PLA Media Ramps Up With Two Staff Promotions and New Addition to the Team
PLA Media is excited to announce the promotion of two staff members, Becky Parsons and Ava Hundley, and the hiring of a third, Nikki Wildy. Becky will take on the new role of Director of Publicity & Branding, Ava has been elevated to Publicity & Social Media Manager, and Nikki steps into the role of Publicity & Social Media Assistant.
After gaining extensive experience including roles with Louisville Ballet, Dead Horse Branding, and Appalachian Places Magazine, Becky joined PLA Media just over a year ago. She excelled in her role, collaborating on projects for BFD/ Audium Nashville’s Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer Michelle Wright, 5x Texas #1 artist Case Hardin, top attraction Lighthouse Artspace’s Immersive Disney Animation, Van Gogh, Nutcraker and more. As Director, Becky will oversee all client accounts, using her previous experience in music publicity combined with her master’s degree in Brand and Media Strategy from East Tennessee State University.
Ava began her journey with PLA at the start of 2023 as a Publicity Assistant, shadowing the team during her final semester at Middle Tennessee State University. Impressed with her work, PLA offered her the full-time position of Publicity and Social Media Coordinator. She has been a passionate and effervescent addition to the team, which is reflected in her swift elevation to a Manager position.
Our newest addition to the PLA team is Nikki Wildy, a rising junior Music Business major at Belmont University. Nikki’s journey at PLA has focused in the audio and content production arenas. PLA is thrilled to officially welcome her to the team in the part-time position of Publicity and Social Media Assistant.
PLA Media’s President, Pamela Lewis, FRSA, congratulates her team: “It is my sincere pleasure to congratulate these three fine young women. Each bring tenacity, integrity, critical thinking, creativity, loyalty, and intelligence to the spectrum, and I am most excited to see what we can all do together. I am proud and blessed to have them on board our team!”
About Becky Parsons
A North Carolina native, Becky graduated Summa Cum Laude with her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Appalachian State University in 2018. She earned her master’s degree in Brand and Media Strategy from East Tennessee State University and received an award for her outstanding contributions to the graduate program. After graduating in May, Becky moved to Music City to pursue her passions in music and publicity.
During her time at graduate school, Becky led projects for a student-run capstone agency over two semesters, teaching her peers the intricacies of public relations and leading successful publicity campaigns. She served as PR Lead and Community Manager for the Brand Storytelling Brand Film Certification, the first-ever partnership between industry and academia in the branded film space. She also served as the Assistant Editor for the regional magazine Appalachian Places, where she continues to highlight Appalachian stories and culture.
Becky has always been highly involved in the music and entertainment space, having played many instruments since childhood. Before joining PLA Media, Becky served as a Public Relations Assistant with Louisville Ballet, as Assistant Brand and Publicity Coordinator with Dead Horse Branding, and as a freelance publicity consultant with local musicians and festivals. Becky’s work has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations for clients, with mentions in DanceInforma, MusicRow Magazine, Billboard Magazine, Country Aircheck, Markets Insider, Yahoo!, and more.
About Ava Hundley
Born and raised in Louisville, KY, Ava Hundley graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelors of Science in the Recording Industry. Ava began her PLA Media career as a PR Assistant in January 2023, which fueled her fire and passion for public relations. The recent transition to her new role as the Publicity & Social Media Manager has given her the opportunity to continue to pursue a lifelong dream.
Ava’s interest for music and the industry traces back to her early childhood where she spent the majority of her time on stage and training in the areas of dance, vocals, and musical theatre. Ava moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee with the intention to complete her college career as a Music Business major and enter the music industry. Throughout her four years of university, Ava held leadership positions in Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, participated in GrammyU, joined the esteemed post-production team of CMA Fest 2022, and spent her final year in school as the Social Media Executive Chair in MTSU’s student run record label, Match Records.
Ava’s dedication channeled towards PR/Marketing and Social Media. Honing her skills, she worked with artists to strengthen their social media presence, build their artist brand, and initiate grassroots outreach to expand their fanbases. During this time she, also worked as a concert photographer.
About Nikki Wildy
Originally from West Friendship, Maryland, Nikki Wildy is studying Music Business and Film Acting at Belmont University, and is pursuing a Bachelors of Business Administration. Since moving to Nashville, her passion for the music industry has blossomed. With roots in songwriting, musical theater, and dance, she found a love for working with other industry creatives.
Nikki spent her childhood in professional theater, constantly surrounded by music. It wasn’t until she began her path in songwriting that she realized she wanted to pursue working in the music industry, which led her to an education at Belmont. At university, she is a part of numerous organizations where she introduces new students to Belmont through Towering Traditions, plans campus-wide events for the Student Activities Programming Board, is involved with Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, and more. Nikki spent four months studying abroad in Grantham, England, and traveled to six different countries across Europe to expand her cultural horizons and experience the depth of international music.
Nikki has advanced her skills in public relations and social media over the years through running various social media accounts for campus organizations and writing branding assets for aspiring artists. PLA Media has been the first milestone in her career, beginning as an intern in the summer of 2022 and continuing into her current role as the Publicity & Social Media Assistant.