Adriana is a proud native of Tulsa, Oklahoma. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Strategic Communications from Oklahoma State University and her MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Clark Atlanta University. Prior to joining team KQ, Adriana gained much of her experience through freelance digital marketing work for small businesses and start-ups. Raised by a family of educators, Adriana is passionate about the clients KQ serves. Due to her upbringing, she is a huge advocate for educators in the public school system and loves to make an impact on the younger generation.

In her spare time, Adriana enjoys outside activities, acting, and cuddling with her dog. She loves traveling, collecting black art, and spending time with her friends and family. With a personality as big and bright as her smile, Adriana is a client favorite. She lives by a quote that was often repeated by her grandfather while growing up, “It’s not how you start that counts, it’s how you finish.”

When it comes to managing projects and turning out superb copy, Alisha is the KQ go-to. She spent several years in Baton Rouge, where she received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Southern University A & M College and her graduate degree in communications from Louisiana State University. Her writing has appeared in magazines such as Essence and Ebony, and her PR ability has been recognized by the National School Public Relations Association. Alisha enjoys reading, spending time with her parents and three siblings and attending music festivals. She’s also an avid fan of HBCU college band music. Alisha serves the community through volunteer work at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Her superpower: an immense repertoire of movie quotes stored in her memory.

Amy is a passionate storyteller – something she picked up during her nine years as an award-winning television reporter, anchor, and producer.  At KQ, she leads a team of creatives as they use research and strategy to find unique ways to tell clients’ stories through social platforms and other digital mediums. She has successfully led some of the company’s top projects and earned honors from the Memphis and Atlanta Chapters of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) as well as the Associated Press. The Wisconsin native lived in Texas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Tennessee before making her home in Atlanta, Georgia. Amy, of Polish heritage, played on the polka circuit as a member of an Oompah band as well as the flute and handbells at her church. She enjoys exploring Atlanta with her husband and twin boys, snuggling with her chocolate lab and cats, and claims she can fold a fitted sheet better than Martha Stewart. She’s still waiting for Martha to respond to the challenge.

Britany is a Tennessee native who grew up in Millington, TN. She has been providing professional consulting and design services to the Memphis community for nearly a decade. She discovered a passion for graphic design and project management while working as a project leader at a local design firm located in the heart of Memphis, TN.

Britany holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies and Management from Christian Brothers University. She brings to KQ a variety of skills ranging from project management, operational management, workflow development and graphic design. She cultivated her operational and project management skills working for notable local and national public health organizations serving in capacities including Special Projects Coordinator and Data Specialist, Quality Performance Analyst and Administrative Coordinator.

Britany currently resides in Bartlett, TN with her husband and college sweetheart, Andrew, and their two children, Ava and Bryce. In her free time, Britany loves baking for her family and binge-watching true crime shows.

Diana Barreto is originally from Mexico but has lived in Memphis for 20 years. Although Spanish is her first language, English is her dominant tongue. Diana has used her ability to communicate in these two languages to assist Spanish speakers across Memphis access the immigration system, the public school system, and the criminal justice system.

Diana is a lifelong learner. Her research interests in her undergraduate and graduate studies reflect her layered experience as an immigrant and Memphian. At Rhodes College, she designed projects that studied how Spanish speaking immigrants adapt to their new surroundings and find or create community. For her master’s thesis in urban education, Diana surveyed the Shelby County Schools social studies curricula from K-12 to determine how much Memphis history is taught in the public schools. In response to the lack of Memphis history outside of musical contributions, Diana designed a project-based unit to teach middle and high school students about the desegregation and integration of Memphis City Schools.

Through her personal and professional experiences, Diana has honed her knowledge of Memphis and the communities that make-up the soulful city. In her free time, Diana enjoys practicing yoga. When she is not hanging out with her cat, Kiwi, Diana loves to spend time with friends and family exploring Memphis’s many parks and growing art museums. She loves trying new food and attending community events.

Janay Jeans is a Memphis native and graduate of the University of Memphis. She earned a master’s degree in Journalism and Strategic Media and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the university. Janay is driven for public relations and storytelling and brings experience in writing, social media, and media relations. In 2023, she served as the awards chair for the PRSA Memphis chapter. Prior to joining KQ, she worked in communications at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, creating digital art illustrations, reading, and playing tennis.

Jermaine carries more than ten years of web design experience with a focus on WordPress development. He specializes in bringing our customers vision to life believing that form over function is key in web design. First it has to work then it must be compelling and beautiful across all devices. Jermaine is a father of 3 in Atlanta, Ga and enjoys spending time with his family.

Joyce McKinney serves as Vice President for KQ Communications and leads the firm’s Atlanta office. She is an experienced and award-winning communicator, PR professional, community engagement officer and creative thought partner. Her background includes successful programs and projects with government agencies, non-profit organizations and major corporations including MGM Resorts and Hilton Hotels Corporation where she led the communication and community outreach efforts for both corporate offices.

