Women have built — and run — some of the most consequential independent public relations firms in the United States. The list below covers the largest and most cited women-founded and women-led PR agencies operating today, with the practice areas they anchor and the clients that have defined their tenure.
WE Communications
Melissa Waggener Zorkin co-founded the agency in 1983 with Pam Edstrom and remains CEO. The firm rebranded from Waggener Edstrom to WE Communications in 2015, and operates across consumer, healthcare, technology, and social innovation. Long-tenured Microsoft work anchors the technology practice. Roughly 700 staff across North America, EMEA, and APAC. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.
Prosek Partners
Jennifer Prosek founded Prosek Partners in 1990. The firm specializes in financial communications and is one of the largest independents serving asset management, private equity, alternative investments, hedge funds, M&A advisory, fintech, and corporate communications for financial-services clients. Clients have included Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Two Sigma, Marathon Asset Management, and Wilshire. New York, London, Stamford, Los Angeles.
J Public Relations
Jamie Lynn Sigler and Sarah Evans run JPR, founded in 2005. The firm anchors travel, hospitality, food and beverage, beauty, and fashion. The in-house social arm, 7th & Wit, handles content, influencer relations, and digital. Offices in New York, San Diego, Los Angeles, and London. Clients have included Four Seasons Resort Lana’i, Trump International Hotel Washington DC, and Aloe Gloe.
Lippe Taylor
Maureen Lippe founded Lippe Taylor after senior roles at Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. The agency starts client work with analytics, then applies creative — built around consumer reach across women’s health, beauty, and wellness. Clients have included Godiva, Jet, and Mucinex. Headquartered in New York.
Marina Maher Communications (MMC)
Marina Maher founded MMC in 1983 and built it into one of the most influential consumer PR agencies in the United States — beauty, health, wellness, food, and women’s-marketing categories. Now part of Omnicom Public Relations Group following the Diversified Agency Services consolidation. Clients have included P&G brands, Bayer Consumer Health, and Tylenol. Maher is a Page Society lifetime member.
M Booth
Margi Booth founded M Booth in 1992 and remains chairman. The firm sits inside the Next Fifteen Communications Group but operates with independent positioning. Consumer brands, food and beverage, healthcare, corporate communications. New York headquarters with offices in Chicago and a network across Next Fifteen properties.
Trevelino/Keller
Genna Keller co-founded the Atlanta-based agency with Dean Trevelino in 2002. The firm runs across technology, consumer, food and beverage, franchise, and professional services. Notable for the firm’s investment-grade communications work and the structured Brand Communications Index methodology developed internally.
DKC
Sean Cassidy founded DKC, and Eden Bridgeman Sklenar now serves as CEO — placing one of the largest independent US PR firms under female leadership. DKC works across entertainment, sports, real estate, hospitality, corporate, and public affairs. Headquartered in New York with offices in Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Chicago. Clients across the entertainment, sports, and consumer categories.
LaForce
Anne LaForce founded the firm in 2005 with her sister Lorraine LaForce. LaForce is one of the most respected fashion, retail, and design PR agencies in the country, working with brands across luxury and contemporary fashion, retail, hospitality, and home design. New York headquarters.
Berlin Rosen
Valerie Berlin co-founded Berlin Rosen with Jonathan Rosen in 2005. The firm built its reputation in progressive political communications, then expanded into real estate, corporate reputation, philanthropy, and public affairs. One of the largest independent firms in New York. Offices in New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles.
Krupp Kommunications
Heidi Krupp founded K2 (now Krupp Kommunications) in 1996. The firm anchors book publishing PR, lifestyle, health, wellness, and personal-brand work, with a long-running practice for bestselling authors and television personalities. New York.
Skirt PR
Megan Driscoll founded the firm — later expanded into the EvolveMKD group — anchored in beauty, wellness, and lifestyle. Driscoll is one of the most-cited beauty industry communications operators in the United States.
Konnect Agency
Sabina Gault founded Konnect in 2005. The Los Angeles-headquartered firm anchors food and beverage, hospitality, lifestyle, and franchise PR, with a national restaurant-industry footprint.
RoseComm
Rosemary Ostmann founded RoseComm and is PRSA NJ’s PR Professional of the Year 2020. The boutique anchors B2B technology, marketing technology, and adtech communications. New Jersey.
French/West/Vaughan
FWV is co-led by Allison Vaughan, who runs the agency alongside founder Rick French. One of the largest independent firms in the Southeast, with practices in consumer, sports, hospitality, and outdoor. Headquartered in Raleigh.
The Connective
Founded by Sara Whitman and Beth Newhouse — boutique consumer PR with a senior-led model. Beauty, wellness, food, lifestyle.
What These Firms Share
Most of the largest women-founded US PR agencies share three structural traits: founder-led leadership that has remained in place for 15-plus years, a single anchor category that defined the firm before expansion, and a deliberate boutique-to-mid-market positioning that has kept ownership independent through multiple cycles of holding-company consolidation.
The list is not exhaustive. Several mid-tier women-owned firms operate at high quality across regional markets, and dozens more sit inside holding-company structures where women hold the senior US operating roles. The agencies above are the most-cited independent leaders by client revenue, longevity, and industry recognition.
