TrailRunner International Names Jennifer Kuperman and Jen Crichton as Managing Directors

Veterans of Alibaba Group and Frito-Lay bring a combined 40+ years of corporate and agency experience as TrailRunner continues to grow

SOUTHLAKE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The global strategic communications advisory firm TrailRunner International today announced the hiring of Jennifer Kuperman, Alibaba Group’s former Head of International Corporate Affairs, and Jen Crichton, former Communications Director for Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, as Managing Directors.

Kuperman and Crichton each bring more than two decades of communications experience with some of the world’s most recognized companies to TrailRunner as the firm experiences significant growth. The firm, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Dallas/Fort Worth and has offices in New York, Shanghai, Nashville, and Truckee, California.

As Head of International Corporate Affairs for Alibaba Group, Kuperman developed and led the company’s global communications and stakeholder engagement strategy. She served as a chief architect of the company’s communications strategy for its record-breaking IPO, as a strategic advisor to the company’s principal executives and was responsible for helping Alibaba build and protect its brand outside of China in the midst of a complex geopolitical environment. Prior to Alibaba, she was Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Marketing and Reputation at Visa Inc., and previously served as the Chief of Staff to Visa’s CEO. Jennifer began her career as a management consultant with Accenture. She is an active board member of Post Holdings (NYSE: POST), Bellring Brands (NYSE: BRBR), Post Holdings Partnering Corporation (NYSE:PSPC.U) and Kyriba, the global leader in cloud treasury and finance solutions.

Crichton, an award-winning communications professional, has significant expertise in corporate storytelling and in helping companies connect with internal and external audiences via earned and owned channels. Prior to TrailRunner, she served as Communications Director for PepsiCo subsidiary Frito-Lay, where she led media, social content, internal and external messaging, influencer engagement and issues management for more than 15 Frito-Lay brands including Lay’s, Ruffles, Fritos, Smartfood and more. Before Frito-Lay, Jen worked in leadership positions at agencies including Edelman, Weber Shandwick, FleishmanHillard and Zeno Group, where she led the firm’s Dallas office and its Texas growth strategy.

“We are excited to welcome Jennifer and Jen, two proven and highly respected communications leaders and two former TrailRunner clients, to TrailRunner International as managing directors,” said Jim Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of TrailRunner International. “As we continue to grow and expand, Jennifer and Jen each bring the experience and the global perspective that will help TrailRunner clients succeed in their must-win battles.”

“I’m looking forward to working with TrailRunner clients after being on the client side of the equation for so many years,” Kuperman said. “I am excited to join this stellar team of communications professionals at a time when the firm is experiencing such rapid growth.”

“I’ve been a firsthand witness to the TrailRunner team’s drive and fierce dedication to clients and colleagues,” said Crichton. “TrailRunner’s team-first, service-oriented culture is truly unique, and I’m excited to be able to contribute to that culture as we build on the firm’s strong momentum.”

Kuperman received a B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and two daughters. Crichton received a B.A. in Business from Southwestern University and an M.A. in Media Communications from Webster University. She lives in Frisco, Texas with her husband and two daughters.

About TrailRunner International

TrailRunner International is a rapidly growing global strategic communications firm that provides crisis communications, financial communications, and ongoing corporate communications support to the world’s top enterprises, institutions, and individuals. TrailRunner is headquartered in Dallas/Fort Worth with offices in New York, Truckee, Calif., Nashville, and Shanghai. Learn more at trailrunnerint.com.