Our Team

Cheray Keyes-Shima, APR, CPRC
Principal

In 1998, Cheray joined forces with Chris Carroll, APR, CPRC, to create KSC. Today, she specializes in the development and execution of marketing and public relations strategies for a wide variety of local and regional clients. She also serves as Executive Director of the Florida Public Relations Association, the field’s premier professional organization in the state of Florida. Over the course of her career, Cheray has experienced nearly all aspects of the marketing, public relations and advertising industries. She earned her undergraduate degree in public relations from Florida State University and is Accredited and Certified in Public Relations. She began her career assisting the United Way of Sarasota County during their annual campaign period. She then spent seven years as Community Development Director for First Step, Inc., a local provider of substance abuse treatment, where she was tasked with building the organization’s first public relations department. By the time she left, Cheray managed a staff of seven and a sizeable budget. Over the years, Cheray has received a number of honors for her work in the public relations industry, including several ADDYs and FPRA Golden Image Awards. In 2017, she received the Dillin Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Florida Public Relations Association. In addition to being honored for her professional achievements, Cheray has been recognized for her local volunteer work, which dates back over a decade. She has been a particularly active advocate for The Florida Center for Early Childhood Development. She served as the organization’s Board Chair in 2014 and 2015, and received an award for outstanding board service in 2016.

Melanie C. Reda, APR, CPRC
Account Executive

Having worked in agencies and corporate marketing departments for more than 25 years, Melanie has experience in all aspects of marketing, communication and public relations. She specializes in crafting strategies that reach target audiences and drive results. Melanie began her career in marketing and public relations by interning at Walt Disney World and at a PR agency that specialized in the comic book industry. Since then, her career has taken a decidedly more practical slant with employers and clients in retail, publishing, software development, medical management, and commercial insurance, among other fields. Before joining KSC in 2020, Melanie led corporate communications and digital strategy at FCCI Insurance Group in Sarasota for more than eight years. Regardless of the industry or subject matter, Melanie thrives on developing communication strategies that make human connections through emotional touch points. Melanie graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and a concentration in Public Relations. She has been a member of the Florida Public Relations Association since 2011 and has held multiple positions on the board of the Central West Coast chapter, including chapter president in 2021-2022. In 2019, she earned her Accreditation in Public Relations and was also recognized with the Thomas Nunan Rising Star award. In 2020, she became a Certified Public Relations Counselor. She has two sons that are her pride and joy. She loves spending time at the beach, traveling and learning new things.

Erin Hoffer, MA, APR, CPRC
Account Executive

Erin has worked at KSC since November 2018. Prior to this, she spent more than 11 years with Sarasota County’s largest city, the City of North Port, as a professional government communicator in which she led many marketing, public relations, and advertising initiatives. She graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications in 2002, and then later graduated with a master’s in communications with a specialization in social media in 2016. She is a 2008 graduate of the Gulf Coast Leadership Institute. Erin worked as a journalist for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune from 2003 to 2007. Erin earned her Accreditation in Public Relations in 2019 and became a Certified Public Relations Counselor in 2020. Erin has received several honors during her career in public relations, including Savvy Awards, a Golden Image Award and national speaking engagements. In her spare time, she sings and plays the acoustic guitar.

Rachel Partlow
Web Developer

Rachel joined the KSC team in September 2019 as a programmer. She graduated with honors from St. Petersburg College, where she studied web development. As a student, she interned with the Red Tent Women’s Initiative, an organization that aims to improve the lives of women through community building. As an intern, she managed the Initiative’s website, moving it to a new domain, optimizing page load speed and creating content. Originally from New Hampshire, Rachel moved to Florida to pursue a degree in nursing at the University of South Florida, before making a career change. In her free time, Rachel keeps in touch with her friends up north, in addition to working on her personal website. She also enjoys drawing, reading and playing video games, as well as hanging out with her hamster, Hannibal.