Expedition PR’s team of senior consultants has a proven track record in positioning global companies and leading sustainable communications campaigns. We select account teams based on our clients’ specific communications needs and provide access to technology and sustainability industry experts to develop innovative and high-impact programs.
Katja Schroeder, President, Expedition PR
In the past 16 years, Ms. Schroeder helped multinational organizations develop and maintain their corporate reputation. She led award-winning campaigns in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific for organizations of all sizes. In 2009, Ms. Schroeder founded Expedition PR, a boutique agency that focuses on connecting emerging global players with their markets.
Before founding Expedition PR, Ms. Schroeder was a director at Burson-Marsteller in New York from 2006 to 2009, where she was the global corporate communications lead for the agency’s key account SAP and worked on topics such as innovation and sustainability. Prior to this, Ms. Schroeder was Senior Vice President at Ruder Finn’s Corporate Technology Group handling transnational PR programs for global clients, including Expo2000, the Millennium World’s Fair, CA, BT-Infonet, Kanbay (now part of CapGemini), NEC and Riverstone Networks. From 2001-2003, Ms. Schroeder was responsible for building the Ruder Finn technology practice in China, providing counsel on market-entry and positioning programs as well as regional campaigns.
Ms. Schroeder holds both a Master in Information and Communication Sciences from Sorbonne in Paris, France, and a Master of Arts in Communication from Free University in Berlin, Germany, as well as Diploma in European Public Relations. She is certified as a CSR practitioner (CSR-P) by the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).
She also co-authored the chapter on global corporate communications in the revised edition of “Reputation Management: The Key for Successful Public Relations and Corporate Communications”, edited by John Doorley and Helio Fred Garcia (December 2010). Previously she wrote about online media relations in the book “Transnational Communications” by the European Federation of PR professionals (CERP) and Free University Berlin. Ms. Schroeder teaches Public Relations at St. Francis College, Brooklyn. She is fluent in German, English and French and has basic knowledge of Spanish, Urdu and Mandarin.
Simone Pipek, Senior Consultant, Research & Market Intelligence
In the past 12 years, Simone Pipek has worked in the media and public relations industry in Germany and the United States. She offers extensive knowledge on industry trends, consumer behavior and lifestyle trends. Her work includes research on the aging population/baby boomers, sustainability and green products.
Ms. Pipek is fluent in German and English. She also writes and blogs in both languages for a number of publications, including the German blog “Die Frohe Botschafterin” and the local green business Web site Connecticut Green.
Edward Alontaga, Junior Account Executive
Edward Alontaga joined Expedition PR in early 2011. His responsibilities include media relations, social media, and support for thought-leadership activities. He also works on research projects and prepares industry intelligence reports for clients.
Prior to this, Mr. Alontaga has worked at Red Mist Media in Europe’s oil capital Aberdeen, Scotland. He successfully assisted in the launch and development of the company’s new venture Projects OGP, a business-to-business networking and project tracking program that has revolutionized the ways in which oil and gas companies track global projects.
Mr. Alontaga is a graduate of St. Francis College. He has a B.S. in Economics with a minor in Finance and a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. He is bilingual – English and Spanish – and has basic knowledge of French.
Peggy Kek, Senior Associate, Singapore
Ms Peggy Kek brings extensive experience in communications and advocacy, government relations, public relations, and training to her role as Senior Associate.
Drawing on more than ten years of experience with the Asia-Europe Foundation, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank, she has developed a keen understanding of the needs of multi-lateral organizations. In Singapore, she has directed the communications and positioning strategies of the Institute of Policy Studies and the Singapore International Foundation.
She has helped multi-lateral and non-governmental organizations with much success, to reach out to the public through effective interactions with niche and mainstream media, communicate effectively with their volunteers and develop and maintain valuable relations with government and civil society.
In the past year, she has worked with UNICEF, The Asia Foundation (headquartered in California, USA), the Singapore Civil Service College and the Singapore Membrane Technology Centre. The assignments covered several Asian countries including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar(Burma), Singapore and Vietnam.
Ms Kek obtained her BA (English and Sociology) from the National University of Singapore and MA (International Studies and Diplomacy) at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London on a British Chevening Scholarship.
Born in Singapore, she has lived in Shanghai, London and Washington DC, and travelled widely throughout Asia, Europe and the United States. Currently living in Singapore, she serves the local community as a member of the Singapore Red Cross Tsunami Reconstruction Facilitation Committee and the School Advisory Committee of Unity Primary School.
