As we close out December, WWPR is wrapping up our two-year pro bono partnership with Running Start. What began as a professional commitment evolved into something much more meaningful—a true partnership built on shared values, collaborative spirit, and a genuine friendship that made every project a joy.
Throughout our time together, we’ve been privileged to support Running Start’s vital mission of training young women to run for political office. From crafting compelling messaging that amplified their programs to developing communications strategies that helped them reach new audiences, we’ve watched this organization continue to grow its impact across the country. The work we did together wasn’t just about deliverables; it was about empowering an incredible team of women leaders.
Beyond the campaigns and messaging frameworks, what we’ll remember most is the warmth, dedication, and passion that Susannah Wellford and the entire Running Start team brought to every interaction. They challenged us to think bigger, welcomed our ideas with open minds, and reminded us why we do this work in the first place.
We’re deeply grateful to our co-chairs who shepherded this partnership with such care and commitment: Kelsey Flora (2024), Alicia Aebersold (2024 & 2025), and Christina Crawley (2025). Your leadership made all the difference.
To the entire Running Start team: thank you for two incredible years. We’ll miss our regular check-ins, brainstorming sessions, and the energy you brought to every collaboration. While our formal partnership may be ending, we’ll be staying in touch and cheering you on as you continue to inspire and train the women leaders our country needs.
Here’s to the young women who will run—and win—because of Running Start’s work.
Stay tuned: We’ll be announcing our new 2026-2027 pro bono client in January!
From left: Kelsey Flora, Christina Crawley, Susannah Wellford, and Alicia Aebersold.
As 2025 winds down, many organizations are reflecting on the year, what went well, what didn’t, and what’s ahead. For those specifically in health communications, this is the perfect moment to highlight how wellness, both personal and organizational, ties into goals for the upcoming New Year. Just as people set resolutions to improve their health, organizations can use internal communications to inspire employees to reflect, recharge, and focus on what matters most.
Celebrate Specific Wins
Year-end health communications are more than just a recap or a “thanks for your hard work” message. They’re an opportunity to reinforce why employees’ contributions matter, recognize challenges overcome, and promote a culture of well-being as we enter 2026. Celebrating wins, whether it’s launching a successful wellness initiative, improving team collaboration, or hitting organizational health goals, creates pride and fosters a sense of belonging. These human, health-focused moments help employees see themselves as part of a bigger purpose beyond daily tasks.
Reinforce Employee Commitment
At the same time, year-end communications are a chance to connect employees to the organization’s vision for 2026, especially around health and wellness priorities. Sharing leadership’s commitment to employee well-being, new wellness programs, or resources for work-life balance helps reduce uncertainty and motivates staff to start the new year with confidence and purpose. Done well, these messages can turn routine updates into meaningful conversations that inspire engagement and action.
Invite Feedback
Listening is just as important as sharing. Internal health communications should encourage feedback, asking employees what wellness initiatives worked, what could improve, and how they want to engage with upcoming programs. Even small gestures, like surveys, wellness check-ins, or open Q&A sessions, can make a big difference in how messages are received and how connected employees feel to the organization.
As we move into 2026, internal communications in health should be thoughtful, human, and consistent. They serve as a bridge between leadership and employees, a way to rally teams around shared wellness goals, and an opportunity to celebrate both people and purpose. Just as New Year’s resolutions inspire individuals to prioritize health, clear and meaningful internal communications can energize employees, build alignment, and set the stage for a healthier, more engaged, and successful year ahead.
Charmaine Riley, Communications Director at American Beverage, WWPR VP/Incoming 2026 President
Charmaine Riley is a public relations and communications director with 10+ years of experience in media relations, advocacy and strategic communications. She has a track record of securing media coverage and managing social impact initiatives. Dedicated, creative and highly collaborative, she brings diverse experience at the intersection of community building, earned media and effective communication. Charmaine currently serves as Communications Director at American Beverage, the trade association representing the nonalcoholic beverage industry. She also serves on the Washington Women in Public Relations Board as Vice President and incoming 2026 President and is a recipient of the WWPR Emerging Leaders Award for her nonprofit and civil rights communications work. Riley graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations and a minor in American history.
