Chelsey Kamen (20) is an artist and entrepreneur at heart. From running lemonade stands and selling homemade jewelry as a child to marketing museum exhibitions and handling business accounts, Kamen has found ways to channel her passion for art while developing the business acumen she has today.
In her undergraduate career as an International Business major at the University of South Florida, Kamen began to view marketing as a creative side to business. Studying abroad in art meccas such as Italy and France cultivated a love of learning about different cultures that also expanded her love and practice of art.
Following college, she worked for the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she served in a number of roles, including marketing manager where she developed advertising campaigns for museum special exhibitions and tourism outreach initiatives.
“We were telling Salvador Dali’s story and [his use of] surrealism, science, and math — he had all these different elements.”
“I worked in the development department, which is the fundraising arm for the museum,” she said. “And then [I went] into the marketing department and [led] fundraising events and marketing, and then all of our advertising and branding and research arm for the museum. We were kind of the in-house agency for the rest of the departments at the museum and for all the special exhibitions.
“We were telling Salvador Dali’s story and [his use of] surrealism, science, and math — he had all these different elements. But at the core of it was storytelling, driving the motivation of customers to come to the museum to visit and increase awareness of the brand in the local market, to tourists and local residents.”
After meeting the love of her life, she moved to San Diego. A lifelong learner, she set her eyes on earning a Masters of Business Administration degree from PLNU.
“The MBA program at Point Loma really spoke to me with the faculty and the care that they put into the students and relationship building.”
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, she used her networking skills and PLNU connections, such as Jamie Hess, Ph.D., Dean of Fermanian School of Business and professor of marketing. After Kamen took one of Hess’s MBA courses, Hess connected her with Marie Newman Tsay. Newman Tsay is a founding partner of Intesa Communications Group, a San Diego-based firm that specializes in strategic communication, public relations, and government affairs.
Shortly after, she was offered a position at Intesa, where she now works as a Senior Account Manager.
Once there, Newman Tsay subsequently recommended Kamen take a course through LEAD San Diego, a non-partisan leadership development affiliate for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. Kamen recalled the positive impact taking that course had upon her.
“You really learn across the sectors and what makes San Diego tick,” she explained. “It’s great because you’re networking and meeting people.”
“I had led our agency relationship for public relations for the Dali Museum, but never worked for an agency before. So transitioning to the agency side was super fun because I get to work with so many clients.”
“Intesa Communications’ model is to help clients communicate and advocate with confidence in times of opportunity and crisis.”
Intesa Communications partners with many local business firms in the San Diego region and across the country. Prominent clients include SeaWorld, the San Diego Rescue Mission, and the San Diego Housing Fund. For example, in April Intesa created a media relations campaign to celebrate the 90th anniversary of MiraCosta College. The campaign highlighted student success stories, examined the college’s local economic impact, and advanced the college president’s goals to promote diversity and inclusion.
“Intesa Communications’ model is to help clients communicate and advocate with confidence in times of opportunity and crisis,” Kamen explained. “That spoke to me, not only to help people coming from a nonprofit and arts background, but also because their culture and who they chose to work with matches with their core values. Culture is a big part of work experience. I hope that people find a culture that they believe in and fit.”
In her role, Kamen believes her creative background allows her to approach clients and projects with a fresh lens.
“I bring that creative element — the brand, the strategy — to my clients now, depending on what program they’re announcing. Through storytelling and driving motivation engagement, I take the stories of my clients or an event or program they’re passionate about, or a new grant they were awarded and ask: what does that mean at the end of the day for the community here in San Diego? How are our clients making San Diego a better place?”
One project Kamen is really proud of her team working on was developing a parade for the San Diego Tourism Authority. The opportunity came about through tourism authority representatives reaching out to get assistance in announcing an economic report. From there the project team developed a media campaign to engage community members.
Kamen was recognized for her work by San Diego Metro Magazine this year. The magazine included her in its 25th annual “40 Under 40” list, which honors outstanding leaders in San Diego.
In addition to Kamen effectively utilizing her creativity in the workplace and teaching consumer behavior classes as an adjunct at PLNU, she has set some personal goals for herself as an artist.
She shares an art studio where she creates stunning landscapes and floral paintings. Two of her pieces have been featured as exclusives in Crate and Barrel’s online collection. Her work can be found at her website and on Instagram.
Most importantly, Kamen feels she has found a supportive art community and continues to be inspired by San Diego’s natural beauty.
“I’m inspired by the nature that’s around me,” she said. “Living in San Diego, I’ve got a series of flower paintings I’m doing that are based on the flower fields that bloom in the spring, and then also the seascapes. We’re right here on the Pacific Ocean with gorgeous beaches and Sunset Cliffs in my backyard.
“I’d call my work a mix of impressionistic and contemporary art. I do dabble in abstract art now and again. But right now it’s more bright, bold colors and getting to express myself through color and landscapes.”
