Our ever-growing team includes more than 20 talented individuals constantly providing new ideas and opportunities for our clients. Here’s a look at those who lead us daily in the pursuit of idea-driven excellence.
DEANNE ROBERTS, APR, Chairman of the Board
Deanne Roberts is founder and chairman of the board of Roberts Communications. Her duties include account supervision, firm management and special projects for clients.
Deanne is very active in community work. She is a past chairman of Leadership Florida, the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and the City of Tampa’s Creative Industries Council. She serves on the board of Creative TampaBay and the advisory board of the USF Center for Entrepreneurship.
Always on the go, she slowed down just long enough to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from USF’s School of Mass Communications and the lifetime achievement award from the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. She is a graduate of the University of South Florida, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications in 1974.
COLLEEN CHAPPELL, APR, President and CEO
After holding a variety of positions at Verizon Wireless, a Fortune 100 company, including director of advertising, marketing and business sales for the state of Florida, Colleen joined Roberts Communications in 2002 as executive vice president. With nearly 18 years of cumulative experience, she specializes in brand development, integrated marketing, advertising, public relations, pricing strategies and distribution channel launch and growth.
In her current position, Colleen is responsible for strategic account planning, brand discovery and development, new business growth and bringing an unstoppable stream of enthusiasm into the agency’s day-to-day operations.
With a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida, Colleen completed courses at Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College, is a Dale Carnegie graduate and is accredited in public relations from the Public Relations Society of America. She is an executive board member of the American Marketing Association, Tampa Bay, where she serves as the brand and creative director. In addition, she is past chair of Leadership Tampa Alumni and currently serves on the board of the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce. She is a past recipient of the “Tampa Bay 40 Under 40” award from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
CHRISTINE OCONNOR, APR
Christine has served the agency in a variety of roles since 1998. As an account executive, she handles community relations, media relations, events planning and public relations for a variety of clients in telecommunications, financial services and the public sector. As a principal in the firm, she oversees public relations assignments for the agency.
Christine is an active member and past president of the Public Relations Society of America. She is a graduate of Leadership Tampa and is also active in Emerge Tampa.
She is a graduate of the University of South Florida where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications with an emphasis in public relations.
ERIN GRAY
As a principal in the firm and an account executive, Erin develops and implements strategic marketing programs with particular emphasis on research, advertising, media buying and direct mail. With nearly 15 years experience in advertising and marketing, her diverse background includes both private and public sector clients.
She serves on the marketing committee for Kid City – The Children’s Museum of Tampa, Metropolitan Ministries’ marketing committee, the United Way of Pasco County’s community allocations committee and is a past board member of the Tampa Bay Advertising Federation. Erin is a graduate of the University of South Florida where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English.
SARAH TILDSLEY
A graduate of the Ringling School of Art and Design, Sarah has more than ten years of broad-based experience. She is adept at developing and producing print, television, outdoor and multimedia advertising campaigns. She most recently served as the agency’s associate creative director and handled the day-to-day creative operations. Before joining Roberts Communications, Sarah most recently worked as an art director for PeakBiety.
As our creative director, Sarah is responsible for the strategic direction of the agency’s creative work, from conceptual development through production.
Her work with a diverse roster of clients has been widely acclaimed. She has received numerous advertising awards, including the coveted Best of Bay and Best of Show from the Tampa Bay Advertising Federation. In 2005, she was named one of the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s “Top 30 Under 30.”
She is actively involved with Emerge Tampa and is on the Ybor City Museum Society’s Board. Sarah is an avid runner who has completed several marathons and she enjoys spending time with her husband and two yellow labs.
GLENN HORN
As an associate creative director at Roberts Communications, Glenn Horn is an integral member of the creative team charged with shepherding the highest quality creative and conceptual product through the creative department.
After studying film direction at New York University and graduating from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, Glenn became fascinated by the world of advertising and the visionary work of inspirational icons like Bill Bernbach and Lee Clow. Once he got his first real taste of the agency experience, he committed to art direction as a lifelong pursuit.
Glenn’s experience includes working for an enviable range of clients including national and regional brands and local mom and pops as well as health, technology, tourism and restaurant clients. He has received numerous local and regional advertising awards, including several Best of Bay ADDYs.
During Glenn’s off hours, he’s constantly perfecting his mentoring skills as a father of three, occasionally casting and directing them in his mini, off-Hollywood family blockbusters.
