The BBR Team
Barbara Bishop: Co-Founder
Barbara is a co-founder of BBR. She is an award-winning media relations and marketing strategist who founded her first firm, BBPR, Inc. in 1996. She experienced 24 years of success before starting BBR.
She’s worked with clients in a diverse set of fields, specializing in law, healthcare, mental health, education, children's issues, emergency preparedness, non-profit, food and wine, public education, consumer products, and entertainment.
Barbara and her team have created and managed a wide variety of public relations and marketing/communications activities for clients, including, media relations, website development, social media campaigns, video/television production, email campaigns, community outreach, focus groups, advertising design and placement, collateral conceptualizing and copywriting, strategic partnerships and special events.
Barbara has been the architect and key strategist behind many successful marketing/communications and media campaigns for her clients, including a 13-year consulting engagement for Saint John’s Health Center to develop communications strategies to raise $300 million to build an entire hospital campus. She and her team personally raised $500,000.
In addition, she has effectively used marketing/communications and media relations strategies for many non-profit organizations, including Step Up on Second, an organization that provides physical and mental health support and housing to individuals who are homeless and living with a mental illness. In particular, one recent media story resulted in $250,000 in donations.
One of Barbara’s key areas of expertise is developing and overseeing strategy for comprehensive on-line and traditional media relations campaigns. She has overseen placement of many local, regional, and national stories for her clients, including Vanity Fair Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Today Show, NPR, U.S. News and World Report, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Extra!, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, USA Weekend Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Marie Claire, National Enquirer (a straight story!) and many others.
Barbara also has a keen interest and talent in developing strategic partnerships. Award winning examples of partnerships she’s brokered include a custom publication in partnership with Los Angeles Magazine for Saint John’s Health Center, a Jewish New Year calendar in partnership with the Jewish Journal for Saint John’s Health Center, and an Emmy-nominated fundraising video, featuring the (donated) voices of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson for Saint John’s Health Center; pioneering these first-ever marketing communications vehicles.
She is a highly collaborative leader, and firmly believes in a team approach when managing and executing a client’s business. She is an intuitive team builder, embraces ethnic diversity and values continuing education for her and her team.
Barbara is a talented creative and a friendly, compassionate soul, as well as a savvy business woman. Utilizing this combination of traits, she’s significantly increased sales, secured large donations, and created the buzz that clients demand on a consistent basis.
Barbara began her agency career in 1988 at Aaron Cushman and Associates. After being recruited to other agencies, including Mahoney Communications, Burson Marsteller and Stoorza, Ziegaus and Metzger, she started her own firm.
Barbara serves as a member of the Santa Monica Rotary, Santa Monica Chamber, and is on the boards of PRSA-LA (Public Relations Society of America) and Herb Alpert Educational Village. She resides in Westwood, CA.
She’s worked with clients in a diverse set of fields, specializing in law, healthcare, mental health, education, children's issues, emergency preparedness, non-profit, food and wine, public education, consumer products, and entertainment.
Barbara and her team have created and managed a wide variety of public relations and marketing/communications activities for clients, including, media relations, website development, social media campaigns, video/television production, email campaigns, community outreach, focus groups, advertising design and placement, collateral conceptualizing and copywriting, strategic partnerships and special events.
Barbara has been the architect and key strategist behind many successful marketing/communications and media campaigns for her clients, including a 13-year consulting engagement for Saint John’s Health Center to develop communications strategies to raise $300 million to build an entire hospital campus. She and her team personally raised $500,000.
In addition, she has effectively used marketing/communications and media relations strategies for many non-profit organizations, including Step Up on Second, an organization that provides physical and mental health support and housing to individuals who are homeless and living with a mental illness. In particular, one recent media story resulted in $250,000 in donations.
One of Barbara’s key areas of expertise is developing and overseeing strategy for comprehensive on-line and traditional media relations campaigns. She has overseen placement of many local, regional, and national stories for her clients, including Vanity Fair Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Today Show, NPR, U.S. News and World Report, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Extra!, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, USA Weekend Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Marie Claire, National Enquirer (a straight story!) and many others.
Barbara also has a keen interest and talent in developing strategic partnerships. Award winning examples of partnerships she’s brokered include a custom publication in partnership with Los Angeles Magazine for Saint John’s Health Center, a Jewish New Year calendar in partnership with the Jewish Journal for Saint John’s Health Center, and an Emmy-nominated fundraising video, featuring the (donated) voices of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson for Saint John’s Health Center; pioneering these first-ever marketing communications vehicles.
