6 minute read
Featured Pro: Kathleen Kaiser
KATHLEEN KAISER
BY ILONA SAARI
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ROCK-IT WOMAN!
For many of us growing up, we dutifully followed that Chuck Berry lyric as we headed off to school. For Kathleen Kaiser, however, the important part was “hail, hail rock ‘n’ roll.” She loved school, but rock ‘n’ roll music was her passion. By age eleven, she was devouring teen music and movie magazines and became a pen pal through the pen pal page in “Teen Screen.” Her “pals” were British who introduced her to the Beatles long before anyone in America had ever heard the name. They would send her articles and early records which hadn’t been released across “the pond,” while she sent them “surf” music by Jan & Dean, et al. When her local DJ at KDEO radio station in San Diego became stymied about this British group’s “bug” name, she called in to explain how John and Paul were influenced by Buddy Holly & The Crickets (another “bug” name) and named themselves “The Beatles” in their honor. She was fifteen. Soon after, Kathleen was given a two-minute teen talk show, five days a week on the station. She never looked back, eventually convincing the British Beatles Fan Club that San Diego needed its own branch. She became its president and marketed the branch tirelessly. When she failed to get them to include San Diego in its American tour, she staged a publicity stunt at Balboa Park Bridge that culminated with her being driven home in a police car. This taught her the first rule of life and PR: there are consequences to one’s actions. Anxious to be on her own, Kathleen yearned to move to Los Angeles where the action was. But she was only 17 and her parents were adamant that she go to college. She enrolled in San Diego State, but dropped out at the “legal” age of 18 and moved to West Hollywood (she did go back to college some years later, getting a degree in fashion design). She had a bushel of odd jobs, including a working/living stint in Manhattan in 1967. But her life took a dramatic turn when she returned to Hollywood and was hired by “Teen Screen,” the very magazine she had devoured at age 11. In ‘68, she met publicist Michael Goldstein who had created the first national rock’n’roll PR firm. He hired her to run his west coast office. Kathleen’s PR career was about to take root. In the early ‘70s, she traveled the world for Japanese music publisher Shinko Music with acts such as the Rolling Stones, but also had time to write three books on rock’n’roll in America, plus monthly columns in music publications. She worked on publicity for artists such as Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, The Who and CSN&Y. She also worked for the Japanese music industry, living part-time in Japan. But like a GPS on acid trips, her career took her down more roads than Abbey as she embraced the new digital revolution. By 1993, Kathleen opened Kathleen Kaiser & Associates (KKA), a trade show marketing and production firm which, for the past 25 years, has focused on cutting-edge digital technologies. It has launched new products, international
Kathleen Kaiser with Pete Townsend
trade shows, even developed and managed the first US Pavilion at Expo Argo in Santiago, Chile for the US Department of Commerce. In 2002, while living in Fillmore, Kathleen wanted to dip her toe into the nonprofit arena. She saw a request for volunteers for the renowned Ojai Shakespeare Festival. Having been introduced to Ojai years earlier at parties held at Jenny and Jim Messina’s ranch in the Ojai Valley, she decided to go for it. It wasn’t long before she was on the Festival’s Board, then served as President, expanding its Youth Intern Program to include backstage/production internships. Now living in Camarillo, Kathleen became more involved in Ojai, orchestrating the marketing/ sponsorship sales for the Ojai Art Stroll, and marketing communication for the Ojai Studio Artists. However, she was still deeply ensconced in the digital world, and in 2004, KKA created and marketed Digital Marketing Symposium in partnership with Digital Marketing Corporation at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. In 2008, Kathleen booked herself a future in the publishing field, taking on a small number of select authors of nonfiction books/memoirs as clients, and specializing in setting up radio interviews, press/blog stories and book reviews. In 2010, after moving to Ojai, she also handled sponsorship sales for the Rotary Club of Ojai-West Wine Festival charity. A year later, Kathleen expanded her publishing interests
Kathleen Kaiser
by helping create the Pacific Institute for Professional Writing, and managed the first Ventura County Book & Author Fair which eventually morphed into the 805 Writers Conference for which she’s the conference director and producer. It features seminars, workshops and guest writer lecturers. In 2014, Kathleen became President of the Small Publishers, Artists & Writers Network, now known as Writers & Publishers Network, a nonprofit national literary organization in the U.S., Canada, Australia and several European countries. Member benefits include website, market updates, and a bi-monthly newsletter featuring members’ latest book releases. In 2016 Kathleen was named Publicist of the Year by Book Publicists of Southern California. When she joined the Board of the Ojai Film Festival in 2017, she managed its marketing for more than two years. She also became the marketing director for the Ojai Art Center Theater, helping to launch two very successful play seasons with its Artistic Director, Richard Camp. She is now a Board member of the Ojai Performing Arts Theater (OPAT). Kathleen started in rock and has rolled her way through a long, successful career in public relations and marketing, creating a playlist of marketing opportunities for government, corporate and nonprofit clients, exhibitors, and authors… plus a slew of rock’n’roll artists along the way. Elton and Bernie might call her Rock-et Woman!
Donna Sallen
Fabulous and charmingly inviting, this two-story Victorian estate is nestled in the magical East End of Ojai. Surrounded by organic orchards and meticulous landscaping, this home is filled with Southern Charm. The wraparound porch looks out to the gardens, as the country kitchen and breakfast nook looks out to the pool and tennis court. Perfectly situated nearby are the spacious guesthouse, separate cottages, and a writer’s studio creating plenty of living space for friends and family. This relaxing and inviting estate is truly elegant.
There’s no place like home ... Let me find yours.
El Viaje was inspired by architectural design of an Italian Luxury Villa where Old World Charm and the modern conveniences of every day life come together perfectly. As you enter through the gates to a private, secluded yard you will love the mix of mature trees, the rose gardens, and the cozy seating areas.
