Elyse Yates is the founder and CEO of Influence Opinions™. She offers more than two decades of experience and expertise in arenas as diverse as politics, high-tech, public affairs, nonprofits and entertainment – not to mention clear big picture vision, incredible insight and strategies that work.  She is driven by a natural inquisitiveness and genuine interest in people, media and messaging.

Prior to launching the firm, Elyse was a Managing Director for Public Strategies, Inc., the recognized leader in public perception management for Fortune 500 companies. During her tenure there, Elyse built an interactive business unit and a media relations division, managed the marketing and branding of the company, and led teams consulting for a broad spectrum of clients including: Perot Systems, the San Antonio Spurs, Schering Plough, Seton Healthcare Family and Southwest Airlines. Earlier in her career, Elyse was media relations specialist for IBM, where she helped found the IBM software Image Team and worked closely with media nationwide. Among her earlier political credentials, Yates served as deputy spokesperson for then-Governor Ann Richards and as associate director of the Texas Consumer Association. 

Elyse has volunteered in leadership positions for many years, including serving as past board president for Planned Parenthood of Central Texas. She currently serves on the board for Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) and as an advisory council member for The University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences.