Meet the True NorthTeam!

Mark Tedeschi:
Mark Tedeschi was a founding partner of Meridian Communications in 1996 and launched True North Brand Group, Inc., in 2002 with the goal of using his editorial and newsroom experience to help small and medium sized businesses maximize their publicity opportunities.

Mark has 15 years of experience working as a reporter and editor. Mark spent nearly 10 years covering business developments in a range of consumer markets from sporting goods to outdoor products to fashion accessories. During this time, calling on a range of sources from retailers to industry analysts, Mark closely followed public and private companies ranging from brands like Nike and Reebok to Tommy Hilfiger and the Gap to The Sports Authority and Banana Republic.

Prior to his experience covering business developments Mark worked at newspapers such as the Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune. His news coverage includes a stint covering a presidential campaign as well as local and regional politics and news ranging from city hall to police beat coverage.

Mark's journalism background has helped to position True North as a firm that members of the media can count on to assist in their compilation of gear, trend and news stories. Mark has built a team of seasoned professionals, including some who pitched stories to him when he was a journalist, who all possess an understanding of the media’s unique needs and tight deadlines.



Susan Lloyd:
Susan brings close to a decade of public relations experience to the True North team. Susan has specialized in the high-technology and consumer marketplace as well as non-profit and professional services. Having worked at leading agencies in the Boston area, Susan has developed a thorough expertise in both established and emerging industries including but not limited to: search engine marketing, software security, online/mobile advertising and marketing, telecommunications, password identification management (PIM), ecommerce. CRM, network management /disaster recovery, in-store media, digital advertising, virtualization, data storage, outdoor apparel and product , fitness equipment, home safety and physician designed beverages.

Susan’s complete PR services include: day-to-day account strategy, traditional/digital media and industry analyst relations, comprehensive written communications (press releases, PR plans, bylined articles and key messaging documents), speaker's bureau and awards programs.

Prior to joining True North, Susan was a Senior Associate at PAN Communications, a leading public relations agency with special expertise in digital media relations. Susan began her public relations career at Schwartz Communications, one of the nation's leading public relations agencies focused on the high-technology, medical device, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

Select companies that Susan has served to date include: The Jett Foundation, FireBlanket, Marker/Volkl USA, Gordini, uLocate, EqualLogic (acquired by Dell), Neoware (acquired by HP), PlayNetwork, Starent Networks, V.i. Laboratories, Airwide Solutions, Xius-BCGi and LiveWire Mobile,

Susan received her BA from the College of St. Joseph where she graduated Cum Laude.



Caitlin Gambee:
Caitlin Gambee brings a wealth of expertise to the True North team. Caitlin has extensive knowledge and proven success planning and executing both social and traditional media campaigns. Caitlin has worked with a diverse range of clients from leading biotechnology companies to professional sports teams.

Caitlin’s complete PR services include: account brand strategy, traditional and social media relations, event planning and management, comprehensive written communications (press releases, PR research and planning, bylined articles, key messaging documents), and other promotional opportunities.

Prior to joining True North, Caitlin worked with Regan Communications Group, a Boston-based public relations agency specializing in the industries of hospitality and sports. Caitlin began her public relations career at Feinstein Kean Healthcare of Cambridge, MA that focuses on pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

Select companies that Caitlin has served to date include: The Boston Celtics, Dunkin’ Donuts, Boston Cannons Lacrosse, Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino, Cask n’ Flagon, Park Plaza Hotel & Towers, Boston Wine Expo, WEEI Radio Boston, Boston Magazine, RE/MAX of New England, Kombi Sports Ltd, Concave Sports, SodaStream, Lotuff & Clegg Leatherworks, Khombu Footwear, Black Diamond Footwear, Reckitt Benckiser, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp.

Caitlin received her BA from the Northeastern University where she received her degree in Journalism with a dual minor in law and communication.



Karen Fischer:
Karen Fisher has over fifteen years of experience in corporate branding, event marketing and public relations, and her body of work spans the consumer, sports, fashion, entertainment and technology industries.

