KYLA THOMPSON FINDS HOPE IN SANTA FE.

• Author: Bronikowski, Lynn
• Position: Healing of People Everywhere - Brief Article

It didn't take public relations pro Kyla Thompson long to come out of retirement -- especially when the call for help came from the parents of victims of the Columbine tragedy.

Thompson, renowned for her crisis communications skills, retired from the Denver PR scene in 1998, leaving Barnhart/CMI to move to Santa Fe, N.M.

But when the parents of Columbine victims put out a call to raise $3.1 million to rebuild the school library, Barnhart/CMI stepped in pro bono to do media relations for HOPE, Healing of People Everywhere.

Terry Barnhart put PR co-managers Al Sommers and Christina Robinson Brickley on the campaign. Thompson also jumped in, calling on media consultant Gail O'Brien, former news director at KMGH-Channel 7, to assist with TV, also on a pro bono basis.

While it all started with HOPE, Thompson and O'Brien were moved to go...