Michelle Leff Mermelstein, APR

“Michelle is one of the most dedicated and talented practitioners I've worked with in my academic career. As a program director, I look for faculty who are not only seasoned, but are dedicated to the art and science of teaching. In the years I've worked with Michelle, I've not only experienced her aptitude for academic acumen, rigor, and agility in teaching a variety of topics, but as a respected and exceptional human within her craft. From writing to strategic planning to consulting to corporate communications, there's nothing Michelle cannot do or master. Besides her professional aptitude, I've had the pleasure of witnessing her work ethic, warmth, and team-orientation. Any organization would be lucky to have Michelle, and she has my highest endorsement.”

“Michelle was my primary media contact at Sprint for many years while I was covered phones and wireless at CNET. I don't exaggerate when I say that from a journalist's perspective she's your dream PR professional. She's always helpful, forthright and responsive, and she doesn't hide her execs away when you need a quote. She anticipates your needs, follows through on promises and doesn't waste your time with a pitch you won't cover. She also was hugely efficient in sending products for review -- I'll always be grateful for how she was able to me early access to one particularly hot phone -- and she organizes great media events that deliver real news and are even a bit fun. It would be a pleasure to work with her again.”

“Michelle makes it look easy. She is an exceptional strategic-thinker and ready to tackle any task to drive an organization forward. She has great problem-solving skills and always made me feel at ease no matter what was happening with our business. When Michelle was on the case, I knew we would be well represented, and our brand story would cut through all the noise in our space. As we launched new products, Michelle was the perfect partner to ensure the right message was delivered to the press and with our senior leadership. She is not afraid to challenge convention to ensure we are driving results. She is a strong leader and a good teammate. It has been a pleasure working with Michelle this past year, a year which has been more challenging than most and one that she has handled with amazing grace and poise. I could not recommend her more highly and quite frankly any team will be lucky to have her.”

“I was blessed to work closely with Michelle for nearly 4 years at Sprint. She is incredibly smart, professional, and knowledgeable, and her reputation in the industry shows that this wasn't unique to me - she's well-known and highly regarded among her peers. Throughout our time working together, Michelle proved she's the ultimate team player, always willing to jump in and help on any project, and bringing a creative mind and positive energy to the group. I knew that if Michelle was leading or involved in a project, that no detail would go unnoticed. I'm so glad that we got the chance to work together and would jump at the opportunity to do so again. ”

“I've had the pleasure of collaborating with Michelle on a number of high profile projects over the years at Sprint and am always amazed at her great attention to detail and commitment to excellence. She is a true professional that is respected by her peers and trusted by her superiors and agency partners. Michelle is able to work across diverse work streams to ensure consistency in messaging and excellence in delivery. Her ability to project manage and handle delicate situations with great diplomacy are true assets. In addition, Michelle has a great ability build and retain relationships, keep a group focused and ensures expectations are not just met but exceeded. I am always confident of the outcome when Michelle is on a project and look forward to any opportunity to collaborate with her. Its a pleasure to know her both professionally and personally. ”

“ I had the pleasure of collaborating with Michelle on a number of high-profile and iconic device launches. She is a consummate professional who is gifted in realizing the big picture while maintaining a relentless focus on the details. A valued partner with profound impact, Michelle is certainly an asset who you would be lucky to have on your team. ”

“As the President of Circle F Media, I work with many different PR professionals but very few are as thorough, professional, and accessible as Michelle. We have worked together for 8 years and during that time she has displayed a knowledge of her industry unparalleled by her colleagues - in meetings it was obvious they looked to her leadership in describing and fulfilling objectives. She has an ability to identify issues, recommend solutions, and pull together a team or roll-up her own sleeves to execute. ”

“Michelle is a superstar. I've worked with her for almost 10 years in her role at Sprint and she stands out for her professionalism, positivity and desire to achieve the best possible results for everyone involved. While vendor/customer relationships can sometimes be dictatorial and one-sided, that has never been the case with Michelle. She always works with Sprint's best interests in mind, but with a collaborative approach that makes the work fun, easy and, ultimately, more effective for both companies. Working with Michelle is a pleasure and I'd recommend her for virtually any PR-related role without hesitation. ”

“Michelle and I worked together directly for nearly seven years at Sprint. She is a tremendous professional and always challenged me to be a better communicator. Michelle built strong relationships with clients and continually found ways to deliver results.”

“I've worked with Michelle for the past ten years on various projects. She's about as knowledgeable and well-versed in public relations as anyone I've ever met in the wireless industry. She's a tireless worker and very passionate about what she does. I love being on project teams with Michelle-- they're always executed with near perfection and I usually walk away feeling like I just learned something (or many things). ”

“I have had the privilege of working with Michelle for many years. She is a motivated individual who knows how to move the needle forward. She is extremely professional, works well with others and is held in the highest regards by her colleagues and vendors alike!”

“Some executives know how to manage strategy, others know how to execute tactically, but Michelle knows how to bring the two together and that's how you get results that make the difference. On top of that, she's always a pleasure to work with as a partner.”

“Michelle is a PR and communications rock star! She is equally apt at building relationships with the “big name” top tier media and with the influential blogging communities. She’s credible and fair, yet always keeps a positive and constructive point-of-view. She views her business the same way a C-level exec does, not just looking at the project at hand but at the overall impact her efforts may have. This is exactly why she is called upon again and again to handle to marquee devices and initiatives. I had the opportunity to work with Michelle on numerous product launches and events. She was always on top of her game.”

“Michelle is a dedicated professional who seamlessly blends her professional responsibilities with her commitment to gving back to her profession. I have had the pleasure to work with her when she donated her time and talents to the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). She demonstrated her remarkable management and organizational skills through her work on PRSA committee projects. Michelle has also proven herself as an excellent teacher through her adjunct work at Marymount University where she provided her students with real life insight and practical hands-on experience in PR writing and program development.”

“I had the pleasure of working with Michelle in her product public relations positions at Nextel and subsequently Sprint Nextel. A consummate PR pro, Michelle had an outstanding ability to develop strategic communications programs around device and product launches that delivered solid results. She achieved this by establishing herself as a credible, authoritative source with key external stakeholders and audiences. Often, she was in a position of securing strong exposure for the company's products and services against very stiff competition. Michelle is highly organized, enthusiastic and a consummate team player.”

“Michelle is a joy to work with. She's collaborative, organized, and knows how to get things done. She also knows where the good barbecue places are in Kansas City!”

“Michelle is a PR shinning star. She is Sprint's go-to for any device questions. Over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of reporting to Michelle for my roll on the device PR team. She is a great manager because she is a strategic thinker with strong leadership skills and good charisma.”

“I've had the pleasure of working for Michelle over the years. As a client of mine, Michelle has always been very knowledgeable in her industry. She is an exceptional person who not only strives to get her job done, but strive to make sure that it's done right. She is always thoughtful in her approach and makes sure that she is always going to get the answers that she needs. I highly recommend Michelle to anyone.”