Villafan will expand Buzzer’s “Collective” offerings, bringing her award-winning media strategies and crisis communications experience from previous work with Amazon, dick clark productions, Hulu, Tubi and Wattpad
Los Angeles, August 22, 2023 – Today, Buzzer, the communication and consultancy agency serving clients at the intersection of innovation and entertainment, announced that it has hired Liz Villafan, senior media strategist and former Amazon Alexa PR specialist, as its Vice President of Digital Entertainment and Consumer Technology.
In this role, Villafan will oversee media relations and thought leadership campaigns, as well as crisis communications for Buzzer’s roster of clients. She will also support campaigns across the Buzzer Collective of agency partners and independent PR consultants which continues to expand with those raised during the digital entertainment revolution, including Jennifer St Clair, formerly head of communications for Complex Networks and lead at Participant; Matt Stanton of MPS Management, MPRM, and Headstand Group.
A seasoned public relations professional, Villafan has spent the last 10 years crafting compelling narratives, developing meaningful connections, and shaping the reputations of tech, entertainment and lifestyle companies. From startups to established tech giants and celebrity-led media companies, she has been responsible for innovative PR campaigns that amplified brand visibility, positioned companies as industry thought leaders, and fostered authentic connections with key stakeholders.
Villafan began her career working with Dana Block, founder of Buzzer when they both were at Allison + Partners. She joins Buzzer after the company officially launched this past summer with a roster of innovative entertainment clients including Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media with agency partner MPRM Communications; global gaming firm Loaded and its brand consultancy business Open World; Doing Things and its portfolio of brands and digital shows including Recess Therapy, Middle Class Fancy and Animals Doing Things; among other media and creator companies launching this Fall.
“Liz is one of the most strategic and creative communications leaders I know. I am so happy to be able to work with her again and bring her on board as Buzzer continues to grow its roster and Collective of PR partners,” said Block, founder and CEO. “Her passion and dedication to the craft makes Liz ideally suited to expand our offering and our mission to be more integrated into client businesses and provide them with everything they need to drive awareness, tune-in and sales at scale.”
At Amazon, she oversaw the PR strategy for Alexa’s entertainment capabilities, responsible for raising awareness for both B2B and B2C initiatives, including Alexa’s celebrity voice personalities and launching features like the ability to share and move music using your voice. Prior to that, Villafan spent her career at agencies that specialize in elevating profiles of innovative companies, executives and talent. She served as Account Supervisor at public relations agencies Metro PR and Ketchum where she helped facilitate brand partnerships, coordinated media events, strengthened influencer relationships and managed communications initiatives for brands like Shay Mitchell’s Beis, Participant’s SoulPancake, Sony, Intel, Kohler, and the Entertainment Software Association.
“I am thrilled to join Buzzer and take on this exciting new role as Vice President of Digital Entertainment and Consumer Technology,” said Liz Villafan. My time and experience in both in-house global brands and external agencies has given me valuable insights on how to develop successful PR strategies that resonate with audiences in this rapidly changing media landscape. I am looking forward to bringing my unique skills and point of view to Buzzer, as we continue to serve innovators at the intersection of entertainment and tech.”
At Allison + Partners, Villafan and Block supported a variety of accounts including Deloitte Digital, Hulu, Tubi, dcp’s Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards and Streamy Awards, Pioneer DJ, Wattpad, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
