Omaha native Melissa Kucirek is founder and principal of Moxie Publicity, which specializes in media relations and finding creative ways to engage guerrilla marketing efforts.

Kucirek (“Pronounced like a sneeze: kah-chur-ick,” she quips) earned a Master of Arts degree in communication with an emphasis in public relations from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has since accrued more than a decade of experience in the concert and live entertainment industry, and has cultivated a particular passion for media relations and pitching stories to national media, secondary markets, and even tertiary markets.

Kucirek has been an integral team members for numerous projects like The Blizzard Music Tour (Nelly, T-Pain, Sick Puppies, etc.), and she’s also served as head of publicity and promotion for such diverse acts as Great White, seven-time GRAMMY-winning and legendary vocal group The 5th Dimension, GRAMMY Hall of Fame and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, the bombastic Hairball, and an ever-increasing roster of bands, venues, promoters, and nonprofits. She’s known for her spirit of collaboration and her candor, and has gained a reputation for getting results without compromising her professional integrity.

“I thrive in a team atmosphere,” Kucirek explains. And there’s no deep secret to her success, she insists. “I’m simply relentless in my efforts to gain media attention for my clients.”