Be present with your team, not just available. There’s a difference. —Amy Summers

In an industry often defined by visibility, Amy Summers has built a career focused on what happens behind the scenes: the strategy, the story, and the people.

As founder and president of Pitch Publicity, established in 2003, Summers has helped shape how companies communicate with the public through earned media. Her firm specializes in developing newsworthy story angles and securing media coverage that drives credibility and consumer trust. Her public relations campaigns have generated billions of media impressions worldwide, placing clients at the center of national conversations.

Summers founded the company during a period of rapid transformation in media, when digital platforms were beginning to reshape how stories were told and consumed. Her approach to newsworthy storytelling has led to groundbreaking campaigns, including orchestrating live media interviews from both 63 feet below sea level at the Aquarius underwater laboratory and 21,000 feet above sea level on Mount Everest. This work demonstrated her ability to create compelling, story-driven access for media in even the most extreme conditions.

A Positive Influence in Natural

Throughout her career, Summers has played a role in shaping key developments within the natural products industry. Early on, she helped position a hoodia supplement in a crowded market by branding its science-backed ingredient and building a national media narrative that drove consumer demand and rapid retail expansion.

Later, Summers designed a fundraising campaign for a nonprofit focused on preventing childhood blindness that exceeded expectations and established a model used for years to support global health initiatives. And, during one of the largest pet food recalls in history, her firm positioned a natural pet food brand as a trusted alternative, helping it achieve the top market share in its category while supporting thousands of family farms.

Across multiple campaigns, Summers has consistently demonstrated an ability to translate complex issues into clear, compelling stories that inform journalists and influence the public.

Amy Summers and her Pitch Publicity Pitch Star mentees mark the launch of “Lift: 10 Mentorship Touchpoints to Empower Your Team and Accelerate Your Career” at The Times Square EDITION Penthouse, reflecting the mentorship model at the core of her work.

Fresh Ideas, Impactful Results

Pitch Publicity operates on a project-based model focused on results. The firm stands behind its work, extending efforts until agreed-upon placement benchmarks are met, reinforcing accountability and momentum.

Another defining feature is Summers’ direct involvement and intentionally limited client roster. Each engagement is led by her executive oversight, supported by emerging professionals under her mentorship, delivering fresh ideas, and impactful results.

Elevating Expert Voices

Pitch Publicity has collaborated with more than 100 leading brands, experts, nonprofits, and trade organizations across the natural health landscape, advancing their visibility and credibility while helping define how consumers engage with nutrition, supplementation and integrative health.

By securing national media coverage and elevating expert voices, Summers has played a role in bringing important health conversations into the mainstream. Her work has supported initiatives covering issues from consumer education and product transparency to global nutrition and public health advocacy.

At the same time, her impact extends internally. Through her mentorship-driven business model, Summers has helped launch dozens of careers, providing emerging professionals with hands-on experience and direct access to leadership opportunities.

During the Great Recession, Summers transitioned Pitch Publicity to a fully remote model, keeping the company agile and people-focused during a time when remote work was still uncommon. 

In 2011, she launched a preprofessional internship program that placed mentorship at the center of the company’s operations for this nontraditional structure. The program has since become a defining element of the firm, demonstrating how guided, hands-on experience can accelerate professional growth.

These decisions positioned the company ahead of broader workplace trends. When the pandemic reshaped how organizations operated in 2020, Pitch Publicity was already equipped to adapt, continuing its work without disruption.

Culture Built on Collaboration 

Summers’ leadership philosophy is rooted in mentorship as a daily practice rather than a formal role. She challenges traditional top-down management models, advocating instead for a culture built on collaboration, shared growth, and consistent human connection.

She believes leadership is defined not by authority, but by the ability to guide, support and develop others. Mentorship, in her view, is not separate from work but embedded within it. “The best leaders rise by lifting others along the way,” Summers says.

With an approach that emphasizes presence over passive availability, Summers encourages leaders to actively engage with their teams and create opportunities for connection and growth. By integrating mentorship into everyday interactions, she believes, organizations can build stronger relationships, improve performance and develop future leaders more effectively.

Lighting the Way

In 2026, Summers formalized her leadership philosophy with the release of her book, Lift: 10 Mentorship Touchpoints to Empower Your Team and Accelerate Your Career (Page Two). The book presents a framework for integrating mentorship into daily workflows, offering leaders practical ways to build consistent, meaningful connections with their teams.

Drawing on more than two decades of experience, the book outlines 10 mentorship touchpoints designed to strengthen communication, build confidence, and support professional development at all stages of a career. It draws on Summers’ experience mentoring early-career professionals through her agency, along with insights from her “Pitch Live” podcast and INICIVOX mentorship platform.

Summers points out that while technology has increased efficiency, it has also changed how professionals learn and grow. Entry-level opportunities have narrowed, and remote work has reduced access to real-time guidance.

“Technology can streamline tasks, but it cannot replace the learning that happens in human relationships,” Summers says.

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Words of Wisdom

For the natural products industry, Summers emphasizes the importance of transparency and communication. She encourages companies to engage openly with employees, media and consumers, offering clear, honest perspectives even in challenging situations.

As workplaces become more reliant on digital tools, she also emphasizes the need to preserve human skills, particularly verbal communication. Spontaneous conversations, she notes, are essential for building trust, strengthening relationships and making timely decisions.

“Be present with your team, not just available,” Summers encourages. “There’s a difference.”

Looking ahead, Summers sees mentorship as a critical component of effective leadership in a rapidly changing communications environment. Organizations that prioritize human connection, she believes, will be better equipped to develop talent, drive innovation and sustain long-term success.

For Summers, the pitch may have been the foundation of her career, but the lasting impact lies in what she has built around it: a leadership model that proves success is not just about the stories told, but the people developed along the way.

Content paid for and provided by Pitch Publicity.