BusinessWeek

With nearly 20 years of experience in public relations and marketing communications, Eileen Leveckis' expertise is in shaping the technology story that goes well beyond the initial product launch to become both compelling and relevant in scope and dimension. Having worked with a wide variety of both established and emerging-tech clients in the security space, including Network Associates, Trend Micro, and Security Dynamics, Eileen excels at corporate and product branding, strategic communications, media and analyst relations, crisis communications, and corporate messaging and identity campaigns. Prior to Trainer, Eileen directed the technology practice for Grant Butler Coomber, serving clients including Global Market Insite and NetReflector, an online market research services and CRM company, where she steered the strategic direction for a global public relations practice that spanned most of Europe. Prior to GBC, Eileen consulted with Porter Novelli, Copithorne and Bellows, and Clarity Communications on accounts such as McAfee, HP, and Sprint. Eileen's consulting days were prefaced by a tenure as account supervisor at Weber Shandwick, where she helped to bring Lotus' Agenda information management software to life, as well as security, productivity software, and networking accounts. Eileen "cut her teeth" as a journalist for Systems Integration Magazine, where as news editor, she gained a solid understanding of products ranging from PC hardware and software to gateways, routers and networking devices. Appreciating the unique needs of emerging technology companies in such a competitive market, Eileen's broad technology experience across the security, storage, enterprise software, and semiconductor industries enables her to develop programs that are both strategic and results-driven, as evidenced by coverage in top-tiers such as The Wall St. Journal, the New York Times, BusinessWeek, and Fortune. Eileen is a graduate of Bates College with a B.A. in English. In her spare time, Eileen plays piano and is learning how to play guitar, which she considers to be an experience that is almost as humbling as being taught how to do a "layup" by one of her two sons. When she's not immersed in reading the latest technology publication cover-to-cover, Eileen also enjoys cycling, reading anything by David Sedaris, and wondering exactly what her cat really does all day.

Jessi Hempel is a staff editor for BusinessWeek, where she covers philanthropy, technology and youth. Most recently, Ms. Hempel worked on the cover story ?The MySpace Generation? and the annual Philanthropy Special Report.

Kathleen Erickson started her publishing career as a copyeditor and science writer/editor for Business Week magazine. While in New York, she was a copy editor at Charles Schribners & Sons and Holt, Rinehart, and Winston and was managing editor of several interdisciplinary scientific journals. At AT&T Bell Labs, she managed 250 documentation projects, and taught writing, editing, and designing. She also edited Web and print encyclopedias for UNESCO, Elsevier, and Encyclopaedia Britannica. Since 1996, she has been the English Editor for the International Institute of Biophysics in Germany. As Editorial Director for the Institute for Contemporary Studies Press in Oakland, California, she produced books on global land management, African community economic systems, and U.S. public policy. Kathleen has a graduate certificate in publishing from Stanford University, and a bachelor's degree in linguistics and economics. She is thrilled to join the global community of authors, editors, and creative professionals at PLoS, providing free access to scientific information.

Kathleen Mazzocco is a highly-skilled public relations professional with outstanding business press and international public relations experience. She has years of experience managing multi-national public relations teams and is fluent in English, Italian and French. Prior to joining McKenzie Worldwide, Kathleen was part of the OnPR agency's Siebel Systems team. She was an Account Manager at Waggener Edstrom on the SAP team, and later also on the agency's Strategic Advisory Council for software maker Vignette Corporation. She also participated in a new media relations program targeting influential editors for the Microsoft Corporate team. During her six-year tenure on the global SAP team at Waggener Edstrom, Kathleen fulfilled several leadership roles. She managed business press relationships and secured a seminal profile of the SAP founder and chairman in Business Week, a major feature in Fortune Magazine, and covers on Red Herring and Line56 magazines. Kathleen led an effort that resulted in greatly increased coverage on SAP and its subsidiaries from leading business and financial publications, including the New York Times, San Jose Mercury News and Forbes magazine. Kathleen also launched the SAP analyst relations program at Waggener Edstrom, which one Gartner Group analyst termed "a model for the industry," and spearheaded the program's expansion into Europe. While Kathleen managed the program, analyst attendance at SAP events more than doubled. Kathleen led the launch of Waggener Edstrom's public relations support for the SAP Canada subsidiary and its integration with public relations efforts for SAP America. Her key accomplishments include consistency in messaging and PR strategy across North America, securing record attendance by Canadian press at the 1999 SAPPHIRE user conferences, and increased Canadian coverage of SAP. Prior to joining Waggener Edstrom in 1995, Kathleen planned advertising strategies for the Nike, Microsoft and Coca-Cola campaigns at Wieden & Kennedy. She consulted for Edelman Gruppo d', Verba DDB Needham and the Glaxo Management School from 1991 to 1994. She handled media relations for a Washington, D.C.-based international organization focused on economic development issues from 1984 to 1991. Kathleen has a Bachelor's degree in Art History from Fordham University and a Master's degree in Latin American Studies from George Washington University. Kathleen has traveled extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia.