Executive Director of Napa Valley Museum joins Sonoma Advertising Agency

Sonoma, Calif. – A. Bright Idea Advertising and Public Relations announced today Kristie Sheppard will join the agency as senior communications specialist. With increased client growth and continued expansion in the West Coast, A. Bright Idea captured Sheppard to join its team for her nearly 15 years of experience in business development, nonprofit management and strategic planning.

A. Bright Idea’s introduction to Sheppard was in providing creative support for her as Executive Director at Napa Valley Museum. It quickly became apparent that her talent and professionalism matched the agency’s business culture and core values.

“As a highly creative, high-energy and deeply strategic communications agency, we always find a place on our team for top talent that’s also a natural fit for our culture,” said T.J. Brightman, principal, vice president of Client Relations. “Kristie’s solid client relationships, attention to detail and love of Wine Country made her a real ‘win’ for our growing team.”

Sheppard is the second major hire for the advertising and public relations firm in the past month, following the announcement of Seth Donlin as the new senior communications strategist of the agency’s West Coast operations in mid-June. Like Donlin, Sheppard will be managing creative projects for a variety of government, nonprofit and commercial businesses. Her family ties to the East Coast also made Sheppard an ideal fit for A. Bright Idea’s client base in the Mid-Atlantic, where she will also work and support the firm at its headquarters in Bel Air, Maryland. While working in Sonoma, Sheppard will also support the sales effort for the company’s owned and operated website, SomethingAboutSonoma.com.

Spending nearly five years as the executive director of the Napa Valley Museum in Yountville, California, Sheppard was also the former executive director of the Napa County Historical Society and the managing director of Napa County Landmarks.

“We were drawn to Kristie from our first client meeting at the Napa Valley Museum,” said Anita Brightman, president and founder of A. Bright Idea. “Her personality and ability to over communicate means she will provide the level of attention and customer service our clients have come to expect.”

A. Bright Idea has filled an ever-present void of creative services in the market. With the fourth highest number of business establishments among comparable counties, the need for strategic communications and creative design services in Sonoma has never been greater. This has also been demonstrated in how quickly the agency has grown in acquiring new clients from all industries. A. Bright Idea is primed to continue its pace for growth and anticipates additional hires over the next year, recently expanding its office space in the historic Poppe Building, across from the Glen Ellen Market.

Sheppard, a native of Philadelphia, has made Sonoma her home with her husband Kieran, proprietor and head winemaker of Kieran Robinson Wines, for the past seven years.

A. Bright Idea is an award-winning, full service, advertising and public relations agency with locations in Bel Air, Maryland and Sonoma, California. Founded in 1996, A. Bright Idea excels at identifying opportunities, generating ideas and executing customized solutions that deliver results for government, commercial and nonprofit clients. With a depth of experience in integrated marketing and visual communications, such as strategic communications planning, brand development and execution, graphic design, website design and development, public relations, crisis communications, social media, advertising planning and placement, video production and more, A. Bright Idea generates unique and effective solutions to the communication challenges of our diverse client base, including Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, Napa Valley Museum, Yountville Chamber of Commerce, Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, The Red Grape, U.S. Army National Guard, PeoplesBank, among many others. For more information on A. Bright Idea, visit abrightideaonline.com or email info@abrightideaonline.com.

Contact: Teri O’Neal

A. Bright Idea Advertising and Public Relations

Tel. (707) 935-1377 (410) 836-7180

Email: teri@abrightideaonline.com