To start off 2025, SHIFT added two new Vice Presidents to its team. Jeff Koo joins the Technology team, where he leads Consumer Technology and Emerging Technology programs and practice growth from San Francisco. Sara Hood joins the Consumer team from Chicago, leading SHIFT’s recently expanded support for McDonald’s with its Operators of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana and the Consumer practice’s overall growth.
Jeff Koo, Vice President, Technology
Jeff brings 18 years of experience across B2B and B2C public relations. He specializes in consumer electronics and smart home devices, AI, mobile, enterprise technology and robotics.
He has helped launch dozens of products and built brands in programs that have secured awards including the official Best of CES award, Fast Company Innovation by Design, and front-page coverage in The New York Times, Forbes, Entrepreneur and more. Notable client experience includes SAP, Intel Capital, Shopify and Pudu Robotics on the B2Bside and Dropcam (now Google Nest Cam), Grindr and OnePlus in B2C.
He previously served as a Vice President at Bateman Agency, WE Communications, and Sparkpr as well ran his own strategic communications consultancy.
Sara Hood, Vice President, Consumer
Sara has over two decades of public relations, marketing communications, experiential marketing and strategic social media experience that spans categories including CPG, spirits, CSR/franchise, hospitality, manufacturing, home, automotive, financial service, and non-profit.
Her client work has ranged from Fortune 500s such as Cintas Corporation to luxury lifestyle brands such as Kalahari Resorts& Conventions to community nonprofits — and lots of others in between— and has delivered Shorty, Dieline, Adweek Arc and Anvil-winning campaigns.
She previously served as Vice President at Morning Walk and Cramer-Krasselt.
Commentary on the news:
Amanda Munroe, SHIFT Group Lead:
Both Sara and Jeff bring rich and varied communications, marketing and client experience. Their thinking aligns with SHIFT’s approach to performance communications and tying integrated communications to business objectives and their joining gives us the ability to work with a new set of clients and continue to change the way brands think about PR.
Jeff Koo, VP, Technology:
I have worked with startups and global enterprises, for both small scrappy PR agencies and multinational firms. SHIFT brings together the best of all these worlds and I look forward to expanding our influence as a respected tech PR brand in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
Sarah Hood, VP, Consumer:
I am excited to be a part of a truly collaborative team, particularly one that celebrates real business results. It’s clear that SHIFT excels at delivering the kinds of integrated, culturally relevant campaigns that actually connect with consumers today. And has fun doing it!
These senior hires come on the heels of recent client wins across all three of SHIFT’s industry practice groups, including predictive consumer intelligence company Resonate and McDonald’s Operators of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.
