Elise Freimuth has nearly 20 years of experience in leading press and marketing strategies in the hospitality and entertainment industries. Her career has encompassed top positions in-house and at agencies, resulting in a keen understanding of what resonates with consumers and media, as well as what’s actionable for her clients.

Prior to founding Forager PR, Elise was a SVP at The Door, leading campaigns for LA-based restaurants, bars and culinary events, as well as national brands in the wine, spirits and consumer product goods space. For 6 years, she served as the VP of Communications for Santa Monica’s acclaimed Rustic Canyon Family of Restaurants, overseeing PR, Marketing and Social Media for 10 dining concepts. This included developing a brand identity for the group and 3 new restaurants, plus rebranding 2 concepts. Previously, Elise was an Executive Director at Wagstaff Worldwide, where she first began working with the Rustic Canyon Family, alongside other restaurant groups, hotels, cookbooks, events, and nationally-recognized culinary personalities. While at PMK*BNC, Elise launched a lifestyle division, so she could start leading PR campaigns for chefs and restaurants (her passion), while simultaneously working in the events division on the Emmys, American Music Awards and more.

After nearly a decade in entertainment, including as the Director of Publicity & Communications for the non-profit Film Independent, Elise shifted away from red carpets and popcorn dinners to an industry that’s all about creating memorable experiences over great food and drinks.

In her spare time, Elise loves hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains and finding wild edible plants like fennel, sage, nasturtium, chervil, miner’s lettuce and more. She also volunteers with the Sierra Club’s trail maintenance crew.