Tell me about your background and what drew you to your current position.
I’ve always had a love for storytelling. Whether it was fiction or nonfiction, describing a scene and setting the stage got my gears turning. Combining my love for storytelling with my natural gravitation toward social impact was a no-brainer when entering public relations. This field allows me to tell stories that often go untold, especially when it comes to underrepresented communities.
I was drawn to my current position at American Beverage because of the opportunity to highlight stories that go beyond the companies. There’s a lot of great work being done in communities across the country–from efforts to increase access to nutrition and education to improving recycling infrastructure for millions–that really showcases how invested the industries are in the communities they live and work in.
What is the most exciting or rewarding project you’ve done recently or in your overall career?
There have been countless rewarding projects I have worked on. One that will always stand out is a 2020 campaign, Black History is American History, that was launched while I was at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund. Not only was it the height of COVID, but the campaign stemmed from the constant attacks nationwide and specifically on Virginia schools and teachers for teaching truthful history, including slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. It was not only an earned media and strategic partnership success story, but it also allowed our team to focus on storytelling by giving students, families and teachers the space to share their experiences, as well as inequity head-on at a time when democracy was on the line.
What do you love about being a WWPR Board Member?
I applied for the WWPR Board not long after attending my first WWPR event. Now in my fourth year on the board, I love seeing it grow each year under the leadership of successful and impactful women in D.C. The events, professional development opportunities and even the content have grown year over year, and that’s because women come to WWPR not only seeking a membership but a place to support other women. As a Board Member, that’s beautiful to see.
Is there any book you would recommend?
Anything written by Brit Bennett. I became obsessed with her books over COVID and am impatiently waiting for her to release her next novel. They make you think while also finding ways, big and small, to relate to the reader, making them great for getting away from work and the news. While there are only two so far, she has a fan for life.
What do you do outside of work?
I work every day so that outside of work I can support my six-year-old pit bull/lab mix, Oly, named after my hometown, Olympia. I’m also a proud pop culture enthusiast, auntie, traveler and self-proclaimed affordable red wine connoisseur.
Q1. Tell us about your background—where you’re from, your education, etc., including your career background.
I’m a California girl who’s been on the East Coast since graduate school. I love where I’m from, but I’ve always said I’m a little too Type A for the West Coast. The East Coast pace and intensity fit my temperament, but I still carry some of that California balance.
I was a music major in college and later studied musicology in graduate school, exploring how music reflects the culture and history of its time. I’ve always felt the tension between head and heart, between logic and intuition, what feels safe and what feels true. When it came time to choose a career, that tension came to the forefront. I wanted to find work that used both my analytical and creative sides, and that led me to communications
The pivot wasn’t easy. It demanded resilience, curiosity, and the willingness to learn fast. I was fortunate to find incredible mentors who taught me the craft of strategic communications and supported my growth.
My career has focused on communications for mission-driven nonprofits and associations. I’ve been lucky to work across global health, workforce development, economic justice, and more.
What I love most about communications is that it’s cross-cutting. It’s the connective tissue that links ideas, people, and impact. It’s where strategy meets storytelling and becomes a catalyst for real-world change.
Q2. What inspired you to start your own communications company? Was there a defining moment when you knew it was time to take that leap?
I was exploring new roles, but nothing sparked. I couldn’t quite name why.
Working with a coach helped me see it clearly. It wasn’t opportunity that was holding me back, but the structure of institutional life itself. I wanted to work in a way where my thinking wasn’t diluted by organizational politics or discomfort with bold choices. I thrive in environments of independence and ownership.
As soon as I decided to consult, something clicked. When I later completed a multidimensional strengths assessment, it confirmed what I was already starting to feel: that my personality profile is almost a blueprint for entrepreneurship.
