By Kristal Farmer, WWPR Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Chair, Washington Gas
After 20 years in the United States, I’ve always been surprised by the lack of key historical holidays, specifically the date related to the abolishment of slavery which modern America is built upon.
For most British territories, Emancipation Day is marked on August 1, commemorating the Slave Emancipation Act in 1833. On this day, Jamaica, Guyana, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, The Bahamas, The British Virgin Islands and Canada commemorate the abolishment of slavery.
As a side note, Trinidad and Tobago was the first country in the world to make Emancipation Day a national holiday in 1985. In the United States, freedom did not come until June 19, 1865, now recognized as Juneteenth.
When Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, I was eager to see how our nation would celebrate this important day, especially coming from a country that was among the first to recognize Emancipation Day as a national holiday. It’s been inspiring to see the national recognition for the accomplishments of the descendants of former enslaved Africans who are now leaders in government, business, education, science, sports, arts, music and commerce around the globe.
I had the good fortune to be in DC for the inaugural celebrations in 2021 and to understand what Juneteenth means to many of my friends and colleagues. The blend of the words “June” and “nineteenth” recognizes when the last enslaved people were informed of their freedom, also called Freedom Day. June 19, 2021, throughout the streets of DC, was a day of pride and positivity after the summer of unrest in 2020.
This year, many events within the DMV highlight African American resilience and achievement. While I missed the White House’s Juneteenth Concert, which took place on June 10, I have listed a couple of my favorites for 2024:
The National Museum of African American History & Culture
Saturday, June 17, 2024 – Juneteenth Community Day
National Harbor
Wednesday, June 19, 2024 – Celebrate Juneteenth
Library of Congress
Wednesday, June 19, 2024 – Juneteenth: Materials from the Library’s Collections
Juneteenth is a time to honor the achievements of African Americans and reflect on the ongoing journey toward equality and justice. Participating in these celebrations contributes to a deeper understanding and appreciation of this pivotal moment in history.
Let’s celebrate Juneteenth with pride, acknowledging the past while looking forward to a future of continued progress and unity.
Kristal Farmer is the 2024 WWPR Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Chair and is the manager of corporate communication projects at Washington Gas
By Ranata Reeder, Co-Chair Emerging Leaders Awards, WWPR
In this candid Q&A style blog, Mariya Yurukova of Charity Search Group shares the opportunities and challenges faced by women in the job market. After closing over 100 job searches, Mariya shares her top advice for successfully navigating the hiring process, salary negotiation, and understanding the current job market.
Over the course of the interview, Mariya shares how her background in marketing with a focus in sales, prepared her to run and operate Charity Search Group, a woman led and staffed business focused on supporting mission driven organizations.
How did your background in PR prepare you to run and operate a business?
I think it’s just like anything else in life, it’s usually not what you are set up to do that ends up being the greatest learning lesson. It’s usually something a little bit more tangential. In my case, I did my MBA with a specialization in marketing. Within marketing, I did lots of different courses. One of the more influential courses was in sales. Whenever you’re in a business, particularly if you’re starting your own business, you have to sell your services or your product. The art of selling and understanding the marketing and public relations aspect of what it looks like is really the core of what a business is. With a service based business as you grow, you realize you really are selling the opportunity for someone to hire you. Then the only way to grow is to hire other people that do the work. So, I would say these principles probably are the most important aspect that set me up to run a business, because the core of any viable business is unique customers.
What are three marketing or sales tips every business owner should know?
The first part is that most people are uncomfortable in the sales space and that’s okay. It doesn’t have to be the favorite part of what you do, but you need to be able to do it. I think anyone should know that. Running a business comes with the territory that you’re going to have to sell the business to someone. If you’re not comfortable and you’re constantly trying to avoid that, you’re never going to grow. That’s one aspect of it. The second piece is oftentimes with marketing in particular, there’s a misconception if I had the budget to spend on advertising clients will come. Then there’s the chicken and the egg scenario of, how do you start out and how do you get clients if you don’t have money for big marketing budgets? The reality is that there’s a lot you can do on your own. You and your personal effort is usually the least expensive way to get clients. I would advise anyone to start there before they think about advertising, or large ticket items in the marketing space. The third piece is you have to be comfortable with rejection and understanding when something is not working and that it’s okay to move on. I think especially for women, we don’t deal very well with rejection. So, we can have a tendency to avoid risky situations where the chance of rejection is relatively high. I think we miss out on opportunities because of that, but I think that’s a part of marketing and a part of sales.
What was the impetus for starting Charity Search Group?
There are a number of things that happened. Charity Search Group is a pandemic baby: it started in 2020, mainly because I had a lot of time on my hands and I was like, well, I might as well start a business because I’m never going to have this much free time. How I ended up in the executive search space and more into my own business was because I was going undergoing fertility treatments, which are very expensive and often not covered by insurance. So, I needed to figure out a side gig that was going to generate a lot of money in order for me to be able to do fertility treatments. That’s how I ended up in executive search. Then in 2020, when everybody stopped hiring, everything slowed down a bit. At that point, I was like, I might as well start my own company.
