about our agency
At Jarel Communications, we believe in the power of storytelling to drive positive change. As a social impact communications firm, we help purpose-driven organizations communicate with clarity, engage with their audiences, and create lasting impact. From public agencies and nonprofits to socially responsible businesses, we amplify the stories of organizations transforming their communities and shaping the future.
our values
PURPOSE drives Us.
EXCELLENCE Defines Us.
SERVICE Empowers Us.
Our Team
Wendy J. Roundtree, APR
Wendy J. Roundtree, APR, is a communications strategist and social impact leader. In 2018, she founded Jarel Communications to elevate the stories of organizations dedicated to driving meaningful change in their communities.
Prior to establishing the firm, Wendy served at Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), the eighth-largest school district in the nation. At OCPS, she specialized in executive speechwriting, employee communications, integrated marketing, and media relations. Her background also includes in-house and agency roles, with industry experience spanning government, higher education, nonprofit, real estate, and healthcare.
In recognition of her achievements and advocacy in public relations, Wendy was named the 2023 Trailblazer Professional of the Year by the Sunshine District of the Public Relations Society of America. Her accolades include being named to Orlando Magazine’s 2021 Women of the Year list, receiving a Women’s Achievement Award from the Women’s Executive Council, and being recognized as a 40 Under 40 recipient by Bethune-Cookman University and the Orlando Business Journal. She was recently recognized as a 2025 Woman Who Means Business by the Orlando Business Journal.
Deeply engaged in her community, Wendy serves as Chair of the Board for the Joe R. Lee Boys and Girls Club in Eatonville, Fla. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and previously served as president of the Orlando Regional Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
Wendy earned her MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College and her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Bethune-Cookman University.
Founder, Lead Strategist
Amber Hastings
Amber Hastings is an Orlando native and brings nearly a decade of experience in media relations, corporate communications, crisis communications, and compelling storytelling to her work. Her passion lies in uncovering impactful narratives and connecting them with audiences who care about them.
Before working with Jarel Communications, Amber spent nearly five years at Orlando Health, Central Florida's only Level 1 trauma center. There, she led earned media strategies for the hospital system's community engagement initiatives, technological innovations program, and their neuroscience and nutrition service lines. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Amber helped establish lead epidemiologists and physicians as trusted subject matter experts, providing accurate information to the public when it mattered most. As the media landscape evolved, she helped leverage social media to supplement earned media efforts and deliver vital updates as news outlets faced unprecedented challenges.
Amber holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from the University of Central Florida.
Senior PR Strategist
Coral Rodriguez-Lipstein
Coral Rodriguez-Lipstein is a strategic communications professional with a deep commitment to purpose-driven work and a background spanning public relations, media strategy, and content development. She brings experience across the entertainment, higher education, and tourism sectors, supporting high-profile campaigns that prioritize impact and authenticity.
Coral has produced multi-format content, managed complex research initiatives, and led media engagement efforts that elevate meaningful narratives. Her approach centers on connecting audiences to ideas that matter through crafting insight-driven messaging that advances brand missions and social responsibility alike.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from the University of Florida.
Public Relations Specialist
Katie Pottinger
Digital Communications Intern
Kaitlyn Pottinger is a senior at the University of Central Florida, double-majoring in Technical Communication and Writing & Rhetoric with a focus on technology. Kaitlyn grew up in Broward County and moved to Orlando to pursue a career that combines her passion for writing and creative direction.
Before joining Jarel Communications, Kaitlyn served as an Advocacy and Media Associate Scholar at Limbitless Solutions, where she led an interdisciplinary team of undergraduates to manage Limbitless’ digital communications and community outreach. This past summer, she interned abroad in Barcelona, Spain. There, she created content for VB Website Studio’s various media channels and optimized client work for SEO ranking.
Kaitlyn’s research and poetry have appeared in publications like Convergence Rhetoric, Moonstone Arts Center, and The Cypress Dome. She has also presented and discussed her work at UCF’s Knights Write Showcase and the Discussions on Writing and Rhetoric podcast. After witnessing the transformative impact of student writing firsthand, Kaitlyn hopes to amplify the vibrant voices of the UCF community as a current editor of Imprint, a student-run magazine at UCF.
