Maureen “Mo” McFadden is sole owner of McFadden & McFadden P.R. based in Santa Barbara. The public relations firm specializes in working closely with the clients to create an overall image and/or design a publicity campaign. Loving the work she does is a big part of her success. Theatre, dance, music, film and television were the genres where Maureen honed her craft. She has also worked on both sides of the P.R. fence – as a writer and press agent – giving Mo the highly qualified approach to presenting stories to the media. In business in Santa Barbara since 1992, McFadden & McFadden P.R. is pleased to say the results it has generated for clients over the years have made a difference in many lives and businesses throughout the region. Recognized as a leader in the arts & entertainment arena, the small firm is agile enough to flex with the changing times and now provides P.R. services to educational and environmental organizations, wineries and restaurants, plus fine artists, museums and galleries.

 

Long-term PR campaigns here in Santa Barbara have included serving as Communications Director for The Lobero Theatre Foundation (‘92-‘01), providing a multitude of services – press on all shows, corporate and educational aspects, community outreach, cross-promotional tie-ins, in addition to the Capital Campaign, photography and as performer liaison; at Santa Barbara Int’l Film Festival (‘99 –‘06) she handled all local media and independent filmmakers, inaugurated and executive produced the festival’s daily TV show with SB Channels (‘03-‘06) , in addition to directing a staff of more than 50 volunteers.

 

McFadden’s contacts in the media extend across the world. Working at the Cannes International Film Festival as Mediatek’s Director of Operations, (‘99-‘01) she oversaw the intern staff and was responsible for placing stories on the high tech entertainment firms exhibiting at the MITIC* Pavilion. Partnered with Mediatek president Rex Weiner, as the foreign press team, they were very successful in placing breaking stories in all forms of media.

 

Maureen is also a published photographer to On Location magazine, Santa Barbara News Press, Santa Barbara Magazine, Santa Barbara Independent, MITIC & numerous polo websites from when she handled PR for the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club (03-06). She hosted her own one-hour interview show on the Thousand Oaks NPR station KCLU-FM called Backstage Pass from January ‘98 through July ‘99. She also produced the weekly radio show The Third Age, with host Dr. Peter Brill for two years. Maureen has served on the boards of The Rhythmic Arts Project (TRAP), BOXTALES Theatre Company, The Board of Governors for Theatre LA, Board of the Irish American Historical Society (SB), Greater Santa Barbara Lodging Assn., and the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission. She received an Independent Theatre Award in 1995 for her groundbreaking work in establishing the local Performing Arts League and publicizing it. KTMS News Director Jim Sirianni of Rincon Broadcasting named her PR Person of the Year in ’06, while LifeBitesNews.com online magazine editor/publisher Bonnie Carroll named her PR Professional of the year in 2007.

 

As a staff writer (‘83-‘86) for The Hollywood Reporter in L.A., she inaugurated the column People on the Move. Mo also worked for the largest entertainment P.R. firm in the world, Rogers & Cowan, as well as the smaller boutique publicity firm Hanson & Schwam. Some of her clients at the latter included Julie Andrews, Blake Edwards, Harold Robbins, Jimmy Komack and Jerry Goldsmith. At R&C, she represented the TV shows Gimme a Break, Mr. Belvedere, and Hour Magazine along with countless pilots that were never picked up.

 

As a guest speaker on the subject of PR & Marketing, McFadden has an excellent public speaking record. She volunteered her time to the W.E.V. classes (Women’s Economic Ventures) for more than 15 years, has spoken at UCSB’s Communications Assn., local High School Career Days as well as Women In Communications, local AIAA membership and Santa Barbara’s Salon.

 

Pro-Bono PR work done here in Santa Barbara includes: TRAP, Boxtales Theatre Co., Santa Barbara Breast Resource Center, Act Up Productions, American Cancer Society, Digital Days, S.O.S./Share Our Strength, Foodbank of Santa Barbara, Contemporary Arts Forum, SB High School Dramatic Arts Department, Dos Pueblos H.S. Theatre Dept., Laguna Blanca School and many more. While in L.A. she did pro bono PR for the Wildlife Waystation for more than five years, and two campaigns for LIFE/Love is Feeding Everyone with spokespersons Valerie Harper and Dennis Weaver.

 

A Santa Barbara resident since 1989, Mo honors her son Eli as well as her late father, Edward McFadden, who was a First Lieutenant in the Army during World War II and a public relations officer, by naming the firm McFadden & McFadden.

 

*MITIC = Marche International des Techniques et de l’Innovation du Cinéma
International Market for Innovations and Technology in Cinema