You’re a woman owned, and mostly woman staffed search firm. How do you feel this leads to a more equitable search process?
There’s the lived experience aspect of it. Because most of our staff has experienced some version of adversity in the workplace, I think we all do what we can to ensure that’s not the case. That’s one way we weave equity into the whole process. The second piece of this is although we’re a woman owned business, everybody is very different, and we benefit from different approaches. It is easier for us to create safe spaces so we’re able to learn from each other a bit more effectively. The third piece and this is really important to me, I consider us in a unique position to advocate for others. The more we flex that muscle, the more we have that. I’ll never forget a search I did a while back where the candidate that was being selected for a role was pregnant. She chose to disclose that as part of the hiring process. The role required 20%-30% travel. The client was like, “well, yes, we would love to hire her, but if we hire her, we need to have some sort of maternity leave very early in her tenure with us.” They went on to say, “and how is she going to travel with the baby?” My response was, “if she were a guy whose wife was pregnant, you wouldn’t be asking me the same questions.” We can say these kinds of things to our clients because that’s how we advocate on behalf of the candidates.
Going into the search process now, what trends do you see impacting women throughout the application, interviewing, and offer negotiation process?
We’re in an interesting time of career transitions. For women, particularly early in their career, I would say a couple of things, which are not saying that these are necessarily right: this is the world we’re in – whether it’s the right place or not. Women who are early in their career need to be seen, need to be championed, and need to advocate for themselves. However, that’s more difficult to do in a remote environment. I find that women tend to gravitate towards remote roles because of flexibility. I’m worried that in the long term, it might not create the same opportunities for advancement later in their career. On the other hand, some of the stuff that’s always been there is still there. For example, even when women are in remote roles, they’re also being penalized for that. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen where I would hear someone say, “oh, I’m not sure this person is really focused, because they work from home and they have children.” So even though women go into this thinking they’re going to get a lot of flexibility and they probably do, I don’t think that they’re fully aware of the amount of bias that goes in with that.
What would you say to motivate those who are feeling discouraged in the search process?
It depends on why you’re discouraged. Sometimes on the candidate’s side, they get emotionally attached to one job. Employers rarely get emotionally involved with just one candidate—they’re always entertaining additional candidates. Given that, candidates should always be entertaining multiple jobs at the same time. Really wanting one job, obsessing over it, over preparing for it, and imagining yourself there even though you’re not quite there yet can become very emotionally taxing. One thing that’s important for candidates is to zoom out a little bit and take a step back and realize that you should play the field. Keep your options open. That’s one aspect of it.
The other piece is we’re undergoing a tremendous amount of change in the workplace. It’s been at breakneck speed for the last five years. You think about it like going through a pandemic, the emergence of remote work, policies that had to be implemented in the workplace as a result. We just came out of that. Now it’s a question around AI, and the financial instability in the markets. It’s a lot like moving targets. If you find you’re applying for jobs and things are not sticking, it may not be you, it may just be where things are.
The third piece of this is you have to find a way to surround yourself with the people who are going to give you what you want to do in life. You can have anything you want, but you just can’t have everything you want at the same time. You need to figure out a way that if you’re applying for this dream job and you keep not getting interviews, then you’re probably not applying for the right job and you have to figure out how you’re going to get that feedback. For that, it isn’t going to be a numbers game. If I’m not applying for the right jobs, figure out how you want to get that feedback. Otherwise, you’re just in a dark room trying to figure out where the door is.
The other piece of this is, it does not matter what your job title is. It doesn’t matter what company you work with. Your most marketable trait is your up-to-date skill set and your ability to learn new things. You have to keep your skill set up to date. Don’t get overly, I guess, committed to wanting to be called “head of this” of “manager of that.” I think it’s more important that you have all the skills necessary for the job that you want to have long term, rather than just focusing on that one next step.
What are you observing and what can women candidates do to get the best total compensation package?
You have to really know how competitive you are in the job market. Focus less on comparing yourself to needing to be paid x because the person sitting next to me is getting paid x. I’ve never seen that argument work for anybody. What works is based on the market rate and showing here’s five other jobs at companies comparable to mine compensated at this level, the saying “I believe I’m being under compensated.” That argument works much better. It’s a little bit less emotional and more based on fact.
The second part of this is never, ever, ever disclose your current salary when you apply for a new job, because people will randomly decide what an appropriate jump for you is.
The third thing I’m seeing from candidates, particularly at the senior leadership level, are women are much more willing to include words like “I’m flexible,” “for the right job,” “for the right mission,” or “for the right organization” when they are discussing salary expectations. While men say, “I’m not interested in any job that pays under x.” For women, I would recommend really knowing where your boundaries are, and sticking to that. So long as they’re realistic, of course.
