Kyle Welcomes New Communications Specialist

Kyle, TX – The city of Kyle welcomed its new Communications Specialist this week. Kim Hilsenbeck, who has 20 years of media and communications experience, will lead the city’s media relations effort, among other tasks.

This newly created position pulls on her strengths and past experience in writing, public and media relations, communications, research, project management, community outreach and editing.

She will assist department heads in developing story ideas that provide timely, useful information to the media and Kyle residents. Hilsenbeck aims to expand Kyle’s social media presence and be a resource for local media, serving as a main point of contact. She will also work with city staff to bring more continuity to each department’s webpage.

Hilsenbeck most recently headed up the newsroom at the Hays Free Press and News-Dispatch as editor. Her duties also included writing for and editing a monthly magazine, Echo.

Prior to that she was the communications manager and later a senior project manager for a survey research firm in Austin. She also worked for several years at a nonprofit special events organization in Bethlehem, PA.

Hilsenbeck earned an MA in Advertising (Account Planning) from the University of Texas at Austin. She also has a BA in Communications and Public Relations from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Hays County with her husband and two children. Hilsenbeck is also a volunteer with Meal on Wheels in Kyle.