Renee Kelly’s journey to Haberman began in the sleepy Twin Cities exurb of Farmington, Minn., where she learned to dig all things wholesome and natural. But the allure of the big city always put Renee into a neon-induced trance, so she developed an equally abiding love for fashion, fine dining and the “fast” life. Today, whether she’s sporting a pair of worn overalls or a pair of Manolo Blahniks, Renee is equally comfortable in the Haberman employee garden or Manhattan’s urban jungle.

With such an insatiable urge to get her hands (and shoes – have you seen the sidewalks in Lower Manhattan?) dirty, it’s no wonder that Renee is now a leader in Haberman’s LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) practice group, representing prominent organic and natural foods clients like Organic Valley and Annie’s, Inc.

While an undergraduate at the University of St. Thomas, a lanky, mercurial guy once visited Renee’s communications class to talk about public relations. Other business leaders had visited the class before, but this guy was different. Aside from a crumpled scrap of paper, he didn’t have any notes. He waved his arms around violently and spoke at the top of his lungs while peppering his speech with curse words.

Sure, Fred Haberman is very passionate and a little weird. But, most importantly, he doesn’t take himself too seriously. And while Renee is seriously committed to her work – with a zealous drive and determination to exceed expectations – she doesn’t take herself too seriously. She knew immediately she wanted to work for Fred.

A true generalist, Renee is adept at all facets of integrated marketing and communications, bringing years of leadership experience in earned media, advertising, interactive strategy, social media and art direction to her client work. And her calm, thoughtful, small-town-Minnesota approach to everyday communication (most likely attributed to her love of yoga) puts clients, customers and editors at ease.

But don’t be fooled by Renee’s smiling “Minnesota Nice” tendencies – she can steal an old lady’s cab, jump a subway turnstile and scream obscenities at passing tourists just like a real New Yorker.  And that is why Renee is such a perfect fit at Haberman – true passion, raw commitment and a refreshing, often brutally honest approach to strategic communications.