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Who
We Are
| Who
We Are |
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Executive Bios
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Laura
Davidson,
President
Laura Davidson
is the founder
and president
of LDPR, a
leading New
York-based
public relations
agency that
specializes
entirely in
travel. For
18 years,
LDPR has been
in the vanguard
of its industry,
constantly
expanding
the traditional
limits of
PR, embracing
new tools
and adding
services for
its roster
of top international
clients. Today
that roster
includes destinations
like Scotland
and Montréal;
hospitality
groups like
Fairmont Hotels
& Resorts
and RockResorts;
private islands
like Canouan,
Mustique and
Peter Island;
independent
luxury resorts
like Curtain
Bluff and
Eden Rock;
and tour operators
like Abercrombie
& Kent.
Attracted
by the promise
of seeing
the world,
Laura fell
into PR
straight
out of college
when she
was hired
as a secretary
by the Philadelphia
agency Spiro
& Associates
in 1983.
But something
clicked
and, within
a year,
she was
handling
several
key accounts,
including
the 100th
anniversary
program
for the
Princess
Hotel in
Bermuda.
Returning
to New York,
her hometown,
in 1985,
she joined
Tromson
Monroe and
soon became
the agency’s
senior vice
president,
running
its PR division
for six
successful
years. When
Tromson
closed its
doors in
1991, Laura
left to
open her
own agency.
From
humble beginnings
(one client,
one computer
and a kitchen
table) LDPR
has grown
steadily
in both
size and
reputation.
Today the
agency fills
a loft-office
on Madison
Avenue.
It's lean,
smart, creative
and, with
20 clients
and 18 members
of staff,
the optimum
size to
mix professionalism
with personal
attention,
enthusiasm
with efficiency.
In
addition
to her agency
work, Laura
has played
an active
role in
her industry,
participating
in numerous
organizations
including
SATW (Society
of American
Travel Writers),
CTO (Caribbean
Tourism
Organization),
CHA (Caribbean
Hotel Association)
and ATME
(Association
of Travel
Marketing
Executives).
Equally
adamant
about "giving
back"
to society,
she involves
her agency
in several
philanthropic
initiatives—from
sponsoring
teachers
at a primary
school in
Benin, West
Africa to
planting
a community
garden for
the homeless
in the Bronx.
But
her biggest
pride and
joy is reserved
for her
two young
sons, Tobey
and Jake.
Not many
other kids
have such
a knowledge
of geography
and the
seating
configurations
on all the
major aircraft.
Their ambition
is the same
as Laura's:
to explore
the world
when they
grow up.
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Leslie
Cohen, Executive
Vice President
Leslie
is a PR/consumer
marketing specialist
with a proven
track record in
generating awareness
for travel and
tourism clients
and overseeing
complex multi-faceted
national media
programs.
Since
she joined LDPR
in 2000, Leslie
has worked alongside
Laura Davidson
to expand the
agency’s
client roster
and develop
their talented
staff. Previously,
Leslie was a
senior vice
president at
Porter Novelli
in New York,
where she ran
the firm's Travel
Group with clients
ranging from
Princess Cruises
and Southwest
Airlines to
the Bermuda
Department of
Tourism. Leslie
led the Princess
Cruises team
to unprecedented
back-to-back
PRSA (Public
Relations Society
of America)
Silver Anvil
awards as well
as the CIPRA
awards (Creativity
in Public Relations
from Inside
PR magazine)
and the best
of Show and
Platinum awards
from HSMAI (Hospitality
Sales and Marketing
Association
International).
“We always
try and go “above
and beyond”
in each assignment
and strive to
exceed client
expectations.
On a personal
note, I love
to explore new
places —
I've been to
six of the continents
and am on a
quest to reach
all seven.”
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Lisa
Caruso, Vice President
When
Lisa joined LDPR
in 2003 she brought
with her 10 years
of travel, lifestyle
and brand marketing
experience along
with a passion
for promoting
clients in unique
and effective
ways. Today she
oversees accounts
including Abercrombie
& Kent, Tourisme
Montréal,
Melbourne Convention
+ Visitors Bureau
and The Orlando
Convention &
Visitors Bureau
with a special
focus in lifestyle
media and broadcast
categories. While
at LDPR, she has
also led the team
for the opening
of Phase III at
Atlantis, Paradise
Island in 2006/2007,
and supervised
the Marriott International
account and special
events for VisitScotland
and Tourism Australia.
Lisa
has initiated
creative publicity
programs focused
on news and
trends, luxury
and experiential
travel, spa/wellness,
and culinary
arts. She has
led the media
strategy for
her clients,
placing stories
in top press
from consumer
travel and trade
to lifestyle
and news mediums.
