THE GROUP
Beth Silverman
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
NAMED A ‘NOTABLE ENTREPRENEUR’ BY CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS (2019)
When Beth Silverman says: “Been there, done that,” she‘s not bragging; she is proud of the expansive public relations expertise she’s gained here and wants to share it with her clients, staff, and even her friendly competitors. In fact, she is frequently sought out by public relations professionals throughout the city who want an expert, experienced second opinion.
Why? For almost 40 years (!), affable arts publicist and business owner Beth Silverman has represented nearly every iconic cultural institution in Chicago not to mention providing much needed media relations savvy to a broad range of grassroots organizations. Beth is a generalist who appreciates all the culture her beloved hometown has to offer – its architecture, visual arts, theater, dance, music, literature, comedy, film, and festivals – and never wanted to choose just one niche to promote. Primarily serving not-for-profits but with a handful of “couldn’t resist” artful commercial clientele, her ongoing career includes representation of Chicago stalwarts including, but not limited to, The Joffrey Ballet (for 20+ years), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Old Town School of Folk Music, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Second City, Chicago Architecture Center, Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Uptown Theatre, in addition to national personalities such as CHER (twice!), CAITLYN Jenner, CINDY Crawford, CONAN O’Brien, CHRISTOPHER Wheeldon, CHARMIAN Carr, and CIRQUE du Soleil (since 1989!) .. and those are just the Cs!
This hard-earned institutional memory of the Chicago landscape – and her vast rolodex of media contacts alongside those in the arts, business, and civic communities here – are among valued traits… as is the humor and love of wordplay she brings to every conversation.
She is considered a Chicago "connector" in the truest sense of The Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell's words, i.e. "The kind of people who know everyone…with a truly extraordinary knack of making friends and acquaintances." Having resided and worked in the Chicago area her entire life (not to mention possessing an uncanny knack for not forgetting a face), Beth is proud to claim an extensive and valuable network of friends, former colleagues, and business contacts. She rarely goes anywhere without recognizing someone, and has encountered familiar Chicago faces in airports, on a street corner in New York and on the islands of Turks & Caicos, along with nearly every restaurant, cultural venue, or retailer she frequents here.
Her lifelong Chicago public relations career launched at Kurman Communications, followed by Margie Korshak, Inc. where she rose through the ranks over 12 years (ultimately serving as Vice President of the Entertainment Division). Through these experiences, she not only honed her public relations skills but also gained an incredible range of contacts throughout the city and beyond, enabling her to parlay her connections and launch the Silverman/ LaCorte Group in 2000. She subsequently bought out partner Marlo LaCorte in 2001, becoming the sole proprietor of The Silverman Group, Inc., a title she’s currently blessed to possess.
And as much as Beth loves Chicago, she also loves leaving it…as in traveling, around the country and the world! As a hobby and a passion, she is typically always planning her ‘next trip,’ and enjoys the pre-planning nearly as much as the travel itself, creating detailed and heavily researched itineraries for each adventure. Among favorite cities are Lisbon, Barcelona, Athens, Tel Aviv, and Mexico City; it is no surprise they’re all cultural, walkable hubs! Visits to Madrid and Porto are hopefully soon to come, with trips farther afield to Africa (a safari to see the big cats!) and Australia and New Zealand on the wish list.
Beth is a proud graduate of the prestigious Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program and of the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana. She currently resides in Chicago's Gold Coast.
Katy O’Malley
ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR
Katy is an enthusiastic communications professional on a mission to bridge arts and culture with today’s audiences. A Chicagoland native, Katy is experienced in working with artists and organizations across a range of disciplines and is driven by her passion for connecting the work of artists to larger conversations taking place in the world. Prior to The Silverman Group, Katy served as the Media Relations Manager at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, where she wrote media plans and messaging that raised the profile of the museum’s work across contexts, from exhibitions and events to the museum’s store and restaurant. Providing PR strategy for Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg and Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech,” Katy was a key player on the communications team responsible for two of the highest-attended exhibitions in MCA history. Katy has developed a deep understanding of Chicago’s diverse cultural landscape with past roles at The Art Institute of Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre, and The Onion. She received her BA in Art History and Communications at McGill University and her MA in Art History and Critical Curatorial Studies at the University of British Columbia.
