Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I embarked on my career with determination, grit, and perseverance, leading me to seek a college degree that I’m proud to say I’m still utilizing decades later. After graduating from West Virginia University, “Let’s Go Mountaineers,” with a degree in Journalism/Advertising and English Literature, I began my professional journey at a 30,000+ newspaper, The Dominion Post, in the marketing and sales department. There, I held roles as a part-time advertising sales account executive and part-time graphic designer. Through post-graduate fine arts courses and self-taught graphic design, I quickly advanced to full-time graphic design manager within six months.

A few years in, opportunity knocked. I was drawn to a family-owned motocross production company that produced the Loretta Lynn Motocross Series. My role was to revitalize the company’s racing tabloid newspaper, creating a fresh look and introducing cutting-edge industry content. This eventually led to the birth of the national glossy publication, RacerX Magazine, with a growing following and readership.

The West Virginia “small town” experience fueled my drive, so I took off West for a fast-paced ride through many facets of marketing, print production, public relations, and advertising endeavors. By way of Denver, Colorado and a broken-down Volkswagen Golf, I accepted a position as the production manager of The Ten Mile Times, a resort newspaper in Frisco, Colorado. This is where my love for community and all things local truly blossomed. Writing about the vibrant local businesses, restaurants, recreational facilities, and ski resorts ignited a lifelong passion for storytelling.

I soon realized I was onto something bigger—loving my surroundings and connecting with the people who made the area special. My stories never felt like sales pitches, but heartfelt narratives born from passion. With an entrepreneurial spirit, I decided to invest in myself and take my career into my own hands. Since then, every step in my career has been bound by a common thread: my passion for marketing and public relations.

• In Breckenridge, Colorado, I opened and operated the only independent art film house, The Speakeasy Movie Theatre. Baby number one arrived, and I sold the theatre and moved East to Warwick, NY to be near family. The theatre is still thriving!

• Timing is everything. Shortly after moving East, I became the Public Relations Manager at Mountain Creek Resort, for a two-year stint.

• Baby number two shifted my priorities. I embraced freelancing, diving into logo design, content writing, PR outreach, trade show management, and handling marketing and social media initiatives for a family business. Social media was becoming a new frontier, and I knew it held untapped potential.

My professional and personal passions lie in cultivating authentic relationships and storytelling. I’m most fulfilled when I’m elevating brands and highlighting the hard work of others through meaningful marketing and PR initiatives.

Branded845 Marketing and Public Relations is built on a strong foundation of experience, boundless opportunity, and a deep connection to the community. Rooted firmly in the Hudson Valley, I continue to grow with success, happiness, and fulfillment. Isn’t it time we sow your seeds?

How do I spend my “free time”? When I’m not immersed in my work, you can find me exploring the local scene—enjoying eateries, craft beverages, and the local art community. I love boutiques and getting lost in the great outdoors. Yoga is another favorite activity that helps me recharge physically, emotionally, and soulfully, offering the perfect balance to peel me away from work. The community here in the 845 is rich and welcoming, and I’m proud to be part of it. Won’t you join me?

Katy is a multi-talented creative soul who blends graphic design, website design, and yoga with artistic flair. With a solid foundation from Pratt Institute, she has honed her skills in communication design while also embarking on a spiritual journey through yoga, completing a 200-hour teacher training with an additional 50 hours in various styles.

Her yoga practice inspires her art, filling her sketchbook with insights that come to life in her illustrations. Katy is passionate about connecting with kindred spirits, whether through collaborative design projects, building websites, yoga sessions, or meaningful, uplifting conversations. True to her Pisces nature, she brings creativity and empathy to all her endeavors.

Born and raised in Warwick, NY, Kaitlyn Peconie has officially gone from Branded845 intern to 845er. Now a contracted Content Creator, Photographer, and Videographer, she brings her love of storytelling, television, social media, photography, and all things pop culture into the creative mix at B845.

Kaitlyn’s journey into media started with two years of high school journalism and a healthy obsession with The Morning Show, which sparked her interest in television production and eventually led her to combine her love of TV, social media, and storytelling into one creative path.

That story felt pretty familiar to Branded845 founder Phy Emmerich, who also studied Advertising, Public Relations, and Marketing Communications and built her career around storytelling, creativity, and connecting people with brands. Add a shared love of The Morning Show and an unapologetic appreciation for Stevie Nicks’ Gypsy, and the office chemistry was pretty much a done deal.

Kaitlyn joined Branded845 as an intern while studying Television, Photography, and Digital Media Production at Ithaca College, with a minor in Advertising, Public Relations, and Marketing Communications. Her curiosity, creative instincts, and genuine enthusiasm for the work quickly made it clear she belonged on the other side of the internship title.

At Ithaca, Kaitlyn immersed herself in student media and leadership, serving as Director of Social Media and Public Relations for the New York Film & Television Student Alliance and working across productions with Ithaca College Television. Her experience spans assistant directing, content production, camera operation, graphics, social media, and digital communications.

She’s also built a creative life of her own. As a digital creator and editor focused on television, music, and fandom culture, her short form content has generated more than five million views and one million likes. For Kaitlyn, though, the numbers aren’t the best part. It’s the people, conversations, and creative community that come from making something others connect with.

Today, she brings that same energy to Branded845, creating photography, video, and social content for the brands we work with. She’s especially interested in where production and marketing meet: finding the story, capturing the moment, and turning it into something people actually want to stop and look at.

Outside of B845, you’ll probably find Kaitlyn listening to vinyl records, attending concerts, reading fiction, watching television, or deep in a new fandom. She’s also the co host of the upcoming podcast Girls Doing Great, exploring all things television and entertainment.

Eventually, Kaitlyn hopes to bring her love of storytelling and fandom into the entertainment industry through digital strategy, content, and fan engagement. For now, she’s continuing to build her creative voice, trust her instincts, and learn by doing.

“I have no fear, I have only love.” — Stevie Nicks

For Kaitlyn, the quote is a reminder to lead with authenticity, embrace creativity, and worry a little less about what everyone else thinks.

Fun Fact: Kaitlyn played the trumpet for nine years, dreams of learning the guitar, and would absolutely choose Stevie Nicks for dinner. Her ideal night? Chai tea, Fleetwood Mac spinning on vinyl, and getting cozy with Daisy Jones & The Six.

For Phy, seeing pieces of her own early creative journey in Kaitlyn, from journalism and communications to a genuine love of storytelling, made the mentorship especially meaningful. Watching that intern become an 845er has been even better. And discovering they share an unapologetic love of The Morning Show and Stevie Nicks? Let’s just say the bonus track is turning into a full album.