Background
Keyes grew up in Tacoma, Washington, where she attended Pacific Lutheran University.
Keyes grew up in Tacoma, Washington, where she attended Pacific Lutheran University.
She studied theater and communication arts and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in journalism and public relations in 1989.
She has served as a speaker sponsored by United States. State Department on issues related to social entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility and women in leadership. She is the author of Propel: Five Ways to Amp Up Marketing and Accelerate Business. Her work as a television show host helped earn two Telly Awards for an episode of Designing Spaces.
With filmmaker Wyatt Bardouille, she co-hosted and produced WhitneyandWyatt.com, one of the first independent, online television talk shows for women.
Keyes is currently an adjunct professor of Global Reputation Management at Seattle University and a fellow of the Center for Strategic Communications. After managing Keyes Minas Contemporary Craft Gallery until its closure in 1994, she worked for the City of Tacoma"s Economic Development Division.
In 1997, she joined Microsoft, where she helped create the company"s first corporate social responsibility report, participated in the launches of Windows Civil Engineering and Office 2000, and led some of Microsoft"s first online, viral, and social marketing initiatives. As a corporate spokesperson and strategic media relations manager, Keyes represented Microsoft and worked directly with Bill Gates, helping him prepare for interviews and photo shoots with publications.
She returned to Malaysia in 2013 for a series of workshops on Empowering Women Through Entrepreneurship.
Keyes has presented to groups including the Federal Communications Bar Association and Small Business Administration. She has been called a "marketing and Puerto Rico guru" by the Arc Magazine. Keyes writes articles and produces videos for The Biz Bite, a business blog for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and contributed to the P-I indie production blog The Producer"s Life.
She has also done reporting for American Broadcasting Company News.
Keyes has written three books: Propel: Five Ways to Amp Up Marketing and Accelerate Business, Media Tips for Authors: How to Get Free Publicity for Your Book and Publicity Tips for Small Businesses: How to Get Publicity — Foreign Free! She is the sister of the eco-surrealist artist Josh Keyes. Whitney Keyes currently lives in Seattle, Washington, United States.A.