Karen began her career at Reebok International, Ltd., one of the world's largest manufacturers of sports and fitness footwear, apparel and accessories. Throughout her seven years with the Reebok International Ltd. family of companies, Karen held several positions including Manager of Global Marketing Communications for Reebok International and Senior Manager of Public Relations and Entertainment Marketing for The Rockport Company.

After leaving Reebok, Karen spent several years at FitzGerald Communications, a full-service public relations and strategic marketing agency specializing in the technology industry. Her background in the sports and fitness industry then took her to TEAM Marketing, a sports and event marketing company based in Boca Raton, where she led all public relations initiatives for clients’ sports sponsorships. At TEAM, Karen worked on nationally televised sporting events including the NBC Golf Skills Challenge, the ADT LPGA Championship and the NASDAQ Tennis tournament, among others.

Most recently, Karen has provided public relations and event marketing consulting services to a diverse group of clients including ADT Security Services, Cone Communications, Karhu Footwear, Molta Media and Boston Youth Moves, a Boston-based dance and performing arts organization.

Karen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia where she majored in Rhetoric and Communications, with a concentration in Marketing.



Michael Coogan:
Michael Coogan is a marketing, product and sales veteran with almost 30 years of experience developing consumer brands in the casual lifestyle and outdoor footwear segments. He heads up the marketing division at True North. After starting his career as a retailer, Mike has spent the past 20 years on the wholesale executive side of the business working for brands that include Stride Rite, Keds, Sperry Top-Sider, Dunham and Kamik.

In his diverse career, Mike has experience in all phases of bringing a brand and its product to market, then selling it through. He combines an understanding of the retail business, with a successful history in marketing and product development. His expertise extends into motivating the selling effort put forth by sales forces the brand's and the retailer's.



Lauren Curley:
Lauren Curley has more than 15 years of high tech and consumer marketing communications and public relations experience as both a public relations client and practitioner. Having worked with start-up and Fortune 1000 companies to develop global marketing campaigns, she understands what it takes to succeed in the ever-changing, fast-paced high tech market – capture market share and build new market categories, set industry agenda, establish thought leadership, launch new products and companies, raise venture capital, and prepare for divestitures and acquisitions.

She partners closely with her clients to develop aggressive media, analyst and investor strategies surrounding product launches, investor/analyst relations, crisis communications, strong market positioning and overall media relations – she has established proven relationships with media contacts at leading business, IT, and vertical publications; news syndicates; and broadcast outlets (television, radio).

Lauren has worked on a broad spectrum of client programs in the consumer, general interest, high technology and professional services markets, including: CRM, e-commerce/e-business, ERP/back-office applications, information security, and supply chain management to name just a few. She has created award-winning communications strategies for some of the industry's most visible technology and services companies, including the launch of Send.com (winner of a Golden Anvil from the Public Relations Society of America), Mobil and Host Marriott.

In 1997, Lauren joined Horn Group, Inc. to help establish the firm’s Boston office and build key accounts. As managing director, she guided the business development, and management and operations of the office, as well as developed and managed CXO-level strategic counsel on both communications and investor relations issues. Lauren leveraged her creativity and commitment to client service to provide teams with the tools needed to set strategy and exceed client goals. Emerging growth companies, market leaders and business service organizations, such as AMR Research, Cambridge Technology Partners, Cognos, EXE Technologies, Idiom, InternetWeek, NationStreet, Netegrity, PeopleSoft, and webHancer benefited from Lauren’s relentless pursuit of client satisfaction.

Lauren's past positions include marketing communications manager at Strategic Networking Consulting, where she managed the consulting firm’s corporate and internal communications; promotion of the firm’s lab tests, conferences, and studies; direct marketing and advertising. A key contributor to the firm’s sales efforts, her marketing programs drove double-digit increases in conference attendees, as well similar increases in paid client relationships with companies in the networking and telecommunications markets within the firm nine months of implementation.

Lauren held various public relations account management positions with high technology PR firms Creamer Dickson Basford and Brodeur & Partners, serving clients such as IBM Software Solutions, Mobil, Host Marriott, and ComputerWorld. She began her public relations career at Rourke & Company where she worked with PictureTel and Network World.