Meet Our Team

Patty Briguglio

CEO

Patty Briguglio is CEO of MMI Public Relations. As a recognized expert in the public relations industry, Patty is a sought-after media personality, speaker and business spokesperson who often addresses the topics of PR, crisis management and economic development issues on television, radio, and at local and national meetings and conferences.  Among her many media appearances are the front page of The New York Times (with President Barack Obama), CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and FOX Business Network. As a regular contributor on FOX Business Network, Patty has been named to the Small Business All-Stars broadcast team.

Instrumental in founding and promoting organizations that benefit entrepreneurs, Patty’s board affiliations include the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors, its executive committee, its steering committee for Regional Transportation Alliance, and its steering committee for the “edge 3” and “edge 4” campaigns, major catalysts for economic growth and job creation.  Patty sits on numerous civic and charitable boards, and among her many awards are the 2009 Woman Business Owner of the Year Award from the Raleigh chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, one of Enterprising Women magazine's Enterprising Women of the Year, and the Small Business Champion for North Carolina by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The Triangle Business Journal has named Patty one of the 25 most influential Women In Business. In Arizona, Patty was named the Arizona Business Alliance Businessperson of the Year, and in North Carolina, her firm has received numerous MarCom Creative, Communicator, Videographer and Millennium Awards.  She has led MMI to three consecutive Pinnacle Awards for Steady Growth and Profitability from the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.

Before moving to Cary to open MMI Public Relations, Patty sold her award-winning PR firm in Phoenix, where she was recognized as one of the top 10 PR firms in Arizona by Ranking Arizona, Arizona Business Magazine and BizAZ Magazine. The Triangle Business Journal’s Book of Lists has recognized MMI as a Top Public Relations Firm every year since 2004.  Patty's promise of value is to help her clients start big conversations, make powerful connections and be heard.

Robert Buhler

President

Robert R. Buhler is president of MMI Public Relations, heading business development, the implementation of new technologies and products, and the expansion of divisions, departments and infrastructure for the firm. An experienced executive, Robert is responsible for a broad range of fiscal and strategic initiatives that generate revenues, create new business opportunities and ensure MMI’s competitive standing in the marketplace.  

Previously, Robert owned and managed the world’s largest corporation of vintage Chrysler auto parts, with sales in every major country. To improve efficiency and profitability, he replaced an aging 30-year-old, pen-and-paper system with a modern cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, and implemented a new eBay store, increasing sales and acquiring new customers.

Drawn to the profession of public relations, Robert has a passion for helping clients tell their story to the public. He sold the business in Massachusetts and was brought aboard as president in the privately owned firm of MMI Public Relations by MMI CEO Patty Briguglio in May 2012.

Prior to his work in Massachusetts, Robert worked for a powerful public relations and lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., where he managed major public relations campaigns. During his time in Washington, Robert worked with former congressmen to help build and create a large national health related association. Among other accomplishments, he worked with high ranking government officials on behalf of numerous consulting arms, which resulted in increases in business.

While interning at the Office of International Operations for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Robert was awarded Top Secret and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance. Like any former “G-Man” worth his salt, Robert is an athlete and a scholar who speaks multiple languages. Fluent in the Slovene language, he also has a working knowledge in Serbo-Croatian. He enjoys water skiing, snow skiing, golf, tennis and running, and was the winner of his age group in the Seattle Marathon.

Robert earned an MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., and a Bachelor of Science in speech communication from the University of Utah, where he graduated cum laude. 

Michelle Fowler

Director of Account Management

Michelle Fowler is a director of account management at MMI Public Relations, where she assists in targeting and securing new business opportunities for the firm.  Michelle began her career at MMI in 2005, and today she manages and mentors a team of account executives, writers, project coordinators, social media specialists and a traffic coordinator.  She develops and implements public relations efforts for clients across a broad range of industries. 

A Raleigh native, Michelle obtained her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Peace College.  She dedicates her personal time to many philanthropic organizations, including the American Heart Association and the N.C. Triangle Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  In 2009, she was named to the board of directors for Leadership Triangle, a nonprofit organization established to educate and promote regionalism across the separate communities of the Triangle.

Anjelica Cummings

Account Executive

As an account executive for MMI, Anjelica provides traditional and social media PR support for a number of clients, in addition to overseeing and implementing strategic PR campaigns for her own client accounts. Focused on increasing brand awareness, Anjelica works with clients in industries including real estate, health care, food service, financial planning and the legal profession.

