TEAM

Arika Anderson – Principal
Arika Anderson, founder and principal of The PR Mavens, is a public relations generalist who can do it all – from strategic planning to media relations, special events and grassroots outreach. She is especially skilled at guiding her clients through tough issues.

Arika received her undergraduate degree from San Diego State University and an MBA with an emphasis in marketing communications from Chapman University’s George L. Argyros School of Business. With nearly a decade of traditional marketing and public relations experience Arika has helped clients big and small put their visions to work.

Prior to founding The PR Mavens, Arika worked at CKPR and achieved measurable results for clients such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, University of Phoenix, Universal Technical Institute, The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale and City North. She was a key player in shaping the public relations program for several University of Phoenix campuses across the nation. In addition, she helped oversee the launch of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona’s annual Walk On! program, a childhood fitness program focusing on getting Arizona’s youth get moving.

Prior to CKPR, Arika led internal and external communications for Rhino Linings USA, Inc., the worldwide leader of sprayed-on linings, where she increased company branding through media hits in numerous outlets across the globe and also designed a comprehensive communication program for Rhino Linings focusing on mending corporate and dealer relationships. Through her first public relations post at The Luxury Brand Group, Arika helped guide luxury-inspired clients, such as Mouwad, Canera, Jewelry.com, and Glam.com, through successful marketing and PR campaigns.

Having earned multiple awards from the Public Relations Society of America and International Association of Business Communicators, Arika spends her downtime in San Diego, Calif., enjoying the beach with her husband Bryan and their cocker spaniel Sadie Mae.

Virtual Team:
The PR Mavens acts as a virtual agency partnering with other senior professionals on an as-needed basis, giving clients access to the talents of the best professionals in the business without the big business price tag. Check out our team’s qualifications below:

Israel Barajas – Multicultural Marketing and PR
Israel Barajas’ lends his bilingual skills and expertise in the Hispanic market to help develop and execute Hispanic communication plans for our clients. His vast knowledge of the West Coast Hispanic community has helped clients garner positive media coverage in local Hispanic, Spanish-language media outlets. His experience also extends to Puerto Rico, where he has also been successful forging close ties with the island’s media. 

Prior to consulting with The PR Mavens, Israel’s most recent work could be seen at Cramer-Krasselt Public Relations, where he helped lead the multicultural department representing such high-profile clients as Cox Communications, Toyota and University of Phoenix. Before CKPR, Israel worked at Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc., a leading non-profit agency in Arizona that is committed to building stronger, healthier communities.  As special events coordinator, Israel was responsible for producing high-profile events that helped fund the organization’s educational and social services initiatives. Israel has earned several awards, including most recently the International Association of Business Communicators’ Hispanic Media Relations Award and the Public Relations Society of America’s Hispanic Media Relations Award.

BA in Communications from Arizona State University and MBA marketing emphasis from Grand Canyon University.

Sofia Bergin – Creative
Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, Sofia creates clean, high-quality work, designed to impress your customers and build your business. She specializes in graphic design, concept production design, corporate branding, collateral marketing material and Web design. Check out samples of Sofia’s work at www.sbcreality.com.

Mike Ziffer – Editor & Proofreader
Michael Ziffer has been proofreading and editing professionally for over 30 years. He has spent the past 15 years working for advertising agencies as a full-time editor, proofreader and quality control manager, while maintaining a robust business with many freelance clients. His work experience includes countless styles of written communication — everything from full-length books and manuscripts, magazine and journal articles, theses and dissertations, court documents and transcripts, to advertising copy and layout, public relations communiqués, product design labels and sell sheets, and even menus, Web sites, and PowerPoint presentations.  

Michael’s strengths include paying meticulous attention to the smallest details while never losing sight of the big picture. His familiarity with all of the major stylebooks and reference sources, as well as with many styles of writing, allows him to go far behind merely correcting typos — his goal is to help achieve communications that are clear, correct and consistent.

Eric Collins – Media Training
Eric Collins is an established, award-winning television news reporter/anchor with more than 15 years of experience covering general assignment and investigative journalism stories across the country.

Over the last decade, Eric has excelled in helping PR firms and businesses clear difficult hurdles in obtaining clear, accurate and continuous media coverage. Eric, a seasoned journalist, has a keen eye for the stories fellow reporters, producers and assignment editors WANT to cover as they face their daily, deadline pressure.  Most press releases end up in the trash or they are quickly banished to a file at the assignment desk, never to see the light of day. Eric has developed a novel approach to creating catchy story angles that demand attention and guarantee coverage. Eric can take even the most challenging stories and concepts, and develop them into pitches that cut through the clutter for time pressed reporters and editors.

Moreover, Eric offers years of interview expertise to help clients master those tough one-on-one interviews in all forms of media, including television, print, radio and the Internet.  Through his extensive media coaching, CEOs, company spokespersons and political candidates master intense press conferences, live interviews and ambush interviews that can make even the most skilled communicator anxious.

Eric currently works at San Diego 6 News, a CW affiliate.  He has received many accolades throughout his broadcast career including an Emmy award for an in-depth series of stories on drunk driving repeat offenders, as well as two Emmy nominations. 

Eric currently serves on the Professional Advisory Board for Stepping Stone of San Diego and every year he emcees a fundraiser for PAWS, a non-profit group that helps low-income, elderly and chronically ill people keep their pets. Eric resides in San Diego, Calif., and is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he majored in Broadcast Journalism and International Relations.

About | Partners | In the News