We love what we do, and we are always looking for creative, outgoing, hardworking, enthusiastic people.
President Katherine Jarvis brings passion, creativity and unique experiences in the wine and travel industries to Jarvis Communications. Since launching the company in 2005, Katherine has created custom-made programs for small and large, international and domestic clients in need of publicity.
Though she grew up with wine on the table every night for dinner, Jarvis’ career in wine began in 1997 when she worked in fine wine auctions in Chicago—first at Davis & Company Wine Auctioneers and then with Lionstone International in partnership with Sotheby’s North American wine auctions. In addition to developing new restaurant buyer accounts by working directly with sommeliers, she also established wholesale procedures in compliance with the three-tier distribution system. Previous to launching Jarvis Communications, she was an Executive Director for restaurant, travel and wine PR firm, Wagstaff Worldwide, Inc.
A native of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, she credits her upbringing as the child of two professors directing study abroad programs for her love of food, wine and culture. Two years in Bologna, Italy led to a lifetime obsession for tortellini alla panna, while two years in Malaga, Spain opened her eyes to the virtues of flamenco, Jerez and jamon Serrano.
She studied history and Latin American studies at Northwestern University taking semesters abroad in both Spain and Brazil, and summers in Petersburg, Alaska, gutting salmon. Upon graduation, she taught history at a bilingual school in Bogota, Colombia, before returning to Chicago to work in wine.
Katherine is a member of Slow Food, and is currently studying for an Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits with WSET. In her free time, she loves to cook, hike, go to flea markets, listen to vinyl records, read and spend time with her husband and two young daughters.
Monique Geisen is an Account Supervisor at Jarvis Communications. When she was very young her family moved to Italy to support her father’s military career and allow her mother to connect with her Italian roots. That experience heavily shaped the Geisen family’s love for good food and wine.
Her family returned to the United States once Monique began school and she spent her childhood in sunny San Diego. She grew up in a household where a glass of wine was always on the dinner table and where wood-fired pizza was a staple. A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Journalism, Monique pursued her love for travel in college, spending six months studying in Lüneberg, Germany and traveling throughout Europe. Whether it’s pierogi in Poland or smørrebrød in Denmark, Monique enjoys exploring new places through their local foods as much as through the countryside.
Monique began her career working in the tech industry on the global social media team at Hewlett Packard Enterprise but decided to turn her love for food and wine into a career in 2018 when she joined Jarvis Communications. She is now enjoying all the diversity that Los Angeles has to offer. In her free time, she is an aspiring master baker and novice yogi. The only thing that rivals Monique’s passion for great food and drink is her love for fantasy novels which she’s been known to devour in a matter of hours.
Sam Viklund is an Account Supervisor at Jarvis Communications. Originally from Seattle, Sam attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR where he studied cultural anthropology and gender studies. He fell in love with wine while completing coursework on the anthropology of wine under professor Deborah Heath, a leading global expert on the cultural significance of terroir, biodynamics, and discourses surrounding nature, science, and magic in the world of wine.
Over the last six years Sam has worked as an academic scholar of food and beverage, a wine buyer at Pastaworks, Portland’s beloved family-owned Italian gourmet marketplace, an entrepreneurial intern at Vista Hills Vineyard & Winery in the Willamette Valley. In the restaurant world, Sam was a Champagne slinger at Pix Patisserie (voted best Champagne and sparkling wine list in the world 5 years in a row by World of Fine Wine!), and a server in various wine-centric restaurants in Portland and the Bay Area, such as the charming Hillside Supper Club in San Francisco. Most recently, Sam worked on the PR team at Colangelo & Partners in their San Francisco office, where he designed and implemented integrated media and trade communications campaigns for regional, national, and global food and beverage brands and institutions. Professionally, Sam is interested in helping brands and people ideate and communicate their stories, and the “matchmaker” aspects of relationship building.
Now a resident of Los Angeles, Sam prefers to spend his free time cooking, entertaining, (grocery) shopping, and exploring the beautiful landscapes of the Golden State. He’s delighted to leave the San Francisco fog and Pacific Northwest rain behind for abundant Southern California sunshine.
