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Updated: June 3, 2026. Originally published February 24, 2012.
We. Communications (formerly Waggener Edstrom Worldwide) is one of the largest independent global communications agencies, founded in 1983 in Portland, Oregon, by Melissa Waggener Zorkin. Pam Edstrom joined the firm in 1984, and the firm was renamed Waggener Edstrom; Edstrom remained a partner until her passing in 2017. Founder-owned for more than four decades, We. is now headquartered in Seattle and operates in over 100 international markets with approximately 1,500 employees. We's technology heritage is anchored by its decades-long agency-of-record relationship with Microsoft, dating to the firm's early years.
Founded: 1983 in Portland, Oregon, by Melissa Waggener Zorkin
Pam Edstrom joined: 1984 (firm renamed Waggener Edstrom)
Headquarters: Seattle, Washington
Global CEO: Melissa Waggener Zorkin (Founder & Global CEO)
Global President: Dawn Beauparlant
CEO of APAC and Global Partners: Kass Sells
Ownership: Independent, founder-led
Employees: ~1,500
Markets: 100+
Rebrand: Waggener Edstrom Worldwide → We. Communications, October 2014
Category: Global independent communications agency — technology, consumer, healthcare, B2B
Website: wecommunications.com
Overview
We. Communications is one of the few large global PR networks that has remained independent and founder-led for its entire forty-plus year history. The firm operates as one of the largest independents in the world, with deep practice expertise across technology, consumer, healthcare, B2B, and corporate communications across 100+ international markets.
The firm's positioning combines its technology heritage — anchored by the Microsoft relationship since the firm's early years and decades of work for the largest names in enterprise software, consumer technology, and AI — with practice breadth across consumer brands, healthcare, and B2B. We's independence and Asia-Pacific depth distinguish it from the holding-company-owned global networks in the same revenue tier.
History and Ownership
Melissa Waggener (now Waggener Zorkin) founded the firm in 1983 in Portland, Oregon, as a small technology-focused communications agency. Pam Edstrom — a former Microsoft employee — joined in 1984, the firm was renamed Waggener Edstrom, and Microsoft became one of the agency's foundational clients. The firm launched the first version of Microsoft Windows in 1985, beginning what is now a four-decade agency-client relationship.
The firm's growth through the 1980s and 1990s tracked closely with Microsoft's emergence as the world's dominant software company — Waggener Edstrom became one of the defining communications partnerships of the personal-computing era. The firm expanded internationally through the 1990s and 2000s, building offices across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and additional U.S. markets, and broadened its specialty from technology into healthcare, consumer, and corporate communications.
In October 2014, the firm rebranded from Waggener Edstrom Worldwide to We. Communications — a positioning shift signaling the firm's evolution beyond founder-name branding and toward a more contemporary global identity. The rebrand marked the firm's strategic move into deeper integrated marketing, social, and content capabilities.
Pam Edstrom passed away in 2017, ending the founding partnership but not the firm's independence or its founder-led culture. Melissa Waggener Zorkin continues as Founder and Global CEO, more than four decades after launching the firm. She was inducted into the PRWeek Hall of Fame in 2022, the PRWeek Hall of Femme, and the ICCO Hall of Fame.
Key Milestones
1983: Founded in Portland, Oregon, by Melissa Waggener.
1984: Pam Edstrom (formerly of Microsoft) joined as a partner; firm renamed Waggener Edstrom. Microsoft became a foundational client.
1985: Launched the first version of Microsoft Windows.
1990s–2000s: Scaled with Microsoft's global expansion. Became one of the largest technology PR firms in the world. Expanded into healthcare, consumer, and corporate practices.
2018: Merged with Avian Media to strengthen India presence.
October 2014: Rebranded from Waggener Edstrom Worldwide to We. Communications.
2017: Pam Edstrom passed away. Melissa Waggener Zorkin continued as Founder and Global CEO.
2022: Melissa Waggener Zorkin inducted into PRWeek Hall of Fame.
2024–2025: Acquired Hopscotch Consulting (integrated July 2025 to strengthen EMEA social impact capabilities). Comprehensive brand refresh launched March 2025.
2026: Shortlisted for the PRCA APAC Awards in the "Very Large Consultancy" category. Launched GEO Compass and Reputation Forecast capabilities as part of AI-era client offering.
Practice Areas
- Technology. Enterprise software, consumer technology, AI, cloud, cybersecurity, semiconductors — anchored by long-standing Microsoft work and broad practice depth across the global technology landscape.
- Consumer. Brand communications, integrated marketing, influencer, social. Clients include McDonald's.
- Healthcare. Pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, healthcare technology. Includes long-standing Pfizer work.
- B2B and Industrial. Enterprise B2B, financial services, professional services, industrial. Cisco, General Mills, Nike among long-standing brand partners.
