Tony Sapienza Tony Sapienza’s background includes agency, corporate communications and journalism experience. He served as president of Miller/Shandwick Technologies, one of the world’s leading PR firms, and was global practice leader for Weber Shandwick Worldwide. He has worked with many emerging companies and start-ups, as well as established industry leaders such as Compaq Computer Corp., Sharp Electronics, and Hewlett-Packard, launching new products or developing new markets. In his 11 years with Miller and Weber Shandwick, Sapienza headed one of the agency’s most successful operations, with clients ranging from technology to healthcare to financial services. He also launched a worldwide technology practice that helped clients reach across geographic markets, in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Sapienza has provided communications and management counsel and hands-on support in a broad range of areas, including communications strategy development, messaging and positioning, message training, business and trade media relations, investor relations, industry analyst relations and interactive communications.
		Paula Slotkin Paula Slotkin has more than 20 years of experience in planning, managing and implementing communications programs in markets ranging from financial services to computer hardware and software to IT services. Slotkin has led a number of multi-functional teams, working to increase constituency awareness of businesses and their product/service offerings and management teams. She has managed a broad range of communications functions, including media and analyst relations, investor relations, employee communications, executive communications and product publicity. During her tenure at Computervision, Slotkin reshaped the public perception of the firm from an also-ran to a vibrant CAD/CAM industry player, leading to the eventual purchase of the company by Parametric Technology Company. In addition to Computervision, Slotkin has held worldwide marketing communications management positions with MicroTouch and Plaut Consulting and other companies driving into new markets and transitioning their businesses. She previously held senior communications positions with Apollo, DG, Fidelity Investments and the Open Software Foundation.
		Tim Allik Tim Allik has a broad base of corporate communications and journalism experience, working in both the online and mainstream media worlds.  Tim joined Topaz from Boston.com, the website of The Boston Globe and one of the nation’s leading regional websites.  Tim launched and managed a number of high-profile Boston.com sections, including Boston.com Personals and digitalMASS, a high-tech news and information website.  Most recently, he was the senior project manager for the Boston.com Real Estate section, winner of the prestigious Inman Award in 2004.  In that capacity Tim managed a complete site redesign and rolled out numerous new features that increased website traffic by more than 100 percent in 2005, to more than 9 million pageviews a month.  Prior to his work at Boston.com, Tim was the senior news producer for WBUR-FM’s Morning Edition Program, where he edited and produced short-form and long-form news and feature stories and interviews for Greater Boston’s NPR news affiliate.
		Robert Capra Robert Capra has more than ten years experience in journalism and public relations.  He was a business writer for The Woburn Advocate and The Winchester Star, a writer and editor for Words At Work, a Boston-based business writing consulting firm that worked with John Hancock, Polaroid and others, and the special sections editor and member of the editorial board at the multiple-award-winning banking and commercial real estate publication Banker & Tradesman. Capra joined Topaz Partners from The Mishra Group, a Waltham, Massachusetts-based public relations firm, where he secured coverage for some of the region’s leading technology, commercial real estate and financial companies.  His writing has appeared in Mass High Tech, The Boston Business Journal, The Houston Chronicle and other publications.  Capra was also the media relations strategist for Mayor John Hanlon during his successful 2005 Everett, Massachusetts mayoral bid, and was subsequently appointed to the city’s planning board commission. Currently he is completing a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication (public relations focus) at Boston's Emerson College.
		Christina Carlson Christina Carlson is a public relations practitioner at Topaz Partners where she has been working since 2005.  Her responsibilities include research, strategy and outreach for her clients’ media relations, event and awards programs.  She has secured and successfully promoted speaking and awards placements globally in a variety of industries.  Her telecom efforts have yielded speaker placements at major conferences and expos including the 3GSM World Congress and CTIA Wireless.  Christina has lived and studied in France, Russia, Cuba, China, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong, gaining an understanding of problem solving in an international context.  She graduated from Miami University with a BA in international studies.
		Ann Dalrymple Ann Dalrymple is a writer, editor, creative director and strategic thinker with more than 20 years of client and agency experience managing corporate communications programs for technology companies, financial service businesses and not-for-profit organizations.  She works with clients to develop and deliver communications messages, strategies and programs that promote the technical and business advantages of client products and processes.  Ann is adept at assessing the fundamental technical messages in a company’s products and translating these into compelling, action-oriented brochures, white papers, speeches, bylined articles and press materials.  Ann joined Topaz from GlassHouse moved up from #8 to #3 in the Byte & Switch Top 10 Private Companies list, was selected as a Top 100 private company by Red Herring, and named one of four “Cool Companies to Watch” by Gartner.  She previously held senior positions at Upstream LLC, the Open Software Foundation, VMark Software, Honeywell, and a number of technology start-ups.
		Katelyn D’Eramo Katelyn has a background in public relations, marketing and technology.  Prior to her joining Topaz Partners, she was an intern at Schwartz Communications and Mullen PR & Advertising where she worked on technology and consumer based clients.  She received her Bachelors of Science degree in Marketing with a minor in Information Technology from Bentley College.
		Tom Francoeur Tom Francoeur has extensive experience in media relations, marketing writing, and marketing campaign development, working in corporate environments and in a client services capacity with marketing communications agencies. In his most recent position, Francoeur led media relations outreach for Global Insight’s energy consulting group, securing analyst quotes and company coverage in Financial Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and the Associated Press. He also designed and implemented marketing campaigns for a wide variety of Global Insight consulting group studies, products and services. Prior to Global Insight, Francoeur worked as a public relations account executive with The Portico Group and Collaborative Communications, managing multiple accounts for established and emerging technology companies, including Trellix Corporation, International Data Group, Programming Research, Crossbeam Systems, OneSource Information Services, and ScanSoft, Inc. He has secured coverage for his clients in BusinessWeek, Investor’s Business Daily, Fortune Small Business, Business 2.0, Informationweek, InfoWorld, Mass High Tech, BtoB, Technology Marketing, and Sales & Marketing Management.
