Kweisi Gharreau

Dynamic, community-rooted Marketing Director and Brand Architect with a 33-year blueprint of excellence leading high-velocity regional campaigns, multi-site brand strategies, and high-visibility media ecosystems. A trusted Chicagoland leader with an exclusive 17-year Hollywood media network, expertly skilled at building deep consumer trust, scaling localized brand presence, and forging high-value institutional partnerships. Proven track record directing massive citywide multi-media campaigns (CDPH) spanning billboards, transit, TV, radio, and digital channels.

Expert at leveraging hyper-local geographic market mapping and community-focused experiential activations to maximize brand loyalty and foot traffic. Primed to deploy deep Chicago roots and commercial marketing expertise to drive market share, boost franchise community alignment, and accelerate regional revenue growth for Beggars Pizza.

Founder / Managing Partner / Lead Brand Strategist - kgPR - Chicago, IL & Los Angeles, CA

(2009-01)

Direct all corporate operations, creative communication pipelines, and regional advertising frameworks for an elite brand strategy and marketing advisory firm. Serve as chief consultant for high-profile consumer brands, multi-media initiatives, and public sector organizations, converting complex messaging into measurable consumer engagement, foot traffic, and sustained brand revenue.

• Directed Multi-Million-View Regional Media Systems: Spearheaded a high-visibility, multi-media public awareness campaign in direct partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). Engineered a comprehensive visual content ecosystem distributed citywide across broadcast television, radio, transit networks, and premium print/digital billboards, generating millions of organic impressions.
• Executed Localized, Geo-Fenced Ad Engines: Pioneered hyper-targeted regional messaging models utilizing geo-fencing and target demographic matrices across localized geographic zip codes to flood specific neighborhoods, driving measurable retail conversions and physical foot traffic.
• Optimized Consumer Reach via Celebrity & IP Alignment: Executed high-value intellectual property (IP) alignments, influencer collaborations, and media partnerships by leveraging an exclusive 17-year Hollywood talent network, rapidly expanding brand visibility and intake funnels.
• Engineered Scalable Brand Architecture and Sprints: Designed comprehensive marketing blueprints for premier destination brands, balancing immediate 12-week high-traffic injection promotional sprints with long-term, value-driven identity campaigns across complex consumer sub-brands.
• Managed Tier-1 Communications & Public Relations: Guided comprehensive media tours and high-impact press distribution blocks, successfully placing corporate clients, public campaigns, and elite brand advocates into top-tier national and local broadcast programs (including WGN, ABC, and EBONY Magazine).

Executive Director & Strategic Advisory Chair (Pro-Bono) - The Innocent RAGE Foundation - Chicago, IL

(2022-01)

Govern the institutional architecture, digital messaging, live event execution, and community partnership outreach for a premier foundation, converting real-world initiatives into positive community activism and high-retention live event experiences.

• Orchestrated Large-Scale Multi-Site Activations: Conceptualized, structured, and managed the foundation's annual flagship community-engagement events concurrently across Chicago's West Side, South Side, and downtown corridors, demonstrating elite multi-site logistics and regional event operational mastery.
• Secured Institutional & Fortune 500 Corporate Buy-In: Developed core brand identity models and title sponsorship metrics for major high-density events, successfully pitching and securing strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) alignments with networks like Netflix and T-Mobile.
• Integrated Experiential Brand Assets: Embedded interactive, tech-driven activations into live regional events, turning traditional philanthropy into high-retention, emotionally resonant, and memorable live community experiences that built lasting brand loyalty.
• Drove International Media Visibility: Produced and distributed a high-profile spoken-word media asset that achieved international acclaim, securing formal consideration from The Recording Academy for the 2027 Grammy Awards (The Harry Belafonte Best Song For Social Change category).

Director of Brand Relations / Creative Consultant - Prior Entertainment, Media & Brand Marketing Roles - Chicago, IL / Los Angeles, CA

(1995-01 - 2009-12)

Managed direct outreach portfolios linking emerging consumer brands, talent networks, and major media entities to scale brand visibility and build regional marketing coalitions.

• Validated by Municipal Leadership: Recruited directly by the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE) to apply for Chicago's Inaugural Poet Laureate Appointment, establishing recognized authority as a master communicator and trusted civic representative.
• Mapped Early-Stage Influencer Networks: Spearheaded media line strategies and elite product placements for major lifestyle properties and broadcast platforms, mapping early-stage influencer gifting networks prior to the digital standardization of social metrics.

Entertainment PR & Brand Strategy - UCLA Extension Program (2011-01 - 2011-12)

Master of Literature - Literature - Oxford Brookes University (2001-01 - 2002-12)

Bachelor of Science - Business Marketing - Central State University (1988-01 - 1992-12)

General Studies - East-West University (1987-01 - 1987-12)