Who we are

Ruth Purcell

Ruth Purcell’s fascination with communications has led her from researching how the human mind processes language to practicing marketing and public relations. She has been serving clients as Purcell Communications full time since 1998. She works with a variety of businesses both in a full service and per project capacity.

Prior to forming the company, she was the manager of publications and promotion for Western Wisconsin Technical College, (now Western Technical College) based in La Crosse, WI. 

She has a strong background in healthcare public relations and marketing, having served as the director of community relations for Luther Hospital in Eau Claire for more than six years. There, she was responsible for building a service-oriented department that performed all traditional communications functions and effectively launched new products and services. She shepherded the communications during the hospital’s merger with the Mayo Clinic, and was asked to facilitate communications for Mayo’s merger with Franciscan Skemp Healthcare in La Crosse, where she has worked in the public affairs department. 

While in Eau Claire, Ruth was invited to join the adjunct faculty of University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire’s journalism department. Ruth taught laboratory sections of mass media writing for undergraduate students.

Ruth earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where her research focused on language perception. She earned her master’s degree in experimental psychology from Kansas State University where she taught undergraduate classes on research methods and statistics. Her independent research focused on media and advertising influences.

Sallie Braun

Sallie Braun joined Purcell Communications in 2006 as a media strategist. As a former national sales manager for a broadcast television station in Madison, Wisconsin, Sallie has had the opportunity to work with a variety of national clients targeting a variety of demographic groups. Annual client budgets ranged from millions to a few thousand. She also worked as a local sales manager at a television station in western Wisconsin, in addition to being a local account executive. Her total broadcast sales and management experience totals over 15 years.

Prior to broadcast sales and management, Sallie began her career as the public relations assistant for the Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans Memorial Project, and as a special projects coordinator at a Wisconsin ABC television affiliate. Duties included working as producer of a local children’s program, scriptwriting,  production of TV commercials, station promos, and public service announcements. She received a bachelor’s degree in communication and journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. 

Sallie negotiates rates, ratings, and added-value promotions or marketing opportunities with each media buy when possible. Media buys can also be evaluated (or posted) if client desires.