		Paul Hughes Paul has an extensive background in public relations and account service. He joined Topaz from Catalyst, a B2B brand consultancy, where he worked as senior account executive and public relations director, covering all aspects of the client relationship. His other experience includes his work at Harpell in Maynard, MA, where he served as an account director on high-tech and IT accounts, and at BBL, Acton, MA, were he oversaw PR activities for high-tech, semiconductor and other clients. Hughes also conducted public affairs activities for the United States Army at Fort Lewis, WA and as part of Operation Restore Hope in Somalia . Hughes received his bachelor’s degree in management from Worcester State College.
		Susan Koutalakis Susan Koutalakis brings nearly a decade of agency and corporate experience building and executing PR programs for both emerging and established companies. She has implemented editorial, award and speaking programs with a focus on areas such as telecommunications (wireless and wireline) networking, eMarketing and eCommerce enabling technologies.  Susan’s client experience includes work with Excel Switching, IPeria, Axiowave Networks, Priority Call Management, ThirdScreen Media, bcgi and Nellymoser. Susan has secured clients coverage in a variety of IT trades, business and vertical market publications, including The New York Times Magazine, RCR Wireless News, PC Magazine, Entrepreneur, Fortune, The Washington Post, Boston Globe and Telephony. Susan has also secured clients speaking opportunities at LinuxWorld, eCommerce 2000, Internet World, PC Expo, and Enterprise Outlook, and secured for her clients a number industry awards, including a LinuxWorld Product Excellence Award, Marketing Computers’ ICON award, a Mercury Award, and the Society for Marketing Professional Services award.
		Amy Krigman Amy Krigman is a seasoned public relations professional with more than a decade of technology and consumer public relations experience. A four-year veteran of Topaz, Krigman has managed public relations efforts for a variety of technology and B2B clients such as ANSYS, Precise Software, RuleStream and W.A. Wilde Company. Prior to Topaz, she spent over three years at Weber Shandwick Worldwide (formerly Miller/Shandwick Technologies) where she worked with technology companies such as M/A-COM, Segue Software, Solid Data Systems and Tecnomatix Technologies. Before joining Weber Shandwick, Krigman worked as a Media Specialist at Cone, Inc., where she focused exclusively on media relations activities for a variety of brand name consumer accounts. Prior to her public relations career, Krigman worked as a news producer at WMUR-TV in New Hampshire.
		Maribel Lopez Maribel Lopez has more than nine years experience in public relations in the high tech, financial, life sciences and consumer markets as well as extensive analyst relations experience. Maribel’s experience in the life sciences market includes working with pharmaceutical companies such as, Senetek PLC and Sepracor. Prior to working at Topaz Partners, Lopez served as public relations director for Senera Corporation. Lopez also spent three years at Schwartz Communications as an account supervisor and senior account executive. At Schwartz, Lopez worked with a variety of clients including Red Hat, ClientLogic, Applix, Zona Financiera, OneCore.com and SmarterKids.com. Lopez managed the Red Hat account and was successful in placing stories in a variety of high-profile publications including Business Week, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily and the Financial Times, as well as broadcast placements on CNN and CNBC.
		Alison Raymond Alison has a background in public relations, marketing and communications handling speaker opportunities and awards for several Topaz clients.  She received her bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
		Malinda Singh Malinda Singh graduated from Bentley College in May, 2008 with a degree in Information Design and Corporate Communications and a minor in Information Technology.  While at Bentley, Malinda worked for Bentley College’s Web Services as a web developer.  She also spent a summer working with Universal Motown with the Media Relations Department.
		Sarah Thomas Sarah Thomas has background in public relations, marketing and communications.  Prior to joining Topaz Partners, Sarah worked for a division of Bertelsmann media worldwide, where she served as a marketing and communications coordinator.  She previously worked for West Virginia University's School of Journalism as both a public relations liason and an academic advisor.  She holds a master of science degree in journalism, emphasis in public relations, from West Virginia University.
		Todd Van Hoosear Todd Van Hoosear has focused on business communications for more than ten years, combining a strong technology background with his agency and corporate marketing experience to help clients focus their messaging and reach their target audiences. Prior to joining Topaz Partners, Van Hoosear worked at Weber Shandwick Worldwide, leading the team that handled the North American launch of CMG Wireless Data Solutions and gaining strong coverage in the U.S. and Canada for the company. Van Hoosear also led the North American media launches of high-tech venture capital firm ETF Group and global professional services company Headstrong (formerly james martin+co), as well as managing the accounts for CANBOX, a unified communications company; NetScout, a network management product company; and Tecnomatix, a manufacturing process management company. Prior to joining Weber Shandwick, Van Hoosear served as marketing communications manager for Primix, a Boston-based professional services firm (now part of Burntsand), supervising that company’s public relations function and supporting investor relations, direct response, event marketing and advertising. His efforts increased technology trade and business press coverage by well over 150 percent in a highly competitive e-business consulting market.
		Glen Zimmerman Glen has over 20 years of communications and marketing experience gained at public and privately held companies.  It includes global achievements as a corporate or as an agency-side executive for companies that run the gamut from industry giants to emerging businesses including Oracle, Computer Associates, Lucent Technologies, Zenith Data Systems, and Digital Equipment Corporation. Glen is active in New England businesses and the non-profit community managing all aspects of public relations and marketing communications exclusively for technology companies worldwide.  He has served as an Advisory Partner for several early-stage tech companies in wireless, transaction services and Internet markets.