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Advisory Council Spotlight: Meet Susan M. Apgood, EVP, Client Relations & Founder at News Generation and WWPR 2022-2023 Advisory Council Member 

Talk about your background and what inspired you to start up your media relations company, News Generation? For as long as I can remember I wanted to start my own company. When I was 27 and just out of business school, I had a client suggest to me that I start my own business—and that is how News Generation was born! I ran the company for 22 years and I sold it in April 2020.

What sets News Generation apart? What sets News Generation apart as a company is our attention to detail. We were so buttoned-up on all of the details of every project and in constant communication with clients and of course the most important thing: delivering results.

What is a typical day for you? How do you manage work-life balance? A typical day for me definitely starts off with exercise. I love yoga and I love working out and getting going in the morning. In terms of my day, I work at 4media during the day but I also teach [at the Kogod School of Business]l at American University. I teach Intro to Business as well as Women in Organizational Leadership. 

Learn more about Susan personally from her video on WWPR's Instagram.

I also do a little bit of coaching for women who own businesses [with Her Corner].  I love working with entrepreneurial women so I do that as well. As a side gig, my brother and I build houses in New Jersey so I’m the CFO of that company and he does all the work and I do all of the budgeting and all of the details behind that. I also have three boys that are currently in tenth grade and then I have two in eighth grade that are twins so there’s a lot of running around after school between scouts and sports and band and generally just taking care of them. 

If you could do a Ted Talk on any subject, what would it be? If I could do a TED talk about any subject it would be about women in the workplace. Women are victims of what we call the “double bind” where we’re either “too nice” and don’t get taken seriously or we are too aggressive and we’re seen as “bitches.” So I’m working really hard with my students, with myself, and my colleagues on how to strike that proper balance where you’re not sort of walked all over and at the same time you’re not always seen as the feisty one in every conversation. It’s a tough balance and I feel the more advanced I get in  my career, the more I’m into these double-bind situations so I would love to do more research on that and tell women in the workforce how to get around that and to make the absolute best of every single situation. 

Interested in being featured in a member spotlight? Reach out to membership@wwpr.org to volunteer and learn more about getting involved.

WWPR Announces 2022-2023 Advisory Council

WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 29, 2022– Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR), a leading resource for female communications professionals in the nation’s capital, today announced its 2022-2023 Advisory Council, tasked with providing WWPR leadership with strategic advice on the direction of the organization.

“We are so excited to welcome our 2022-2023 Advisory Council members, an incoming group of amazing industry veterans with a multitude of experience,” said Jacqueline Wilson, WWPR President.

The Advisory Council is comprised of leaders in the communications and public relations industry, some bringing a long history of serving WWPR in other capacities alongside new faces to bring fresh perspective to the organization. We are honored to announce Susan Matthews Apgood, Sukhi Sahni, Hillarie Turner and Danielle Veira as WWPR’s 2022-2023 council members.

Susan Matthews Apgood, Executive Vice President, Client Relations & Founder at News Generation

Susan Matthews Apgood is the founder of News Generation, a premier media relations firm which she launched in 1997. She sold her company to 4media group in April of 2020, where she is now an Executive Vice President of Client Relations. Apgood is active in a number of public relations associations, including Washington Women in Public Relations, of which she was Treasurer from 2018 to 2022, and in 2014, was one of three finalists for its Woman of the Year award. She is also active in the Public Relations Society of America, National Capital Chapter of which she was Treasurer as well as Co-Chair of both the Thoth Awards and Professional Development committees for many years. PRSA-NCC honored Apgood with its Platinum Award for her continued impact on the chapter in 2017, 2013 and 2011.

Apgood is an adjunct professor in the Kogod School of Business at American University, teaching Women in Organizational Leadership and Introduction to Business. She is a facilitator with Her Corner, where she coaches women in workshops and private sessions to grow their businesses. She earned her MBA in finance from American University and BA in economics from George Washington University.

Sukhi Sahni, Senior Vice President, Head of Brand, DEI, Technology and Innovation Communications at Wells Fargo

Sahni brings the energy of new practitioners with the finesse and fearlessness of a veteran to her daily practice. Previous to Wells Fargo, she was the Head of Corporate Communications for the U.S. Card Division at Capital One. Sahni was recently recognized as the Top Rising Future CCOs list. She is also a recipient of the “Global Innovator 25 Award” and a top woman in PR through the “Top Women in PR Award”. Sahni currently serves as an Adjunct Professor teaching the Master’s program in PR and Communications at Georgetown University. She earned her BA in economics and psychology from Delhi University and MA in journalism from West Virginia University.

