Splash Communications

Elysa Leonard leads her amazing team of Splashers with more than 20 years of experience in the field of marketing communications. She has designed and implemented successful branding, marketing, and advertising campaigns in a variety of business fields, for companies large and small.

Elysa founded Splash Communications in May 2005 and the company has grown and thrived over the past 12 years. Prior to Splash Communications, Elysa worked in shopping center marketing for 10 years as a Marketing Director for both The Rouse Company and Simon Property Group. There she developed and implemented shopping center advertising as well as advised and created advertising for retail stores and businesses. She became well versed in all forms of marketing and advertising strategies. She learned how to develop a strategy that would bring results regardless of the business model.

As Marketing Director, Elysa also took on the role of Media Spokesperson which entailed Crisis Management, Retail, Charity, and Event Media Communications for two Super Regional Shopping Centers in the NY/NJ Metro Area. In addition to performing in this role, she participated in numerous Media Training programs and has honed her skills as a Media Spokesperson. She has coached and trained many business owners, transforming them into spokespersons for their business with confidence and success.

Without her two-year move to Bermuda in 1999, there probably wouldn’t be a Splash Communications today. This life-changing decision involved quitting her intense but rewarding career in shopping center marketing and escaping to the pristine and beautiful island of Bermuda. Despite loving island life and learning to scuba dive, it was difficult for Elysa to “take off her marketing hat.” She saw so many things that she thought could use improvement or needed the marketing expertise that she had to offer. Diving was very expensive, so she bartered marketing services for dive time with local island dive shops. Using her shopping center marketing experience, Elysa also created an island-wide shopper loyalty program to help local merchants increase sales. After doing this work on the island, Elysa had the experience and confidence to start her own marketing company when she moved back to the United States.

Once back in the States, Elysa moved to Northern Virginia with her family, where she has lived for the past 13 years. But Elysa didn’t give up her love for diving after leaving Bermuda; she currently volunteers as a diver for the National Aquarium in Baltimore. She takes an active interest in the world of fish and marine life and whenever she can, she does survey dives for the REEF Project. For Elysa, splashing is truly a way of life. Elysa lives in Ashburn, VA, with her husband Robert and four children, Samantha, 19, Erin, 17, Meghan, 14 and Robert, Jr., 10.