Karen Amster-Young is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with over two decades of experience, best known for her strategic approach to brand messaging. With a focus on lifestyle brands, her experience cuts across many industries including food and beverage, hospitality and leading consumer products. She represents select clients as a strategic and new business advisor with Sabrina Levine Communications, in addition to her own fractional consulting work.
A New York native, she started her career in communications at Citibank, N.A., and then later joined one of the nation’s top ten PR firms, Ketchum Public Relations. She then went on to start her own agency, serving as the founder and CEO. For over a decade, Amster-Young Public Relations, Inc. (AYPR) represented high-end brands in the consumer, design and home arena, specifically wallpaper and tabletop. She was honored to be included on PR Week’s 40 under 40, and featured in numerous industry media platforms for her leadership and expertise.
In addition to her client work, Karen is a journalist for prominent media publications in NYC and the Hamptons. Her interviews with influencers and business owners have been published in numerous regional and national media outlets, including James Lane Post, Hamptons magazine and Dan’s Papers, among others. Her personal essays have been published in the New York Times, Business Insider, Thrive Global and more. She is also the co-author of the non-fiction book, The 52 Weeks (Skyhorse Publishing), which shares evergreen messages on getting out of your comfort zone.
In recent years, she has been following her growing passion for the arts, which has led to the creation of The Art of Life to support emerging artists in collaboration with A-list makeup artist, Abby Lauren Makeup. Two of Karen’s mixed media works, “Daughters” and “HOPE” were showcased this past summer at the Romany Kramoris Gallery in Sag Harbor, New York. To learn more, you can follow Karen on Instagram, Linkedin and Substack, or book a meeting with her.