Barbara Krause

Barbara Krause, one of two founding partners at KTA, brings to clients an intense background that involves experience as a corporate executive at one of the most visible companies in America, working with government bodies at both state and local levels, and helping to develop some of the most recognized brands in technology. Her experience as a chief spokesperson, as well as an executive with marketing, branding and corporate communications responsibilities, give her a unique perspective into how corporate environments work and how to design public relations programs to mesh with those environments.

After graduating with a degree in journalism and a minor in political science, Barbara joined Assembly Majority Consultants in Sacramento, a organization that served as the capitol staff for freshman members of the California State Assembly. In her five years in the capitol, she managed public relations for a variety of members, and wrote speeches, newsletters and press releases for the Assembly’s majority.

She then moved to San Jose, California and became press secretary for Janet Gray Hayes, the first woman to be elected mayor of a major US city. During Ms. Hayes two terms, Barbara rose to become chief of staff, in addition to chief spokesperson. Today she reflects on her tenure in the mayor’s office and the leg up it gave her when she took her PR skills to the private sector, “People in politics become accustomed to operating under a microscope and always being aware of the rapid changes in public opinion. You always have to be aware of the outside world, and not become insulated. That’s a valuable perspective to have in business as well.”

Barbara moved into the private sector after Ms. Hayes left office, first at Atari and then at Apple Computer in the company’s corporate communications and investor relations department. As chief spokesperson for the company, and later as director of worldwide corporate public relations, she was involved in the events that would make Apple a household name—from the Macintosh’s introduction and the famous 1984 commercial, to dozens of new products, to corporate reorgs and alliances with companies like IBM. Barbara says that it was during this time that she gained a deep respect the role corporate executives play in journalism and PR, “I remember waking up early in the mornings, and reading the newspapers with a certain dread—a sort of daily judgment based on how I was quoted in the articles. From a corporate perspective, it can be nerve-racking.”

Named one of “The 100 Most Powerful People in Silicon Valley” by the San Jose Mecury News, Barbara was included with such notables as Gordon Moore, David Packard, Bill Hambrecht and John Sculley. The article noted, “The perfect career path to a nervous breakdown: Janet Gray Hayes’ press secretary, then Atari PR, and now Apple. Yet Apple’s future ought to be as solid as this woman. A lot of folks think Krause is the best corporate flack in the Silicon Valley. They are right.”

Barbara was named vice president of corporate communications in 1994, including responsibility for public relations, advertising, creative services, corporate branding, marketing communications (packaging and collateral) and employee communications.

Barbara and Betty Taylor formed Krause Taylor Associates in 1996, taking what they’d learned from years of combined experience. Says Barbara, “Betty and I know what it’s like to be a client, so we’ve tried to build KTA as the kind of firm we’d want if we were still in a client company ourselves.” KTA’s success has proven out that approach, as the firm has represented myriad established names such as Apple, Netscape, Palm, Micron and Borland, as well as start-ups like Loudcloud, Intershop, Omnisky and Kerbango.

Barbara has served on the board of United Way of Santa Clara County, and is active in environmental causes at Lake Tahoe including with the League to Save Lake Tahoe. She is also a pioneer history buff and has walked or driven much of the Oregon and California trails in the American west.