Background
Kellie Evans Rao was born in Pontiac, Michigan, United States.
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Kellie Rao
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Kellie Evans Rao is an American advertising agency executive known for her work in account management and client services within the Detroit-area advertising industry. She held senior roles at several marketing and advertising firms, including Warner Bros. Doner and Simons Michelson Zieve, where she served as vice president of account services.
Education
Rao studied communications at Albion College in Michigan, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in 1983. Her academic training in communications prepared her for a professional career in advertising and client relations.
Career
Kellie Evans Rao began her professional career in advertising in 1983 as an account executive at The Competitive Edge in Birmingham, Michigan. In this role she worked with clients on marketing strategy and advertising campaigns.
In 1984 Rao joined Warner Bros. Doner in Southfield, Michigan, where she served as a senior account executive until 1986. Her responsibilities included managing major advertising accounts and coordinating campaign development between clients and creative teams.
In 1986 Kellie Evans Rao became vice president of account services at Simons Michelson Zieve, Inc. in Troy, Michigan. In this leadership position she oversaw client service operations and advertising account management. Beginning in 1989 she also served on the firm’s steering committee, contributing to organizational planning and agency strategy.
Rao also worked as a public relations consultant for the Meadow Brook Hall Concourse d'Elegance in Rochester, Michigan in 1989, supporting promotional and communications activities for the classic automobile event.
Membership
Rao has been a member of the Adcraft Club of Detroit, a professional organization for advertising and marketing professionals in the Detroit region. She has also been affiliated with Kappa Alpha Theta, serving on the corporation board from 1988 to 1989.
