Laura Riggs
Principal

As a marketing and public relations strategist, Laura Riggs offers a unique perspective that blends all necessary elements to create effective campaigns that demonstrate insight, innovation and results.

Prior to launching TradeShowPR in spring 2006, Laura consulted on extensive national and international projects for clients such as Discovery Communications, Inc. (DCI), National Association of Broadcasters, American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Chief Executives Organization, Baltimore Marine Center at Lighthouse Point and National Trade Productions.

Most recently, she was retained to strategize and direct the marketing and public relations campaign for the triennial event APTA EXPO 2005.  Located in Dallas, on the heels of hurricane Rita, the EXPO realized an overall 5% increase in attendance, garnering national syndicated press coverage and retaining the event’s ranking within the top 200 tradeshows in the U.S. as determined by Tradeshow Week.

Laura lead a similar effort for DEMA Show 2003 (Scuba Diving Industry), also Tradeshow Week 200 event, with payoff of 15% growth in attendance, record setting press coverage – more than triple press attendance, and increased exhibit sales by more than 25,000 net square feet.

NAB2001, a tradeshow sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters for which Laura executed the marketing effort, was ranked as the third largest tradeshow in the U.S. byTradeshow Week, moving up from prior ranking of fifth, with an overall published attendance of 108,000 and exhibit space sales exceeding one million square feet.  Laura worked on NAB Shows 1999 through 2002.

Prior to consulting, Laura spent nine years at Discovery Communications, Inc. where she was an integral member of the multi-award winning marketing team for The Discovery Channel. In that time the network grew from infancy to distribution in over 70 million U.S. households and globally in 85 countries, establishing The Discovery Channel as the world’s foremost producer and distributor of non-fiction entertainment, and building the most valuable audience in cable history.  During her time at DCI, Laura was also involved in the re-brand and launch of The Learning Channel, as well as the branding and launch of Animal Planet, and the purchase and transition of The Nature Company retail chain to Discovery Channel Stores. 

During her career at the network, Laura developed and managed many of the organization’s strategic marketing campaigns focused on advertising, cable, education and consumer targets.   DCI was also Laura’s first consulting client.

Laura Riggs is a graduate of the University of Maryland, holding a bachelor of science degree awarded in 1988.