Arhlene Flowers

Arhlene A. Flowers, assistant professor in Integrated Marketing Communications, has extensive public relations and marketing experience on both the agency and corporate sides.  She can help students learn how to launch new products and services, revitalize existing ones, reach new markets, overcome crises and marketing challenges, and enhance awareness among shareholders.  She has held senior management positions at leading New York City agencies, including Ruder Finn, Hill and Knowlton, GCI Group and Middleton & Gendron. 

Throughout her career, Arhlene has represented a wide range of public and private companies, government organizations and non-profits, such as airlines (Air France, British Airways, KLM, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways), cruise lines (Norwegian Cruise Lines, Windstar), destinations (Bermuda, Catskill Region, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia), economic development (Hartford, CT; Indonesia), hotel companies (Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Homewood Suites, Marriott Resorts, Regent International Hotels, W Hotels), publishers (Lonely Planet, Woodstock Arts), real estate (Four Seasons Clubs; Palm Coast, FL), credit card services (Visa International), beverages (Mount Gay Rum, Robert Mondavi), art organizations (Byrdcliffe Arts Colony) and hobbies (U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters). 

On the client side, she served as corporate public relations director worldwide at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, based in its corporate headquarters in Toronto.  At Four Seasons, she managed the corporate PR department and directed PR agencies in the US and Europe for this publicly held company and its portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts on six continents, as well as its real estate developments. 

In the crisis communications arena, she has dealt with crime, terrorism, airline hijackings, accidents, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, labor disputes, boycotts and food poisonings.  

Born in Hawaii and raised in New York, Arhlene holds a Bachelor of Arts from New York University and a Master of Professional Studies from New School University.  She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the North American Airlines Public Relations Association (former chairman).  She also serves as the faculty advisor to Ithaca College's Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.  

Arhlene has represented clients on six continents and has traveled throughout five continents – and hopes to visit Australia and Antarctica in the future.

Courses Taught at IC: Public Relations; Writing for PR; and PR Lab.  

Faculty Advisor for Student Awards: Direct Marketing Educational Foundation Collegiate ECHO Competition, Bronze Award (Students Lisa Voyticki '07 and So Hyeon Park from PR Lab, Spring 2007); Public Relations Student Society of America Bateman Case Study Competition, Honorable Mention Citation (Safe Kids Buckle Up, Students Mandy Kessler '08, Rebecca Levitt '09, Liz Marmo '08, Colleen Shea '09, and Jeremy Tagliaferre '09)

Research Areas: Marketing and PR in Virtual Worlds; Crisis Communications; and PR Education.