Prior to joining MMI, Anjelica was the regional consultant for Sageworks, Inc., where she developed PR strategies and implementation procedures for firms across the United States. A graduate of N.C. State University, Anjelica earned a bachelor’s degree in communication, concentrating in public relations. Outside of the office, she enjoys indulging in her love for fitness, retail therapy, travel and cheering on the Wolfpack. Originally from Pembroke, N.C., Anjelica resides in the Triangle with her husband, Jon.

Amy Davis

Video Specialist

Seasoned television news professional and compelling storyteller Amy Davis is MMI’s video specialist, heading our award-winning video division. Since sophisticated and top-quality multimedia is increasingly integral to the PR industry and communications as a whole, Amy shoots MMI videos in High-Definition (HD) format for use on television news stories and distribution online via YouTube and other media channels.

Besides being an accomplished videographer, Amy is an avid blogger and the well-known author of Somebody’s Parents. The “somebody” of the blog is her daughter, Charlotte. Amy first started blogging about her pregnancy, chronicling her life as a new mother, and now shares with the world how she and her husband Greyson are floundering through early parenthood. Like all MMI staff, Amy contributes to the MMI “Be Heard” blog as well.

Prior to her position at MMI, Amy was a live reporter, videographer and fill-in anchor for the award-winning 24-hour news station News 14 Carolina. As a child, she wrote fan mail in crayon to her favorite news anchor, Adele Arakawa, now with KUSA in Denver.  With childlike optimism and a rainbow of colors, Amy predicted her own future when she told Arakawa she wanted to be on the news one day. Amy earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and made her childhood prediction come true.

Ryan Didsbury

Traffic Coordinator

As the traffic coordinator at MMI Public Relations, Ryan manages and oversees the daily distribution of client news releases, submits projects for client approval, and tracks newspaper and online news clips. Prior to joining MMI, Ryan worked as the head of advertising for a local community newspaper.

A recent graduate of NC State University, Ryan earned his Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in marketing. Raised a Wolfpack fan, he enjoys attending football and basketball games and always roots for the ABC (Anybody But Carolina – meaning UNC) teams when NCSU is not playing.

When not working, Ryan enjoys running, traveling, and cooking. He is actively involved in family functions and often travels to the beach for family get-togethers with his four brothers and sisters.

Kathleen Donnelly

Account Coordinator

Kathleen Donnelly joined MMI Public Relations in April 2012. As account coordinator, she assists the account executives in projects such as maintaining strong client relationships, research, media placements and creating press materials.

As a summer intern at MMI prior to becoming an official member of the team, Kathleen worked closely with the account executives to produce press releases, blog posts, podcasts, articles and social media content. She attended the NC CEO Forum to assist with the event and press relations. Kathleen has also served as event coordinator intern for Enterprising Women Magazine’s 2012 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in strategic communications, concentrated in public relations, from Elon University in Elon, N.C.

Outside the office, Kathleen is an avid swimmer, runner and reader. She loves spending time with family and friends, especially at her family’s home in the beautiful Adirondack region of New York. She also enjoys traveling abroad, especially to Ireland, where she spent a semester studying.

Lindsey Eibergen

Office Manager

A recent Raleigh transplant originally from “the thumb” of Michigan, Lindsey Eibergen (EE-bur-gin) is office manager at MMI Public Relations—a position that can sometimes be likened to that of an air traffic controller.

Lindsey is the voice you will likely hear when you call. She ensures that we have everything we need to keep the office running smoothly. She juggles MMI President Patty Briguglio’s wild and crazy schedule, which includes unpredictable requests for media appearances among the usual flurry of meetings. In addition to responsibilities around the office, Lindsey keeps Patty prepared for, RSVPed to, and pointed in the general direction of just about every major business and charitable event in town.

Prior to MMI, Lindsey managed a small law firm and was also a freelance writer for The South Magazine. She attended the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. She is enjoying North Carolina and living in the Historic Oakwood District of downtown Raleigh. She’s becoming quite fond of life “inside the beltline” (once she learned what that meant). Outside of work she enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, drawing, and calling soda “pop” just to see the confused looks on people’s faces.

