Welcome to Brazen Careerist!

About Me

Wendy Serafin is the principal owner of Nifares Group. Nifares Group is a thought leadership and PR firm specializing in CIO, CTO, CISO, and COO publicity, as well as in technology, financial services/insurance, healthcare, and business consulting industries.

She currently works with executives and leadership teams to focus on public relations and thought leadership, industry awards, speaking opportunities, strategic marketing/branding, and corporate communications. Wendy has worked several industry leading technology and consulting firms, including Fortune 500 companies.

Her clients are regularly mentioned in leading publications such as CIO, InformationWeek, Insurance & Technology, Bank Technology News, Bank Systems and Technology, regional financial services publications, metro Business Journals, and various industry publications in healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and technology.
Her clients have been honored consecutively in prestigious industry awards, including CIO 100 and CIO's Ones to Watch, InformationWeek 500, INNovators Award, and InfoWorld 100.

In addition, she has secured several speaking opportunities for her clients in leading technology events, national financial services conferences and national research conferences.
Her specialties include:
- Executive publicity assessments/planning, editorial placements, byline articles, thought leadership positioning, mentoring and coaching
- Executive coaching and communication planning/strategies; "transitional" branding and communication
- Thought leadership - speaking opportunities/presentations, industry award submissions, analyst relations
- Marketing/communication strategy and plan development, brochure development, direct marketing, branding

Prior to starting her own firm, Wendy held several marketing leadership positions for Metavante Corporation, a leading financial services technology company. She delivered marketing strategies that improved direct marketing sales, strengthened market position, and increased brand/expertise awareness. She has also held several marketing and product management positions in the internet and retail travel industries.

Wendy holds a MBA from Marquette University, and a BBA from University of Wisconsin – Madison. She currently resides in Naperville, Illinois with her husband and two sons.