People
I’m a proponent of finding balance. I found myself at Widmeyer after actively seeking out an environment where intellect, creativity and respect take precedence.
Hard work brings satisfaction but a sense of humor keeps you grounded and I always aim to bring a considerable dose of both to the office. Working with smart colleagues and mission-driven clients is a privilege and I’m thankful to be collaborating with new people and encountering new viewpoints every day.
Beyond my communications work, I have more interests than there are hours in a day, but just a few that top my list are gardening, photography, animals, jewelry design, music and fitness.
Connect with me:
Biography:
A highly versatile communications professional, Okas has experience both leading an in-house communications department and in various agency settings. As an assistant vice president at Widmeyer, Okas provides counsel to a variety of clients in the education, philanthropic and culture space.
As Assistant Vice President of Communications for the American Kennel Club, she led the organization’s efforts to reinvigorate and redefine its 125-year old brand by implementing creative media and digital outreach strategies, advertising campaigns, events and public education initiatives. In this role she developed a number of award-winning programs including a multi-pronged cross promotion with the motion picture “Marley & Me”; an annual public awareness, publicity and community education campaign comprising 600 local events each September and a year-long promotion to determine the best dog breed for the Obama family which generated over 1 billion media impressions with an out-of-pocket investment of less than $15,000.
While at the AKC, Okas routinely served as a spokesperson for corporate topics including compliance and legislative issues and has made appearances on CNN’s AC360 and Fox News Channel. She has also been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and hundreds of other publications.
Okas’ agency background includes serving as a vice president at Weber Shandwick, where she managed Eastman Kodak Company’s consumer outreach efforts at a time when the consumer photography landscape was undergoing rapid change via the integration of digital products, and as an Account Supervisor at KCSA Communications working on both consumer and business-to-business accounts. She began her career at a boutique agency specializing in magazine publicity, working with clients such as New York Magazine, Marie Claire and Premiere.
Okas has volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, coordinating social services for foster care cases and providing information to help judges make informed decisions. She looks forward to being a Fresh Air Fund ‘Friendly Town’ host this summer.
Okas holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Boston University’s College of Communication.
Contact information:
- 102 West 38th Street, 4th Floor,
New York, NY 10018
Phone 212.260.3401
Fax 212.260.3402