Jennifer Fair

Senior Account Executive

As a senior account executive at MMI Public Relations, Jennifer Fair has used traditional and social media approaches to help establish her clients as experts in a wide range of industries, including technology, healthcare, economic development, biofuels, crop science, compliance management, politics and design. She has secured media placements for her clients in many media outlets, including CNN, L’Expansion (French equivalent of Business Week), The News & Observer, The Charlotte Observer, Triangle Business Journal and TechJournal South.

Prior to joining MMI in 2007, Jen interned with the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill and the Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic. She also worked as an account manager at Three Ships Media, where she managed digital marketing strategies for clients in various industries and helped increase online lead conversation. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she minored in French and studied abroad at Université Paris Sorbonne.

Outside of work, Jen enjoys spending time with family and friends, cheering for the Tar Heels, traveling to new places and running. Originally from Ottawa, Canada, Jen grew up in Cary, N.C., and now resides in Raleigh.

Kerryn House

Operations Manager

As operations manager and an essential member of the executive management team at MMI Public Relations, Kerryn House handles corporate business planning and strategy, corporate financial management and HR management. She works extensively with negotiating and setting up contracts, and was closely involved in the development and supervision of MMI’s latest corporate reorganization. From finding new office space and negotiating contracts to managing the corporation’s finances, Kerryn is significantly involved in the company’s continuing expansion.

Prior to MMI, Kerryn was managing partner at House Ridge Estates. With more than 26 years of professional experience in financial settings, she has a wide background in personnel management, purchasing, auditing, bookkeeping, accounting, financial planning, construction management, property management and real estate.

Kerryn maintains professional affiliations with CAI, Inc., the National Association of Realtors, Southeastern Arizona Contractor’s Association (SACA) and Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA). She is on the board of directors of the Triangle Yale Club and has served on Lions Club International and Apex.

With a husband from Australia, Kerryn and her family visit their Australian relatives and friends as often as possible. She and her husband have two daughters and reside in Cary.

Wesley Hyatt

Senior Writer

With a professional writing career spanning nearly two decades from weekly newspapers to reference books, Wesley is also the author of seven books, the most recent being Television’s Top 100,  published in 2011.

At MMI Public Relations, Wesley writes blogs, news releases, brochures, case studies, white papers, media alerts, video scripts, articles for a variety of newspapers, magazines and trade publications, and other documents as needed by the staff and clients. He works jointly with all account executives at MMI on major projects to craft written content that is compelling and complete for the needs of any client, as well as contributes to new business proposals.

Wesley joined MMI in August 2006. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a double major in English and communications, graduating cum laude. The North Carolina native resides in Chapel Hill and enjoys reading, exercising, researching TV history, spending quality time with family and friends, and keeping the MMI staff on their toes with supposedly funny comments.

Gloria Lesher

Senior Writer

Named a first place winner of the national Golden Pen award, Gloria helps MMI clients get published and win publicity with business articles, award nominations and well-crafted speeches. Interviewing clients and writing their stories gives her the opportunity for lifelong learning, which is something she values. Her articles for clients have been published in hundreds of national and regional magazines, trade publications, newspapers, websites and as chapters in books. 

Gloria’s present and past professional affiliations include: Public Relations Society of America, Society for Technical Communication, and Toastmasters International. The top charitable cause that Gloria supports is the Alpha-1 Foundation, dedicated to providing research and a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, a hereditary condition which may result in serious lung and/or liver disease. 

Gloria earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism, followed by a master's in English from the University of Northern Colorado. A self-described “aging baby boomer,” Gloria lives in Denver. She has the distinction of being the only one on the entire MMI staff who can boast about grandchildren.

Kelsie Murdock

Assistant Account Executive

With a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kelsie Murdock was a social media specialist at a local digital marketing agency prior to becoming assistant account executive at MMI in 2012. She has experience maintaining relationships with clients, as well as writing and editing proposals, blog posts, presentations and social media content for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and blogs.

Originally from Denver—not the one in Colorado, but the small town near Charlotte, N.C.—Kelsie lives in Raleigh with a “spoiled little fat wad of a cat” named Jack. An accidental cat owner, Kelsie defends herself within the dog-people community by saying she is not a “cat” person, she is a “Jack” person.