What’s something in terms of a total compensation package that you’ve seen that’s a perk that most people don’t know that they can add?
A wellness stipend. I think people also underestimate a signing bonus as an opportunity to get cash ahead of time, especially if you’re coming from another role.
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself, or a couple of things that women should be aware of in the current job market?
When it comes to negotiating salaries, I see a lot of people focus on the salary number. What I don’t see is a lot of people negotiating really important things like time off, professional development and growth opportunities. I think that is equally important and it will pay out dividends long term. When I think about what helped me grow in my career and get me to where I needed to be, it was access to conferences, additional education and professional development. That, I think, is equally important to salary. Sometimes people think that this is how every organization operates, but I would suggest having it in writing in your offer letter that you’re going to get $2,500 a year to go to conferences or whatever is important to you. That keeps you current with the market trends and makes you more competitive for any job.
My last piece of advice for anybody in this space is that you have to be kind to yourself and realize your worth. There isn’t a validation bureau out there, it doesn’t matter what you do or what you achieve. Nobody actually wakes up one day and says “today, you’re worth this.” I think it’s really important that you realize your worth—whatever that looks like for you, but you have to find that within yourself. There’s never going to be a boss that’s going to validate that for you, an external organization, or anybody else. You have to do that within.
About Mariya Yurukova
Mariya Yurukova is President and CEO of Charity Search Group. As an executive recruiter, Mariya is dedicated to identifying the best fit for organizations of all sizes and candidates with varying levels of skill and experience. With a deep understanding of non-profit management, Mariya collaborates closely with boards and hiring managers to identify the most suitable candidates for success. Having developed an extensive network of professionals across North America, Mariya takes the time to get to know each candidate and their career aspirations to ensure the best possible cultural fit. Mariya has worked with a broad range of organizations looking to transition leadership, with a particular focus on small and medium sized nonprofits.
Mariya’s educational background includes a B.A. in Psychology and an MBA with a concentration in Marketing, both obtained from Brock University. Additionally, she holds a Certified Fundraising Executive designation and is an active member of AFP, CCAE, and CASE. Mariya enjoys presenting at conferences and mentoring fundraisers as part of their ongoing commitment to the fundraising profession. Her speaking engagements and publications include: Currents Magazine, Foundations Magazine, Advancing Philanthropy, Hilborn Publications, and many more.
We are excited to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the ELAs, where we will honor emerging leaders in seven categories: Small/boutique agencies, mid-sized agencies, large/global agencies, government, non-profit, corporate and trade associations.
Ahead of this signature event, we connected with the finalists to hear about their journeys and career advice and helpful insights on how they got to where they are today.
Learn more about the 2024 ELA finalists below and register to attend the awards ceremony on Tuesday, June 18 to help us celebrate all of their successes!
“Get comfortable with rejection and trying new things. Have the audacity to reach out to that new contact, pitch that bold idea, and reach as high as you can. The worst that anyone can say is “no.” You might experience failure in the process, but there will be days where you get that “yes,” which makes it all worth it.
Brooklyn Bass is a public affairs specialist at JPMorgan Chase, helping to drive the firm’s public policy priorities with strategic PR and communications expertise. In her role, she also regularly partners with the firm’s legal team to provide communications support for sensitive legal matters.
Prior to her role at JPMorgan Chase, Brooklyn has had public affairs and traditional PR and media relations experiences across a wide range of industry segments, including technology, education, international development, art and luxury fashion. Her clientele has been diverse, from bigger clients in the Big Tech sector to developing and implementing smaller public affairs campaigns for nonprofits and coalitions.
On a part-time basis, she also provides freelance consulting services to small businesses and startups, including agetech startup Kinumi, which is helping to solve the aging crisis and has received funding and acknowledgements from Melinda French Gates, Comcast LiftLabs and others.
Brooklyn is a graduate of Duke University’s Trinity School with a major in Cultural Anthropology. She is a former member of the Steering Committee for the Duke DC Women of Color Coalition and a 2023 fellow of the Public Affairs Council’s Hogans Fellowship.
“My biggest piece of advice for women is to advocate for yourself and your career. Don’t hesitate to put career conversations on your manager’s calendar and be direct in those conversations. Let your manager know what you want out of your career, what your 5- or 10-year plan is and what their expectations are for your next promotion. After all, it is your career so go after what you want!”
Courtney is a seasoned marketing professional with a decade of strategic marketing experience. In her role as the Global Public Sector Marketing Lead at Meta Platforms, Courtney is dedicated to driving innovation, promoting thought leadership, and advancing Meta’s mission. With a keen understanding of government structures and policies on a global scale, Courtney has consistently demonstrated an ability to craft compelling marketing strategies that resonate with global audiences and drive impactful results.
