Heather Atherton, Atherton Public Relations

Heather Atherton brings over 14 years of passion and expertise to every project she touches as a PR and media relations strategist, publicist and writer.
 

Experience in Local, National and Global Public Relations and Media Campaigns

She’s worked for global as well as prominent Northern California agencies, lending her talents to PR programs for national and international brands such as:

  • Tres Agaves
  • IMAX
  • Buca di Beppo
  • Krispy Kreme
  • California Pizza Kitchen
  • VSP
  • Fireman’s Fund Insurance
  • Sun Microsystems
  • Intel
  • and many others

Heather has also had the pleasure of hosting media tours for various filmmakers, American heroes and celebrities such as NASA Astronaut Steve Robinson and Jean-Michel Cousteau.
 

Gaining Valuable Experience

After graduation from CSU, Sacramento, Atherton cut her teeth in media and community relations on the NCGAA/McDonald’s account before she successfully landed at one of the top six PR agencies in the world, Ketchum Public Relations. While at Ketchum Sacramento, she established herself with both the Northern California media as well as international technology media during the dot-com boom. As a result, Atherton learned how to ramp up quickly with new clients and execute on plans efficiently and effectively.

The highlight of Atherton’s Ketchum Sacramento career was managing the campaign to introduce the Esquire IMAX® Theatre and the IMAX Experience to Northern California. Her team’s success led to the campaign winning a PRSA Silver Anvil Award in Community Relations. This award is a great honor in the PR field. Silver Anvil Awards are often referred to as the “Oscar” of the public relations industry.
 

Northern California and Sacramento is Home!

After Ketchum Sacramento closed following the dot-com bust, Atherton chose to continue her career in Sacramento and landed at one of Sacramento’s top advertising agencies, Runyon, Saltzman & Einhorn. While at RSE, Atherton enjoyed managing PR for two of the agency’s finest accounts, the grand opening of the Mondavi Center for the Arts and Krispy Kreme.

Upon starting a family in 2003, Atherton opened her own consultancy, Atherton Public Relations. She has since continued to grow as a PR practitioner representing brands such as:

  • Tres Agaves
  • IMAX
  • California Pizza Kitchen
  • Fountains at Roseville
  • Robeks Fruit Smoothies and Healthy Eats
  • Cybertary
  • and many others

Heather also volunteers her public relations expertise to local breast cancer charity, Albie Aware, and is a board member of Placer Theatre Ballet.

Atherton was raised in the Northern California wine country, and enjoys spending down time wine tasting with her husband of a dozen years. These days you’ll usually find Atherton spending much of her free time supporting the budding interests of their young daughter by driving her to Girl Scout meetings or dance class.