food for thought

Kuvy Ax, Owner

Kuvy Ax is the founder and owner of ROOT, a seasoned and award-winning PR, marketing and social media agency dedicated to supporting good food – to those who grow it, make it, sell it and bring it to life.

Born in Colorado, Kuvy spent her formative years in England, then moved back to Colorado in 1990. After a decade working in radio, newspaper and TV as a writer, announcer, producer and promoter, an obsession with food and cooking prompted her to join Culinary School of the Rockies as Director of Avocational Programs in 2000.

In 2002, James Mazzio, a Food & Wine Magazine “Best New Chef,” hired Kuvy to handle his PR, which quickly led to the formation of ROOT Marketing & PR.

Through ROOT, Kuvy has handled public relations and marketing for almost every type of food or beverage-related company, program, and event, including restaurant openings, product launches, TV appearances, special events and festivals, national media tours, and deskside interviews in NYC.

In 2022, Kuvy was a judge for the New Hope Network Expo West NEXTY Awards and Expo East NEXTY Awards, and was also a speaker at both Expos. She was also a judge and trainer for New Hope’s Press Pitch event. In 2023, Kuvy will emcee the New Hope Network Expo West Pitch Slam on March 8.

Her nonprofit/volunteer work has included positions as President of Pollination Planet, Co-President of Slow Food Boulder County, as a member of the Board of Directors of the World Travel Association, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Les Dames D’Escoffier. She has also been a member of the CTO and Dept. of Agriculture’s Heritage & Agritourism Committee, and volunteered for the Flatirons Food Film Festival for many years.

In her spare time, Kuvy loves exploring new cities, cultures and foods, playing in the kitchen, and eating with friends.

Heather Collins, Senior PR Account Manager

For nearly two decades, Heather Collins has built effective marketing and communications strategies for food brands, restaurants, events, and organizations. In addition to working in the natural products industry, Collins has collaborated with culturally focused, purpose-driven organizations in art, film, food, and the literary arts. She has successfully steered communications for restaurant launches in Denver, Omaha and Maui. She has worked for top national brands such as the Aspen Institute, Alfalfa’s Markets, Udi’s Gluten-Free Foods, thinkThin, McDonald’s, Wild Oats Marketplace, the Boulder International Film Festival, the Denver Film Festival and the National Restaurant Association – to name a few.

Collins is passionate about being a part of the greater good that evokes positive change in our food systems, climate, education, and social initiatives that support healthy lifestyles. As a former TV reporter and news anchor in Nebraska, Heather gets to the message quickly while having fun.

In her spare time, Heather can be found hiking, skiing, traveling, writing, reading or in the kitchen creating heart-healthy, gluten-free dishes and recipes with her friends, family and community.

Emily Tracy, Senior Account Manager

Senior PR Account Manager Emily Tracy has nearly a decade of experience in food, beverage and hospitality PR. Emily was drawn to PR from her desire to support the small businesses who create the foundation of strong communities. She creates and implements award-winning PR campaigns with a heavy focus on strategic media relations and compelling content.

After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a dual major in journalism (PR sequence) and political science, she was the lead content specialist and an account manager for a full-service communications firm in Atlanta. During her time there, she managed two PRSA winning campaigns, one in content marketing and one in crisis management.

Today, she’s fulfilling her dream in Colorado by representing some of the finest good food businesses in the U.S. and beyond, including The Plant Based Seafood Co., Savory Spice, Table22, Birdcall Motherlove Herbal Company, Boulder County Farmers Markets, Naturally Boulder and others. Alongside Kuvy, she earned two PRSA Colorado awards in 2021 for work on Boulder County Farms Market and ChefReady virtual kitchen.

When she’s not brainstorming strategy or honing in on media placement opportunities for her clients, she can be found camping, cheering on the Tar Heels, experimenting with new recipes and hanging with her cats.`

Her favorite healthy food to make is watermelon with a lime and fish sauce dressing, garnished with peanuts and basil.

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Josephine Agrawal, Social Media Strategist and Trainer

Josephine Agrawal, our Social Media Strategist and Influencer Marketing Manager, is a grammar-obsessed marketing conference nerd who brings 6+ years of digital marketing experience in social media, content strategy and brand voice development to the table.

Josephine loves the challenge of conveying brands’ personalities and real-life passion through their social media channels.

Josephine entered the world of social media marketing while working with MerleFest, one of America’s most renowned and oldest Bluegrass music festivals. With a passion and ear for music, Josephine moved to Nashville, Tenn., and became a go-to social media marketer for local restaurants, renowned musicians, and the Nashville Public Library system. She specialized in event promotion for some of Nashville’s most beloved events, helping to draw crowds that exceeded 100,000. Josephine has also worked extensively in the media world, handling social media for publications like Ed Helms’ The Bluegrass Situation, Edible Nashville, Nashville Scene and the Nashville Post.

She left Music City in 2018 to become the Digital Marketing Manager at Lucky’s Market in Niwot, Colo, where she orchestrated social media strategy for more than 15 new store openings, strategically implemented all paid digital advertising, and taste-tested lots of tasty (and not-so-tasty) veggie chips.

These days, Josephine handles social media strategy for businesses of all sizes, as well as social media training to empower businesses to effectively handle their own social media. When she’s not hashtagging, she can be found cooking Indian food, doing yoga or watering her plants.

Her favorite healthy meal to make is a fresh arugula salad with toasted pine nuts, lemon, olive oil and parmesan cheese.

Kristine Root, Marketing and Brand Strategist

Kristine Root is a branding and marketing authority with over a decade of experience leading market research, positioning, brand development, and planning for food, beverage and wellness brands.

Kristine’s unique approach blends creativity and innovation allowing her to build holistic marketing plans that level up to business objectives and deliver measurable results. Her 14+ years of experience in marketing strategy and consumer insights is coupled with an unmistakable passion for delivering impact.

Kristine currently manages brand and marketing strategy for ROOT Marketing & PR where she designs growth marketing programs and directs strategic initiatives for the agency’s growth minded clients looking to position for market expansion.

Having held positions in the agency and brand side, Kristine understands the complexity of marketing from both perspectives. She started her career at Whitney Morse, a prominent advertising and branding agency in Minneapolis, MN where she learned the ropes of brand strategy and the value of great design. Kristine was the co-founder of Purple Bamboo, lead the 200% growth initiative for Biodentist, and served as the Director of Business Development and Marketing for The Pineapple Agency — an experiential marketing agency focused on creating raving loyal fans for clients like Noosa Yoghurt, Outdoor Industry Association, Hansen’s Soda, and Under Armor.

Kristine holds a BA in Marketing Communications from Gustavus Adolphus College and digital marketing nano degree from Udacity.

After-hours, you will find her reading cookbooks and books on marketing strategy with equal vigor. She enjoys going to the market, playing with new recipe ideas, camping, biking, skiing, and practicing soccer skills with her family.

Her favorite healthy dish to make is grilled Colorado peaches with mascarpone and fresh mint. But you may want to ask her again tomorrow, she’s always trying something new.

Gianna Lapiana, Administrative Assistant