SPOTLIGHT: ELINA KAZAN
Communications & Content Consultant, The Fragrance Foundation
Elina Kazan is a senior level executive with an extensive career in consumer, corporate, marketing, and crisis communications, specializing in retail, fashion, beauty, and branded entertainment. Currently consulting with The Fragrance Foundation on communications and content development, Elina has designed enterprise wide strategies for high profile events and corporate milestones. Having worked at Macy’s leading media and public relations strategies for over 300 high volume stores including the retailer’s iconic Herald Square flagship, Elina is a trusted C-suite advisor and resource to international and national media. Her career has spanned numerous retail touchpoints including new business initiatives, campaign launches, cause marketing, special events, market entries, shop openings, renovations, rebrands, M&A and corporate reorganizations. Her unique role intersected media and public relations with government affairs, real estate, entertainment and destination marketing. Maintaining brand reputation, Elina has steered positive brand narratives during turbulent economic cycles and social change.
She is the founder of her own consulting company working with B2B retail tech, DTC ecommerce businesses and non-profit organizations. Her current role at The Fragrance Foundation supports the trade association’s 200+ global membership. Mentoring emerging designers on PR and marketing as an advisory committee member of The Philadelphia Fashion Incubator which she helped launch in 2012, Elina has shepherded DTC brands toward growth in the retail marketplace.
NYWICI WANTS TO KNOW:
If you could have one superpower, which would you choose?
Time travel has always fascinated me. To have the ability to visit the past and see the future is an incredible power to have. We can understand where we have come from to know where we are going.
Tell me about the first job you’ve ever held.
My first PR job was at a mom and pop shop where I did everything from A to Z, and that’s how I learned. I did PR and retail store special events for fashion clients across the country. With multiple clients, it taught me how to multitask. The agency job prepared me for my next PR move where I went in-house at a retail corporation doing PR for major televised events and the responsibilities just grew from there.
What energizes and drains you when you’re at work?
Negativity is a drain. Doing the same thing the same way. You have to challenge yourself to improve even if it is incremental. I get excited and energized by creativity. I love brainstorming, Blue Sky meetings where you can just say what if we did this?
What’s your process for turning a bad day into a good one?
A good laugh always changes the mood. I try to find a positive even if it all seems negative. I also take a walk to clear my head.
Why NYWICI?
NYWICI is community. A community of women who are excited by, driven by and connected by communications. What I love is that the organization embraces women at all stages of a career in communications. With its roots in journalism, NYWICI’s mission is inspiring.