Where we came from
We started small
and then we grew.
Sound familiar?
Jones Valley Teaching Farm
Sprouthouse began in 2012 as Polished Pig Media, a localized public relations firm headquartered in Charleston, SC. Over time, we have adapted and expanded both our footprint and our offerings to reflect the shifts in the marketplace. Today, we are a full-service agency of over 20 team members in seven markets, servicing clients not only in those cities, but also in many other communities we know and love. We’ve grown, sure. But like the teams we work with, we’ve remained true to ourselves by staying nimble and connected, offering tailored tactics and strategic services that make the most sense for our clients.
Atlanta
Birmingham
Charleston
Los Angeles
Nashville
New York City
Washington, D.C
Today we are a place where businesses grow.
Whether it's through media relations or branding and creative services, we're not afraid to get our hands dirty to tell your story and deliver the results you seek.
The Team
Founder
Birmingham, AL
Melany’s career path took a series of twists and turns before she found her niche in the world of public relations. A native of Southwest Virginia, she received a degree in Biomedical Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology and worked at several hospitals in Chicago as both an inter-operative surgery photographer and a healthcare marketer before relocating to Park City, UT in 1999. There, she successfully merged two of her biggest passions – film and sports – into a new career, managing celebrity guests and executing events for the Sundance Film Festival, the 2002 Winter Olympics, and the CineVegas Film Festival. Her next stop was a move to Charleston, SC, where she cut her teeth in the hospitality business at Pearlstine Distributors, an Anheuser-Busch distributor. In 2005, she joined the team at Wagstaff Worldwide, where she found her true calling for telling clients’ stories in meaningful ways. In March 2012, Melany left Wagstaff to form Polished Pig Media (now known as Sprouthouse) and has never looked back. Calling upon her technical background, Melany approaches her public relations career like a science; she smartly blends detailed logistics with a thoughtful approach to connect likeminded people with common goals and ultimately create strategic and fruitful partnerships. Since 2014, she has made her home in Birmingham, AL, where she is involved in the Birmingham Community Foundation and Les Dames d’Escoffier International. A fan of all athletic endeavors, in her free time, you’ll find Melany working up a sweat from land to lake – snow skiing, mountain biking, trail running, and water skiing – or cheering on the Alabama Crimson Tide (Roll Tide!) with her husband, Drew, young daughter, Grace, and stepson, Connor.
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Vice President of Culture
Washington, D.C.
A lifelong love of reading and writing took Ashley from her hometown of Indianapolis to Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Communications and then to New York City. There, she spent seven years working at public relations agencies, honing her skills with a diverse set of clients that ranged from beauty products to consumer packaged goods to food and lifestyle businesses. Ready for a break from city life, in 2011, Ashley and her husband moved to Charleston, SC, where she worked as the Director of Communications for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival for three years. In May 2014, Ashley joined Sprouthouse and opened its Washington, D.C. office. She is excited to be a part of the District’s booming restaurant scene and is proud of Sprouthouse’s growing presence in the Mid-Atlantic. In addition to working with some of D.C.’s most talented chefs, as Vice President of Culture, Ashley works closely with Melany to enhance Sprouthouse’s unique company culture and reinforce its core values. Ashley lives in downtown D.C. with her husband, two boys, and two French Bulldogs. When she’s not working, you can find her running, reading, or scoping out the city’s best playgrounds.
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Executive Director
Atlanta, GA
An Atlanta native and a graduate of the University of Virginia, Anna joined the Sprouthouse team after a nine-year career in cookbook PR at Clarkson Potter, Penguin Random House’s largest cookbook and lifestyle publisher. There, Anna managed publicity campaigns and book tours for bestselling cookbooks by some of the country’s biggest culinary stars. After nearly a decade living, working, and eating her way around New York City, Anna returned to her hometown to open Sprouthouse’s Atlanta office in May 2017. A passionate writer who thrives on crafting the perfect pitch for clients, Anna puts her publishing background to good use at Sprouthouse, serving as both our resident cookbook expert and the team’s in-house copy-editor. In her spare time, you can find Anna in her kitchen experimenting with recipes from her extensive cookbook collection or on a porch swing with a novel in one hand and a glass of wine (or coffee!) in the other.
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Executive Director of Media Relations & New Business
New York, NY
Jason grew up on a tomato farm in Ohio and followed his early interests in hospitality to The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. There, he earned degrees in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management with highlights along the way including an apprenticeship with a Certified Master Chef and a stint studying food cultures in Italy. After graduation, his winding career path included stops as a vegan pastry chef, wine educator, and chocolatier. Jason has drawn from his varied experiences to inform his public relations career over the past 10 years, remaining focused on the industry he loves most: hospitality. Since joining the Sprouthouse NYC team in June 2015, Jason has brought a unique viewpoint, with knowledge of both sides of the restaurant industry via his schooling and his recent level one Court of Master Sommeliers certification. When he’s not working, Jason’s cooking his way through anything by Melissa Clark in his Hell’s Kitchen apartment.
