Our Team

Name: Scott Smith

Title: Chief Executive Officer

Overview: Scott founded Westbound Communications in April 2003 with a mission to go beyond the usual offerings of most public relations firms. The result is a firm that offers superior public relations and marketing counsel with an exceptional value proposition. Scott brings a cerebral approach to his role as senior counselor and strategist through the application of social science research to affect behavior change and build brands. With more than 30 years of expertise, Scott has directed programs for a wide range of clients from major consumer brands to local governments. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Scott is a cum laude graduate of Cal State Fullerton and also holds a Master’s Degree from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication.

Unique fact: Scott’s greatest adventure was riding his bike from Canada to Central California.

Name: Christopher Perez, APR

Title: Partner and General Manager

Overview: Chris has helped over 125 businesses and organizations in brand marketing, public relations, video production and coaching/training. He is also an adjunct professor, most recently in the Annenberg School of Communications at his alma mater, the University of Southern California. He is a former journalist, and a frequent speaker for industry groups and trade associations. His personal mission is to try and help organizations better understand the tools of the digital age as well as new approaches to engage customers and key stakeholders.

Unique fact: An avid film buff, Chris has produced two independent feature films.

Name: Linda Shipkey Martin, APR

Title: Partner and General Manager

Overview: As partner and general manager, Linda manages clients and teams to help them achieve their goals. With a background spanning food, retail, public affairs and community outreach, she focuses on building and implementing strategies and integrated programs for her clients. From 2008 to 2016, Linda led global public relations for Almond Board of California, a role that took her to more than a dozen countries, including China and India. Her dream is to work on a golf or travel client – two of her passions. Linda is a proud graduate of California State University, Fullerton (GO TITANS!) and a native of Southern California.

Unique fact: In 2002, Linda was inducted into the Cal State Fullerton Communications Department Hall of Fame, one of just 95 graduates to be so honored.

Name: Daniel Rhodes

Title: Senior Vice President

Overview: Daniel is a senior vice president with more than 25 years of branding, marketing, and public relations and communications experience. His responsibilities include practice management, strategic integrated marketing program development and management, customer relationship management, staff advancement, business development, building new profit centers, and serving as a senior branding, marketing and public relations counselor. Currently, his B2B and B2C client work spans the following industries: commercial real estate, healthcare, technology and consumer electronics, professional services (law, staffing), nonprofit, and transportation and infrastructure. Recent industry experience includes banking and finance, food service, homebuilding, and education. Daniel received his Master of Professional Writing from University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California, and his Bachelors of Arts in Communications from American University in Washington, D.C. (his hometown).

Unique fact: Daniel is a former adjunct professor at Chapman University, where he taught media relations and case studies classes. He loves his former students!

Name: Tami Moran

Title: Vice President of Business Operations

Overview: Tami is responsible for all aspects of administration including Finance and Human Resources, along with the strategic direction of the Company.  With over 25 years of experience, Tami has supported the most senior executives and together managed organizational change, increased operational effectiveness, and accelerated business growth.  Tami is unique in her ability to be both creative and analytical in motivating a talented team to focus on process improvement and profitability in a rapidly changing landscape.  Her loyalty to the Company and commitment to customer service is driven by her family’s entrepreneurial spirit. Tami began her career at Deloitte and became a Certified Public Accountant in Arizona and California. She is a graduate of the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Unique fact: Tami has a passion for musical theatre and all things Christmas.  Her favorite roles to date are being a mother to Keegan and Tara and Auntie Em in the Wizard of Oz.

Name: Robert Chevez

Title: Account Director

Overview: Robert is an account director with more than 22 years of experience in leading public relations, branding and marketing campaigns for a wide range of clients from Fortune 500 to public agencies. He currently helps lead public affairs and multicultural practices for the agency. His expertise includes developing and managing public outreach programs for all phases of a project development process from Project Approval/Environmental Document to Design, Design/Build, and Construction. Robert is also bilingual in Spanish and bicultural and has helped numerous clients engage with Latino audiences at a local, regional and national level. Currently, he is serving clients in transportation (environmental and construction), land development, healthcare, and government. Responsibilities include counseling clients on branding, messaging, media relations, community engagement, and crisis management. Robert has a B.A. in Journalism with an Emphasis in Public Relations and a Minor in Marketing from California State University, Long Beach. He was born in Los Angeles and has lived in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties.

Unique fact: Robert was a member of the Westbound team that won a national PRSA Silver Anvil Award for the San Bernardino Associated Governments I-215 Widening Project. Robert is also a professional photographer that has captured special moments and milestones for numerous clients.

