovia
Summary
PR professional with nearly 10 years of experience representing brands in beauty, health, food & beverage, fashion, pet products, celebrity, and entertainment. Through successful campaigns, I’ve helped clients forge valuable connections with influencers, brands, and retailers, leading to inspiring and meaningful partnerships. Recognized for taking a proactive approach to identifying and addressing issues, with a focus on optimizing processes and supporting team objectives.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Publicist
Orca Communications
04.2021 - Current
- Led group pitching initiatives for 100+ client accounts across industries such as Food & Beverage, Technology, Fashion, Beauty, and more.
- Spearheaded short and long-lead holiday campaigns for both group pitching initiatives and personal clients, including Christmas, Mother's Day, and Father's Day.
- Managed and executed the Holiday Blitz initiatives for short-term campaigns.
- Acted as the Pod Tier Head Publicist for two years, where I oversaw and managed client relationships for multiple accounts (10+) within this specialized campaign structure for companies who were new to PR while managing my regular clientele.
- Develop targeted pitching strategies for clients, ensuring wide-reaching media coverage.
- Foster strong relationships with editors, reporters, and other key media influencers.
- Collaborated with media representatives to optimize coverage of special events.
- Wrote press materials and delivered presentations to media representatives.
- Developed creative pitches and targeted outreach lists.
- Collaborated with external PR firms, as well as internal sales and marketing managers, to determine branding, product positioning and media messages.
Lead Account Executive
The Blaine Group, Inc.
02.2019 - 04.2021
- Coached client representatives on effective public communication strategies.
- Managed day-to-day client tasks and relationships, ensuring seamless execution of PR campaigns.
- Researched and developed relationships with key press contacts.
- Drafted and distributed press materials (press releases, pitch letters).
- Coordinated client media placements and interview scheduling
- Developed tactical PR action plans for clients.
- Reached out to new business opportunities through cold calling, networking, marketing, and prospective database leads.
Freelance Publicist
Self-Employed
12.2016 - 04.2021
- Managed day-to-day PR tasks for clients in health & beauty, fashion, entertainment, and other industries.
- Proactively conducted research to identify new press contacts and opportunities for all clients.
- Drafted and distributed press materials, including press releases and pitch letters.
- Coordinated fashion pulls for editorial and red-carpet placements.
- Developed creative PR strategies and creative pitches to achieve client goals.
- Actively collaborated with internal PR teams, as well as internal sales and marketing teams, to refine branding, product positioning, and media messaging.
- Created and implemented social media strategies to boost engagement and expand audience reach.
Media Liaison
TLK Fusion
02.2017 - 08.2017
- Drafted and distributed press materials, including press releases and pitch letters.
- Pitched media outlets, securing interviews and press coverage.
- Coordinated multiple client schedules and managed project timelines.
- Collaborated with the CEO to create PR plans, media lists, and client status reports.
- Secured press coverage across television and online publications.
- Fostered strong relationships with editors, writers, and television producers.
Publicity Assistant
The Courtney Barnes Group / JJ Entertainment
10.2016 - 04.2017
- Worked with Universal Studios for the premiere of Almost Christmas.
- Contributed to Smokey Robinson projects, supporting media outreach.
- Excelled in a fast-paced, multi-priority environment, providing key support to lead publicists.
- Assisted in drafting compelling pitches and press materials.
- Coordinated press interviews and managed media logistics.
- Updated media lists and analyzed media trends to identify pitching opportunities.
Publicity Assistant
The Reel Ross Group
04.2016 - 10.2016
- Assisted in creating press materials for editorial coverage and product placements in film and television.
- Managed red-carpet placements for fashion clients.
- Handled email marketing by sending out monthly newsletters.
- Conducted business outreach, secured press clippings, and managed tradeshow outreach efforts.
- Accounts I managed included VOSS Water, Noir Furniture, Fireball Whiskey, Blanton's, Weller, and Sazerac.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Communication Studies
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA05.2014
Skills
- Bilingual (Spanish & English)
- Public Relations Program Proficiency (Cision, Critical Mention)
- CRM Program Proficiency (Highrise, E-Campaign, Mailchimp)
- Media Relationship Management
- Press Materials Development
- Publicity Campaign Execution
- Client Relations & Communication Coaching
- Event Coordination & Red Carpet Placement
- Scheduling & Calendar Management
- Press Placement Strategy
- Press release writing
Timeline
Publicist
Orca Communications
04.2021 - Current
Lead Account Executive
The Blaine Group, Inc.
02.2019 - 04.2021
Media Liaison
TLK Fusion
02.2017 - 08.2017
Freelance Publicist
Self-Employed
12.2016 - 04.2021
Publicity Assistant
The Courtney Barnes Group / JJ Entertainment
10.2016 - 04.2017
Publicity Assistant
The Reel Ross Group
04.2016 - 10.2016
Bachelor of Arts - Communication Studies
San Francisco State University
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