Throughout her career, Courtney has been instrumental in developing and executing innovative marketing campaigns tailored to the unique needs and challenges of the public sector. Her deep expertise spans a wide range of areas including government organizations, candidates for office and elected officials.
As a visionary leader, Courtney excels in guiding cross-functional teams to collaborate effectively and deliver integrated marketing solutions that address complex societal issues. Her strategic insights and analytical prowess enable her to identify emerging trends, anticipate market shifts, and capitalize on untapped opportunities to achieve organizational objectives.
Prior to her current role, Courtney held key marketing positions where she successfully led initiatives to enhance brand visibility, drive stakeholder engagement, and foster strategic partnerships with policy makers and international associations.
Courtney holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She also obtained her master of business administration from The George Washington University.
“It’s important to have mentors and sponsors who champion your long-term goals, and just as important to build trust with the many people who help empower your day-to-day work. Those relationships are invaluable – from the business leaders who help inform your strategy, to the designers making campaign collateral, to the reporters you are pitching stories to.”
Michelle Byamugisha is a leader with global experience in public relations and stakeholder engagement across multiple sectors. At Chemonics International, she coordinated corporate communications in DC and led health and agriculture-focused communications assignments for USAID projects in Uganda, Malawi, Senegal, and Bangladesh. She later joined the social impact team at Weber Shandwick where she helped purpose-driven clients tell their stories through an audience-centric approach to thought leadership. In Weber’s DC office, Michelle served as chairperson of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and was also recognized as the 2020 employee of the year. Currently, Michelle is a senior manager on PwC’s communications team, with a focus on people communications and public affairs. When she’s not coordinating internal employee engagement campaigns to a 75,000+ strong workforce or managing owned/earned content strategies, Michelle is engaged in social inclusion efforts both inside and outside the office. She volunteers as a college essay writing coach for underrepresented students and previously founded the “Autism Articulated” blog to raise awareness of diverse experiences of families impacted by autism. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and International Studies from Northwestern University and her Master’s degree from the London School of Economics, where she studied Media, Communication and International Development.
“Always bring people up with you – find mentors and mentees, so when an opportunity arises that you are positioned to refer for, you’ll have a rolodex ready to promote and advance each other accordingly. Success is neither zero-sum, linear, or individualist, and collaboration and community are critical to realizing our career potential.”
Grace Venes-Escaffi is a PR and communications professional at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® which represents over 1300 consumer technology companies and owns and produces CES® — the most powerful tech event in the world. In this role, Venes-Escaffi works with the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies on how to promote their technologies to generate earned media coverage. She also works with media to find the stories that speak to them at CES, and promote CTA members’ work from standards portfolios to policy efforts to market research that drives major decision-making in the tech industry.
Before joining CTA, Venes-Escaffi worked in retail and office real estate in the DMV with CBRE Mid-Atlantic, and coordinated with brokerage teams covering a high-end portfolio of restaurant and commercial spaces. Venes-Escaffi holds a BA in Communications, Public Relations and a BA in Global Affairs, International Development from George Mason University, where she served on the executive board of the GMU PRSSA Chapter and competed on the D1 Women’s Rowing team. She is a proud Arab-Latinx American, a professional vocalist, an aspiring hyperpolyglot, and a food and travel enthusiast.
“Remember, everything is a negotiation. As communicators, the daily negotiations we make about what to say and when are often around the margins, but those decisions matter and add up over time. The margins will ultimately determine your success, so dig in and stand by your expertise.”
Jen Bristol is a strategic communications expert who has dedicated her career to supporting the U.S. solar and storage industry.
Currently, Jen leads the communications team at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), where she supervises a team of communications professionals and orchestrates public affairs campaigns and announcements designed to expand the U.S. solar market.
Prior to joining SEIA, Jen was the deputy communications lead at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, where she provided communications support and led the office’s awardee engagement efforts, editorial calendar, web presence, and special communications projects and events. Before that, Jen managed office operations and public affairs for the GW Solar Institute and event logistics for The Washington Campus.
Jen is also passionate about public service. Jen was elected to represent the U St and Columbia Heights neighborhood as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and held public office from 2017-2020.
Jen is originally from Stony Brook, NY, and has a master’s degree in public administration from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.
“One of the best pieces of advice that I received from a mentor and would like to pass on to other women is that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Women in the workplace can often be overlooked for opportunities, so you have to speak up to advocate for yourself and highlight the value you uniquely bring.”
Laura Ambrosio is a creative and collaborative communications and public relations professional with a decade of experience in diverse sectors, including associations, nonprofits, public sector, technology, and government. She currently manages communications strategy at the Consumer Technology Association, which represents global brands and startups in the tech industry and produces CES, the world’s most powerful tech event. In her role, Laura enjoys showcasing how technology is solving real world problems from improving accessibility and sustainability to health and more.
