Maria Kalligeros, Senior Associate
Over 25 years, Maria Kalligeros has created and led strategic public relations programs for top marketers like Target Stores, The Container Store, Godiva Chocolatier, Canon U.S.A., Iomega, Duracell, Mercedes-Benz USA, General Motors, National Car Rental, Girl Scouts of the USA, Liz Claiborne, Chadwick’s, Sigrid Olsen, Karen Neuburger, Montblanc, HoMedics, Taylor Precision Products and Salter Housewares. Under her leadership, her clients have won over 65 industry awards, including a SABRE Lifetime Achievement Award with Liz Claiborne for the "Women's Work" domestic violence awareness campaign.
With a specialty in cause-related marketing, she has spoken at numerous seminars on the topic in the U.S. and the U.K. She has created and guided cause-marketing programs for a variety of marketers, including Target Stores and their “Start Something” youth character development campaign with the Tiger Woods Foundation and youth scholarship programs for Mercedes-Benz USA and Canon U.S.A. Her cause-marketing work was cited as an exemplary example of the discipline in “Brand Spirit: How Cause-Related Marketing Builds Brands” (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 1999). She is a contributor to the following books: “Inside the Minds: Open C-Suite Doors,” (Aspatore, Inc., 2005) and “Ways to Inspire and Incentivize Top Employees,” (ExecBlueprints, Books24x7, 2005).
Prior to establishing Kalligeros Communications, she was Executive Vice President and Consumer Practice Director at CRT-tanaka, a PR agency created when Richmond-based CRT acquired Patrice Tanaka & Company. In 1990, she co-founded Patrice Tanaka & Company, Inc., served as President and over 15 years helped that firm grow into one of the nation's most well-respected consumer public relations agencies. Before that, Maria was with Chiat/Day Advertising’s public relations subsidiary Jessica Dee Communications. Previous to that, she was Director of Public Relations and Advertising at Harry Winston, Inc., the internationally renowned jewelry concern. She began her marketing career at Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising.
Maria has served as Secretary on the board of The Foundation of Women Executives in Public Relations (WEPR) and co-chaired the organization’s Crystal Obelisk Award for Social Responsibility. She has served on the board of New York Women in Communications (NYWICI). She is a member of Cosmetic Executive Women, the Fashion Group International (and served on its regional conference committee), the New York Women's Agenda (and served on its domestic violence task force), the Public Relations Society of America and the PRSA Counselor’s Academy.
Awards
Maria has won over 65 industry awards on behalf of her clients, including:
“Top 20 PR Campaigns of the Decade” from Inside PR with Liz Claiborne for the “Women’s Work” domestic violence awareness campaign
“Lifetime Achievement Award” at the 2002 SABRE Awards with Liz Claiborne
The Public Relations Society of America’s Big Apple Awards and the “Best” of the Big Apple Award
HALO Award, Cause Marketing Forum
The Creativity in Public Relations Awards (CIPRA)
International Association of Business Communicator’s Gold Quill and Ace Awards
American Women in Communication’s Clarion Award
The Foundation of Women Executives in Public Relation’s Crystal Obelisk Awards for Social Responsibility
Superior Achievement in Branding and Reputation (SABRE) Awards