From Newsrooms to PR: How Katie Riess Amplifies Change While Being a Mom
mom of THREE, CEO, & PR Expert: Katie Riess
Katie Riess
Katie Riess spent 15+ years as a TV news producer, working with some of the biggest news programs in the industry including NBC News, CBS News and Bloomberg TV.
In 2013, after turning down the job of a lifetime at CNN, Katie flipped the script and learned the world of PR and after wanting to work with her own amazing clients, she started KT Media Strategies where she could utilize her deep network of industry contacts and years of expertise to build credible media exposure for them.
In a very short time, Katie was able to build an impressive list of clients who came to her with little to no understanding of how the media industry worked and with her kind nature and ability to explain the process in simple terms, Katie was not only able to gain their trust, but deliver results. Her earned media placements included published articles and quotes in top publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc., Fast Company, Business Insider, BuzzFeed, Rolling Stone and US News and World Report, and tv spots on every major network and show: CNN, ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and many more.
The only thing Katie loves more than her work is her family. Katie lives near beautiful Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and three boys who keep her busy.
MEET KATIE
Katie Riess is the kind of mom who understands the delicate dance between career ambitions and the desire to be there for her kids. As the mother of three boys—ages 4, 9, and 11—she’s learned firsthand how to navigate the challenges and rewards that come with wearing the dual hats of "CEO" and "Mama." Katie is the founder of KT Media Strategies, a PR firm dedicated to helping people who are making a difference in the world get the visibility they deserve. It’s not just about getting press; it’s about making sure the voices that need to be heard are amplified in the right way.
Katie’s journey is a reminder to all of us that sometimes the most challenging choices we face as moms can lead to unexpected and beautiful opportunities. Her work is about using media strategically to lift up those who are sparking real, positive change, and she finds deep fulfillment in knowing she’s helping to create a better world for her children and future generations.
The Pivotal Moment: A Leap of Faith
Every mom in business has that moment—when the intersection of career and motherhood shifts everything. For Katie, it happened in 2013. She was a TV news producer on a fast-track, working with some of the biggest names in the industry, like NBC News, CBS News, and Bloomberg TV. She was even in discussions with CNN to produce a high-profile Sunday show. But she had something else in her life that was pulling at her heartstrings: her 6-month-old son.
Katie remembers those sleepless nights, questioning if she was making the right decision. “I felt like I was giving up what I had worked so hard for since college,” she shares. But as she rocked her son to sleep at 2 a.m., the reality of what she wanted became clearer: more flexibility, more presence, and more room for the kind of work that lights up her soul. So she made a bold move—turning down the CNN opportunity and stepping into the world of PR, building KT Media Strategies from the ground up.
“I felt like I was giving up what I had worked so hard for since college,” she shares. But as she rocked her son to sleep at 2 a.m., the reality of what she wanted became clearer: more flexibility, more presence, and more room for the kind of work that lights up her soul.”
- Katie RiEss
Why It Was Worth It
The transition wasn’t easy. There were moments when Katie wondered if she’d made a mistake—when she missed the fast pace of the newsroom, the sense of being at the center of everything. But in those quiet moments at home, she found something more valuable: time to be with her kids, time to watch them grow, time to build a life that aligned with her values. And in that space, she discovered a new passion—helping others tell their stories in a way that matters.
Katie says, “I never thought I’d end up in PR, much less love it! But the shift allowed me to work with amazing clients who are genuinely making a difference, and I realized that I could bring my storytelling skills to this new world.” Her background as a journalist gives her a unique perspective—she understands what makes a story compelling, and she knows how to get it in front of the right people. Now, she’s using that expertise to shine a spotlight on those who are striving to make the world a better place.
How She Makes It Work: Tips for Moms Balancing Business and Family
Katie’s life is busy, like all of ours, but she’s found ways to make it all work. “Outsource, outsource, outsource!” she laughs. “It’s the only way I can manage to juggle both my business and my family.” For Katie, outsourcing isn’t just a business strategy; it’s a way to reclaim time for the things that matter most. It means Instacart instead of spending precious hours in the grocery store. It means hiring her niece to help with holiday gift wrapping and homework. “The little things you can take off your plate really add up,” she says.
But beyond the practical, Katie believes in giving herself grace. “There are days when I feel like I’m doing a hundred things, and not a single one of them perfectly. But I remind myself that being present for my kids and showing up for my clients in a meaningful way doesn’t mean being perfect—it means being there. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to not do it all.”
Building a Legacy That Matters
Katie’s life is busy, like all of ours, but she’s found ways to make it all work. “Outsource, outsource, outsource!” she laughs. “It’s the only way I can manage to juggle both my business and my family.” For Katie, outsourcing isn’t just a business strategy; it’s a way to reclaim time for the things that matter most. It means Instacart instead of spending precious hours in the grocery store. It means hiring her niece to help with holiday gift wrapping and homework. “The little things you can take off your plate really add up,” she says.
But beyond the practical, Katie believes in giving herself grace. “There are days when I feel like I’m doing a hundred things, and not a single one of them perfectly. But I remind myself that being present for my kids and showing up for my clients in a meaningful way doesn’t mean being perfect—it means being there. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to not do it all.”
Katie’s Message to Fellow Moms…
To the mom who feels torn between her career and her kids, to the woman who wonders if she can really have both, Katie’s story is a testament that it’s possible. Not easy, but possible. “It’s okay to shift gears, to change directions, to make choices that feel right for you and your family,” she says. “You’re not giving up—you’re just making space for what’s next.”
Her journey is a reminder that success doesn’t have to come at the cost of what matters most. Sometimes, it’s about building a new kind of success—a life where you can show up fully for both your business and your babies, even if that means doing it with a little bit of mess and a whole lot of heart.
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about YOUR HOST
Hey, I’m mariah
BOY MAMA and MADE FOR MOTHERS CEo + FOUNDER
My claim to fame is burning my multi-six-figure marketing agency to the ground when my son was born in order to create the village I needed so badly as a CEO & mom. I felt deeply alone, and I knew there was a better way! And guess what!? I figured it out, moms just need to be deeply rooted for, seen by, and surrounded by other moms!
If you're NEW to the Made for Mothers community, just know that his table is long and wide, there are plenty of seats, no cool girls, no gossip, no aggressive networking, no stressing if your babies can tag along... we're mothers first, and wildly ambitious entrepreneurs second AND you belong here!.
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