Senior Account Executive
Senior Account Executive Shelley Boyle brings more than 10 years of public relations and digital media relations to her role at Jarvis Communications. Over the last decade, Shelley has represented LA’s favorite bakeries including Clementine and Cake Monkey, as well as restaurants within the Sprout Restaurant Group, including Sotto, Picca and Republique. She knows her way around a camera to tell stories that make that food, wine and lifestyle simply glorious.
Before delving into the world of food and wine PR, Shelley worked in biotech and forensic anthropology. She graduated from UC Santa Cruz with degrees in Forensic Anthropology and Biochemistry before a decade-plus at Amgen. She jokes that this experience was the perfect transition to wine as fermentations are second nature to her, having fermented E. coli in large tanks to create proteins used in cancer therapies.
Shelley is a fourth generation Angeleno and it’s said that her childhood pet was the inspiration behind the killer bunny in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. An avid gardener, she grows table grapes, tomatoes and so much more from her home garden.
Shelley is passionate about local government and community activism. She is an elected member of the Planning Commission for the City of San Marino, sits on its Economic Development Team and is the founding member and President of the San Marino Women’s Business Club.
A Colorado native, Natalie Moore grew up enjoying everything the Mile High City has to offer, including local farm-to-table restaurants, dynamic culture and spectacular views of the famous Flatiron Peaks in Boulder. In 2019, she received her degree from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Business as a Marketing and Entrepreneurship major.
Natalie is an avid health and wellness enthusiast and was thrilled to begin her PR career by working for the digital marketing department at Canyon Ranch Wellness Spa in Tucson. During her time at the world-renowned resort, she supported the public relations department where she had the opportunity to coordinate events for luxury clients and influential members of the health and wellness community. After completing the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship’s New Venture Development program, Natalie shifted her focus to working with smaller start-ups, including Alchemy Face Bar in Denver. She continued to work as an independent contractor for several local businesses by running external communication initiatives, specifically through social media.
During the summer of 2018, Natalie found a special place in her heart for the city of Barcelona while visiting Spain with her family. She came back the United States with a new-found love and appreciation for Spanish Riojas and traditional Catalan tapas. This trip sparked her interest in wine, international travel and European culture. Now that she lives in LA, you’ll find Natalie scouting out the newest rooftop restaurant, getting brunch on Abbott Kinney boulevard in Venice, or spending hours leisurely wandering the aisles of Whole Foods.
Emma Zimmerman is an Account Executive at Jarvis Communications. A Southern California native, Emma grew up enjoying everything Los Angeles has to offer, including the dynamic food scene, the diversity of the city, and the short drive to Central California’s wine region. In 2019, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, with a concentration in brand strategy and strategic communications.
While living in Willamette Valley, Emma’s affinity for wine flourished, especially since she was surrounded by amazing Pinot Noir producers. Yearning to explore more about the nuances of wine, Emma joined Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards and Winery in Geyserville, California for a marketing and PR internship. During her time there, she worked hands-on with the proprietors to develop key marketing and brand strategies to elevate their brand. As her interest in public relations began to grow, Emma joined Allen Hall Public Relations, a student-run PR firm, where she represented a local Portland start-up, WindFall Organics. She helped shape their brand image with key messaging strategies and social media campaigns.
Upon graduating, Emma returned to Southern California and joined Jarvis Communications in 2019 as an Intern, before receiving a full-time offer as an Assistant Account Coordinator. She is looking forward to further her career in the wine PR industry, by studying for the WSET II. In her free time, she can be found searching for the best matcha latte, learning to cook new recipes or riding her beach cruiser along the beaches of Southern California.
Anika Crone joined Jarvis Communications Summer 2019 as an Account Coordinator. Originally from the East Coast, Anika followed the sunshine to California. As both a US and Danish citizen, her memories of family trips up to the quaint Danish town of Solvang and the Santa Barbara wine region have a very fond spot in her heart.
Anika received her BA in Theater and Entertainment Communications from the University of Southern California in 2016. Upon graduating, she secured a job at Soho House in Malibu where she received her first high-end wine education, which ignited her passion.
