Beth Dickstein | President

Beth Dickstein formed Beth Dickstein Enterprises, a New York marketing, media and strategic development firm, in 1996. Building upon her previous 10 years of experience as Executive Publisher of Metropolis—a leading and influential architecture, design and culture magazine—she has turned her inside knowledge of both design and media into an asset for her clients.

Such clients have ranged from small, entrepreneurial firms to billion-dollar companies, and have included Nike, Interface, Seiko Instruments, Moleskine, Alessi, The Conran Shop, Kartell, Carnegie, the Italian Trade Commission and George Little Management, the trade show management company that, among others, is responsible for the annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York.

In addition to her firm’s core services—which include public relations, event organizing, media buying, focus groups, think tanks, and marketing strategy—Ms. Dickstein has extensive experience in other areas that help a company raise and build upon its profile. She has produced and advised publications, including newsletters for New York’s A & D Building, the Miami Design District and Gensler. She was the media advisor for the 53rd International Design Conference of Aspen. In addition, her work takes her to most major contract and residential design, accessory and related shows in the United States and abroad.

Ms. Dickstein lectured from 1992-1995 at the New York University graduate publishing program, and was previously a member of the board of trustees of Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) and The Fashion Group International. Ms. Dickstein was a speaker on the subject of public relations at the 2004 Media Speak presented by the Industrial Designers Society of America. In 2009, Ms. Dickstein spoke on the marketing of trade shows in the US and the use of digital media in their promotion in Rimini, Italy. She is a frequent speaker on the subject of design marketing.

Karen Brooking  |  Vice President

Karen Brooking joined BDE in October 1999 and specializes in business-to-business accounts. In addition to marketing and public relations, she performs statistical market research projects and competitive analysis surveys for many of the industry’s top firms.

Among the special projects under her responsibility are: a client-sponsored annual benefit for the World Wildlife Fund, as well as industry design competitions, product introductions, and press events. She also performs sales and marketing for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair trade show in New York.

Since joining the firm, Karen has overseen the launches of several new companies, including Humanscale Safety Products, a division of Humanscale Corporation, Berman Glass editions, a division of Joel Berman Glass Studios as well as Coalesse, a division of Steelcase.

Prior to BDE, she was a marketing assistant for a large, well known brokerage firm and a research associate for an executive search firm, both in New York City.

Originally from New York, Karen graduated from the State University of New York at Albany with a concentration in communications and psychology and has also completed marketing and public relations coursework at New York University.

Additionally, BDE has a competent staff to complete the team.