About Us
Founded in 1985 by music industry icon Pam Lewis, PLA Media is a Nashville based award-winning, full-service public relations and marketing company, dedicated to placing (and keeping) our clients in a positive media spotlight. PLA has coordinated campaigns and creative projects including major label and independent artists, celebrities, best-selling authors, special events, TV and radio hosts, corporations, restaurants and more. We have organized strategic high-profile local, regional and national campaigns that included segments on major networks, cable, print, syndicated online and radio outlets.
Pamela Lewis
Founder / President
Pamela Lewis, a native of upstate New York, is a graduate of Wells College with a B.A. in Economics/Marketing and a minor in French and Communications. Lewis spent a year in Paris studying at Center of Overseas Undergraduate Program (COUP) affiliated with The Sorbonne University. In New York City, she worked at MS Magazine and did additional graduate course work at Fordham University, The New York School for Social Research, and The Publicity Club of New York. From 1980 to 1984, Lewis was part of the original publicity/marketing team that launched MTV to the world, and also worked with MTV’s sister cable channels Nickelodeon, The Movie Channel, and The Arts & Entertainment Network. In 1984, she left Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment Company (WASEC), a joint venture of Warner Communications and American Express, with the position of National Media Director.
RCA Records recruited Lewis while still in her early 20’s and relocated her from New York City to Nashville to help shape the careers of top country stars such as Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, The Judds, and Alabama. She left RCA, starting her own PR/marketing + artist development agency working with clients such as MCA Records, Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Patty Loveless, and the CMA. Lewis hired a team and started award-winning PLA Media in 1985.
Claire Ratliff
Senior Publicist
Entertainment/media veteran, Claire Ratliff, joins PLA Media after nearly two decades as an independent publicist, providing a versatile mix of marketing, publicity, and public relations services for clients that have included country music legends Lorrie Morgan, David Frizzell, and David Ball; multi-award winning bluegrass bands The Grascals and Balsam Range, television star Deidre Hall, and a host of other established and rising stars in multiple genres. Corporate clients have included The Southern Women’s Show and Connie Elder International, developers of lifestyle products for women, seen on QVC for more than a decade. Ratliff has represented authors Liz Mitchell (The Torchbearer Series), and author/podcaster Stephen M. Thompson (No Zebras!: Engaging Bystanders in the Movement to End Sexual Aggression). She is the Executive Producer of War Paint with Lorrie Morgan, a podcast and TV series hosted by the Grand Ole Opry star.
A former marketer with Columbia Pictures of Burbank, CA, Ratliff has been a corporate marketing executive, freelance writer, and performing songwriter. She is also a fine artist and personal trainer. Ratliff is a graduate of the Gallup Institute High Impact Management Program, and attributes her success to a dedication to exceptional, customer-focused, solutions-oriented service.
Matt BJORKE
PUBLICIST
Matt Bjorke is a proud graduate of the University of Washington whose passport tells almost as many stories as he does. He spent two unforgettable years in Asia—first in Beijing, China, and later in Seoul, South Korea—sharing his love of English, storytelling, and the power of a well-turned phrase with college and elementary students alike.
When he’s not crafting words, Matt is likely spinning a favorite album, passionately cheering on his beloved Seattle sports teams, or diving deep into film—watching, debating, and adding to his ever-growing collection. He’s equally at home behind a camera lens, cruising down a backcountry road with the windows down, or admiring striking architecture wherever he finds it.
Matt Williams
Graphic & Website Designer
Matt is an award-winning graphic designer, website designer, writer, and consultant. With over a decade of experience, Matt has established an eclectic portfolio working with clients in a diverse range of industries including entertainment, healthcare, hospitality, technology, non-profit, and more. He has worked in agency and corporate settings, as well as freelance, collaborating closely with everyone from project managers and CEOs to talent managers and musicians.
Originally hailing from Pennsylvania and now residing in Los Angeles (with frequent trips back to Nashville), Matt has a bachelor degree in Marketing with a minor in Communications from Mercyhurst University, and a Masters in Business Administration from Belmont University.
Judi LaRue
PLA Bookkeeper / Office Manager
Judi joined PLA in 2014. She is a long term music industry veteran whose tenure has included stints at Titley/Spalding, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, TBA Entertainment and MTM Music Group.
You!
We are currently accepting resumes for interns.
You will be working directly with the publicists at the office to help develop campaigns, write press releases, answer phones, set meetings, assist with press kit creation, data entry, and social media, and help conduct market research.