RISE BIRNBAUM & THE DREAM TEAM

You need the right team to win. And ZCOMM’s blend of talent is key to the agency’s success. Meet the team that makes the magic happen:

Risë Birnbaum

Founder & CEO

The daughter of a modern architect, Risë brings a fresh perspective to everything she touches.

She started out as a reporter for an all-news radio station in Miami and was quickly tapped as drive-time anchor, winning awards for her health reporting.

With three years of Miami reporting and anchoring under her belt, Risë became the first woman Correspondent for ABC’s American Contemporary Radio Network, broadcasting to 1,700 rock & roll affiliates. Risë moved from ABC to ESPN’s Radio Network, where she knew every sports stat known to man and covered Wimbledon live.

After marriage and a move to Washington, DC, Risë opened a broadcast PR agency in 1989. Working for consumer giants such as Burger King Corporation, Clorox and P&G, ZCOMM’s work was a far cry from DC issues and politics. Risë’s consumer work enabled her to bring sizzle to clients of every stripe. In her spare time, she wrote two feature film screenplays and was a finalist in the Monterey Screenwriting Competition.

ZCOMM is celebrating its 27th year in business and, through Risë’s leadership, has evolved into a full-service integrated marketing agency. In addition to broadcast PR, ZCOMM produces 2D and 3D animated videos, develops websites, designs video .gifs for UNISYS globally, and much more. Risë’s creativity, business sense and never-say-die attitude have helped propel ZCOMM to a multi-million-dollar agency.

In her spare time, Risë supports the University of Rochester and has been on the boards of the Roundhouse Theatre and the Greater Washington JCC. She travels, plays tennis and still hopes her screenplays will be sold.

Contact Risë.

 

Abigail “Abby” Duman

Account Manager 

Abigail Duman is a proven public relations professional, acting as account lead for a diverse array of clients. She has led mainstream media campaigns, resulting in top tier placements which has both increased brand awareness and translated into sales. 

Prior to her work at ZCOMM, Abby was an Buying/Marketing Consultant for a boutique franchise where she was responsible for acquiring all apparel based on market reports, working hand-in-hand with vendors and designers, and managing operations prior to stores’ grand-opening. 

As an art history and psychology double-major, Abby brings a fresh perspective to our team. She has an eye for aesthetics, is detail-oriented, and has a natural inclination to connect with others. 

Contact Abby.

 

Ryan “Rory” Harty

Digital Producer

Rory has been voted “most popular” in the ZCOMM office, especially when someone has a tech question or needs a quick, eye-catching infographic for a client. He wears a lot of hats (and colorful socks), including website design and editing, audio and video production, and producing multimedia content for websites, social media, mobile apps, interactive media and other digital products.

Rory honed his love of all things digital as a production assistant for PCI Communications, working with the National Biodiesel Board, the Marine Corps Marathon, the Department of Transportation and the Washington Nationals Dream Gala, among others. He coordinated all event and video production and was the point of contact for vendors and freelancers.

Although he doesn’t currently own a car, Rory has been on road trips through 48 states. He says his one true love is the New York Knicks, and plays basketball as often as possible in case they have an open tryout here in DC. If you hear about one, please let him know!

Contact Rory.