She is a highly collaborative leader, and firmly believes in a team approach when managing and executing a client’s business. She is an intuitive team builder, embraces ethnic diversity and values continuing education for her and her team.
Barbara is a talented creative and a friendly, compassionate soul, as well as a savvy business woman. Utilizing this combination of traits, she’s significantly increased sales, secured large donations, and created the buzz that clients demand on a consistent basis.
Barbara began her agency career in 1988 at Aaron Cushman and Associates. After being recruited to other agencies, including Mahoney Communications, Burson Marsteller and Stoorza, Ziegaus and Metzger, she started her own firm.
Barbara serves as a member of the Santa Monica Rotary, Santa Monica Chamber, and is on the boards of PRSA-LA (Public Relations Society of America) and Herb Alpert Educational Village. She resides in Westwood, CA.
Kera Blades Snell: Co-Founder
Kera Blades, founder of Blades & Associates, is 100 % minority-owned business owner, SBA certified small business and 100% woman-owned California State Certified Small Business (SB).
Kera focuses on digital marketing, including SEO and social media marketing, website development, as well as technical online solutions including software, app building and website designing and programming. She also provides brand development and management consulting.
A digital marketing and programming expert, Kera is the developer of her automated social media network publishing platform, search engine optimization platform and CRM housed in a single area, customized per user.
Kera entered the field as an entrepreneur at the age of 25 in her home country Belize. In 2009, she moved to the U.S. to serve as National Sales Director for Miami-based hotel management/event management company, Delmay and Partners.
In 2013 she was hired by Ulrich Communications as Marketing Director, where she travelled to several islands in the Bahamas and Jamaica and consulted with hotel owners on creating public and customer-based surveys and assessments to address customer needs, wants and behavior. She was also contracted to created destination brand awareness and worked closely with their tourism boards and the Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board.
Because of her background in tourism, in 2015 Kera was approached by IVision TV to be the face and co-producer/writer of her own TV Show, “IVision on the Road.” Her show was a success and ran for 3 seasons. After the 3rd season, Kera wrote and co-produced 2 additional TV shows under the IVision Brand (“Girl Talk,” a live call in show and “Carib Talk” news series).
While living in Tampa, Kera was very involved in her community and sat on several boards, including Muscular Dystrophy Association and Florida Hospital. She was also a member of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel and served as secretary, treasurer and chair of several committees with the club.
In 2017 Kera relocated to Santa Monica after meeting the love of her life. Now married, she and her husband Barry live in Santa Monica. She successfully continues to own and operate Blades Communications in Santa Monica.
Kera holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Hospitality Management from the University of South Florida. She is an active member of the Santa Monica community, and is a member of the Santa Monica Rotary Club.
Kera focuses on digital marketing, including SEO and social media marketing, website development, as well as technical online solutions including software, app building and website designing and programming. She also provides brand development and management consulting.
A digital marketing and programming expert, Kera is the developer of her automated social media network publishing platform, search engine optimization platform and CRM housed in a single area, customized per user.
Kera entered the field as an entrepreneur at the age of 25 in her home country Belize. In 2009, she moved to the U.S. to serve as National Sales Director for Miami-based hotel management/event management company, Delmay and Partners.
In 2013 she was hired by Ulrich Communications as Marketing Director, where she travelled to several islands in the Bahamas and Jamaica and consulted with hotel owners on creating public and customer-based surveys and assessments to address customer needs, wants and behavior. She was also contracted to created destination brand awareness and worked closely with their tourism boards and the Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board.
Because of her background in tourism, in 2015 Kera was approached by IVision TV to be the face and co-producer/writer of her own TV Show, “IVision on the Road.” Her show was a success and ran for 3 seasons. After the 3rd season, Kera wrote and co-produced 2 additional TV shows under the IVision Brand (“Girl Talk,” a live call in show and “Carib Talk” news series).
While living in Tampa, Kera was very involved in her community and sat on several boards, including Muscular Dystrophy Association and Florida Hospital. She was also a member of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel and served as secretary, treasurer and chair of several committees with the club.
In 2017 Kera relocated to Santa Monica after meeting the love of her life. Now married, she and her husband Barry live in Santa Monica. She successfully continues to own and operate Blades Communications in Santa Monica.
Kera holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Hospitality Management from the University of South Florida. She is an active member of the Santa Monica community, and is a member of the Santa Monica Rotary Club.