By Leah Kahan and Carrissa Pahl of our Marching In Their Footsteps Account Team

The public relations field is not a stranger to strong female leaders, but the field still exhibits aspects of gender inequality in leadership. In an article from  Quartz, it is stated that “depending on who you ask, women hold anywhere from 61% to 85% of all PR jobs… And yet, according to the 2014 World PR Report, only 30% of all global PR agencies are run by women.” 

However, two strong women have defied these statistics and are shaping the world of public relations. 

J Public Relations is a small, international PR agency specializing in the travel and lifestyle industries with offices in New York, San Diego and London. It was founded by two women and currently has a leadership board of all women. It won PR Courture’s “Agency of the Year,” was named one of Crain’s “Best Places to Work” and was a PR Week UK Finalist for “New Consultancy of the Year,” to name a few of its accomplishments.

J Public Relations is an international powerhouse. It was established in 2005 and is the country’s fastest growing, bi-coastal agency in the travel and hospitality spaces. It has managed to obtain hundreds of international hotel clients, and in 2016, the agency topped revenue of $7.7 million.

Jamie Lynn Sigler is one of the inspiring women who founded J Public Relations. Her theory is that, “relationships always come first and PR campaigns should forever speak for themselves.” 

Her experience growing up in the tourism business prepared her and fueled her passion for the industry. She is an expert in media relations, trendsetting and crisis management. Besides public relations, she has skills in recruiting, mentorship and building a team that tailors to the needs of clients. 

When asked what sets J Public Relations apart from the rest, Sigler responded, “One word: Culture. We’ve created a culture-first brand where our team members, clients and media friends are part of the conversation. We never stop learning and lead with a spirit of curiosity.”

Sarah Evans is the other co-founder of J Public Relations. She is considered a top-tier public relations professional and might be one of the most well-known names in the PR world. She has managed to secure 160 clients over a broad spectrum of six different continents. Her a-list clients include The Ritz-Carlton Hotels and some of the world’s largest hotel chains. 

Evans has been deemed a travel expert by MSNBC, ABC and Fox. Because of her notoriety, she has been a featured speaker at many events including the PRSA travel and tourism conference, Boutique and Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA) Investment Conference and America’s Luxury Summit by Walpole in London. Evans also sat on the board of the BLLA and is a Mentor with Women in Communications. 

In an interview after J PR was named Agency of the Year, Evans stated, “We’re tremendously proud to be named the 2017 Bespoke Communication Awards Agency of the Year. We genuinely love what we do and the clients we represent.” 

In 2018, Evans was awarded one of the “Top Women in PR” by PR News and a “Leader of the Year” by Bulldog Reporter

She and J Public Relations have been recognized as New York Observer’s “Power 50,” PR News “Agency of the Year,” Smart CEO’s Culture Award and PR News Best Places to Work. These are just a few of her and the firm’s accomplishments. Along with her work, Evans is passionate about travel; she has visited 45 countries to date. 

It is amazing to see the power that women have shown at J Public Relations. With core values of commitment, authority and collaboration, the agency sets itself apart from the rest. Through its incredible leadership from Evans and Sigler, J Public Relations continues to be a trendsetter and a leading name in the hospitality industry.