Lisa has also
spearheaded
integrated marketing
campaigns for
clients, including
multi-faceted
programs for
international
hotel companies
with partners
including DreamWorks
Pictures, Lifetime
Television,
Condé
Nast Bridal
Group, Lavalife,
Bloomingdale’s
and Saks Fifth
Avenue.
Prior
to joining LDPR,
Lisa was the
director of
PR at PGA National
Resort &
Spa in Florida
and was heavily
involved with
the Palm Beach
County Convention
& Visitors
Bureau PR outreach,
as well as VisitFlorida
PR and promotions
programs.
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Paul
Rakov, Vice President
Paul
has more than
15 years of public
relations experience
in a diverse range
of industries
that includes
travel and tourism,
consumer electronics
retail, software
technology and
e-commerce. .
Paul
came to LDPR
after spending
nearly four
years as the
Public Relations
and Advertising
Director for
the Emerson
Resort &
Spa, a four-star
luxury property
located two
hours north
of New York
City. His time
on the “client
side”
gives him valuable
insight and
a keen understanding
of our clients’
business objectives.
Paul
has also led
national campaigns
to launch new
products and
divisions while
at Circuit City
Stores, provided
public and financial
relations support
for emerging
technology companies
in the high-tech
sectors of the
Silicon Valley
and Seattle,
and has worked
with convention
and visitors
bureaus to promote
destinations
such as Virginia
Beach and Amelia
Island, Florida.
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Jennifer Sparrow
Wilkes, Vice President
Jennifer
joined LDPR in
2006 bringing
with her eight
years of experience
in travel and
tourism public
relations. Her
creativity and
keen eye for travel
trends is matched
by her enthusiasm
for the clients
she represents.
Jennifer
has an expertise
in destination
marketing and
leads the teams
on the VisitScotland
(Scotland's
tourist board),
Tourism Victoria
(home to the
city of Melbourne,
Australia),
and Dream Escape
(Scotland) accounts.
She also leads
a team to promote
national Tartan
Day in New York
annually and
has been deemed
an honorary
Scot. Her creative
flair, nimble
media relations
skills, and
extensive experience
with broadcast
projects, events
and promotions
contribute to
the extraordinary
success of these
accounts and
the agency.
At
LDPR, Jennifer
also spearheads
a creative development
strategy to
spark innovation
and award-winning
programs for
all LDPR clients.
Prior
to joining LDPR,
Jennifer launched
Tourism Victoria's
first PR campaign
in North America
and worked as
an account supervisor
at Spring O’Brien
where she promoted
other travel
and tourism
clients, including
SuperClubs and
St. Vincent
and the Grenadines.
She also worked
on PR campaigns
to promote Puerto
Rico Tourism
Company and
the Puerto Rico
Convention Center.
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LDPR on Location
| LDPR
on Location |
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| Christina
Semmel of LDPR enjoying
the Parisian views
at the Hotel de
Crillon, part of
the Concorde Hotels
& Resorts collection.
Insider fact –
Madonna stays here
when she visits!
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Lisa
Caruso is escorted
by a local Masai
for a camel trek
on Kenya Safari
with Abercrombie
& Kent. |
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| New
York Times
Columnist Harry
Hurt III with Patrick
Dill of The Ritz-Carlton
Golf Club and Jason
Coletta of LDPR
at Grande Lakes
Orlando. |
Girls
Rock! Before heading
to the RockResorts
Spa™, Katie
Wohlschlaeger (RockResorts),
Jenna Autuori (Shape),
Paula Derrow (Self),
Carrie Mosner (LDPR),
Sara Geen (LDPR)
and Heather Mikesell
(American Spa)
take in sweeping
views during a spring
hike on Vail Mountain. |
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| LDPR's
Carla Tracy on location
in Jackson Hole
(Snake River Lodge
& Spa, A RockResort)
with Peter Greenberg,
in December 2008
during the official
Jackson Hole Aerial
Tram launch weekend. |
LDPR's
Carla Tracy at Raffles
Canouan for the
2009 Sports
Illustrated
Swimsuit cover shoot
and pictured with
Dan Patrick, radio
host and contributor
to Sports Illustrated,
for a special live
remote show during
the Swimsuit shoot. |
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| Ashley
MontBlanc of LDPR
flying above the
12 Apostles on the
Great Ocean Road
in Victoria, Australia. |
Agency
president Laura
Davidson, actors
Hugh Jackman and
Olivia Newton-John,
Tourism Australia’s
Bob Monfrini, and
Barry Brown (formerly
with Travel
+ Leisure)
at Australia Week
in LA. |
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| LDPR
promoted Australia
Week—“G’Day
NY”—with
a Wiggles concert.
