Claire Sakaoka
Vice President of Marketing and Branding
Claire Sakaoka serves as Vice President of Marketing and Branding for Wiederhold & Associates. A consultant for the company since 2012, Claire has served as a Career Transition Specialist, LinkedIn Strategy Consultant and Client Reputation Management Specialist. In addition to her work with Wiederhold & Associates, Claire owns engage5w, an integrated marketing communications and public relations agency, which works with start-up businesses and individual, helping to build their personal and professional online brand.
Claire has over 18 years of experience in public relations, marketing and digital media management. She is a strategic and collaborative leader who excels in facilitating and creating mission-focused initiatives that strengthen the whole of the organization. She is a thought-leader in the areas of website marketing strategy and development, social media and online communication and branding.
Previously Claire worked as Global Marketing Director for Allen Global Companies where she rebranded and executed an integrated marketing communications and global branding strategy, resulting in six new divisions under the Allen Global Companies umbrella. Prior to that, she served for eight years as Public Relations & Interactive Media Manager for Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. In this role she developed and grew online communications, creating one of the first Chamber of Commerce marketing programs to utilize and integrate the use social media as a viable marketing platform.
She holds a bachelor of science in public relations with a minor in graphic design from the University of Central Missouri. She is a member and past president of the Southwest Missouri Chapter of Public Relations Society of America. Claire resides in Springfield, Missouri, and is married to husband Tommy, who works in real estate and construction. They have two school-age children, Thomas, who runs track, and Joanna, who enjoys singing and playing her cello.