Impact PR & Communications

What Impact PR & Communications does

Impact PR & Communications is a women-owned, boutique strategic communications and public relations agency founded in 2014 by Filomena Fanelli and headquartered in Hudson Valley, New York. The firm operates a lean, virtual/remote model with approximately ten professionals carrying more than 90 years of combined industry experience, serving clients primarily across a tri-state footprint of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Its service portfolio spans public relations, thought leadership development, digital and social media strategy, community engagement, branding and marketing, and crisis communications, delivered through retainer and project-based engagements.

The agency focuses on four core verticals: real estate and construction, food/beverage/hospitality, banking and financial services, and nonprofit organizations. It holds multiple multi-year agency-of-record relationships with named clients including Millbrook Winery, Westerra Credit Union, Family Trust Federal Credit Union, Dutchess Tourism, and Kartrite Resort, indicating a mix of regional and mid-market commercial and nonprofit accounts. Revenue is generated through recurring retainer contracts supplemented by project work, with no external funding raised to date.

Recent operating momentum includes the SBA Women-Owned Small Business of the Year (2024), a Gold Stevie Award for Women-Run Workplace, and a #1 US PR Agency ranking from CommPRO in August 2025. The firm is also a member of the PR Consultants Group network, which extends referral reach beyond its direct geographic base. AI is treated as an internal productivity tool rather than a client-facing differentiator, with no proprietary AI products disclosed.

Name

Impact PR & Communications

Legal name

Impact PR & Communications, Ltd.

Website

https://prwithimpact.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Impact PR & Communications is a women-owned, Hudson Valley-based boutique PR and strategic communications agency serving real estate, food/beverage, banking, and nonprofit clients across the NY/NJ/CT region through retainer and project engagements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (541820), Public Relations Agencies (54182), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital PR & Social Media Communications (MPAAADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consumer & Lifestyle PR (MPAAADAB), Event & Experiential PR (Launches, Stunts, Press Events) (MPAAADAM), PR, Corporate Communications & Crisis Management (BPAFAAAL), Reputation Management & Online PR (BPAFADAN)

Keywords

• Public relations services
• Media relations
• Crisis communications
• Strategic communications
• Digital marketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Poughkeepsie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. PR and Communications Consulting: Professional services revenue generated through consulting engagements, project-based work, and retainer arrangements with clients across various industries including real estate, food & beverage, banking, hospitality, and nonprofit sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Impact PR & Communications is an award-winning public relations and strategic communications agency that delivers media relations, thought leadership, digital and social media, community engagement, branding and marketing, and crisis communications services. The agency operates on a fully virtual model with a team of approximately 10 professionals offering project-based engagements (3–6 months) and year-plus retainer arrangements. Clients span real estate, food and beverage, banking, hospitality, and nonprofit sectors, primarily across the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut tri-state region with national reach.