Hillarie Turner, Account Director at FOVNDRY

Hillarie Turner is a seasoned communications professional specializing in health and science and currently serves as an Account Director at FOVNDRY where she provides senior-level counsel and leads media strategy and integrated outreach campaigns for clients. Turner previously worked at Spectrum Science and in-house at medical-speciality and scientific associations overseeing communications planning, leadership media training, media relations, and campaign development and management. She has managed large-scale national meeting press operations and is skilled at working with scientists, healthcare professionals, and researchers to translate scientific data for both professional and consumer audiences. 

Turner is a Washington Women in Public Relations past president, serving for two years, and Woman of the Year event co-chair, from 2020 to 2021. She earned her BS in psychology from Elon University and is a member of the D.C. Science Writers Association and the Society for Health Communication. 

Danielle Veira, Founder and CEO at Minerva’s Legacy Consulting Group, LLC 

Danielle Veira is the Senior Vice President of Communications, Marketing, and Membership at Advocates for Community Health (ACH) and the founder and CEO of Minerva’s Legacy Consulting Group, LLC. At ACH, Veira leads the organization’s external communications, membership engagement, storytelling, and media outreach efforts. She was introduced to ACH  through her work at Minerva’s Legacy Consulting Group, LLC where she provides leadership coaching and strategic communications services to clients across the country.

Before joining ACH in 2021, Veira spent more than a decade working in nonprofit, advocacy, and philanthropic communications, both in-house and at a strategic communications firm in Washington, DC. Veira is currently on Ragan Communications’ advisory board and serves on the board of directors for The ZAC Foundation. She was previously the executive director for the Chicago chapter of ColorComm, Inc., and a member of the local advisory board for iHeartMedia Markets Group’s Chicago region. Veira is also a WWPR past president and former board member. She received her BA from Emory University, where she majored in sociology and minored in political science.

As we welcome the incoming advisory council members, WWPR thanks our outgoing council members from the previous term for their time, dedication and guidance: Debra Silimeo, The Silimeo Group, Lauren Lawson-Zilai, Goodwill Industries International, Pattie Yu, The Yu Crew, and Stephenie Fu, the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Learn more about WWPR and upcoming events at www.wwpr.org.

ABOUT WASHINGTON WOMEN IN PUBLIC RELATIONS 

Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) is a member-based professional society cultivating and inspiring female communicators to reach their full potential in the DC market and beyond. The organization is committed to providing leadership opportunities, professional development, mentorship, and industry networking. Visit us at wwpr.org, connect with us on LinkedIn and Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @WWPR and on Instagram @WWPRDC.

For more information contact: info@wwpr.org

2021 Emerging Leaders Awards

Embrace. Embolden. Empower.

On May 20, WWPR named the 2021 Emerging Leaders Awards winners at an all-virtual awards ceremony where Dr. LeMia Jenkins Thompson, Global Head of Communications for Pinterest, gave the keynote address. A pre-event networking hour preceded the event where attendees were able to network with industry colleagues while learning to build a terrarium.

We’re proud to highlight five winners from different sectors within the communications field and recognize this diverse group of up-and-coming communications professionals.

  • Small/Boutique Agency: Stefani Alexander, Vice President, Curley Company
  • Mid- to Large-Sized Agency: Rosemary Girard, Senior Account Executive, Corporate Affairs, Edelman
  • Government: Rachel Stephens, Press Secretary, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives
  • Non-Profit: Maggie McClain, Senior Director of Communications, Food Allergy Research & Education
  • In-House: Emily Newman, Senior Speechwriter, National Association of REALTORS®

Let’s congratulate WWPR’s 2021 Emerging Leaders Awards Winners and the amazing finalists.

Contact the WWPR Emerging Leaders Awards co-chairs Erika Dyer and Stephanie Wight, at ela@wwpr.org with additional questions.

Member Spotlight: Meet Elizabeth Held, Senior Director of Content at Subject Matter

elizabeth held

Tell me about your background and what drew you to Subject Matter.

After graduating college, I worked at USA TODAY’s editorial page, fact-checking op-eds and reviewing and soliciting After graduating college, I worked at USA TODAY’s editorial page, fact-checking op-eds and reviewing and soliciting submissions. It was a crash course in all things opinion media. From there, I was a reporter in the Orange County Register’s D.C. Bureau.

I realized the world of daily journalism wasn’t for me and joined a boutique public affairs firm before joining Subject Matter in 2018. I love that there are so many different types of smart people at Subject Matter. Everyone has a different skill set and I learn something new from my colleagues every day.

What is a typical day like in your current role as a senior director of content?

One of the things I love about my job is that there is no such thing as a typical day. Almost every day brings something different, as I help my clients shape their messages and write deliverables: speeches, white papers and blog posts that will break through the noise and get attention from their key audiences.

Is there a particular campaign you are most proud of?