With a proven track record of securing top-tier media coverage, Laura specializes in building strong relationships with reporters, proactively identifying new story ideas, and transforming complex and technical topics into compelling narratives, while leveraging the latest data and trends.
Passionate about driving positive change through effective communication, Laura is committed to delivering high-quality results that make a difference. Whether it’s advocating for important policy issues or navigating crisis situations, Laura brings an in-depth understanding of the media landscape and audience dynamics when it comes to counseling executives and teams at all levels to achieve organizational goals.
Laura holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Communication from George Mason University. As a believer in lifelong learning, Laura also recently earned her Digital Marketing certification. She especially appreciates the opportunity to give back to the field by mentoring and advising the next generation of public relations professionals.
“My advice would be to ‘root yourself.’ As a social impact leader, truly connect with the communities you serve; your why will fuel your growth and guide your advocacy journey.”
Destany Story is a lifelong educator and women’s advocate from Memphis, TN, currently residing in Washington, DC. Her journey in education began with earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Mississippi State University in 2018.
Her dedication to youth advocacy and education reform led her to pursue a path with Teach for America, an esteemed program that selects exceptional individuals from a highly competitive pool of approximately 40,000 applicants nationwide. Through the corps, she served as a high school Special Education Teacher at her alma mater, Power Center Academy High School. Being a part of their first graduating class, she felt compelled to give back to her community by providing mentorship and guidance to students following in her footsteps. She provided individualized instruction to over 300 students, implementing equitable grading policies and analyzing practical data to tailor intervention strategies, enhancing student success in both in-person and remote learning settings.
In her role as Program Director at Women Empowering Nations, she oversees all aspects of local and international programs, ensuring their quality and success. She has led global initiatives benefiting over 2,000 women and children across more than 70 countries, including the coordination of global cohorts, global community service initiatives, and virtual workshops. Destany has served as a keynote speaker for Governor Bill Lee’s 2019 Charter School Growth Funding Dinner. She also is a 2021 Memphis Flyer 20 Under 30 Recipient. Destany’s purpose is to create a seat at the table for women and amplify their voices in order to be a part of the change we all wish to see.
“Network! Make friends across different fields and organizations, people are connected in more ways than you realize and those smaller connections can grow into something fantastic.”
Morgan Elwell has over a decade of experience in the public relations field. She started her career working as a local TV producer before joining a Publishing House in New York City as the Publicity Manager for their Mysteries & Thrillers department. Here she worked on publicity campaigns across the country for bestselling novels, first-time authors, and more!
Recently, she moved back to Washington, D.C. and became the Media Relations Manager for the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. In her current role she works with local and national media to coordinate artist interviews and overall coverage for the foundation.
“Find an advocate and mentor to better understand the landscape, stay on trend and undertake unforeseen challenges. Do not be afraid to take on a project and tasks outside your role or identify needed gaps—these leaps and opportunities can grow your skill set and propel the team forward.”
Valeria Sabaté is the Sr. Media & Public Affairs Manager at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She drives organization-wide media and public affairs engagement, elevating AAAS’ leadership/policy positions and news at the nexus between science and society while protecting its reputation through risk assessment and crisis communications preparedness.
Valeria has many years of experience in media relations, public relations and crisis communications in health care, public health, publishing and science associations.
Before joining AAAS, Valeria was the Sr. Communications Specialist, Research & Innovation at the Children’s National Hospital (CNH). While at the hospital, she helped promote scientific literature and medical innovations. As part of her work, she led science communications strategies to boost the visibility of the research and national reputation.
Valeria joined CNH in 2021, but she served up to five years at AAAS before that. During her first time at AAAS, Val was the Sr. Communication Associate & Intl. Communications Lead for the Science family journals.
Before AAAS, Valeria worked for the Pan American Health Organization, which also serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO). She helped increase awareness of public health concerns, including emerging the Zika outbreak in 2015-2016.
Valeria holds a MA degree in communications with a dual concentration in public and media relations and political communications from Johns Hopkins University. She graduated with a BA in broadcast, print and online media, and advertising & public relations. She also has a minor in political science.
“Communicate with integrity, find mentors, and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself.”
Jennifer Min currently serves as the Director of Digital Media for the Department of Defense, where she develops digital communication strategies for the DoD and coordinates messaging with the Armed Services and Combatant Commands. Previously, Jennifer served as the Special Assistant to the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. In this role, she assists the Pentagon Press Secretary and Deputy Press Secretary in their efforts to advise the Secretary of Defense on public communications. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Jennifer was press secretary for retired U.S. Representative Brenda L. Lawrence (MI-14).
Jennifer began her career in government and politics as an Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) communications and policy fellow at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC). At the CHC, she helped advance the CHC’s legislative priorities which included immigration reform and improving access to health care.