Product overview

Impact PR & Communications is an award-winning, service-based public relations and strategic communications agency that offers a unified portfolio of professional services rather than a software product platform. The agency's core offerings include: Public Relations & Reputation Management (media relations, press releases, event management, media training), Thought Leadership (securing speaking engagements, op-eds, executive positioning), Digital & Social Media (content creation, community management, influencer partnerships), Community Engagement (corporate social responsibility, cause-related marketing), Branding & Marketing (brand standards, content development), and Crisis Communications (crisis preparedness, rapid response, spokesperson preparation). The agency operates across a three-state footprint serving clients in real estate/construction, food/beverage/hospitality, banking/financial services, and nonprofit sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Relations & Reputation Management Core PR service that leverages long-standing media relationships to help clients reach target audiences through traditional and digital media, position clients as industry experts, and manage brand reputation through events and strategic communications.
• Thought Leadership Strategic positioning service that helps companies establish credibility through speaking engagements, op-eds, contributed articles, and executive interviews to become recognized experts in their fields.
• Digital & Social Media Digital communications service covering online media, e-newsletters, social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube), content creation, community management, blog writing, and influencer partnerships.
• Community Engagement Service focused on corporate social responsibility, civic and professional engagement opportunities, cause-related marketing, and relationship building with elected officials and delegates.
• Branding & Marketing Brand development and marketing communications service including survey analysis, focus groups, brand standards development, website content, newsletters, marketing letters, e-blasts, and advertorials.
• Crisis Communications Reputation protection service providing strategic counsel, rapid-response communication, and media management during heightened scrutiny, including crisis playbook development, scenario mining, rapid response messaging, media monitoring, and spokesperson preparation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 190+ media placements with 30% lift for Westerra Credit Union in year one
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PR Consultants GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImpact PR was added to PR Consultants Group's nationwide network, expanding its reach within the consortium of PR agencies. This partnership enhances the agency's visibility and referral opportunities within the industry network.
• HelpMyPR.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerImpact PR maintains a profile on HelpMyPR.com as part of their marketing and visibility efforts within the PR industry.
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency is an active member of PRSA and its Counselors Academy. Team members serve on PRSA chapter boards including Westchester/Fairfield Chapter. The agency has won multiple PRSA Mercury Awards and participates in PRSA events and educational programming.
• Dutchess County Regional Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency is a proud member of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce. CEO Filomena Fanelli serves on the executive board. Multiple team members have received Forty Under 40 recognition and graduated from Leadership Dutchess programs.
• Marist College / PRSSA ChapterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact PR has strong ties to Marist College. Several team members are Marist alumni, CEO serves as professional advisor to the PRSSA chapter, and has taught as adjunct professor. The agency donated to Marist University PRSSA and hired multiple interns from the program.
• Think Dutchess Alliance for BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact PR was selected as a partner for the Dutchess County Micro-Marketing Program, a COVID-19 recovery initiative for small businesses. The agency conducted audits and provided PR/marketing counsel to 45 participating businesses.
• BCW (The Business Council of Westchester)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAgency is a member of BCW (The Business Council of Westchester), participating in regional business development and networking activities.
• Millbrook Vineyards and WinerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency has served as agency of record for Millbrook Winery since January 2024. Successfully promoted Bernie Williams partnership and Jazz Concert Series resulting in 54 placements and 303+ million impressions.
• Westerra Credit UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing annual PR engagement beginning 2025. Agency secured 190+ media placements with 30% increase from prior year. Partnership expanded to include additional projects.
• Family Trust Federal Credit UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year partnership for PR services. Agency provides ongoing strategic communications support and media relations across established and new markets.
• Dutchess TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency served as PR agency of record for Dutchess Tourism, the nonprofit tourism bureau. Generated 42 placements and 64.5 million impressions through destination marketing campaigns.
• The Kartrite Resort & Indoor WaterparkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed PR Agency of Record for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark. Handles press trip coordination and ongoing media relations.
• Escape BrooklynminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Escape Brooklyn travel guide for Dutchess Tourism campaign. Included editorial and social media content plus destination trip giveaway that collected 1,100+ email addresses.
• Hearst MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoordinated happy hour event for 30 Hearst media outlets' editors and writers during Dutchess Tourism campaign, creating direct media relationships.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Ketchum: Ketchum is a global communications consultancy owned by Omnicom, serving consumer, food & beverage, healthcare, and nonprofit clients. It is a broad incumbent peer because its full-service PR offerings overlap with Impact PR's verticals, though at substantially larger scale and with proprietary research/data products.
• Edelman: Edelman is the world's largest independent PR firm, offering full-service communications across consumer, financial, real estate, and nonprofit verticals. It is a broad incumbent that competes for the same mid-market and enterprise clients Impact PR serves, but at a much larger scale and with integrated paid/digital capabilities Impact does not offer.

Direct peers

• M Booth: M Booth is a New York–headquartered, consumer-lifestyle and brand PR agency. It is a direct peer because it serves consumer and lifestyle clients (F&B, hospitality, travel) with earned-media and brand storytelling campaigns very similar to Impact PR's core F&B/hospitality practice.
• 5W Public Relations: 5W Public Relations is a mid-sized, New York–based consumer PR agency serving lifestyle, food & beverage, travel, and nonprofit clients. It is a direct peer because its core practice and target verticals closely overlap with Impact PR's consumer/lifestyle F&B and hospitality book of business.
• Sunshine Sachs: Sunshine Sachs is a New York–based celebrity, entertainment, and consumer/lifestyle PR firm. It is a direct peer because it delivers earned-media campaigns for hospitality, nonprofit, and brand clients with celebrity tie-ins — comparable to Impact PR's Millbrook Vineyards x Bernie Williams and Bethel Woods campaigns.
• HL Group: HL Group is a New York–based boutique lifestyle, hospitality, and consumer PR agency. It is a direct peer because it competes for similar hospitality, food & beverage, and lifestyle brand clients with comparable boutique scale and earned-media-led campaign execution.
• Prosek Partners: Prosek Partners is a New York–based PR and marketing firm specializing in financial services, professional services, and B2B. It is a direct peer because it competes for the same banking/credit union and financial services clients (e.g., community banks and credit unions) that represent one of Impact PR's primary verticals.
• Taylor PR: Taylor is a New York–based strategic communications and PR agency serving consumer, food & beverage, and lifestyle brands. It is a direct peer because its mid-sized boutique structure, F&B/lifestyle focus, and earned-media orientation closely mirror Impact PR's positioning and target verticals.
• BerlinRosen: BerlinRosen is a New York–based independent communications and PR firm serving advocacy, real estate, hospitality, and consumer brands. It is a direct peer to Impact PR given its similar boutique-to-mid-tier scale, overlapping verticals (real estate development, hospitality, nonprofit/advocacy), and emphasis on earned-media campaigns.

Emerging players

• Walker Sands: Walker Sands is a Chicago-based integrated B2B marketing and PR firm serving technology, professional services, and financial clients. It is an emerging-player peer because while geographically distinct, it competes for similar financial services and B2B PR retainers and offers integrated PR + digital services that Impact PR does not.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/prwithimpact
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prwithimpact
• Instagraminstagram.com/prwithimpact

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Impact PR & Communications