Welcome to The Playground, the PressPlay Agency’s blog where we keep you up-to-date on what us and our partners are up to.
MEET THE TEAM: VIRGINIA “STEPH” DONALDS - DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SUCCESS & SPECIAL PROJECTS
Virginia “Steph” Donalds is our Director of Member Success & Special Projects - and the glue that holds it all together. A natural born hustler and creative, Steph plays a key role in discovering talent, creating partnerships, and generally keeping the ship running smoothly. At just 23 years old, she’s an entrepreneur, a cofounder, and has a production partnership with a major label - and somehow has time to attend just about every workshop and industry event NYC has to offer. Steph ensures our members and clients get the most out of our work together - and takes pride in building strong relationships and equipping talented young artists with the tools they need to navigate the music industry. She is a fierce advocate, a valued team member, and a star PressPlay brand ambassador - and we’re happy we found her first!
MEET THE TEAM: AIDAN WERDER - DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Aidan is our resident copywriter, editor, notetaker, and Jersey boy. He’s a skilled writer and communicator with an eye for branding and an inexplicable amount of hip hop knowledge - all being put to good use building up the PressPlay brand and our artists’. Coming from the startup world with a business school background, he has a unique perspective on the business landscape, using the lessons learned from helping to grow venture-backed tech companies to the world of music and entertainment. Aidan brings to the table a powerful combination of strategy and creativity, helping to bring concepts to life and elevate the stories of artists and brands. If you need to get your point across in written form - whether it’s an article, a bio, a press release, an email, or even a DM - Aidan is your go-to asset.
Meet the Team: D'Rand Jones - Director of Brand Management
D’Rand “D.Jones” Jones is our branding secret weapon. An experienced brand manager, D’Rand brings to the table years of experience working with top-tier talent: managing brands in several verticals, touring with high profile artists, creating brand activations, and building merchandising operations from the ground up. Over his career, he’s helped to sell over 500K units for various entertainment, lifestyle, streetwear, tobacco, and beverage brands - generating $6M+ in sales. D’Rand has managed Grammy-nominated artists and award-winning designers - and worked with some of the biggest brands and publications in the country. Originally from Cleveland before honing his craft and hustle in Atlanta, D’Rand now brings his talents to NYC to help build the PressPlay brand and those of our partners.