Joyce joined KQ in 2014 as a senior account executive after graduating with honors from the University of Memphis. Her attention to client needs and ability to find creative needles in seemingly bland haystacks aided in her progression from senior account executive to VP. In her current role, she successfully manages client projects with a focus on strategic communications and storytelling. She is a person with people at heart.

She loves giving back and can often be found doing so with various community initiatives and especially through her church, The Faith Center in Tucker, GA. With 10 siblings, 27 nieces and nephews and two godchildren, it is no wonder she is an expert communicator.  Although Joyce is a gifted singer who has performed before former presidents, international leaders and even Oprah, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and making space for the next generation of communicators!

Kailyn is a Memphian through and through, raised in Orange Mound, Memphis. This vibrant social media professional has more than five years of experience in the ever-evolving landscape of communications. She is passionate about communications with a background in journalism, digital marketing, freelance graphics and social media management. Her experience helps her create dynamic campaigns and captivating content that stand out and drive results by blending compelling storytelling with cutting-edge strategy.

Kailyn is a proud HBCU graduate of the illustrious Tennessee State University, where she earned her degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. She believes that creativity and attention to detail are key components for social media success. Her bubbly personality shines through in the work that she does, making collaborating enjoyable and productive.

Kailyn draws inspiration from everyday interactions and entertainment media like movies, commercials, and podcasts, bridging the excitement of entertainment with day-to-day life. When she’s not busy connecting with brands and their audiences, you can find her rollerskating, shopping, or concert hopping, bringing creativity into every aspect of her life.

Kirstin L. Cheers is a native Memphian and multi-hyphenate creative. A self-proclaimed “jade of all trades,” Kirstin holds a degree in journalism with a minor in African American studies from the University of Memphis. She’s currently completing her Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies with an emphasis in media and cultural studies at the University of Memphis.

Before working in communications, Kirstin started her career in politics in college, interning for both the TN General Assembly in Nashville, TN, and The United States Congress via The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in Washington, D.C. As a writer and photographer, she has bylines in REVOLT, The Root, The Huffington Post, MLK50, The Commercial Appeal, and The New Tri-State Defender. In her free time, Kirstin enjoys spending time with her dog-daughter, Peaches, a foster she adopted during the pandemic. She also enjoys powerlifting and road-tripping with friends to explore new brunch spots.

Meredith Pierce is a native Memphian who went away for college and bounced around the West Coast and Midwest before returning to the Bluff City in 2021. Meredith holds a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri. As a result of her wanderlust, she has a “can’t-quite-put-my-finger-on-it” vernacular. Her favorite Southern phrase is tump over.

Meredith enjoys writing and research – she is passionate about proofreading and has worked in journalism and communications for 20-plus years. As a reporter, her beats included civil courts, education, transportation, county government, and criminal justice. In recent years, she led communications teams at K-12 school districts in Memphis and St. Louis.

Her favorite things include the ocean, podcasts, nonfiction, crossword puzzles, St. Louis Cardinals baseball, Memphis Tigers basketball, cooking, traveling, and downtime with her wife and their two cats.

With 17+ years of experience in digital marketing, creative strategy, and brand development, Moses Everett III specializes in AI-driven marketing, web development, and content strategy. As VP of Digital Services at KQ Communications, he leads digital transformation initiatives for startups, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 companies, ensuring data-driven strategies that drive engagement and brand growth.

A Savannah State University graduate, Moses is also a passionate advocate for education branding, helping schools and institutions enhance their digital presence. His expertise in social media strategy, paid media, and storytelling positions him as a leader in the evolving digital landscape.

Outside of work, Moses enjoys collecting sneakers, playing fantasy football, cooking, traveling, and spending time with his wife, two daughters, and dogs.

Sunny Florida native Nicole Brown is delivering her ‘A’ game as an account executive in KQ Communications’ Atlanta office. A proud University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazer, Nicole holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. Her public and media relations expertise derives from collaborations with influential thought leaders, cultural influencers, book authors and social good agents and also from creating synergistic Black girl magic with her PR peers and predecessors.

Some of her most notable PR moments are securing media appearances for her clients on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Fox 5 Atlanta’s “Portia Show”, Forbes Magazine, Ebony Magazine, Essence Magazine and The Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

In her free time, Nicole enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling spontaneously in the U.S. and abroad, binge-watching ’90s sitcom TV shows, reading and finding waterfalls.

Olivia is a proud native Memphian, who has always had a love for building relationships with people. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing from Georgia State University in 2017 and decided to pursue a career in the city of Atlanta. Prior to joining team KQ, Olivia spent time as a Marketing coordinator for a local accounting firm, specializing in social media management and company/media relations. At KQ, Olivia enjoys learning about clients in various industries from day to day. Her welcoming personality and warm smile help her to easily connect with KQ clients.

