Karen Qualter Carolonza and Deborah Nettune Sittig Named Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs of New Jersey

BOONTON, NJ--(Marketwired - Sep 22, 2014) - Green Room Communications, a specialty agency focused on healthcare public relations and media strategy, is proud to announce that its founders and Managing Partners, Karen Qualter Carolonza and Deborah Nettune Sittig, have been selected among the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs of New Jersey (LWE) for 2014. The annual award recognizes women who demonstrate entrepreneurial excellence, service and leadership. Last year, Carolonza and Sittig were named as finalists for the award.

The 2014 Top 25 women entrepreneurs display business acumen and influence and advocate for other women. These women were selected for making positive economic contributions to the region and in their communities, according to Leading Women Entrepreneurs. Nominees are judged in four areas: Market Potential, Innovation, Community Involvement and Advocacy for Women. In addition, the organization cited honorees as being "intelligent, creative, ambitious and socially conscious." 

"I am thrilled to be included among this talented group of accomplished women entrepreneurs and business leaders," commented Karen, "and equally proud to share the honor with my own business partner, Deborah. I'm pleased that LWE recognizes our evolving and successful business model in the field of communications."

"It is an honor to receive this recognition with Karen and to be included among this inspiring group of women," said Deborah. "This award not only recognizes the contributions women make in terms of building businesses in the state and across the country, but also acknowledges advocacy and the important role women play in helping strengthen our society."

About Karen Qualter Carolonza
A Short Hills native, Karen Qualter Carolonza is a proven strategic public relations and communications professional with global experience in the healthcare, chemical and television news industries. Before founding Green Room, Karen was director of worldwide public relations at BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, and was responsible for the creation of the first-ever global public relations department for the company. In this role, she and her team developed and implemented public relations and advocacy programs supporting key businesses, including diabetes, HIV/AIDS, TB, influenza, healthcare-associated infections, ophthalmology, healthcare worker/patient safety, and other global health issues. Karen has served in communications roles at corporations and agencies, including the Pharmacia Corporation, DuPont Pharmaceuticals, Exxon Chemical Company, and Ruder Finn Public Relations. Karen spent the first part of her career as an NBC affiliate television news reporter in the Midwest and East Coast. Currently, Karen serves on the Board of the Lakeland Hills YMCA and on its Marketing Promotions Committee. She also serves on the Board of Soft Bones: The U.S. Hypophosphatasia Foundation as well as the local chapter of the Progeria Foundation. She is a member of the ExLPharma Steering Committee and has chaired its annual PR & Communications Summit for a decade.

About Deborah Nettune Sittig
Deborah Nettune Sittig, who grew up in Bernardsville, began her career as a broadcast journalist, spending more than a decade as a television reporter and news anchor in major markets across the country as well as working in television production. She produced newscasts and acted as a videographer, field producer, editor, writer and associate producer for ABC and FOX News affiliates in Long Island, NY; Burlington, VT; and Chattanooga, TN. She also served as a general assignment reporter and associate producer at KDFW, the FOX affiliate in Dallas, TX. Her PR experience started at DWJ Television where she served as media director and headed up a team of eight Media Placement Specialists. In 2003, Deborah opened Original Media Concepts, a PR firm specializing in media strategies and placement. Deborah is also the founder and current President of Board of Directors Soft Bones: The U.S. Hypophosphatasia Foundation, a non-profit organization to raise awareness for the rare bone disease. Most recently, Deborah was selected as the Boy Scouts "Woman of the Year" in 2014.

About Green Room Communications
Green Room brings a new school approach to classic communications needs. From corporate positioning and PR strategy to media and digital relations to integrated creative design, our approach aims to put our clients' programs in a class of their own. Our philosophy is simple. We bring together smart, experienced people with the right skill sets to deliver more meaningful results to drive business. We create fluid teams based on competencies and chemistry that match the unique needs of our clients.