# Karla Jo Helms

> Karla Jo Helms is the Tampa-based founder and CEO of JOTO PR Disruptors, where she serves as Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR Strategist. Her approach applies crisis-management discipline to proactive public relations for B2B technology businesses. She hosts Disruption Interruption, writes about communications and business, and became Founders Live Tampa Bay city leader in 2025.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO; Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR Strategist at JOTO PR Disruptors
- **Organizations:** JOTO PR Disruptors, Disruption Interruption, Founders Live Tampa Bay
- **Education:** Kilgore College
- **Known for:** Founded JOTO PR Disruptors in 2009., Brought Founders Live’s pitch competition to Tampa Bay in 2025., Included in the 2021 Propel 100 list of PR agency professionals.

## Career timeline

- **Before 2009** — Worked in crisis communications with litigation attorneys, private investigators and the media; previously a managing partner at Studio 34 North.
- **2009** — Founded JoTo PR; Crunchbase lists the founder and CEO role from February 2009.
- **2014** — An October company announcement reported her acquisition of 100% ownership of JoTo PR.
- **2015** — Announced the agency’s move to an entirely remote workforce in July.
- **2017** — Published a first-person Entrepreneur article about the remote-work transition.
- **2021** — Included in Propel’s PR agency professionals list; discussed her dance background and agency origins in an Authority Magazine interview.
- **2025** — Became Founders Live Tampa Bay city leader; inaugural local pitch event held July 17 in St. Petersburg.
- **2026** — Continued publishing The Disruption Dispatch and writing about earned media and AI search.

## Achievements

- Founded JOTO PR Disruptors in 2009.
- Brought Founders Live’s pitch competition to Tampa Bay in 2025.
- Included in the 2021 Propel 100 list of PR agency professionals.
- Developed the agency’s Anti-PR approach, applying crisis-management methods to proactive communications.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Published How Earned Media Is Shaping Brand Visibility in AI Search at Localogy on October 5.
- **2026-09** — Published the August 2026 Disruption Dispatch edition, The Defensibility Economy, on LinkedIn on September 1.
- **2025-12** — Appeared on The EdUp Experience to discuss institutional narratives.
- **2025-07** — Led the inaugural Founders Live Tampa Bay event at The Birchwood in St. Petersburg.

## Links

- Website: https://jotopr.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlajohelms
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/JoToPR
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JoToPR/videos
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jotoextremepr

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/karla-jo-helms
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22