Amy Littleton, KemperLesnik: Chicago's Back-to-Office PR Pioneer Q&A

Originally published October 2020. Updated September 2026.

Part of PR Agency Q&A Profiles · Chicago: Michelle Mekky, Mekky Media · See also: Anastasia Golovina, Ditto PR

Amy Littleton was co-leader of KemperLesnik, a Chicago-based communications firm, where she oversaw public relations and content businesses for 19 years. Littleton is a communications strategist, crisis and reputation counselor. She is the former president of PRSA Chicago, sits on the board of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, and is co-chair of the Marketing and Communications Forum of the Executives' Club of Chicago. This Q&A was published in October 2020 and focuses on the agency's structured back-to-office program — one of the early reopenings in PR.

The Interview (2020)

Q: How long has your agency been back in the office?

A: We first reopened KemperLesnik's doors in mid-June to agency Officers and Directors. We installed plexiglass dividers between individual desks, implemented enhanced cleaning procedures, and mask requirements. Starting in July, we split the agency into two teams on two-week rotations. KemperLesnik fully opened the office to all employees in mid-September.

Q: How did you ensure employee safety?

A: All staff wear masks in common areas. Plexiglass dividers help prevent the spread of airborne germs. Cubicles across from and next to each employee are open. Bottled water, hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves are offered to everyone. All employees check their temperatures before coming in. Conference rooms are restricted to four members at a time. While all team members are welcome back, we respect each person's concerns and provide flexibility.

Q: What do you value most about being back?

A: Three things: Spontaneous Creativity — the best ideas materialize because a colleague overheard another colleague talking about a movie they saw over the weekend. Relationship Building — I can't drop by your office or bump into you in the kitchen. I have to know I want to talk to you specifically, then call you, set up a Zoom, or hunt you via chat. Support and Motivation — in an agency, you're surrounded by people who do what you do every day. The colleague next door can sense your frustration and help you overcome it in real time. Being together with kindred spirits is motivating.

Q: Impact on clients?

A: Even though we can't interact with clients in a physical space, the work we do for them every day has benefitted from being back in the office. One of the industries we serve is golf — heading to the golf course is one of the few sports we can do socially distanced, so we've had many meetings on the golf course this summer.

Q: Will PR agencies ever fully return to normal?

A: KemperLesnik firmly believes in the benefits of working in person, but there are certainly benefits from working remotely we'll adopt moving forward. Using Zoom gives us the opportunity to see clients and prospects more often and without travel. Giving employees more flexibility to work from home or at staggered hours is here to stay.

What Happened to Amy Littleton

In 2022, after 19 years at KemperLesnik, Amy Littleton left to become president of Reputation Partners, a Chicago strategic communications firm, with founder Nick Kalm moving to CEO. She has since founded and now leads Stretch PR, a full-service creative public relations agency, as its president, working with clients including Heritage Golf Group.