After hours, Olivia is known as a wedding and event planner for clients in the metro Atlanta area. She also enjoys catching flights, spending time with friends and family and cuddling with her dog, Ace. As a former dance champion, Olivia can be found occasionally leading the KQ Atlanta team in spontaneous dance breaks.

Paula, our resident “mama bear,” keeps the office going and growing by overseeing all operations. Growing up in a military family, Paula spent her childhood in Georgia, Virginia and Frankfurt, Germany before moving to Tennessee. The self-proclaimed army brat has picked up the organizational skills necessary to keep KQ’s productivity at maximum levels. A graduate of Memphis State University, she spent more than three decades in the printing and design industry before coming to KQ. And her service beyond KQ includes spending 12 years running a program that feeds the homeless and participation in mission trips to orphanages in Brazil and Swaziland where her service included building wells and feeding hungry children. She also serves as an associate pastor at The Church on the Square in Midtown Memphis.

Renee Malone is the founding partner and president of KQ Communications. Known as the organization’s guru of strategic communications planning and crisis media, she is Accredited in Public Relations, certified in Crisis Communication and an Illinois native with an undergraduate degree in Communications and an MBA with a concentration in Marketing.

Before co-founding the agency, she worked as a broadcast news reporter and anchor, and public information officer for a school district. In her role at KQ, Renee has spent over 15 years leading award-winning projects for nonprofit, business and government clients. She has led the firm to become of the largest Black-owned PR firms in the Southeast. Renee has received awards from the PR News, Public Relations Society of America-Memphis, Georgia Chapters, and the National School Public Relations Association. Renee was most recently named the 2019 Executive of the Year by the PRSA, Memphis Chapter; MBJ Superwoman in Business in 2021 and a two-time finalist for the MBJ Executive of the Year Award (2017 & 2021). She also serves several nonprofit and business-related organizations.

Renee is married to Dr. F. Kevin Malone, and they have two children, Dominique (25) and Kevin Jr. (21)

Shelby is one of our Social Media Managers and she has a creative eye for content. Born and raised on the bayou of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Shelby is our resident artist. Through art, design, writing, and communication, Shelby has found her passion by helping people connect to one another. She believes art helps people from many different backgrounds form connections, regardless of age, language, or circumstance.

Following in the footsteps of a long line of artist family members, Shelby moved from Moss Point, Miss. to Brookhaven, Miss. to study art in high school at Mississippi School of the Arts. She continued her education at Memphis College of Art where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. Her pursuit of the arts has bloomed and includes design, teaching, and photography. She has more than nine years of experience in social media management and graphic design.

Still a Mississippi resident, Shelby also illustrates children’s books and enjoys competitive gaming.  On the weekend, you can find her cuddling with her fur babies and teaching her daughter to paint.

Teri Del Rosso, Ph.D. was born in Flushing, NY (home to The Nanny Fran Drescher!), but spent her formative years of 12-24 in Green Bay and La Crosse, Wisconsin. In 2008, she relocated from Chicago to Syracuse, NY to start her academic career. After earning her master’s degree at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and her doctorate from the School of Journalism & Communication at the University of Oregon, she went on to teach public relations at Bridgewater State University (outside of Boston) and the University of Memphis.

Terrell Burton has a keen eye for design and is dedicated to providing an exceptional level of service to KQ’s clients. With the goal of delivering creative, thoughtful, and innovative designs, Terrell leans into data and research. His work has been recognized as part of numerous award-winning public relations and marketing campaigns.

Terrell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Visual Communication from Middle Tennessee State University with a double minor in Marketing and African American Studies.

When he’s not working, Terrell may be found making road trips to nearby cities to visit friends and family or composing music on one of the nine instruments he knows how to play.

Whittney Lucas, a creative from Greenville, Mississippi, grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a concentration in Media Design and a minor in French from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

With a diverse background in graphic and digital design, Whittney began her career in graphic design within the news media sector and later worked with organizations focused on digital design and social media management. She then transitioned into project management for marketing initiatives. Most recently, she brought her flair for storytelling to an educational setting, where she managed the social media presence for an organization and helped individual entities enhance their online visibility.

Whittney thrives on those magical moments when she sees the spark in someone’s eye or the smile that lights up their face when she transforms their vision into reality. It’s these moments that fuel her passion and keep her inspired every day.

When she’s not busy crafting designs or strategizing social media campaigns, you can find Whittney indulging her love for all things creative. Whether she’s painting, drawing, sculpting, or exploring art museums and exhibits, her artistic spirit knows no bounds. A fan of live music and an occasional knitting enthusiast, she also treasures quality time with her loved ones. Whittney is all about creativity, connection, and celebrating life’s colorful moments!