Meet Your Team of Experts - Marketing and Communications

The Vision Council is pleased to continue the Meet Your Team of Experts Series. Each week, we are introducing different team members, highlighting their roles and responsibilities and the best way to contact them.

We hope this helpful in clarifying the tools, resources and team of experts available to you as part of your membership.

Today, we are pleased to spotlight The Vision Council’s marketing and communications professionals, who work alongside the Membership and Strategic Initiatives Team.

Hayley Rakus - Senior Communications Manager

Hayley is responsible for the strategic development and implementation of The Vision Council’s consumer and trade media relations campaigns including Vision Expo. She also oversees social media strategy for The Vision Council and Vision Expo.

A seasoned communications professional with extensive experience in the lifestyle and hospitality market, Hayley spent six years in New York City driving public relations strategies for high-profile brands before joining The Vision Council in 2019.

How Hayley can help:

• Members of the media can contact Hayley with press queries, story ideas or interview requests. Hayley can assist with coordinating interviews with The Vision Council leadership.
• Members are encouraged to share their company news for consideration on The Vision Council’s social media channels.
• Ahead of Vision Expo East and West, member exhibitors are encouraged to share information on their planned activations and news for consideration on The Vision Council’s social media channels.

Contact Hayley at hrakus@thevisioncouncil.org

Amy Applegate - Creative Director and Project Coordinator

Amy is responsible for ensuring that The Vision Council's brand standards are upheld throughout all materials and communications, print and electronic. She supports both member and consumer-facing programs, including market research, special events, technical resources, Division-specific initiatives and consumer outreach, including National Sunglasses Day. Her role also includes continuous communication with the Membership and Strategic Initiatives team to keep projects on-track from kick-off through production and delivery.

How Amy can help:

• Contact Amy for The Vision Council brand assets and materials, including The Vision Council Member logo.
• Assistance accessing The Vision Council's suite of National Sunglasses Day promotional materials.
• Guidance on how The Vision Council's brand can be leveraged for members' benefit.

Contact Amy at aapplegate@thevisioncouncil.org

The Marketing & Communications team works closely with Julia Moore, The Vision Council's Membership Communications Manager on website updates, social media, messaging and email distribution.