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Business Director
Birmingham, AL
Drew Robinson is a native of Birmingham, AL and a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. After earning his degree, he moved to Mendocino, CA, where he expanded his knowledge of classic techniques and ingredient-focused food in restaurants along the Northern California coast. In 2000, he returned to his hometown to work with Frank Stitt at the acclaimed Highlands Bar and Grill, where he rose through the brigade to become Chef de Cuisine. In 2003, Drew decided to direct his focus toward traditional Southern foods and began working with Birmingham-based Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q. For 16 years, he served the company as Executive Chef and, later, as Vice President of Culinary and Purchasing. After years of fostering a vision of opening a business of his own, Drew launched Third Car Consulting in April 2018 to help culinary entrepreneurs refine their ideas and grow their businesses. In April 2019, he took over business operations management for Sprouthouse, in addition to maintaining his work as a culinary consultant. In his free time, Drew serves on the advisory board of the Southern Foodways Alliance, where he has been a member for over 15 years, and also volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America. Drew lives in Birmingham, AL with his wife, Melany, and two children, Connor and Grace.
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Creative Director
Nashville, TN
Craig joined Sprouthouse as Creative Director in June 2019 to bring his branding and marketing expertise to our clients and their brands. For a decade he served as a designer, writer, and then Creative Director on national branding and marketing campaigns for clients like Nike, Volkswagen, Delta, and MasterCard while working at design and advertising agencies in New York City and Los Angeles. His work has garnered many awards – including an Emmy – as well as his mom's approval. A Charlotte native, Craig recently returned back "home" to the South when he, his wife, and their purebred mutt named Hawk moved to Nashville. When he's not working (and admittedly, sometimes when he is) he is scheming his next snowboarding expedition, which to him is “always the best day of his life,” except for the day he was married, of course.
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Digital Media Director
New York, NY
Passionate about all things digital, and a lover of storytelling and content creation, Ben joined the Sprouthouse New York City team in June 2019, bringing with him years of agency experience focusing on clients in the hospitality, culinary, fashion, and beauty industries. As Digital Media Director, he brings his expertise in digital and social media, influencer relations, community management, and copywriting to the forefront, working to develop and execute forward-thinking strategies for our clients. Originally from the Midwest, Ben moved to the East Coast in 2011 to pursue exciting new chapters – and hasn’t stopped since. He lives in Brooklyn and plans to adopt a dog at any moment in the near future.
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Account Director
Charleston, SC
A Birmingham native and graduate of The University of Alabama, it’s no secret that Lauren has a deep love for the South and Crimson Tide football. Following graduation, Lauren accepted a Meredith Corporation fellowship at Southern Living magazine, where she fostered her growing passion for Southern food and culture. During her time there, she assisted with writing both print and online content for the style and special edition departments. In June 2015, Lauren headed east to Charleston, SC, where she joined the Sprouthouse team and entered into the world of hospitality public relations. Over the years, Lauren has honed her PR expertise and developed a true love for sharing the robust stories and experiences of destination and restaurant clients. In her spare time, you can find Lauren adventuring outdoors, dabbling in French cuisine, and enjoying all the historic charm The Holy City has to offer.
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Account Director
Charleston, SC
Born and raised in Columbia, SC, Katelyn is a graduate of College of Charleston’s Department of Communication. After dining her way across the Lowcountry during college, she began her career at several Charleston-based PR agencies, including Rawle Murdy and The Becket Agency. There, she solidified her burgeoning passion for the food and beverage industry, spending three years growing media and social media presences for some of the city’s top bars and restaurants. In 2016, Katelyn joined the growing tech sector of The Silicon Harbor to lead the marketing department for ENGAGE, one of the fastest-growing startups in the South. She quickly realized her heart remained in the hospitality industry and joined the Sprouthouse team in February 2017. A strong writer with a big-picture mentality, Katelyn utilizes her multi-faceted background to craft creative approaches and synergies for her clients. When she isn’t in the office, Katelyn is daydreaming about her next trip, breaking a sweat at the gym, or spending time at home in Johns Island with her husband and their maltipoo, Cooper.
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Account Director
Atlanta, GA
Sarah was born and raised in Columbia, SC, graduated from Sewanee: The University of The South in Tennessee, and landed somewhere in between – Atlanta – to start her career in public relations. Passionate about all things food, wine, and travel, Sarah secured a position at an Atlanta-based boutique hospitality PR firm in 2014, where she cut her teeth representing some of the city’s top hotels, chefs, and restaurant groups for five years. In April 2019, she joined the team at Sprouthouse, where she leverages her passion for writing, storytelling, and relationship-building to generate results for clients. In her spare time, you can find Sarah practicing yoga, exploring the North Georgia Mountains, or reading on a porch.
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Senior Account Manager
Charleston, SC
Born and raised in Durham, NC, fall football and the pursuit of a degree in public relations drew Sarah further south to attend the University of Georgia. While studying abroad in Australia and New Zealand, Sarah uncovered her passion for writing about the people, places, and, most importantly, the food that she encountered. After dabbling in several facets of public relations through various internships, Sarah found her niche in hospitality PR. Immediately following graduation from UGA, Sarah relocated to the Lowcountry to join Sprouthouse’s Charleston office in June 2016. Since joining the Sprouthouse team, Sarah has focused on restaurant PR, consuming as much food & beverage news as possible, making her way through stacks of food magazines, and trying all the newest spots in town. When she’s not working, you can find Sarah with headphones in listening to her favorite podcasts (often while running along the Charleston Peninsula) or enjoying the South Carolina coast.
