Each member of the zcomm team is at the top of their game. As A-listers in each of their fields, zcomm has created a championship team with the knowledge and skill to play off each other's strengths. Pooling our range of experience, we deliver clever, successfully packaged client messages for broadcast and distribution no matter what the medium.
Risë Birnbaum, Founder and Chief Executive Officer rise@zpr.com
More than just our founder, Risë is our leader. Under her guidance, zcomm has grown to become one of the highest-impact PR firms in the United States, generating considerable international and national acclaim, including PRSA's Silver Anvil Award, Washington Business Journal's "Women Who Mean Business Award" and SmartCEO Magazine’s Brava award. zcomm has been ranked among the top, independent agencies by the Washington Business Journal and O’Dywer’s.
Risë brings her creative flair and excellent writing skills to the table on every account. Drawing on her experience as an ABC Network News correspondent, Risë knows how to creatively package a story for maximum coverage and is always scouting out new approaches and technologies to deliver client messages globally, nationally or on a grassroots level to the general market or specific niche audiences.
Risë graduated from the University of Rochester and received her Master’s in Broadcast Journalism from Boston University's School of Communications.
Joan Carrese Sineni, Executive Vice President joanc@zpr.com
With more than twenty years experience in strategic marketing, communications and event planning, Joan is a customer service fanatic. She joined zcomm in 2006 as the General Manager and was promoted to Executive Vice President in January 2010. Joan is responsible for the day-to-day management of the agency. She oversees the firm’s Women’s Business Enterprise certification and outreach program to major corporations and government agencies. She works with the senior management team to develop overall branding and communications strategies for clients and to maintain the highest level of client service.
Her range of experience includes hospitality, retail, healthcare and corporate marketing and public relations. She specializes in niche marketing and has worked for a number of high-end companies including Neiman Marcus, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants and Morton’s The Steakhouse.
In addition, she developed and opened the first “brick and mortar” Presidential Inaugural Store in 1992. She has also served as the Manager of Event Promotion and Grants for the Maryland Office of Tourism Economic Development, where she was responsible for the coordination, promotion and funding of state tourism programs and events, while creating public-private sector projects for dissemination to national and international markets and trade shows.
JoAnn Mangione, Director joannm@zpr.com
JoAnn contributes more than 28 years of experience in video and TV production, writing, public relations and media relations, creating and implementing strategic communications and image campaigns with proven results. For zcomm, she is a director and liaison to clients, with an emphasis in video and television production.
She is a former TV newscast producer and has produced live and taped radio and TV programs as well as newscasts in markets across the country. She managed television promotion, advertising and public relations teams and produced Emmy Award-winning newscasts, including one of the country’s first week-long TV series on AIDS, a TV campaign for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, public affairs programs and multiple public service announcements and commercials.
JoAnn has conceived and implemented countless media tours, video presentations, news conferences, book signings, annual meetings and speaking engagements for both non-profit and corporate clients. She is an expert at producing informative and creative videos that “tell a story” and knows how to plan, manage and stretch client dollars when needed. Among her current clients are Alzheimer’s Association, Ronald McDonald House New York and American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists. Prior to working at zcomm, JoAnn was with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, The Constitution Project and the Cleveland Play House.
Gary Anderson, Chief Financial Officer garya@zpr.com
For more than five years, Gary has been responsible for all aspects of client and vendor contracts, invoicing and billing at zcomm.