The freedom and flexibility are appealing, for sure. But mostly I wanted to create the conditions where I could bring my best, most strategic self to the table.
Q3. Before you launched your business, what experiences shaped your approach to communications and leadership? How did your earlier roles prepare you for starting your own business?
Some of my most formative lessons came early on. When I was still learning the ropes, I remember trying to engineer the perfect press release. A journalist-turned-communicator told me, “Just tell a good story.” That advice stuck with me. It was a reminder to choose narrative over formula.
I also learned about the power of influence. Success at work isn’t just about good ideas, but about cultivating allies and knowing how to bring people along. What matters is shaping thinking, not claiming credit.
Over my career in nonprofits, I’ve seen a recurring pattern. Every organization that isn’t a household name struggles to tell its story or demonstrate its impact. Almost every one of them says, “We’re complicated,” as if that makes them a special case.
They get lost in details, lean on theories of change and logic models, and quickly slip into jargon. On top of that, they’re chasing an ever-shrinking pot of funding, which leads to mission drift. Suddenly, you’ve got a portfolio of programs that don’t add up to something coherent. Complexity isn’t the problem, and communication isn’t the problem. Clarity is the problem.
Because communication is how your internal alignment and strategy show up in the world. If the foundation is shaky — or worse, missing — your communications will fall flat. I help organizations diagnose what’s really going on so they can align their communications with who they are and what truly matters.
Q4. What were some of the biggest lessons or obstacles you faced when you started your own business, and how did you navigate them?
Even as a solo consultancy, there are a lot of moving parts: platforms, proposals, invoicing, marketing, client delivery. Finding the right systems and workflows has been an ongoing process.
Another ongoing lesson is learning how to attract the right kind of work, the kind that aligns with what I want to be doing, and knowing when to say yes and when to say no. Every billable hour spent on unaligned projects is time you could be spending cultivating the right clients and projects. So I try to be kind to myself while I get off the ground and grow, but also be disciplined about not getting stuck in work that doesn’t reflect where I’m headed.
Q5. You’re also an active WWPR member and PRSA volunteer. How has being part of these communities influenced your career or your business growth?
Community has become one of the most important forms of professional growth for me. For years, I worked in small organizations where professional development wasn’t prioritized, especially for communicators. I stayed sharp on my own by reading, attending free webinars, and learning by doing.
Then I began engaging more intentionally with the field. I re-joined PRSA and the National Capital Chapter. I went all in, first leading a committee and now serving on the chapter’s board. And, after two decades in the field, I just attended my first PRSA ICON! It reminded me how powerful it is to be surrounded by people who speak your professional language.
WWPR has offered a different but equally valuable kind of connection. It’s been welcoming, generous — and multigenerational. One of my first events was a dinner of senior women whose experience and insight were deeply inspiring. Later, I volunteered for WWPR’s speed mentoring event — so I’m learning from and giving back to this community.
Q6. For other communications professionals who might be thinking about starting their own firm, what advice would you share—maybe something you wish you knew at the beginning?
First, keep the receipts. Seriously, save yourself the headache and stay on top of the small things, because they pile up faster than you think.
When I started out, I told myself I’d say yes to any project that came my way. I didn’t know yet what shape the work would take, and I figured every engagement would teach me something new. But I soon realized that approach couldn’t last.
The truth is, there are a lot of communications consultants and agencies out there that work with nonprofits. If I didn’t define my distinct value, I’d always be competing on price, not perspective.
The same principle I apply to my clients applies to me as well. Niche-ing down isn’t limiting; it’s strategic focus.
Q7. Do you have anything else you want to add?
If there’s a theme that runs through my life and career, it’s that tension between head and heart.
Leaving academia (I was most of the way through a PhD) was one of the hardest decisions I’ve made. I’d spent years working toward something that looked right on paper, but it no longer sparked anything in me. Following my instincts instead of my resume illuminated my path. It wasn’t a straight one, but it was mine.
