Smart Talk Series

Join Melissa as she kicks off Season Five by discussing the importance of representation and cultural competency. Passing the Mic This season, we're passing the mic by interviewing industry specialists who shared their expertise in Melissa's new book, "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know". Topics covered: The importance of representation Experiencing cultural incompetency ...

Season finale! For the last episode of season four, Melissa reads the introduction from her book, "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know." Topics covered: - Recap of the season - Melissa's journey to becoming an author - The introduction of "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know Actions to take: - Get yourself a copy of "Smart Talk" today! - Buy a book...

Marketing takes on a lot of definitions, but at its core it should be about promoting something positive. In this week's episode, Melissa talks with Sherí Barros, Vice President of Global Sports Brand Alliances for the American Cancer Society, about her trailblazing career in cause marketing. About Sherí: Sherí Barros is an award-winning brand executive with a body of work spanning 20 years across...

The operating system for being human is a lot simpler than you'd imagine. We are all driven by our values. But what are these values? And how do we use this information to better understand each other? This week, Melissa talks to David Allison, the trailblazing founder of the Valuegraphics Project. About David: David Allison is the Global Values Leader, Human Behavior Expert, and Founder of the Va...

What do you consider the "general market"? As a country, our marketing needs are as complex as our identities. This week, Melissa talks to the CEO and founder of APC Collective, Audrey Ponzio, about her communications agency's groundbreaking work in mindful marketing. About Audrey: Audrey Ponzio is the CEO & Founder of APC Collective where she and her team develop communications and community enga...

What is public relations' role in achieving health equity? Listen as Melissa discusses diversity and inclusion in the healthcare industry with Senior Vice President at FleishmanHillard and health equity trailblazer, Thomas Bennett. About Thomas: Thomas is an MBA-educated, military veteran with over 20 years of combined experience in Public Relations (PR), Sales, Marketing, Diversity & Inclusion, a...

Even in an evolving field like public relations, sticking to the fundamentals is a strategy you can always bet on. This week, Melissa talks to Robert Dilenschneider, the founder and CEO of The Dilenschneider Group about his trailblazing journey through the changing world of public relations. About Robert: Robert Dilenschneider is the founder and CEO of The Dilenschneider Group, a global strategic...

When you leverage your heritage in your marketing strategy, you create new opportunities to cultivate meaningful connections with your consumers. Melissa sits down with Yvonne "Bonnie" Garcia, Founder and CEO of MarketVision to talk about her groundbreaking career in Hispanic marketing.   About Yvonne: Yvonne "Bonnie" Garcia founded MarketVision in 1998 after 22 years in corporate marketing becaus...

Paving a new path can be difficult, especially when people are resistant to change. This week Melissa talks to Gini Dietrich, the founder, CEO, and author of Spin Sucks, to discuss how she pioneered a new way to look at communication integration with the PESO Model™. About Gini: Gini Dietrich is the founder, CEO, and author of Spin Sucks, host of the Spin Sucks podcast, and author of Spin Sucks (t...

Taking on an uncharted path alone can be as challenging as it is rewarding. This season, we're focusing on Communication Trailblazers who followed their calling into unexplored territory and left a trail for those behind them to follow. Join Melissa as she kicks off season four by discussing her evolution from a solo pioneer to a professional trailblazer.  Topics covered:   - Defining a "trailblaz...

Season finale! For the last episode of season three, Melissa is joined by a surprise guest: Smart Talk Series Podcast Producer Jennifer Navarrete! About Jennifer: Jennifer Navarrete has been podcasting since 2005, believes everyone has a story to s...

Don't be performative, strive to be transformative. This week, Stephen Macias, President of MulitCultural Comms & PR at Rogers & Cowan PMK, joins Melissa to discuss the necessity and impact of multicultural communications.  About Stephen: For almost 20 years, Stephen Macias created communication and public relations strategies that connect brands to consumers in the LGBTQ community, communities of...

No matter what career field you work in, being a strong public speaker is an asset. This week, Melissa talks to Pastor Jonathan Mussett about how to be an impactful public speaker and specializing in faith communication.  About Pastor Jonathan: Jonathan Mussett is the Assistant Lead Pastor at Westover Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. He has a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Mary's U...

Interested in teaching PR or social media? There's a niche for that! Learn more about educating tomorrow's professionals in today's episode with Strategic Communications Professor Karen Freberg. About Karen: Karen Freberg (@kfreberg) is a Professor in Strategic Communications at the University of Louisville, where she teaches, researches, and consults in social media strategy, public relations, an...

In an increasingly digital world, the strategies we use to effectively communicate must evolve to keep up. Learn more about those strategies and other best practices from today's guest, Digital PR Strategist Sarah Evans. About Sarah: Sarah Evans, founder of Sevans Strategy and Sevans Digital PR, is a digital PR strategist, consultant, global brand correspondent and keynote speaker, who works with...

In the communication field, there are two categories that most professionals fall under: generalist or specialist. This season, we're focusing on Communication Specialties. Join Melissa as she starts season three reviewing the pros and cons of specializing and how you can find your speciality areas over time. Topics covered: - Generalists vs. specialists - Discovering your niche  How and when to d...

Season finale! Join Melissa as she wraps up Season 2 by sharing her top three principles for being a socially responsible professional. Topics covered: - How to fix root issues by moving upstream - The importance of doing more good than harm - What being an ally means Actions to take: - Know and do better - Serve people where they - Make your impact a positive one - Recognize your biases and privi...

The pandemic left a lasting impact on countless industries. As hybrid work models solidify and job listings start to multiply, the HR industry is settling into its new mode of operations. This week, Melissa is joined by Christina Stokes, the Senior Vice President, Director of Talent Acquisition at RUBENSTEIN. About Christina: Christina Stokes is the Senior Vice President, Director of Talent Acquis...

2020 was the year of virtual events. 2021 is a bit more complicated. How does what we know now about tech and safety standards inform event planning in a world that's going back in-person? This week, Melissa talks with Janet Holliday, the President and CEO of The CE Group, about event planning in a pandemic world. About Janet: Janet Holliday embodies a rare combination of strategic vision, tremend...

Digital strategy can influence minds and drive behaviors towards making a change. So, what happens when marketers use our tools to bring awareness to social issues? This week, Melissa is joined by Cedric F. Brown, the Director of Digital Strategy at A Call to Men, to dive deeper into diversity, equity, and inclusion. About Cedric: Cedric F. Brown, APR, is the director of digital strategy at A Call...

It takes a village to support a great cause and a make a difference. From matching donations to getting over 200,000 people vaccinated, WellMed is an expert in utilizing their community to make a positive impact. This week, we hear from Brittany Pratt, the Vice President of Social Responsibility at WellMed Medical Management, on mobilizing and investing in your community. About Brittany: Brittany...

Corporate social responsibility has many definitions, but no matter how you define it, most take into account: ethics, trust, responsibility, service, and societal impact. After learning how to navigate through turbulent times in Season One, let's learn how to responsibly build a better future. In the first episode of Season Two, Melissa introduces this season's focus: Practicing Social Responsibi...