PR's Top Pros Talk

Jamie Dowd, North America Health Lead at Weber Shandwick , discusses the impact of misinformation and shares how brands can address it with empathy. Jamie talks about her passion for supporting female leaders in PR. Jamie also shares the importance of maintaining momentum for female-driven campaigns.

Rosanna Maietta, Chief Communications Officer and Senior Counselor to the CEO at the American Clean Power Association , shares her tips on how to navigate a fast-paced news cycle and build strong relationships with reporters to combat misinformation. Rosanna also talks about the evolution of the communications role.

Megan Prock McGrath, Managing Director of MacDougall Advisors , shares what to keep in mind when communicating with investors and consumers. Megan discusses the importance of setting milestones in advance and following through with them. Megan also talks about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the biotech space.

Ben Finzel, President of RENEWPR and Founding Principal of The Change Agencies , shares some common misconceptions about the role of public relations. Ben shares the story of how The Change Agencies started and its impact on clients. Ben also explains the challenges the communications industry still has to work on, including diversity, equity and inclusion in recruitment, retention and promotion.

Shannon Moylan, Senior Vice President of Public Relations at imre , explains how the head and the heart concept can be applied to healthcare communications and beyond. Shannon shares valuable advice on how to turn ideas into actions and explains the differences between media outlets. She also discusses the importance of enthusiasm during the pitching process. Learn about D S Simon Media here: http...

Alex Ebanks, Vice President of Communications for  ESSENCE  Ventures, shares some exciting milestones for the brands she works with. Alex describes how organizations can effectively lead the next generation in their internship and mentorship programs. Alex explains the important factors she considers before choosing to partner with an agency. Alex also shares valuable advice to students about how...

Cheryl Overton, Founder and Chief Experience Officer of  Cheryl Overton Communications , defines the designing for the margins philosophy and shares how she applies it through her work with clients. Cheryl also explains how brands can obtain loving consumers and discusses her 2024 trend predictions. Learn more about D S Simon Media here .

Tish Van Dyke, Executive Vice President at  JPA Health , describes how the One Health concept can be applied to an organization's core business. Tish describes key findings from JPA’s latest report, "One World, One Health: Exploring the Connectability between Human, Animal and Environmental Health". Tish also shares her excitement for the future of the industry. Click here to downloa...

Are you ready for the changing corporate communications landscape? Radina Russell, U.S. Chair, Corporate Affairs Advisory & General Manager, Atlanta Southeast Market, Edelman , dives into the key findings of Edelman’s 2023 Future of Corporate Communications Study. She explains what business areas CCOs should focus on and the traits they should lead with. Radina also shares how CCOs can get the...

Peter Cook, Chief Communications Officer at the American Bankers Association, shares how his team serves as the voice of the banking industry in Washington and the challenge of representing banks of all sizes. He explains his range of responsibilities at ABA, how he applies his journalism background to his job, and the importance of data in reaching a skeptical public.

Blake McEvoy, Head of U.S. Corporate Affairs for Respiratory & Immunology, Vaccines & Immune Therapies at AstraZeneca , describes the communicator's role in the healthcare transformation. He explains how leaders can provide value to the next generation of workers. He also shares his insights on how the healthcare industry is developing a people, planet, and society-focused approach.

Jim O'Leary, Chief Executive Officer at Weber Shandwick , North America, explains the shifts to the corporate affairs profession that have taken place over the past several years – and how the trends of today, for artificial intelligence to CEO turnover, will affect the industry’s future.

Carrie Blewitt, Senior Vice President at Story Partners , discusses the use of jargon in public relations. She also explains how to develop a clear and effective pitch to the media. Learn more about D S Simon Media: https://www.dssimon.com/

Jenny Wang, Senior Vice President at  CLYDE , discusses why DE&I remains business critical when it comes to all stakeholders, including consumers and employees. She explains four pillars of consideration for communicators to consider when it comes to DE&I and health equity communications. Jenny also shares her tips on how brands can avoid performative allyship.

Brendan P. Lewis, Executive Vice President of Global Communications and Public Affairs at Oatly , shares his top three pieces of advice for job seekers. He opens up about the importance of maintaining a work-life balance. Brendan also offers his insights on when brands should take risks. Learn more about D S Simon Media here .

After sharing the history behind her firm’s name, Laura Liotta, President and Founder of Sam Brown Inc. Healthcare Communications , dives into corporate communications and how she works with healthcare companies to get their messages across to various audiences. Laura also offers insights on leveraging authentic spokespeople, including celebrities.

Cherilyn Cecchini, M.D., Partner at  FINN Partners , reflects on the lessons she has learned from her residency and how they apply to her communications role. Cherilyn describes how medical professionals and agency leaders can effectively work together with patients and their families. Cherilyn also shares valuable information from her medical research.

Ryan Lilly, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of MWW Health , describes the dos and don'ts of building a healthcare practice at an agency. Ryan explains how healthcare communicators are continuing to lead with a value-based care approach. Ryan also discusses the importance of patient privacy.

Doug Broad, Principal of Three Rings Inc. , shares how his agency’s hands-on media relations approach positively affects its employees and clients. Doug also discusses how analyst relations should go beyond simply getting in reports and explains some trends they are seeing in the VC space.

Jennifer Bodner, CEO of Babbit Bodner , discusses how to manage the unpredictability of PR by planning ahead and knowing when to pivot. Jennifer emphasizes the importance of gathering insights during the research process. She talks about the value of being a scrappy and strategic communicator. Jennifer also shares what Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and the Barbie movie have in common.

Chrissy Faessen, Principal at ConwayStrategic , shares the methods she uses with clients to develop strategic and authentic messaging. Chrissy also explains how she connects with reporters through email and social media and discusses developing visibility opportunities during tight news cycles for her healthcare clients.

Marie de Foucaud, Founder and CEO of  Elovation Consulting , describes how the  Saudi Fashion Commission  is making a huge impact on local communities. Marie highlights her experience connecting with upcoming talent and political leaders for the  Saudi 100 Brands  project. Marie also shares what communicators need to know before working with international brands.

Krysten Copeland, Founder of  KC & Co Communications , discusses the importance of having open and inclusive conversations when planning the messaging for a campaign. She also discusses valuable tools such as polling through social media to ensure a client’s target audience is being reached. Krysten also shares her advice for getting stories on local and national TV news. Learn more about D S...

Amina Colter Jones, Senior Vice President, on Edelman ’s Health and Multicultural teams, explains how safe spaces can lessen the divide between executives and associates when it comes to racial justice progress. Amina shares the impact of affirmative action and explains why communicators should research the policies. Amina also shares her advice on how companies can be more inclusive in their hiri...

Natalie Boden, Founder and CEO of BODEN Agency, shares her insights on how brands can engage with the Hispanic cohort authentically during Hispanic Heritage Month (and beyond) and why understanding local and cultural nuances matter when reaching this fast growing community. She also discusses her new children’s book, “Sasha’s Big Question,” which she wrote in response to the question “Mom, why do...