Pictured here with
the colorful Wiggles
are Laura Davidson
and her son, Tobey |
Straight-shot
Ashley MontBlanc
and Elle Canada
journalist, Lara
Ceroni, try their
hands at clay shooting
at The Resort at
Paws Up. |
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| Girls
love shoes! LDPR
ladies Leslie Cohen,
Sara Geen and Lorianne
Lacey snowshoeing
in Keystone, Colorado.
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LDPR’s
Lisa Caruso and
the Orlando Convention
& Visitor Bureau’s
Denise Spiegel pose
with the popular
Winnie the Pooh
at Disney World. |
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| A
proud LDPR family
celebrates with
agency president,
Laura Davidson,
as she is honored
by the Hospitality
Sales & Marketing
Association International
on January 28, 2008,
with the Winthrop
W. Grice Award for
public relations
excellence. |
LDPR’s
Leslie Cohen and
Elizabeth Bishop
take in the ultimate
“room with
a view” at
Hotel Lutetia, a
Concorde Hotel in
Paris. |
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Accolades
| Accolades |
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Laura
Davidson Honored for
Public Relations Excellence
Agency President Laura
Davidson was recognized
by the Hospitality Sales
& Marketing Association
International (HSMAI)
with the Winthrop Grice
Lifetime Achievement
Award. The award acknowledges
individuals who have
made significant contributions
and lasting impressions
on the hospitality and
travel industry. Davidson
was honored during the
51st Annual Awards gala
on Monday, January 28,
2008, presented before
a crowd of 1,000 attendees.
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click
on photo
to enlarge |
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LDPR measures its success
in a number of ways.
There are our long-standing
relationships with clients
(we’ve worked
with Mustique for 10
years; Curtain Bluff,
eight years; VisitScotland,
six years; The Ritz-Carlton
Orlando, four years).
There is the willingness
of key members of the
media to act as our
references, the loyalty
of the our staff and,
of course, our remarkable
results — clip-books
with print, broadcast
and Internet placements.
Industry
Honors
Other industry-recognized
measurements of success
are those awards for
excellence earned from
prestigious organizations
like Hospitality Sales
& Marketing Association
International (HSMAI)
and Public Relations
Society of America (PRSA).
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HSMAI
Platinum Awards
The Resort at Paws Up,
Montana
VisitScotland
The Cotton House &
the Villas of Mustique
Jake’s, Jamaica
Hotel Sofitel North
America
HSMAI
Gold Awards
The Resort at Paws Up,
Montana
Raffles Canouan, The
Grenadines
Cambridge Beaches, Bermuda
Marriott International
The Regency, A Loews
Hotel
The Mustique Company
VisitScotland
Tourism Australia
Accor Lodging North
America
Tauck World Discovery
Island Outpost
The Cotton House &
the Villas of Mustique
Jake’s, Jamaica
Hotel Sofitel North
America
HSMAI
Silver Awards
Raffles Canouan, The
Grenadines
The Landings St. Lucia,
A RockResort
Orlando/Orange County
CVB
Tourisme Montréal
Grande Lakes Orlando
The Mustique Company
La Posada de Santa Fe,
New Mexico
VisitScotland
Marriott International
Peter Island Resort
& Spa
Tourism Australia
The Equinox Resort &
Spa, Vermont
designhotels
Curtain Bluff, Antigua
The Australian Tourist
Commission
The Cotton House &
the Villas of Mustique
American Classic Voyages
Company
Hotel Sofitel Philadelphia
Accor North America
American Classic Voyages
Hotel Sofitel North
America
Coco Palm, St. Lucia
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HSMAI
Bronze Awards
Fairmont Hotels &
Resorts
The Arrabelle at Vail
Square, A RockResort
RockResorts
Peter Island Resort
& Spa
Turtle Island, Fiji
Snake River Lodge, Wyoming
Curtain Bluff, Antigua
American Classic Voyages
Sundance
Tauck World Discovery
Marriott & Renaissance
Offshore Resorts
The Island of Mustique
in the Caribbean
Tourism Australia
PRSA
Big Apple Award
VisitScotland
Cushman
Awards
Tourisme Montrèal
The Arrabelle at Vail
Square, A RockResort
The Resort
at Paws Up, Montana
VisitScotland |
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LDPR
Gives Back
| LDPR
Gives Back |
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Ever since LDPR was
formed in 1991, the
company has had an active
philanthropic program.
