Amy Elias is the founder and CEO of PROFILES, with more than three decades-and-counting of public relations, crisis communications, and marketing experience. Amy guides the company’s strategic direction as a multi-faceted communications firm, in addition to serving as the backbone of the agency’s crisis communications first-response team. Since founding Profiles in 1990, Amy has built a firm dedicated to advancing clients’ messages and achieving their goals through the development and implementation of comprehensive communications programs.
HONORS
Amy has been recognized as a leader in her field, being named one of The Daily Record’s “Top 100 Women” twice, one of the publication’s “2017 Icon Honors” as well as “Most Admired CEOs” and as one of the publication’s “Influential Marylanders” for communications. Her work on behalf of PROFILES’ clients has earned national, regional and local Addy, MarCom, Communicator and countless PRSA awards. Elias holds a bachelor’s degree from Emory University and is a trustee at the Baltimore Museum of Art as well as a board member for Center Stage. Previously, she has served on committees of Kennedy Krieger Institute, Maryland Art Place, CENTERSTAGE, Baltimore School for the Arts, Songs for Life, The House of Ruth, and The Maryland Zoo.
Amy Elias describes her leadership style in these two mandates: be demanding and listen.
“Those may seem contradictory but they actually work well together, better than either one separately, to result in successful outcomes and great staff…”
Born and raised in Baltimore, Elias was drawn to communications and public relations because “you could develop a program that would really move the dial. …You could develop something really creative people would respond to and there would be a real action. Things would happen.”
“I do set very high standards of diligence, creativity, pursuit, and detail. I expect everyone to strive for and reach those standards, and frankly, am sometimes relentless in the effort. But…I listen to the input, reactions, evaluations, and ideas of others…”
She enjoys the diversity of the projects her firm pursues but said she is driven every day to nurture and see young talent grow.
