Leading Ladies: Nora Bryant and Lauren Guess

Story by Amelia Bowen

Communication is equal parts strategy, connection and story. At State & Tell, an integrated strategic communications and public relations agency in Bowling Green, co-founders Nora Bryant and Lauren Guess help clients show up as their best selves, both digitally and in person. Rather than managing client rosters as transactional business, Nora and Lauren operate with deliberate intention, taking on partnerships on purpose to build long-term visibility, authority and brand trust. For Digital Communications Director Nora Bryant, a Henderson native and Western Kentucky University graduate, launching State & Tell was the ultimate leap of faith. “My mission is to create a hospitable world where ideas, causes and businesses can thrive,” Nora says. “Success to me is the freedom to be fully present for my family while pursuing my own ambitions, showing them they can chase after whatever they want.” Nora credits her career journey to the encouragement of her parents, who taught her passion, hard work and empathy. That grounded foundation inspires Nora’s approach to client work, where daily routines span media pitching, social strategy and active community advocacy through the Landmark Association, Donate Life Kentucky Trust and CREATE. Public Relations Director Lauren Guess brought an extensive background in established agencies and in-house communications to State & Tell. A Bowling Green native holding degrees in Psychology and Communication from the University of Louisville, Lauren originally envisioned a career in counseling before discovering her passion for PR. “To help people be seen in the right way, by the right people, with the right message is what drives our work,” Lauren says. “Strong leadership looks like someone who gets in the trenches alongside their team and trusts them with real responsibility.” Living in Bowling Green near her parents, Lauren balances client meetings, media shoots and strategy with raising her two young children alongside her husband, Logan. Supported by early mentor Jenny Howard, Lauren hopes to create new PR opportunities for emerging women in South Central Kentucky. Together, Nora and Lauren combine creative instinct with high-level strategy, proving that authentic stories serve as powerful catalysts for community progress. “Just do it and dive in,” Nora says. “Work ethic will always put you ahead, and you are far more capable than you realize.”