Karen Ames, Founder
Karen Ames has more than 25 years of experience working with major cultural institutions and performing artists in the communications field locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Recognized as an arts leader in the international cultural community, Karen spent most of her career leading the communications efforts of the San Francisco Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, and San Francisco Opera. Active in the arts community at large, she was appointed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2005 to an Arts Task Force representing organizations with budgets of more than $5,000,000 and she also serves on the public policy committee of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Nationally, Karen has lectured widely on topics related to the orchestra and opera field and published articles as a freelance writer. Karen has worked extensively on international communication campaigns throughout Europe and Asia, managing varied promotional projects for individual artists, recording and video projects, and international touring. Her experience in communications is augmented by professional certification from New Ventures West as a Certified Integral Coach and she incorporates principles of integral life and professional coaching in her communications practice.
Immediately prior to founding her own firm, Karen served as Director of Communications and Public Affairs at San Francisco Opera, where she renewed a working partnership with David Gockley that began at Houston Grand Opera in the 1980s. Ames directed the publicity for the succession of David Gockley as San Francisco Opera’s new General Director in January 2006 and the announcement of Nicola Luisotti as the Company’s third Music Director. She was instrumental in the implementation of the Company’s many new initiatives including its radio broadcasts, nationwide cinema-cast series, and its series of free community simulcasts such as Opera in the Ballpark. Previous to her post at San Francisco Opera, Ames held the position of Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the San Francisco Symphony where she was responsible for spearheading the communications efforts surrounding many projects, including the introduction of Michael Tilson Thomas as Music Director; the celebration of MTT’s 10th Season as Music Director; numerous European, Asian, and national orchestra tours; international recording projects; and the major launch of the San Francisco Symphony’s five year multi-media project “Keeping Score: MTT on Music”, among many others. During her tenure with both the Symphony and the Opera, Karen was active in community affairs and public advocacy for the arts locally and on a national level.
Karen Ames graduated from California State University Long Beach with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. As part of that course work, she also completed final year university courses in Politics at the University of Sheffield in Sheffield, England. Her professional work in San Francisco also included an early career in rock and roll publicity and – in the early 1980’s – as manager for the all female punk-rock band, The Contractions.
Immediately prior to founding her own firm, Karen served as Director of Communications and Public Affairs at San Francisco Opera, where she renewed a working partnership with David Gockley that began at Houston Grand Opera in the 1980s. Ames directed the publicity for the succession of David Gockley as San Francisco Opera’s new General Director in January 2006 and the announcement of Nicola Luisotti as the Company’s third Music Director. She was instrumental in the implementation of the Company’s many new initiatives including its radio broadcasts, nationwide cinema-cast series, and its series of free community simulcasts such as Opera in the Ballpark. Previous to her post at San Francisco Opera, Ames held the position of Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the San Francisco Symphony where she was responsible for spearheading the communications efforts surrounding many projects, including the introduction of Michael Tilson Thomas as Music Director; the celebration of MTT’s 10th Season as Music Director; numerous European, Asian, and national orchestra tours; international recording projects; and the major launch of the San Francisco Symphony’s five year multi-media project “Keeping Score: MTT on Music”, among many others. During her tenure with both the Symphony and the Opera, Karen was active in community affairs and public advocacy for the arts locally and on a national level.
Karen Ames graduated from California State University Long Beach with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. As part of that course work, she also completed final year university courses in Politics at the University of Sheffield in Sheffield, England. Her professional work in San Francisco also included an early career in rock and roll publicity and – in the early 1980’s – as manager for the all female punk-rock band, The Contractions.
Brenden Guy
Brenden Guy joined Karen Ames Communications
in 2010. Augmenting his experience in
public relations is a deep knowledge of classical music. A classically trained clarinetist, Brenden
Guy has performed throughout Great Britain, Europe and the United States
including such prestigious venues as the Royal Albert Hall, Barbican Hall and
Carnegie Hall under such esteemed conductors as Sir Simon Rattle, Vladimir
Ashkenazy, Marin Alsop and Yan Pascal Tortelier. Most recently, he performed with Joana Carneiro
and the Berkeley Symphony. He took up the clarinet at age eight in his native
England and began studying professionally in 2001 with Kevin Banks, principal clarinet of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. His education includes
degrees from the Royal College of Music, where he studied with Timothy Lines,
former principal clarinet of the London Symphony Orchestra; the Manhattan
School of Music, where he studied with internationally acclaimed clarinetist
David Krakauer and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he studied
with Luis Baez of the San Francisco Symphony. Brenden Guy made his professional
orchestral debut with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, UK and has since gone
on to play with them as a regular substitute. He has also performed with
Parnassus Symphony, the A40 Orchestra, the San Francisco Conservatory
Orchestra, and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
Kristin Schellinger
Kristin Schellinger joined the Karen Ames Communications team in March 2012 after graduating from James Madison University with dual degrees in Media Arts and Design and Public Relations. Three past internships in the communications field – with the Frederick County Maryland Public Information Office, the Frederick County Regional Public Library Marketing Department and the Executive Director of Forbes Center for the Performing Arts in Harrisonburg, Virginia – gave Kristin integrated communication experience to augment her communications courses.
Music has been an integral part of Kristin’s life. She is drawn to the classical music industry as she has been a singer her whole life and a flute player since the age of nine. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity for women, where she performed in fraternity recitals during college and planned and executed innumerable music service projects. Kristin was also in her 500-member college marching band, the Marching Royal Dukes, and performed in the 2008 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as a flute player and in the 2011 London New Year’s Parade as a Drum Major.
Music has been an integral part of Kristin’s life. She is drawn to the classical music industry as she has been a singer her whole life and a flute player since the age of nine. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity for women, where she performed in fraternity recitals during college and planned and executed innumerable music service projects. Kristin was also in her 500-member college marching band, the Marching Royal Dukes, and performed in the 2008 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as a flute player and in the 2011 London New Year’s Parade as a Drum Major.