
Joe Erbentraut
Associate Media Relations Director
“I think quotes are very dangerous things.”
Kate Bush
As Associate Media Relations Director, Joe helps connect the dots between Walker Sands clients and media professionals by recognizing and reaffirming a shared goal of crafting compelling storytelling that resonates with audiences. This is achieved by helping to foster a media-centric, reporter-first culture where everyone — clients and tech news readers alike — wins.
Prior to joining the Walker Sands team, Joe spent 14 years working as a journalist, including in both reporter and editor roles. He worked as a Chicago-based senior editor and reporter at HuffPost, as well as a senior news editor at Built In, an online destination for tech professionals and startups. His reporting has appeared in publications like Fodor’s and the Village Voice, and he’s also assisted with market research and social media projects on behalf of clients like Amazon, Clorox and Proctor & Gamble.
Joe holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He lives in the Chicago area with his husband Stefin and their two cats.
Specialties
- Storytelling
- Digital media
- Media relations
- Market research
- News obsession
Skills
- Writing
- Editing
- Social media
- Content strategy
- Obscure Bravo trivia
Interests
- Music
- Reading
- Horror movies
- Cooking
- Sneakers
Connect with Joe