It's a part of who we
are and we take it seriously.
Our staff members put
forward deserving causes;
they are vetted by an
internal committee and
supported with time,
talent and contributions.
THE KAKANITCHOÉ
PRIMARY SCHOOL IN BENIN,
WEST AFRICA
It all started back
in 2000 when Beth Walsh,
then a VP at LDPR, decided
to leave the PR world
and follow her heart.
It led her first into
the Peace Corps and
then to Benin in West
Africa. In the course
of her work, she met
Pascal Gbenou, a Beninese
farmer, who had the
dream of building a
primary school in his
remote village, Kakanitchoé-Whenusu
(if you think it's hard
to pronounce, try finding
it on the map).
There was a real need.
The nearest school was
four miles away in Adjohoun,
but there is no school
transportation in this
small West African country
and, especially for
the youngest elementary
school students, the
distance was just too
great.
So Pascal built his
primary school in Kakanitchoé
and staffed it with
help from LDPR. Now
it's in its eighth year
and more than a hundred
students have passed
through its grades and
gone on to middle school.
LDPR pays the salaries
of three of the school's
four teachers. For more
information, please
contact Beth Walsh at
walshbenin@yahoo.com.
OLD
ROAD FUND
While many resorts make
a big show of their
corporate responsibility,
Curtain Bluff in Antigua
is the exception to
the rule. Since the
resort opened in 1974,
this luxurious all-inclusive
has been quietly, determinedly
and effectively raising
the fortunes of hundreds
of people in the nearby
village of Old Road.
In
the last 10 years alone,
the fund has provided
scholarships, paid additional
college expenses for
local students, and
sent more than 50 children
to tennis camp in the
US. Others have gone
as camp counselors.
It has given medical
and emergency relief
to those in need, computers
to Old Road's primary
school, and new uniforms
and sporting equipment
to the village football
(soccer) and cricket
teams. Additionally,
Miami Dade Community
College (MDCC) and Florida
International University
(FIU) are helping the
fund to offer scholarships
for degrees in tourism
and hospitality.
LDPR
supports the efforts
of the Old Road Fund
by making yearly donations
on behalf of its employees.
For more information,
please visit http://www.curtainbluff.com/oldroad.htm.
LDPR'S
CARBON OFFSETTING PROGRAM
In January 2008, LDPR
partnered with www.carbonfund.org
to offset the tons of
carbon emissions that
are generated by staff
and journalists as they
travel on behalf of
the agency's clients.
These emissions are
offset through the production
of renewable energy
sources -- including
wind, solar and geothermal.
According
to the Travel Industry
Association of America,
travel and tourism is
a $1.3 trillion industry
in the United States.
There is no question
that this behemoth of
an industry brings considerable
benefits (local employment,
conservation, cultural
awareness, etc.) but
it's equally clear that
it's detrimental to
the environment. LDPR
is serious in its efforts
to mitigate this downside.
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DRESS FOR SUCCESS
In October 2008, LDPR
organized a clothing
drive to support Dress
for Success, a non-profit
organization that
provides interview
suits, professional
business attire and
career development
to low-income women
in over 75 cities
worldwide. The LDPR
team collected over
50 items that women
will be able to use
as tools to enter
the business world.
The goal of Dress
for Success is for
each woman who is
pre-screened to be
job-ready to leave
with a complete outfit
and training that
will help her feel
confident in her interview
and land a job. She
can then return to
Dress for Success
for employment suiting
once she is hired.
For more information
on Dress for Success
or to donate items,
please visit dressforsuccess.org.
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| About
LDPR |
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The travel industry is changing. Fast.
Increased competition and rewards, technological
advances, and shifting socio- and demographic
trends have transformed it into a business
with new rules and accountability.
Nobody understands
these rules better than LDPR —
a leader of a new breed of PR agency.
Lean, fast and smart,
we have spent the last 18 years perfecting
an approach we call "media marketing"
— a mix of marketing skills and
traditional PR practices. First we strategize
with our clients and prioritize goals.
Then we translate those goals into words
the media can understand and wants to
hear. Strategic partnerships, media
outreach, brand promotions, guerrilla
marketing and news-generating events
are all part of the agency's creative
mix.
The results speak
for themselves: extraordinary coverage
in magazines, newspapers, broadcast
and online outlets…return on investment
as high as 200:1...a wide network of
media friends…a dedicated and
talented staff…and a family of
satisfied clients who value our commitment,
expertise and enthusiasm.
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