LDPR: Laura Davidson Public Relations

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Laura Davidson, Founder and President

Leslie Cohen, Executive Vice President

Lisa Caruso, Vice President


	Paul Rakov, Vice President

LDPR on location

I cannot say how pleased we are with the continued press exposure LDPR brings our way. It speaks volumes for the company that over our seven year partnership you continue to consistently deliver for Peter Island. Simply said, the results speak for themselves and the bonus for me is that you are also a great fun group to work with.

Brian Dye
Director of Sales and Marketing,
Peter Island Resort, BVI

		Laura Davidson is the founder and president of LDPR, a leading New York-based public relations agency that specializes entirely in travel. For 17 years, it 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, RockResorts and Ritz-Carlton; private islands like Canouan, Mustique and Peter Island; independent luxury resorts like Curtain Bluff, Eden Rock and The Resort at Paws Up; and tour operators like Intrepid Travel. 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 five- and six-year-olds 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.

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 clients 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.”

When Lisa joined LDPR in 2003 she brought with her 15 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, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts 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.

As a native of India who was brought up in Hong Kong, Meghna brings a diverse cultural understanding to LDPR. Meghna specializes in luxury hospitality clients at LDPR and her superior media relations skills have helped her clients gain recognition in media ranging from Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler to The New York Times, Spa magazine and Vogue. In addition to handling the media activities for her clients, Meghna also has experience in event organization and marketing sponsorships. She has worked with a wide range of press including the luxury lifestyle press, design, spa, travel trade and culinary media. At LDPR she spearheaded a two-year project to promote Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces in India; worked on the Sofitel International account; and launched the designhotels brand in the U.S.


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.	Tory Lorance (LDPR) and Simone Girner (Indagare.com) enjoy the views of Gullfoss Falls in Iceland, Europe's largest waterfall, while on a Private Jet trip with Abercrombie & Kent.


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.


Girls love shoes! LDPR ladies Leslie Cohen, Sara Geen and Lorianne Lacey snowshoeing in Keystone, Colorado.	LDPR’s Lisa Caruso and the Orlando Convention & Visitor Bureau’s Denise Spiegel pose with the popular Winnie the Pooh at Disney.


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 a Hotel Lutetia, a Concorde Hotel in Paris.

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 leads the teams on the Grande Lakes, Orlando; The Ritz-Carlton Resorts, Naples; RockResorts; and Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club accounts.

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.