When it comes to athletics, Kelsie grew up in a house divided. She loved journalism and so attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, while her dad had earned his degree from NC State University. She and her dad and mom have always had something in common:  their love of music. Throughout college she booked and promoted a series of relatively unknown (but awesome) bands, and she still vividly remembers singing along with her mom at the Billy Ray Cyrus concert when she was a small child. 

Emily Packard

Assistant Account Executive

Emily Packard joined MMI Public Relations in 2011. As an assistant account executive, she leverages both traditional and emerging media to gain positive results for clients in a wide range of industries, including real estate, engineering, the arts, law, printing and more. Prior to joining MMI, Emily worked at a local marketing services company in Wake Forest. 

Originally from Advance, N.C., Emily resides in Morrisville with her husband and ever-multiplying brood of aquarium fish. She earned bachelor’s degrees in journalism and mass communication, as well as political science, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, then completed a master’s degree in communication at N.C. State University.

When not at work, Emily enjoys cooking traditional Southern recipes, jogging and Pilates, reading, and cheering on the Tar Heels (and Wolfpack). She manages to maintain a democratic association with both schools and supports the heated rivals, as she contends that having any excuse to watch more sports is never a bad idea.

Jake Potter

Social Media Strategist, Account Executive

As social media strategist and account executive at MMI, Jake provides social media consultancy and services to a number of clients while overseeing several client accounts. Jake is obsessed with finding the latest communications tools and has helped clients find social and traditional media success. He uses his reporting background to connect with reporters, helping clients reach outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, CNN, The News & Observer and Triangle Business Journal.

Jake joined MMI after earning a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (He claims to have earned a minor in watching Tar Heels basketball and football, as well.) He has served internship stints with The Motley Fool and The Whiteville (N.C.) News Reporter, and when he is not hard at work, you can find him at a Carolina Hurricanes game or playing guitar and singing for his band.

Caitlin Russell

Account Executive

Caitlin Russell is an account executive at MMI Public Relations, where she manages the public relations efforts for clients from both a traditional and new media perspective. She has worked with clients in a broad variety of industries, including technology, healthcare, food service, real estate and design, and her efforts have produced media placements in such publications as USA Today, The News & Observer, Triangle Business Journal, and Woman’s Day, TV series such as Today and Live with Regis and Kelly, and multiple national trade publications.

 Prior to joining MMI in 2011, Caitlin worked as an assistant account executive and account executive with two area public relations agencies in Raleigh, where she managed public relations and event planning for clients. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication in 2008 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she also studied French, and she studied abroad at Université de Montpellier III Paul-Valéry in the south of France.

 Originally from White Oak, N.C. in Bladen County, Caitlin resides in downtown Raleigh, where she spends her free time supporting local music groups and restaurants and cheering on the Tar Heels.

Erin Smith

Account Executive

As an account executive at MMI, Erin works with clients to develop and implement public relations campaigns, plan and manage events, and handle media relations. She has experience working with clients in a variety of industries, including fashion, real estate, healthcare, pharmaceutical, medical device and food service. 

After graduating from N.C. State University with bachelor’s degrees in communication in public relations and Spanish language and literature, Erin moved to Boston where she worked as an account executive at a local PR agency where she helped launch a national women’s fashion brand.  Craving the southern lifestyle, Erin moved back to Raleigh, where she served as an account manager for several clients at a local marketing and advertising firm. Throughout her career, she has worked to secure coverage for her clients in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Better Homes and Gardens, Parenting, About.com and national trade publications.

An avid sports fan, you can always find Erin supporting the Wolfpack or coaching her high school girls softball team.  She lives in Raleigh with her husband, Chris, and her son, future Celtics’ all-star Connor.

Jordan Smith

Assistant Account Executive

As an assistant account executive at MMI Public Relations, Jordan leverages both traditional and emerging media to gain positive results for clients in a wide range of industries, including sports medicine, banking, engineering, health care, law and more. Prior to joining MMI in 2012, Jordan worked at a professional motorsport company as a public relations and social media specialist.  

Originally from Lewisville, N.C., Jordan resides in Raleigh where he is quickly learning how to navigate through the area. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a concentration in public relations, as well as a minor in sport management at East Carolina University.

When not at work, Jordan enjoys exercising routinely, listening to music and attending concerts, travelling to the beach and visiting with family and friends. Jordan is an avid fan of Pirate football as well as the Carolina Panthers.