Jennifer received her B.A. in International Relations and Public Policy Analysis from Syracuse University
“My best advice for women in communications and PR is to always anchor yourself in the unwavering belief that things will work out for you and never let fear hold you back from taking action. Trust that your journey is uniquely yours and always go forward with purpose, intention, and determination. Be bold, be confident, and take that leap of faith, knowing that every step you take is one step closer to reaching your greatest potential.”
Maya Valentine is a highly accomplished communications professional with a distinguished career in the United States House of Representatives. She currently serves as the Communications Director for Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-00), where she leverages her expertise to effectively manage, enhance, and direct the Congresswoman’s brand, priorities, and messaging strategy. Previously, Maya was the Communications Director for Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) and served as the Press Secretary for Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), honing her skills in media relations and strategic communications in these pivotal roles.
Maya’s leadership and dedication to fostering a pipeline for younger, Black Hill staff to succeed in politics is evident in her tenure as President of the Congressional Black Associates, the largest staff association on Capitol Hill. During her work on CBA’s board, she has been focused on the social and political advancement of all Black staff. Her commitment to this cause underscores her passion for creating inclusive and equitable workplaces – especially for those pursuing a career in politics. Before she was President of CBA, she served as its Communications Director for two terms, helping to build and evolve the organization’s press goals and branding.
Beyond her professional duties, Maya is a devoted mentor to younger Black women in political communications. Through her guidance and support, she has played a crucial role in empowering the next generation of leaders to navigate and succeed in the complex landscape of political communications. Maya has recently helped start a small, community group for Black women in communications, where she has helped organize social events and created a space for sharing information about job opportunities.
Residing in Washington, DC, Maya aspires to continue working in political communications and ensure that more Black women have access to this important field.
“My best advice is to stay curious. Curiosity will help you learn new things and open up opportunities you didn’t know existed.”
Wellesley Michael is the Digital Director for the House Democratic Caucus under Chairman Pete Aguilar. In her current role, Wellesley creates dynamic social media content to showcase the many ways House Democrats put People Over Politics. She enjoys helping digital staff grow, learn, and succeed in spreading their Members’ message online. To do this, Wellesley works with companies including Google, Meta, and LinkedIn to provide career development opportunities for Democratic digital staff every month
Wellesley got her start as a community organizer. She saw digital platforms as a space to build momentum around social justice movements. Through social media, she was able to mobilize and turn out hundreds of people for a Black Lives Matter rally she organized in her hometown, Omaha, Nebraska. She continued organizing for Democratic candidates in Nebraska until moving to Washington, D.C., in 2021.
Wellesley was the Digital Director for the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, where she developed and rolled out a digital media plan for the CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022.
Wellesley is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln where she studied journalism, advertising, and public relations.
“Do the work to become a subject matter expert on the issue, organization, or client whose story you are telling. If you can’t explain what you’re talking about to a fifth grader, ask questions and study up until you can.”
Anne is a Vice President at the Glen Echo Group, where she leads the firm’s broadband practice. She assists organizations in the tech, telecom, and satellite industries in crafting sharp messages and smart strategies to tell their stories effectively.
As a subject matter expert on connectivity issues, Anne runs campaigns that make wonky policy topics understandable, relevant, and engaging for policymakers, regulators, industry stakeholders, and the media. She specializes in bipartisan, multistakeholder engagement and has established several coalitions to advocate for policies addressing connectivity and the digital divide.
Anne has successfully placed stories in prominent publications, including AP, CNN, The Hill, NPR, POLITICO, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. Her media and advocacy campaigns have earned recognition from Innovation SABRE and PR News.
Since 2020, Anne has also led the firm’s business development efforts.
Prior to joining the Glen Echo Group, Anne worked at AMGA, where she managed a diabetes communications campaign that improved care for over one million Americans.
A D.C.-area native, Anne graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in political science and earned her master’s in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University. On weekends, she enjoys watching Notre Dame football and The Real Housewives.
“You don’t get what you don’t ask for—embrace the fear of no, but then ask for yes. And be as graceful as you are persistent when building the life you want to live.”
Erin Berst serves as a vice president at CURA Strategies, where she develops and manages integrated communications campaigns for organizations that span the health care industry.
From helping patients address the emotional grief of cancer with new interventions to educating urologists on the latest precision medicine tools, Erin keeps the purpose of her work front and center: helping people live stronger, better, healthier lives. Although Erin is experienced across communications disciplines, she is particularly passionate about writing and has earned a reputation for being tenacious about securing media coverage for her clients.
