ABOUT US
Handlebar PR is led by two senior level PR strategists who bring more than 30 years of combined experience in the tourism industry to their clients. As experts in the field, Carly and Caitlin have established Handlebar PR as a trusted resource for news and trendsetting story ideas, for both journalists and clients. The team comes with built-in and long-standing relationships not only with key editors, but also with a myriad of freelancers who produce compelling feature content for top outlets.
“It's been a joy working with Carly and Caitie on various projects over the last 5 years. Not only are they an endless source of knowledge about Colorado's regional attractions, they also take the time to figure out exactly what kind of story you're looking for, and then go out of their way to supply you with contacts, itinerary suggestions and relevant data to help you write it. I highly recommend!”
- Alex Schechter, freelance writer and contributor to The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, National Geographic, Hemispheres and more.
CARLY HOLBROOK
Principal Partner, Boulder
Carly founded Handlebar PR in July 2014 and brings more than 15 years of travel PR experience providing strategic public relations direction to the team. Carly has interacted with hundreds of journalists through creative story pitching and media hosting and continuously secures coverage in top-tier national and regional outlets for her clients.
On a day-to-day basis, you can find Carly developing public relations and crisis communications plans, providing client counsel and conducting proactive media relations. She also oversees the coordination of group and individual media trips, press release development and pitching, news conferences, media receptions, deskside meetings in key visitation markets and more.
After hours, Carly can be found enjoying outdoor adventures with her husband and two daughters and living #vanlife complete with delicious camp meals, margaritas and mountain bikes always in tow.
“As a travel and adventure journalist, it's my job to point readers to places they want to explore and activities they want to experience - and provide truthful commentary about places that aren't worth visiting. Carly Holbrook and her team understand that. I've worked with Carly for more than a decade, on skiing and camping adventures in all corners of Colorado. I've followed Carly up a snowy mountain on a hut-to-hut ski trip, followed her tips as I zoomed around the state in a camper van, and used her maps to plot a trip that included ‘surfing’ down a giant sand dune and running alongside a fuzzy burro in a burro race. I always get the best stories with her support and expertise.”
— Pam LeBlanc, co-founder of Austin Travels Magazine, freelance writer, contributor to Texas Monthly and more.
CAITLIN JOHNSON
Principal Partner, Denver
Specializing in media relations and client management, Caitlin brings nearly 20 years of public relations, marketing and communications experience to the Handlebar PR team. She guides public relations strategy for Handlebar clients, driving story coverage in key publications. On a day-to-day basis you can find Caitie hard at work pitching top tier national editors and freelance writers for feature story opportunities, planning story-generating press trips, coordinating memorable events, working closely with clients and industry partners to bring their stories to life, writing compelling press releases and staying on top of industry trends and best practices.
After hours, Caitie enjoys channeling her inner Ina Garten--entertaining family and friends, traveling with her husband and two girls and spinning her heart out at SoulCycle.
“It doesn't matter what type of story I'm reporting or for which outlet (Condé Nast Traveler, AFAR, Bon Appétit, etc.), I know I can turn to Caitlin for up-to-the-minute news on all things Colorado. She has great taste and thinks like an editor—always pitching cool story ideas I should have thought of first. When it comes to trip planning, Caitlin is more organized than Marie Kondo. Her rolodex runs deep, too: No matter what type of source I need—an experienced ski instructor, an outsider artist, a kombucha kingpin—she knows just the right person. And if she doesn't, she will go to the ends of the earth to find them. Nights and weekends? They don't exist in Caitlin's world, and I've certainly taken advantage of that—pinging her at midnight with ridiculous last-minute requests. By morning, she's not only on the case, she's cracked it. That's how freakin' good she is.”
— Ashlea Halpern, contributing editor to Conde Nast Traveler, freelance writer for Bon Appetit, AFAR, Good Housekeeping and more.