Films, Philanthropy, Pitching and Peloton: Meet Bateman’s Star Associate Claire Schulberg

How can you sum up Claire Schulberg in one paragraph? You can't, so we wrote a whole blog post about her! Claire has been at Bateman for just over a year, but she has already made an outsized impact on her clients and her colleagues working from our San Francisco office. As the creative and organizational glue holding together her client accounts, Claire brings poise and positivity to her work on a daily basis.

A native of lovely Belvedere, a Marin County enclave surrounded by the city of Tiburon, Calif., Claire didn’t always have plans to go into PR. A mutual acquaintance at a competing PR agency led to a conversation with CEO Fred Bateman, who convinced her to join the team. “I remember wanting to work for him immediately! He dazzled me with his honesty, compassion and track record as a PR leader.”

Quick study

Bateman was Claire’s first job after earning a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Chapman University. “I knew virtually nothing about public relations before joining Bateman, except for things like show business news and crisis management for celebrity breakups — I knew a lot about that,” Claire laughs. But despite being an industry newcomer, Claire quickly came to understand the various elements that make up an integrated tech PR program. 

Claire has particularly shined in her creative contributions to new business pitches and award submissions. A metrics master, Claire has an exceptional ability to break down data and explain to both potential and existing clients where their communications efforts are succeeding or falling behind.

At Bateman, Claire supports clients across a range of industries, from New Relic’s observability and developer tools to Amperity’s customer data platform. Claire’s leadership and work ethic are reflected in her drive to learn as much as she can about her new clients and industries, quickly acclimating herself to complex technical challenges and how our clients solve them. 

Peloton, Pinterest, Philanthropy

In the early days of the Covid pandemic, Claire discovered a new passion: the Peloton. “Exercise has always been a big part of my life since it helps with both my physical and mental health,” Claire explains. “Peloton helped kickstart a new health journey for me.” Claire’s knack for making connections even extends to the small screen of her Peloton bike: “I’ve developed a parasocial friendship with Alex Toussaint, a badass instructor who always brings a healthy dose of tough love and the best hip-hop playlists!”

Beyond fitness, Claire’s passion for philanthropy and connecting with others is evident in everything she does. She has volunteered extensively with special needs students, and she goes out of her way to build relationships with people from all walks of life. “I am a very community-oriented person, so I love seeing people come together and support one another,” says Claire.

Of course, Claire also needs additional outlets for the creativity she shows on a daily basis at Bateman. A self-proclaimed “master Pinterester,” Claire can spend hours curating mood boards and inspiration boards. Her current creative outlet is cooking, as she works to build new skills and develop a love of cooking for pleasure.

Family First

Claire feels blessed to remain extremely tight with her immediate family, understanding that not everyone can make that claim. "I am very, very close to my family. My sister, Caroline, is 20 and about to graduate from college. We are each other’s best friends, confidantes and a constant source of unconditional support."

Claire with her parents and younger sister Caroline

Film and TV guru

In Claire’s free time, there’s nothing she loves more than curling up on the couch and watching a good movie or TV show. “It’s always been one of my passions, and I like to think it’s in my blood. My dad’s family is a mix of screenwriters, producers and filmmakers,” says Claire. Whether it’s a new documentary, Game of Thrones, The Leftovers or Glee, Claire loves spending time with good entertainment and talking about it with others. 

Fun fact: In high school, Claire’s first job was to dress up as Disney princesses for children’s parties and parades. It’s no wonder she brings magic to Bateman so effortlessly!