Erin regularly provides strategic counsel and daily coordination for her clients and is known for her cheerfully persistent approach to project management. Recently, Erin led a collaborative effort to create Mobilize Recovery Day of Service, a campaign to help break down stigmas around recovery during National Recovery Month. Under her leadership, the campaign’s inaugural year generated more than 520 service events, exceeding expectations, and was nominated as a finalist for the Sabre Awards Not-For-Profit-Category. She also leads the promotion of The Leapfrog Group’s bi-annual Safety Grades and secured a 20% increase in articles year over year. Additionally, she leads CURA’s longest running client, the American College of Cardiology Annual Meeting, which generated 771 original articles in 2024—a 43% increase from 2023.
In August, Erin will embark on a new journey at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, where she will further her understanding of business management while continuing to service her clients at CURA.
“Lean into your strengths. Find ways to (positively) exploit them and use them to build confidence.”
Shannon Bishop-Green is a vice president at McCabe Message Partners, where she leads communications and brand strategy for medical boards, healthcare foundations, and advocacy groups. Her recent work includes communicating the value of board certification, developing communications strategies to mitigate medical misinformation, and bringing together leaders in advocacy and healthcare to build anti-racist health systems.
Prior to joining McCabe, Shannon led marketing efforts for the American Medical Group Association and its affiliates, including in-person and virtual events, products, consulting, and more. She initially joined AMGA’s foundation to manage day-to-day logistics for national health campaigns on high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. She began her career at Ogilvy Washington supporting federal public health campaigns on physical education, women’s and reproductive health, heart disease, and eye health.
Her work has received several industry awards and recognition from PRSA and ASAE. Shannon is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) recognized by Project Management Institute.
“My advice for women in communications is to prioritize mentorship. Ask questions of the women who paved the way for you and impart advice to those who now look up to you.”
With more than ten years experience, Caleigh drives dynamic corporate reputation, executive visibility, crisis, and public affairs campaigns for one of the most challenging fields to communicate – clean energy. Representing small startups to household names, her strategies have led to favorable policy changes and exponential sales growth for clients. Caleigh has earned the reputation of a tactical yet creative leader both in and outside of Antenna Group.
A former journalist, Caleigh is a skilled media trainer, and regularly guides executives through the delivery process. She formulates tailored talking points, prepares executives for interviews, and even helps produce client videos. Her media outreach campaigns have contributed to vetos, Department of Energy collaboration, and increased client share of voice by up to 300% within less than a year. She delights in landing clients interviews with their favorite publications or journalists, and does so regularly.
A writer at heart, Caleigh ghost writes, edits, and advises on opinion pieces to raise executive visibility. Pieces she’s worked on have run in The Hill, the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and more. She also contributes blogs for the agency’s own website.
Client executives trust and turn to Caleigh for everything from speechwriting to longform social media posts. She enjoys finding and developing other avenues for commentary including letters to the editor, open letters, and radio appearances.
“It’s critical to be your own best advocate, especially as a woman of color in the industry. Remain hungry and intellectually curious, seize all learning/growth opportunities that come your way, and cultivate true mentors.”
Jenny Wang is an agile and dynamic communications expert who has helped companies and organizations in the healthcare, technology, nonprofit and energy sectors gain greater recognition in the media, bolster thought leadership, navigate DE&I issues, and mitigate crises. With more than a decade of experience in strategic communications, she is a recognized leader in the PR industry (honored by PRWeek, PRNEWS, Ragan, and the Diversity Action Alliance).
Before joining SDI, Jenny was a Senior Vice President at CLYDE, where she worked with clients in the healthcare and DEI spaces, including leading and helping grow the firm’s largest account (driving patient advocacy and health equity for a Fortune 150 pharma company).
Prior to CLYDE, she was a Vice President at kglobal, where she led integrated communications campaigns on behalf of clients across various industries, provided crisis communications and issues management counsel and developed new business leads and opportunities. She has also worked at Raffetto Herman Strategic Communications, Ketchum, and The Harbour Group.
Jenny is regularly invited to be a featured guest speaker at industry events and/or cultural gatherings, and she currently serves as a board member of International Social Service, USA. She received her master’s degree in strategic communication from American University’s School of Communication and bachelor’s degree in communication and management from Juniata College.
“Scroll. Read. Watch. Consume. The more you participate in the culture you are advising your clients to engage with, the more informed your strategic approach will be. Develop a strong media diet that includes equal parts cultural drivers, industry news, and creative inspiration. Even a late-night deep dive into your FYP can provide insights into how users are consuming media today.
Get comfortable with both giving and asking for feedback. Championing successes and being upfront about areas for growth—even when confrontation feels challenging—ultimately strengthens your team.”
Perpetually Online 🤝 Nerds Out for Data
Captivated by trends and driven by numbers, McKenzie seamlessly marries brand messages with the pulse of today’s internet culture.
With over a decade of experience, McKenzie has driven social and influencer campaigns that make global brands pop in an oversaturated digital world. She’s a wizard at cultivating engaged online communities and turning casual scrollers into die-hard brand enthusiasts.
