CEO, Hotwire
Barbara started her career as an on-air journalist, then transitioned into the Benjamin Group – a leader in tech communications at the time. Soon after, she joined forces with her two best friends, who had been working with Regis McKenna, to create Eastwick – the first independent, fully tech-focused agency in Silicon Valley. Her leadership of Hotwire (and formerly Eastwick) has helped create hundreds of millions of dollars in value for top technology companies by directing their messaging and positioning, as well as building their brand profiles including Facebook, BMC, Seagate, Dell Software, HP, Adobe and Fujitsu.
Chairman of Rocket Science PR
Mark Addison is Chairman of Rocket Science PR (rocketscience.com) and Founder of X-Rocket (xrocket.io), which is a sell-side advisory firm for M&A. His companies help tech startups and mid-market firms through their growth phases and preparation for exit. The results delivered by Rocket Science PR have earned nine industry awards, been written about in Harvard Business Review, presented at Goldman Sachs technology conference, talked about on stage at TEDx and lead 5 clients to their IPOs.
Executive Vice President, Brand & Digital, Edelman
Kate Krane is an Executive Vice President at Edelman PNW and leads the Brand, Digital, & Influencer Practices. Her team's portfolio of work includes Boeing, Microsoft, Viking Cruises, California Walnuts, Tourism Wyoming, Sonos, Alaska Seafood, Savers, Starbucks and PEMCO among others. Kate joined Edelman in 2017, bringing 17 years of traditional and digital agency experience to Edelman’s integrated communications team. She specializes in client services, strategic relationship management and integrated marketing programs for B2B and B2C clients across a variety of industries.