Starting my business has been another version of that lesson, but now with more exhilaration than agony. It’s where head and heart finally work together. When your thinking and your instincts point in the same direction? That’s clarity.
Q8. What do you do for fun?
I am an urban wanderer. I love long walks, especially when they have a purpose, like stringing together errands that take me across the city or walking an hour to meet a friend for brunch. I’ve lived in D.C. for years and still love discovering new corners and neighborhoods.
Even after moving from music to communications, I’ve kept music as a through-line in my life. I’m a classically trained soprano and have sung with The Washington Chorus for a decade. I sang in a competitive karaoke league for years. I’ve also returned to dance after a long, long time away. I love the physicality and focus it demands.
When I’m not walking, singing, or dancing, I love crafting seasonal libations and hosting friends. There’s something deeply satisfying about creating a space where people feel welcome and cared for.
Michelle Schafer heads up Merritt Group’s AI and Security Practice Groups, where she applies over two decades of hands-on PR-related experience spanning every discipline. She is known for creating and implementing strategic communications campaigns that drive results for clients such as IOActive, ISC2, CrowdStrike, Tenable, Fortify Software, and SentinelOne. Michelle provides strategy and positioning guidance to her clients as well as execution on PR and social media programs. Michelle has inserted her clients into major publications such as Time, Fortune, USA Today, Fox News, MSNBC, and more. Michelle has presented at NVTC, Women in Technology (WIT), CyberMarketingCon, RVASec, Security B-Sides Las Vegas/DC, MACH37, and ISSA events, and is recognized as a top influencer in the B2B technology community.
Tell me about your background and what drew you to your current position. I’ve always had a love for communications and PR – it’s what I studied at George Mason University, and my passion became reality during my college internships at Edelman and Stackig PR. I also graduated at a time when there was a massive tech bubble – cell phones and the Internet had changed the world, and I knew I wanted to immerse myself in the excitement of it all. After a few years doing in-house PR at telecom firms, I went over to the analyst world at Current Analysis and then landed at Merritt Group. Twenty-two years later, I’m still here and running our cybersecurity and AI practices.
What is the most exciting or rewarding project you’ve done recently or in your overall career? I wish I could pick just one moment, but I’d say being in cybersecurity PR and marketing for over 20 years and representing over 150 cyber brands has been very fulfilling. I’ve seen the market and community grow immensely, and I’m proud to say that I’ve played a role in helping to amplify many top influencers and cyber defenders. I owe a lot of my success in my career to the late Tim Wilson, Editor of DarkReading, who taught me that what we do really matters – we’re making a difference. In fact, he and I joked a lot that we were “cyber defenders,” and I’m happy to say that I’m carrying his vision forward today, as best I can, in a marketing and communications role.
What do you love about being a WWPR Board Member? Serving on the Board of WWPR has been a game-changer for me this year. I’ve enjoyed working with a powerful group of women who are influencing the next generation of communications professionals. As co-chair for the Woman of the Year event, I saw firsthand how the Board came together to execute on a beautiful celebration of our finalists and our community. We all worked so hard to pull off this event, and it was a huge team effort across the WWPR Board.
Is there any book you would recommend? I think reading Radical Candor by Kim Scott was a game-changer for me as a manager. The book isn’t about being harsh – it’s about the balance between caring personally and challenging directly. Too often in business, we fall into one of two traps: being ‘nice’ but unhelpful (ruinous empathy) or being brutally honest without empathy (obnoxious aggression). The power of Radical Candor is that it creates a culture where feedback is a gift – delivered with clarity and compassion. It’s not just a management style, it’s a framework for building trust while driving performance.
What do you do outside of work? I’m a 7-year breast cancer survivor, so I try to support the local communities as best I can – Lean on Me, StepSisters, Runway to the Cure, and the Loudoun Breast Health Network. Giving back is so important to the community that helped me through the toughest time in my life. I also love long walks at sunset, visiting the most beautiful beaches in the world, and spending time with my awesome son, Mason (properly named after my college, George Mason!).
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