# Joanna Kulesa

> Joanna Kulesa founded the Silicon Valley technology communications agency Offleash in 2003, led it as CEO, and sold it to longtime colleagues Robin Bulanti and Julie Tangen in 2021. She remains its founder and advisor. Her public writing connects agency culture with community, creative freedom and her enthusiasm for the Grateful Dead. She grew up in Billerica, Massachusetts, and attended the University of Massachusetts.

- **Role:** Founder and Advisor at Offleash PR
- **Organizations:** Offleash PR
- **Education:** Bachelor of Arts in English, University of Massachusetts Boston
- **Known for:** Founded Offleash in 2003 and led it for 18 years before the 2021 succession., Named one of Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Top 100 Women of Influence, according to her official biography., Led the agency during a period when it received workplace recognition from Fortune, Inc. and the San Francisco Business Times.

## Career timeline

- **2003** — Founded the agency now known as Offleash.
- **2016** — Described co-chairing a group of roughly 30 Silicon Valley agency owners and partners that grew out of invitations to competing agencies for coffee.
- **2017** — Announced the agency’s renaming to Offleash on December 11.
- **2020** — Published her argument for maintaining a deliberately small agency in Building a Strong Company Culture: Think Tribal.
- **2021** — Retired as CEO and sold Offleash to Robin Bulanti and Julie Tangen; remained an advisor.
- **2023** — Offleash’s twentieth-anniversary reflection recognized her continuing advisory role.

## Achievements

- Founded Offleash in 2003 and led it for 18 years before the 2021 succession.
- Named one of Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Top 100 Women of Influence, according to her official biography.
- Led the agency during a period when it received workplace recognition from Fortune, Inc. and the San Francisco Business Times.
- Established a succession in which longtime colleagues Robin Bulanti and Julie Tangen became co-owners.

## Latest updates

- **2023-11** — Offleash’s twentieth-anniversary post described Kulesa as a continuing trusted advisor following her 2021 retirement.

## Links

- Website: https://offleashpr.com/team/joanna-kulesa/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkulesa
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/joannakulesa

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/joanna-kulesa
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22