The AAC Team

Amy A. Atkinson, APR,  is partner/founder of Amy Atkinson Communications (AAC), a consulting firm specializing in strategic marketing, PR and social media for clients interested in an omni-channel communications approach to their business needs. Atkinson opened AAC in 2013 and has since worked with clients in the healthcare, arts, hospitality, architecture, accounting, real estate, education, tourism, nonprofit and special events industries.

Atkinson is a results-driven, high-energy executive who has spent more than 20 years in the public relations and marketing industry, most of that in strategic planning and campaign management. She has spent about half of those two decades working for a major PR/advertising firm in executive roles creating appropriate communications strategies for her clients. The second half of that time she spent working for a large hospitality corporation in executive marketing leadership, giving her the unique perspective of having been both the agency and the client – a most valuable experience for a consultant.

Atkinson served at the Nashville-based hospitality and entertainment company Gaylord Entertainment from 2001-2012. In her most-recent role as vice president, marketing and public relations, Atkinson oversaw the centralized branding, marketing and public relations activities for Gaylord Hotels’ brand and its four mega resorts. In addition to overseeing marketing, PR, creative services and other areas, Atkinson developed the social media strategies, policies and major initiatives for Gaylord Hotels. Atkinson and her teams worked to successfully achieve ever-increasing goals through creating and implementing research-based integrated marketing initiatives.

Prior to joining the Gaylord Entertainment team, Atkinson was vice president at Martin Public Relations/The Martin Agency. Atkinson served at this Richmond, Va.-based advertising and public relations agency since early 1992, and opened a satellite office of that agency in Nashville in 1999. Atkinson worked with clients in several industries including banking, healthcare, transportation and tourism. While at The Martin Agency, Atkinson created the strategic communications plans for the USVI Department of Tourism; wrote tourism-related speeches for the Governors and Tourism Commissioners; testified in front of the USVI Senate; handled crisis communications; and supervised multi-faceted integrated marketing campaigns with great success.

Atkinson’s work has received awards for accomplishments in crisis communications, direct marketing, copywriting, media relations, leadership and marketing throughout her career.