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ABOUT US
Founded by luxury marketing and branding expert KATHLEEN RUIZ, KRW Consulting is a global marketing agency specializing in strategic brand partnerships and experiential marketing, particularly in the fashion and retail industries.
KATHLEEN RUIZ
Founder & CEO
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Kathleen Ruiz has over 30 years of experience in luxury retail, establishing herself as a leader in the fashion industry. Her impressive network, strong relationships, and proven track record are invaluable in creating powerful partnerships and marketing strategies for brands.
Prior to starting her own agency, Kathleen was SVP of Marketing for Saks Fifth Avenue. In this role, Kathleen managed a team of marketing directors across more than 30 stores, gaining in-depth knowledge of various markets and building strong relationships with top customers within those markets.
Kathleen joined Saks in 2005 as VP of Marketing for the New York flagship. In 2010, she was appointed VP of Public Relations and Special Events and later took on advertising, partnerships, and brand strategy, expanding her role within the company.
Before joining Saks, Kathleen worked at Neiman Marcus for 14 years, where she held positions of increasing responsibility in marketing, public relations, and special events.
GRETCHEN MANOLAKIS
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With almost 20 years of experience as an events and marketing professional, Gretchen has produced events of all shapes and sizes, across the globe for a number of industries including luxury retail, philanthropy, and entertainment.
Prior to joining KRW Consulting, Gretchen spent most of her career at Saks Fifth Avenue as Senior Director of Public Relations and Events, where she executed events across the country ranging from full-scale fashion shows, musical performances, store openings and top customer experiences.
Before joining Saks, Gretchen spent 5 years with Neiman Marcus in Public Relations.
CARA FRATTO
Prior to joining KRW Consulting, Cara worked for Saks Fifth Avenue in store and corporate roles. She served as Marketing Director for Raleigh and Boston locations, developing marketing strategies and executing large scale fashion and top customer events.
In 2014, Cara relocated to New York and worked at Saks Fifth Avenue as Director of Event Marketing before transitioning to a strategic role in integrated marketing.
She served on the board for North Carolina State University’s Global Luxury & Management Program where she taught Marketing Strategy part time. Cara holds an MBA from North Carolina State University and a digital marketing degree from Duke University.
EMILY CRINAGE
Emily oversees KRW Consulting's international clients on varying projects including PR, Events and Strategic Partnerships.
Prior to joining KRW Consulting, Emily worked at MM Luxe Consulting where she focused on Fashion and Retail Partnerships and Special Events. Concurrently, she served as Chief of Staff at Fernbrook Capital Management, a venture fund that invests in high potential, fast-growing fashion and tech brands.
Emily started her career in New York as Brand Manager for Mathieu Mirano. Whilst there she tripled the number of stockists across the US, launched the brand in the Middle East and Paris, and executed the brand's bi-yearly NYFW shows. Before relocating to New York, Emily was the UK Press Officer at Bottega Veneta in London.
STEVEN SALTON
Steven is a Global Marketing Leader with more than 20 years experience in the luxury and retail space specializing in Brand & Project Management, Event Marketing & Production and Client Experiences.
He served a combined 16 years at Saks Fifth Avenue and its parent company, Hudson's Bay Company, in varying levels of senior roles including Vice President of Events and Public Relations, Vice President of Event Marketing, Corporate Events and Chief of Staff to the CMO.
During his time there, he routinely exceeded objectives & revenue goals in rapidly changing & challenging environments, and produced events that generated millions of dollars in donations for key fundraisers and charitable initiatives.
A well-respected industry thought leader, Steven has a passion for driving world-class events and fostering teamwork, innovation, and creativity.