About Us

Cara Downs brings an extensive background of media relations and account management to MediaVista Public Relations.

Before co-founding the firm with Elliott Chang, she worked alongside him as an executive at SSA Public Relations in Los Angeles for nearly a decade. Among the many accounts she managed included My Gym Children’s Fitness Center, Oragenics, Bow Wow Dog Houses and 1800Snoring.

An excellent writer and first-rate strategist, she worked closely with clients to develop and design strategies to achieve their goals.

Over the years, Cara has helped raise her clients’ profiles by securing innumerable television, print, radio and online placements.

She has booked countless television segments throughout the country on network affiliates, such as KNBC in Los Angeles, WPIX in New York, KPIX in San Francisco, and WLS in Chicago, as well as national shows including “Fox & Friends” and TBS’ “The Pete Holmes Show.”

Cara has locked radio segments on local stations all over the United States and nationally syndicated shows like “The Lars Larson Show” and “Jim Bohannon Show.” Her clients have enjoyed placements in local print publications, as well as major print and online outlets, such as Parenting Magazine, Readers’ Digest, Modern Dog Magazine, Animal Wellness and Real Simple Magazine.

Prior to joining SSA Public Relations, Cara was part of the Dave Linden Group’s team where she helped to promote The City of the Angels Film Festival, landing them coverage in The Los Angeles Times Weekend Guide. She also worked on publicizing The Casting Society of America’s Artios Awards and secured extensive consumer and trade coverage including The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, the San Francisco Chronicle and Celebrity Bulletin.

Before moving to Los Angeles, Cara worked with Brett Singer & Associates serving as public relations director for numerous stage productions in New York.  Aside from many off-off Broadway productions, she handled publicity for off-Broadway shows, including the Obie Award-winning production of “Counsellor-at-Law,” starring Tony-winner John Rubinstein. She also represented the internationally recognized Classical Theatre of Harlem’s productions of “Waiting for Godot,” starring Wendell Pierce and “The Cherry Orchard,” starring Mr. Pierce and Earle Hyman (of “The Cosby Show” fame). Cara also worked on media relations for Urban Stages Theater, including their production of “Marion Bridge,” starring Broadway and television actress Susan Louise O’Connor.

Cara is a strong believer that public relations is a collaborative art and is an essential component to success, no matter the scope or nature of the company or project.

A public relations veteran, Elliott Chang has represented a wide variety of clients over the years, ranging from consumer products to business trade, political lobbying, entertainment, sports, technology and lifestyle.

Prior to co-founding MediaVista Public Relations with Cara Downs, he served as executive vice president for SSA Public Relations in Los Angeles where he worked for more than a decade. He previously handled client accounts in various capacities for Carl Samrock Public Relations, Wills Communications and Dennis Davidson Associates.

  Passionate about what he calls “the art of public relations,” Elliott looks at each client or project as a unique entity, employing an organic approach in which solutions are derived through synergistic thought, strategy and implementation.

  Clients he has represented include ProBatter Sports, Mathnasium Learning Center, fitness icon Tony Little, ArcLight Cinemas, eSports Arena and the Hollywood Christmas Parade.

Elliott has secured extensive media coverage across the country. National television hits include “The Today Show,” ABC’s “Nightline,” “CBS Early Show,” CNBC, Fox Business Network, "Fox & Friends," ESPN’s “Sunday Countdown” and Playboy TV. Other national media placements include USA Today, Entrepreneur, Esquire, Time magazine, King Features Syndicate, Details, NPR’s “All Things Considered,” The Village Voice, Bloomberg Businessweek, ESPN The Magazine, Forbes, Globe & Mail, The Sporting News and the Huffington Post.

Entertainment projects for which Elliott handled public relations include the international theatrical releases for major Hollywood movies including “Pleasantville,” “Boogie Nights,” “Lost in Space” and “The Wedding Singer,” as well as the home video releases for such iconic films as “Citizen Kane,” “Ben-Hur” and “Superman: The Movie.”

Prior to his public relations agency work, Elliott served as the Director of Still Photography at MGM Studios’ motion picture publicity department for many years before continuing as a consultant in the same capacity for Columbia Pictures. During that time, he worked on dozens of major feature films, including the James Bond and Rocky series and acclaimed films such as “Poltergeist,” “Rain Man” and “Moonstruck.”

Elliott believes that in order to be truly successful, public relations specialists must integrate themselves into the thought processes of their clients. Delivering on their needs begins and ends with understanding who they are and cultivating a relationship that allows us to achieve our goals together.