Background

Katelyn Elliott serves as Communications Director for Economic Leadership, where she advises nationally recognized master planned communities, innovation districts, large-scale landowners, and economic development organizations on strategic communications that support growth, investment attraction, talent recruitment, and long-term community success.

Her work sits at the intersection of economic development, placemaking and real estate. She develops communications strategies that help clients strengthen market positioning, engage stakeholders, build public support, and elevate the visibility of transformative projects and destinations. She provides counsel on messaging, media relations, executive positioning, stakeholder engagement, and reputation management for initiatives shaping the future of communities and regional economies.

Before joining Economic Leadership, Katelyn developed communications and marketing strategies across the commercial real estate, architecture and design, and hospitality sectors. She previously worked for global architecture and design firm Gensler and held agency roles representing national and international luxury hospitality and design brands, building expertise in executive communications, media relations, and brand development.

Work

Katelyn currently supports communications efforts for several of the nation’s most recognized master planned communities, including The Woodlands and Bridgeland. She also contributes to economic development and talent attraction initiatives across Texas and Florida, including WonderFL, the statewide talent attraction campaign launched by Florida Power & Light. Her experience includes supporting public-private partnerships and initiatives designed to attract employers, residents, talent, and investment.

She also advises emerging innovation and life sciences districts, including Speros, the 775-acre campus anchored by Moffitt Cancer Center in the Greater Tampa Bay region, and Generation Park, McCord Development’s 4,300-acre business district in Houston. Through this work, she has supported major economic development announcements and strengthened client positioning, with a focus on coalition-building, research commercialization, and advanced industry growth.

Katelyn has cultivated strong relationships with business, commercial real estate, site selection, and trade media, securing coverage that elgevates organizations and transformative developments. She is also experienced in navigating complex stakeholder environments and tailoring messaging for residents, elected officials, business leaders, investors, brokers, and community partners.

About

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Katelyn earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from The University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences. She now lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and their miniature Australian shepherd, Poppy.