Name: Jessica Neuman

Title: Media Manager and Senior Account Executive

Overview: Jessica serves as the agency’s media manager, leveraging more than 17-years of local, regional and national media experience to develop and execute media relations strategies for organizations in industries ranging from retail to business-to-business, consumer products, higher education, government, technology, and more. She also leads the agency’s healthcare practice, managing public relations, media relations and communications programs for clients including Providence Health’s seven-state health system, along with local hospitals Providence Mission Hospital and Providence St. Joseph of Orange, CalOptima, Word & Brown, Emanate Health, among others. One of Jessica’s notable achievements is leading Providence Mission Hospital’s 2020 COVID-19 local and regional media relations campaign, which resulted in more than 250 print, online and broadcast stories featuring the hospital’s physicians, in 10 months. She is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz, holds a B.A. in literature and journalism, and grew up in San Diego, Calif.

Unique fact: Jessica is a film and TV buff – some of her favorites include The West Wing, The Newsroom, Morning Show, along with the Star Wars series of films, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Blade Runner, The Matrix, and any films about journalism.

Name: Annie Sullivan

Title: Senior Account Executive

Overview: A gifted writer and digital media strategist, Annie provides media relations, copywriting, social media management, activations, and influencer work to the agency’s campaigns on behalf of the Irvine Company, the National Honey Board, the Port of Long Beach, Mission Hospital and more. Her background includes working with more than a dozen notable restaurants in Orange County targeting food-involved millennials and Gen Xers. Originally from Boulder, Colorado, Annie’s a proud graduate of Chapman University and the proud mom to Ginger, her Golden Retriever who follows her everywhere, including the Westbound office.

Unique Fact: Annie has had the good fortune to travel to many amazing places with her family and her studies, the highlight being a 13-country voyage around Asia and Africa on a ship for a semester in college.

Name: Amelia Maldonado

Title: Senior Account Executive

Overview: As a seasoned bilingual writer, public speaker, and strategist Amelia brings a wealth of experience to Westbound. She brings a holistic business approach to her role as a Senior Account Executive. Amelia is a forward-thinking, lifelong learner who pushes her colleagues and clients to challenge the status quo and seek out innovative ideas and approaches. She is passionate about helping clients develop a solid public reputation through branded messaging, digital content creation, media relations and community outreach. Amelia has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from the University of Southern California.

Unique Facts: PR pro by day, roller skater by night! When not typing away at her laptop, you can often find Amelia on eight wheels. She skates with the Los Angeles Derby Dolls under the alias Amelia BigDealia. Though she is semi-retired from roller derby, she continues to train with the Derby Dolls and maintains her reputation as a fiery jammer and punishing blocker.

Name: Scott Prusko

Title: Account Executive

Overview: As a digital and social content specialist, Scott brings creative experience and a deep understanding of working in the ever-changing world of online media. Scott supports clients with social media management, community engagement, content creation, graphic design, video production, website and app design, in-person activations, community outreach, and more. Scott takes pride in using storytelling to spread the buzz about Mother Nature’s favorite sweetener (honey), tell the stories behind one of America’s largest infrastructure projects at the Port of Long Beach, and helping SoCal residents find the latest trends, make their voices heard in the 2020 Census, prepare for emergencies, and discuss mental health. Scott grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, having studied Public Relations and Advertising.

Unique Fact: Scott is a huge Disney fan and is a guest lecturer at Chapman University, exploring Walt Disney’s storytelling abilities and tying in today’s storytelling trends to mentor upcoming graduates.

Name: Bryan Marty Martinez

Title: Account Executive

Overview: Marty serves as an Account Executive at Westbound Communications, specializing in community outreach and stakeholder coalition building. His six years as a community outreach specialist stems from his professional background as a seasoned campaign coordinator, playing an integral role in engaging Spanish-speaking communities. In conjunction with his outreach role at Westbound, Marty assists with digital marketing efforts including newsletter development, media pitching, and social media promotions. He is also the lead architect to client databases and manages digital tracking and analytics for clients.

Unique fact: Marty is a University of California, Riverside alum, having received his B.S. in sustainability studies with a minor in political science in 2017. When he’s not busy playing with his pup, Marty enjoys reading, road trips, and taking in the SoCal sunshine.

Name: Jessie White

Title: Account Coordinator

Overview: Jessie White is an Account Coordinator who supports clients as a bi-lingual communications specialist with on-the-ground community outreach, research, writing, social media, management and media relations. Jessie is a proud graduate of Chapman University having studied Strategic and Corporate Communication and is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

Unique fact: As a SoCal native, Jessie has always loved the ocean and beach. After graduating she bought a small sailboat and turned it into her apartment on the water. She enjoys being able to surf in the morning before work and sail at night after.