Louise Yingduo Liu
Account supervisor
Louise Yingduo Liu believes in the impact of media on public life. Through her PR endeavors, she brings greater public awareness to the societal and personal values created through arts and culture. Born and raised in China, Louise came to Chicago in 2014 immediately following the completion of her B.A. in Japanese Language Studies from Peking University in Beijing. Her longtime passion and practice in music and theatre led her towards an M.A. in Arts Administration and Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Prior to joining The Silverman Group, she honed her skills through positions held at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Corbett vs. Dempsey, the Art Institute of Chicago, Alphawood Gallery, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago Fringe Festival, and Nothing Without a Company—a Chicago nonprofit theatre where she currently serves as a board member. In her personal creative practice, Louise is a vocalist and was a U.S. top 5 finalist in The Voice of China 2023 competition. She is currently the lead singer of Chicago sextet Ménage a Trio, and former lead singer of indie band Rabbit n Wolf for which she received a DCASE Individual Artist Grant in 2016.
Nicole Rizzo
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE & SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Nicole has always been powered by the idea of blending creativity and community. Born and raised in the Chicago area, she has been energized by the character and creative pulse of this city for as long as she can remember. Learning about the imaginative work of various groups is fascinating and inspiring to Nicole, and she finds purpose in sharing stories worth telling. Both her life-long love for the arts and her experience in the field of communications led her to The Silverman Group. Prior to joining the TSG team, Nicole was involved in other Chicago PR agency work centered around Media Relations and Social Media content and strategy at Jo Chicago Communications, where she helped promote some of Chicago’s most acclaimed design and lifestyle clients. Nicole previously held the Marketing and Public Relations Specialist position at the Naperville Convention and Visitors Bureau, where she composed content and connected with local media about businesses and events in Naperville, Illinois. She also managed multiple Social Media accounts for the Office of Marketing and Communications at Marquette University in Milwaukee, where she received a BA degree in Public Relations with a minor in Social Welfare and Justice.
Alannah Spencer
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Growing up outside of Madison, Wisconsin, Alannah spent her childhood day-tripping to Chicago to visit all its wonderful cultural events and institutions. Every day, she counts herself lucky to now get to participate in the rich cultural landscape of Chicago fulltime. A classical singer by training, Alannah has a decade of experience promoting herself as well as the ensembles and organizations she’s been a part of as a freelance musician. She is a founding member and the community engagement coordinator for a non-profit feminist opera collective called the Valkyrie Ensemble. Alannah also has a passion for empowering artists through entrepreneurship, a passion she explored during her student days as the graduate assistant for the Center for Arts Leadership at Roosevelt University, and as the president of the UW- Madison Arts Enterprise student organization. Alannah holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. When not performing in or attending theatrical events, Alannah enjoys reading and attempting to craft the perfect cheese plate.
Maggie Sullivan
ASSISTANT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Maggie has always been an artist and storyteller at heart and being a train ride away from Chicago’s vibrant arts community all her life helped cultivate that. As an undergraduate before joining The Silverman Group, Maggie worked on multiple full-length PR campaigns including her senior capstone which focused on educating local business owners in Central Illinois about sex trafficking through a podcast titled Buy The Minute, streaming on Spotify. It explores this sensitive topic from a survivor's perspective, advocates’ expertise, and a buyer's viewpoint. In addition to her PR work, Maggie has an extensive background in the theatre, including directing a full-length production of Sophocles’ Antigone. Now, she is utilizing her creative voice to uplift other artists and spread the word about their work. Maggie received a degree in Advertising/Public Relations and Theatre Arts from Bradley University. When not working with the lovely ladies of The Silverman Group, you can find Maggie in an auditorium seat no matter the show or curled up with a good book.