Her desire to learn more about wine has only increased over time and ignited her pursuit in the wine PR industry. Actively studying for her WSET II, Anika has a strong thirst to learn more about the nuances of wine and the regions from which they derive. As a Theater Major and with experience on the media end, working both for her school newspaper and as a freelancer post-college, communicating and shaping brand stories ignites her creative side. Over the past year she has worked at Vinley Market, a boutique curated wine club, in both digital marketing and PR capacities. She also recently worked in conjunction with Everly Communications, a fine wine and sake PR firm.
When not at the office, Anika can be seen hiking with her two large rescue fur babies, Luna and Nala, volunteering at Wags and Walks, and refining her dog whispering abilities. Her weekends aren’t all spent with dogs though, as many Sundays are spent on the sunny Los Angeles beaches and enjoying new movies at the dine-in movie theater.
Kiernan joined Jarvis Communications as an Account Coordinator in Summer 2021. Born and raised in a small coastal town in New Hampshire, Kiernan grew up living and breathing sunny beaches, snow days, and of course, seafood. After graduating from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business in 2021, she decided to trade coasts, embrace city life, and start a new chapter in Los Angeles.
During her undergraduate years at Duke University, Kiernan studied history, where she fell in love with the written word. She was also a member of the Division I varsity rowing team and found her niche in teamwork. The summer following her junior year, she channeled both affinities while working on the communications team at a Berlin-based nonprofit. While there, she loved exploring all that German culture had to offer, especially German wines and street food.
After receiving her Master of Management Studies degree from Fuqua, Kiernan spent most of the summer traveling Northern California. There she spent her days exploring vineyards and taking a crash course in viticulture. It was also there that she realized she could use her business and communications experience to share her love for food, wine, and travel with the world.
When not in the office, Kiernan enjoys being outside however she can. You can often find her surfing, going for a run, or scoping out new hiking trails. She loves to spend time with her older brother, a fellow foodie, as they continue their mission to find the best sushi spot in LA.
Lauren Vicknair is an Account Coordinator at Jarvis Communications. A native of Sierra Madre, California, Lauren grew up spending time exploring LA’s San Gabriel Mountains and developing a lifelong love for nature.
She graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in History of Art and Visual Culture with a Concentration on Religion and Art. After graduating from UCSC, Lauren accepted an administrative position with a corporate-sponsored childcare center in downtown Los Angeles, where she remained 7 years. In her position as Business Manager, Lauren ensured that the organization ran smoothly and prioritized the need of the families which allowed her to develop lasting relationships with her clients.
In 2017, Lauren decided to embark on a change of career and enrolled in the Wine Education and Management Certificate program at UCLA. In 2018, she decided to pursue her wine education full-time and graduated from the program with distinction in June 2018.
Yearning to gain practical experience in the wine industry she became a cellar intern for Harvest 2018 at HUNNICUTT Wines, a custom crush facility in St. Helena, CA. There, she worked with several different winemakers and cellar workers which enabled her to see first-hand the passion and dedication that goes into every bottle of wine. Her experience at HUNNICUTT was more spectacular than she could have imagined, and it further solidified her desire to pursue wine as a career. At Jarvis, Lauren loves being able to bring her skills in Business Management to an industry that she loves.
When not at Jarvis, Lauren loves cooking, going to see live music, and spending time with her family and fur babies. You can rarely find her without a book, covering all manner of topics from the classics to newly released thrillers. She can also be found exploring the grounds of museums and botanical gardens around Los Angeles.
Henry, a terrier-mix, joined Jarvis Communications in April of 2015. One rare rainy LA day on a whim and with no dog in her immediate forecast, Katherine decided to check out the local pet adoption center with her daughters. Dogs howled, cats meowed, and Henry—without making a sound—looked her in the eyes. End of story. Kismet!
Henry loves to be loved—by humans and other dogs—and gives it back in spades. He can’t wait to come to the office every day to make the rounds (and hopefully get a treat!). Henry loves to chew on his Chewbacca toy, give kisses and run in his sleep. He listens to reggae, soul music, and hip hop. He thinks venison has potential for the next big food trend, and can smell a good Barolo from miles away.