Subject Matter does so much great work in the public health space. I’m incredibly proud of the work we did with the March of Dimes to bring attention to the maternal mortality crisis in the United States. My coworkers laid 700 receiving blankets out on the National Mall—one for every mother in the U.S. who dies from pregnancy-related complications each year.

Working in the creative space, how do you get inspired for a new campaign? 

For me, everything starts with research. I read everything I can on a topic to understand it and to see how it’s being presented. I want to know the issues, the players, the media environment, what’s being said and, critically, what’s not being said. From there, I start to think about how we can fill in gaps and put a surprising twist on what’s already out there.

You created a newsletter, “What to Read If…” that recommends books. What inspired you to create this and what kinds of books are you currently reading?

I love nothing more than shouting about my favorite books (a very long list), and I’ve always believed that there’s a certain I love nothing more than shouting about my favorite books (a very long list), and I’ve always believed that there’s a certain magic to finding the right book at the right time in your life. So, with What to Read If, I pair news events and pop culture happenings with books. For example, I recently recommended Ann Patchett’s wonderful essay collection, These Precious Days, for people reflecting on the second anniversary of the pandemic since Patchett wrote the book in the early months of lockdown.

I read broadly across genres. I just finished And Now I Spill the Family Secrets, a graphic memoir by Margaret Kimball, about mental illness and intergenerational trauma. I’m listening to The Last Thing He Ever Told Me, a thriller by Laura Dave, while walking the dog. 

You joined WWPR in the fall of last year. What drew you to WWPR and what are you looking to gain from WWPR this year?

I love to be surrounded by smart people who can teach me more about the world. Joining WWPR seemed like a great way to do that! I’m excited to meet people in person as the world reopens. 

Interested in being featured in a member spotlight? Reach out to membership@wwpr.org to volunteer and learn more about getting involved.

Do you have a money mindset?

money mindset

Back by popular demand, Chintimini Keith (aka: Moxie Savage), rejoined the WWPR events virtual stage to share her advice on how to have a money mindset, build wealth, and how to lift other women up simply through talking about money.

What is a money mindset?
It’s more than just how you think about money – you also need to be intentional with money. Talk about money with your peers, friends, and a financial advisor. Take action with your money by investing it and building wealth. Changing your way of thinking and how you approach money and negotiations creates a money mindset.

Below are some of our favorite tips from the Finding Your Money Mindset session.

Break out of your old mindset.
Chintimini shared a great deal of tips and advice, but one that really struck us was how many money scripts and myths we’ve heard growing up that put us in the wrong mindset. Common phrases like “money doesn’t buy happiness” or “the stock market is confusing and scary” keep you from looking beyond what you know about money.

Dream big.
If you believe, you will achieve big mindset goals. Chintimini shared her belief in the power of ridiculous dreams. While she came from a disadvantaged situation early in life, experiencing poverty at one point, Chintimini decided her life would be different. She looked into investing, didn’t follow the rules, made a lot of mistakes along the way, and by the time she reached her thirties, she became very intentional about her investment strategies.

Be goals oriented.
Chintimini suggests writing down your goals and revisiting them a couple times a year. That way you can check to see if you are on track and if your goals are changing. Of course, you should always follow your dreams but also make sure you have a plan that includes an emergency fund and allows you to still invest along the way.

Invest in yourself.
Make sure you get in front of the right people throughout the year before your annual review. Show your impact and value, promote yourself, and even brag about the work you’ve done and the accomplishments you’ve had! No one knows your value better than you so make sure you are showing off and having conversations with your leadership teams.

Talk about money.
Talking about your salary and money should no longer be taboo. The best way for women to continue rising is to talk to each other about salaries, negotiations and general money management tips. Did something work well for you in a recent promotion discussion? Share that with your colleagues and peers! There is more power than you think in talking about finances. The same way we network with each other for business, we should be networking to talk and learn about money.

It’s never too late or too early to start thinking about money.
There is never a wrong time to start getting into a money mindset. Whether you’ve just started investing through a 401k or have never thought about the stock market, taking the time to educate yourself and break out of old mindsets can help propel you forward.

Every dollar has a job.
Did you know not investing is more risky than investing money? With inflation, your money is losing value. Chintimini says “take risks and see what works for you and then adjust as you start to learn.” It is okay to risk being wrong or making a mistake to get to the next level.

A financial advisor can help.
Know that you don’t have to do it alone! Chintimini shared that having an advisor has helped her significantly in making better choices with her money. You don’t have to be an expert in finance or the stock market to build your wealth.

Did you miss the event and have another money question you want Chintimini to answer? You can still register for the event to receive a copy of the video recording and get the full money scoop directly from Chintimini. And as always, email WWPR’s Professional Development Chairs to share your questions or ideas for future money-related sessions: professionaldevelopment@wwpr.org.

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