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Erika Lafata markets and sells local advertising opportunities in The Frisco Community Newsletter started in 2001 by her husband Matt Lafata, a six-year former Frisco City Council member. The grass-roots e-publication is the largest of its kind in Frisco and has grown to 41,000 subscribers who receive the weekly newsletter containing community news and events in Frisco submitted by various individuals and groups. After the newsletter email blast goes out each Thursday night it's posted online in the archives.
Erika has had a diverse career in the media and talent industries for 20 years, including:
* Newspaper writer, photographer & managing editor
* Radio as on-air talent (disc jockey) for 6 years in the Houston market and southeast Texas area, as well as radio ad sales & promotions for 5 years in the Dallas market
* Cable TV ad sales and production for 8 years
* As voice and on-camera talent, lending her vocal stylings & face to scores of radio & television commercials & industrial films, locally to internationally. She has worked as talent for clients such as Kroger, Foley’s, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Sakowitz, North Beach Leather, Pier One imports, and Academy Sports & Outdoors.
Erika has worked for some of the top stations in the nation, including the #1 country format station. She has been recognized in the radio & cable television industries a number of times for her outstanding sales accomplishments, including:
* Being named to national publication Cable Avails Magazine’s Top 100 Cable Advertising Executives in 2000
* Sales Top Achiever for 1999-2000 for CableRep Advertising
* Dallas local market recipient of the 2003 Comcast Spotlight’s President’s Club Award for cable advertising
* Was named the 2004-2005 CBS Radio President’s Award Winner for the Dallas radio market’s six stations.
Erika is quick to point out that although prestigious awards such as these weigh heavily on sales volume, she is most proud of the fact that large consideration for these accolades are based on outstanding customer service to her clients.
Some of her volunteer and civic activities include:
* Past Secretary of the American Women in Radio & Television Dallas-Ft. Worth Chapter
* Graduate of the Frisco Citizens Police Academy
* Twice Past-President of her hometown Lions Club, and served on the District Cabinet for Public Relations. Current member of the Frisco Noon Lions Club.
* Public Relations/Marketing Co-Chair for the Boys and Girls Club of Collin County Chrysalis Gala 2008
* Ambassador, Frisco Chamber of Commerce
From 2004-2009 Erika held the Texas franchise license for the prestigious Mrs. United States® competition for married women, which also doubled as a fundraiser. The organization has given money to charities such as the Cancer Monument Fund and Autism Speaks. Erika was also was a successful local director for Miss Texas USA/Miss Texas Teen USA, both state preliminaries to Donald Trump's Miss Universe Organization. Two of her local winners won the Miss Texas Teen USA title back-to-back in 2001 and 2002, with one placing 3rd runner-up at Miss Teen USA.
Erika is passionate about helping other businesses and professionals grow to the next level of success, and draws from her 20 years of diverse media experience to help find effective marketing solutions. Having extensive successful experience on both the sales/promotions side of media as well as serving as voiceover and on-camera talent, she offers a unique perspective to approaching a company’s marketing goals, being able to also assist with the creative and production sides of a campaign.
Through her ability to spot raw talent, she also enjoys applying her life experience in the talent industry to assist others in doing the same, and helping to shape an individual’s career goals. She has also scouted and referred a number of diverse acting and modeling talent to agencies who have gone on to have great success in the industry.
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