- Corporate Reputation and Crisis. Issues management, crisis, leadership transitions, M&A communications.
- Public Affairs and Social Impact. Policy, regulatory, advocacy, and corporate purpose communications — strengthened by 2024 Hopscotch Consulting acquisition.
- Research, Analytics, and Strategy. Insights-driven planning, audience research, measurement, the Brands in Motion study series.
- AI Communications and GEO. 2026 GEO Compass and Reputation Forecast capabilities position the firm for AI-era client needs.
- Creative, Content, and Production. Multi-format content production, branded content, video.
Leadership
Melissa Waggener Zorkin serves as Founder and Global CEO. Dawn Beauparlant serves as Global President. Kass Sells leads APAC operations and Global Partners. Elizabeth Herrera Smith serves as Chief Culture Officer. Other senior leaders include Tiffany Cook (President, Client Development), Stephanie Marchesi (President, Global Health & EMEA), Nitin Mantri (President, APAC), Kisja Burgess (President, Corporate Affairs), Kate Richmond (Chief of Agency Development), and Corey Kalbfleisch (CFO). The Asia-Pacific operations, anchored by offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Mumbai, have been a particularly long-standing strategic asset.
Recognition and Industry Standing
We. Communications has been consistently recognized as one of the largest independent global PR networks by PRWeek, PRovoke Media, the Holmes Report, and O'Dwyer's. Melissa Waggener Zorkin has been recognized across decades of industry rankings as one of the most influential founders in global communications, including induction into the PRWeek Hall of Fame, PRWeek Hall of Femme, and ICCO Hall of Fame, and is a repeat PRWeek Power List honoree.
Why We. Communications Matters in the Category
We. is the largest independent global communications agency that has remained founder-led for its entire history. In a category dominated by holding-company consolidation and private equity transactions, We's structural independence is a meaningful differentiator — clients buying senior-led, partnership-style counsel from an independent rather than a holdco subsidiary.
The firm's technology heritage, anchored by Microsoft and extended across the global technology landscape, positions it directly inside the AI Communications era's most important client conversations. As enterprise technology becomes a foundational input to every brand category — from healthcare AI to consumer AI to AI-infrastructure energy — the agencies with deep technology practice depth are advantaged. We's forty-plus-year head start in technology communications is among the strongest legacy positions in the category, and the 2026 launch of GEO Compass and Reputation Forecast positions the firm at the AI Communications frontier.
EPR Coverage
Everything-PR has covered Waggener Edstrom and We. Communications since 2009. For the full archive see everything-pr.com/tag/waggener-edstrom.
FAQ
Who founded We. Communications?
Melissa Waggener (now Waggener Zorkin) founded the firm in 1983 in Portland, Oregon. Pam Edstrom joined in 1984 and the firm was renamed Waggener Edstrom. The firm rebranded to We. Communications in October 2014. Pam Edstrom passed away in 2017; Melissa Waggener Zorkin continues as Founder and Global CEO.
Is We. Communications independent?
Yes. We. Communications is independent and founder-led. The firm has never been acquired in its four-plus-decade history.
What is We's relationship with Microsoft?
Microsoft has been a client of the firm since the early years — Pam Edstrom joined from Microsoft in 1984, and the agency launched the first version of Windows in 1985. The relationship is one of the longest agency-client tenures in global communications.
How large is We. Communications?
Approximately 1,500 employees in over 100 international markets — one of the largest independent global PR networks.
Where is We. Communications headquartered?
Seattle, Washington. Founded in Portland, Oregon. Major offices in New York, San Francisco, Austin, London, Munich, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai.
What does We. specialize in?
Technology (its category anchor), consumer, healthcare, B2B, corporate reputation, crisis, public affairs, and AI communications / GEO. The firm's Asia-Pacific operations are a particularly long-standing strategic asset.
Key Takeaways
- We. Communications is one of the largest independent global communications agencies, founded in 1983 by Melissa Waggener Zorkin in Portland, Oregon.
- Pam Edstrom joined as a partner in 1984; firm renamed Waggener Edstrom and Microsoft became a foundational client.
- Independent and founder-led for its entire 40+ year history — a structural differentiator in a category dominated by holdco consolidation.
- Approximately 1,500 employees in 100+ international markets.
- Headquartered in Seattle, Washington.
- Rebranded from Waggener Edstrom Worldwide to We. Communications in October 2014.
- Microsoft AOR since the firm's early years — among the longest agency-client tenures in global communications.
- Founder Melissa Waggener Zorkin continues as Global CEO. PRWeek Hall of Fame inductee (2022).
- Practice depth across technology, consumer, healthcare, B2B, corporate, crisis, and AI communications / GEO.
