Kristi Piehl

Founder/CEO

Kristi Piehl launched Media Minefield in 2010 following a 12-year career as an Emmy Award-winning television news reporter. With clients ranging from startups to billion-dollar brands, Media Minefield moves beyond traditional public relations with its innovative NewsabilityⓇ process. It is a one-of-a-kind full-service agency specializing in earned media, crisis communication and social media (Positive Online PresenceSM).
Kristi is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs of all genders and ethnicities. She is a founding board member of The Demon Angels, a diverse group of angel investors who support Chicago-based entrepreneurs. She is also a founding member of DePaul University's Women in Entrepreneurship Institute. Media Minefield is a WBENC-certified Women’s Business Enterprise.
Kristi is dedicated to creating a unique workplace culture with policies that value families, flexibility and health. In 2020, Media Minefield took the #1 spot on the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s Best Places to Work list in its category. Kristi was named one of Minnesota’s 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders in 2020. In 2019, she was named a Women in Business honoree by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal and a Women 2 Watch nominee by Women Presidents’ Organization. Kristi was Bethel University’s 2015 Alumna of the Year and is on the Board of Trustees at Bethel University. Kristi is also a founding member of The 25 at Bethel University, a four-year cohort program that aims to empower women to use their strengths, passion and skills to uncover their potential.
Kristi launched the Flip Your Script podcast in 2020. She is honored to host the show and interview people who faced a critical turning point in their life and explore how they found the inspiration to move forward and rewrite their own unique story.