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Senior Account Manager
Charleston, SC
Hunter is a native South Carolinian who was born with an innate sense of wonder and wander. Upon graduating from the College of Charleston, where she studied communication and political science, she joined the Peace Corps and set off for 27 months in the Philippines. Back stateside, she spent a year working alongside world-renowned chefs in Los Angeles, before returning to South Carolina to join Sprouthouse’s Charleston office in October 2016. Her experiences and travels taught her that a love for food and hospitality can bind people from even the furthest corners of the world. A social butterfly and Enneagram seven, she enjoys navigating the ever-changing PR landscape, but above all else, values relationship-building and considers both the Sprouthouse team and her clients a family. Hunter feels fortunate to call Charleston home, and when she’s not in the office, you can find her reading at the beach, out for a run, singing along to live music, or planning her next adventure.
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Account Manager
Los Angeles, CA
A Jersey girl by birth and a resident of Washington, D.C. since 2012, Emma has enjoyed watching the city evolve over the years to become the exciting dining destination it is today. After graduating from The George Washington University, Emma started her career as an Assistant Account Executive at Fleishman Hillard. She later worked as the in-house Public Relations & Marketing Coordinator for a local D.C. restaurant group. After getting a taste for the fast-paced and creative nature of the industry at her previous position, she joined the Sprouthouse team in August 2018 to expand her scope and reach of work. With a zest for life, Emma decided it was time for a change and made the decision to head West at the end of 2020. Now based in Los Angeles, she is eager to grow her network, explore the new city, and introduce Sprouthouse to the market. Outside of work, Emma enjoys getting outside, exploring different creative outlets, and spending quality time with friends.
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Account Manager
New York, NY
An official part of the New York City Sprouthouse team since February 2017, Sarah accepted a full-time position after a period as an intern with the company in late 2016. Born in southern Vermont, Sarah always found solace in warmer climates; this, and the fashion merchandising track, led her to Savannah, GA, where she attended Savannah College of Art and Design for her freshman year. Though the school wasn’t the right fit, she fell head over heels for the ubiquitous hospitality of the South. A move to the University of Vermont brought Sarah a degree in Public Communications and time well-spent abroad in Italy, scouring the country for the next perfect bite or glass of wine. A die-hard creative at heart, Sarah finds joy in crafting verbiage for her Sprouthouse clients to personify their true passions and skills so others can genuinely appreciate their story. When she’s not spending time with her colleagues, you can find Sarah researching the best eats in the city, baking a new twist on a healthy dessert, or testing out the latest and greatest skincare product.
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Account Coordinator
Nashville, TN
Originally from Kansas, Abby discovered her passion for journalistic writing at a young age. Craving a change of pace from the low-key Midwest lifestyle she grew up with, she began her career as a public relations intern in New York City, where she fell in love with the art of persuasion. Upon graduation from the University of Kansas, Abby moved to Nashville for a position at a local boutique PR firm, where she worked with clients in both the fashion and hospitality industries. As Nashville’s restaurant scene grew, so did Abby’s passion for it, and she sought a new role that married her personal and professional interests. She joined the Sprouthouse team in March 2020 with an excitement to provide clients with timely responses and effective ways to grow their businesses. On the weekends, you can find Abby at the Nashville Comedy Club with friends, hiking with her dog Nala, or baking delicious desserts.
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Account Coordinator
New York, NY
A seventh-generation Charlestonian and graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans, Halle joined the NYC Sprouthouse team in January 2019. Halle’s family was in the Anheuser-Busch business for 147 years before owning a brewery, and growing up she admired the effort it took to keep business afloat in an ever-changing industry. Although her roots are firmly planted in the South, she left her hometown in search of change; a summer internship with a branded merchandise studio in New York City solidified her affinity for the hustle and bustle of the big city. At Sprouthouse, Halle is excited to play a key role in making talented chefs, award-winning restaurants, and beautiful destinations recognized nationwide. When she is not at work, you can find her testing out new dinner and dessert recipes, taking neighborhood strolls, or daydreaming about her next vacation destination.
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Account Coordinator
Washington, D.C.
A native of Durham, NC, Emily followed her love of the beach and Southern cuisine to the Holy City, where she studied business administration, communications, and marketing at the College of Charleston. After graduation, Emily moved to Washington, D.C., and worked in-house for two years at TK Restaurant Management Group, where she managed public relations, sales, marketing, and events for a popular Italian restaurant in Georgetown. Eager to hone in on her passion for public relations, Emily joined the Sprouthouse team in April 2019. She loves building and maintaining relationships with clients, and cultivating a personalized plan to help achieve their greatest goals. When not at work, you can find Emily spending time with friends, reading, or eating her favorite foods.
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