At Weber Shandwick’s Social Media, Emerging Platforms, and Influencer practice in Washington, DC, McKenzie guides a spectrum of clients—from Fortune 100 giants to fresh, emerging brands—through the maze of modern digital strategies. Her expertise spans paid and organic social media, employee advocacy, executive visibility, and integrated campaign planning, both for B2C and B2B.
Before her tenure at Weber, McKenzie was the Senior Director for Strategic Communications at Georgetown University. There, she co-founded an ahead-of-its-time influencer program and managed the university’s famous live mascot, Jack the Bulldog, who wowed crowds with his skateboarding stunts at sports games.
McKenzie holds a B.A. in International Business and an MBA from Georgetown University. Her career is a testament to her deep, savvy understanding of the ever-changing internet and social media landscape.
“My best advice for women in communications is to seize opportunity even if you aren’t sure if you are ready for it. Embrace the opportunities that come with some fear of failure because those are the moments when you will learn and grow the most.”
Remi Lederman is an associate director at APCO and is based in the Washington, D.C. office where she is a member of the Corporate Communications practice. She specializes in strategic communications, messaging, and media strategy with subject matter expertise in B2B technologies, fintech, financial services and other highly regulated industries. Her work has spanned from helping Fortune 500 companies navigate the world’s most pressing issues to startups growing their market awareness and establishing their corporate identity.
With a background in journalism and magazine-style content creation, her storytelling ability was honed across the globe, with experience working across the Middle East, Asia and Europe in her time at APCO. She has also supported clients at major international convenings such as the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos.
Prior to joining APCO, she worked on the communications team at MongoDB, a tech software-as-a-service company, where she supported media and analyst engagement around the company’s international developer conference, MongoDB World, in New York City in 2018.
Remi received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Media Studies and Art History from The University of Pennsylvania.
“Find the people who relentlessly champion your talent and growth, and never let them go. Those relationships make the work worthwhile, and these are the people that will stay with you regardless of where you work or where you move throughout your career. As you become more senior, pay it forward and be someone’s champion in return.”
As a Senior Account Supervisor on Edelman’s Corporate Digital team, Tara Bauer is responsible for building C-Suite executive and corporate social media strategies, as well as overseeing the execution and measurement of social programs. Working with integrated teams across creative, editorial, paid social, and earned media, Tara also leads integrated executive positioning and corporate communications programs for Booking Holdings, Delta Air Lines, Unilever, and Under Armour. With a background in political communications consulting for clients in the aerospace, pharmaceutical, and travel industries, Tara also supports agency-wide corporate reputation counsel around key social issues, from the overturning of affirmative action to the fall of Roe v. Wade.
Prior to Edelman, Tara spent several years in earned media at The Brand Guild, placing brand and founder stories for consumer lifestyle, nonprofit, and technology clients in top-tier national outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, TechCrunch, and Inc. As a founding member of the Executive Thought Leadership team there, she built a strategic executive positioning program for DTC brand founders, inclusive of strategies across paid, owned, and earned channels.
Tara is a graduate of the University of Virginia and lives in Washington, D.C. with her yorkie, Nugget.
Congratulations again to our phenomenal 21 finalists! Be sure to join us on June 18 to celebrate them and honor the winners from each category. The event will also feature renowned D.C. journalist and Washington Correspondent for Cox Media Group (CMG) Kirstin Garriss as the keynote speaker. Tickets can be purchased here.
For more information: Contact Emerging Leaders Awards Co-Chairs Ranata Reeder and Charmaine Riley at ela@wwpr.org.
Over the last 40 years I’ve written various articles and advised clients on the value of sending handwritten thank you notes. There is always pushback. Despite the overwhelming evidence that writing a personal note of gratitude resoundingly results in immediate responses from the receivers and often future work, the first reaction to my advice is negative. I ask my clients to send notes, even when they don’t win the job. The worst. Then they really rebel. However, I have countless stories where a client’s increase in sales has been a direct result from them being appreciative. An example of a success came when a client had the entire office sign a letter where they wished a lost potential client good luck on their project. Several months later, my client discovered that the project they originally lost was now theirs. Why? Because of the note they sent. When the previous winner didn’t work out, the owner of the property turned to my client stating no one had ever sent such a kind note. Memorable.
Since emails have become the ubiquitous way of communicating, and since they are perceived as the modern way of responding, as opposed to snail mail, the opposition to anything sent by the US Postal Service has garnered copious amounts of reasons to avoid the hard copy send: We don’t have an address. It won’t get there. We can’t be seen wasting paper. My handwriting looks like chicken scratches. It costs too much money. My favorite so far: that’s a transactional way of relating, especially if you are expecting a thank you for the gift. Shouldn’t you just give without expecting a response? Please!
I’m speaking to marketing experts at WWPR. You’ve heard those negative excuses. The positive statistics say that people who receive a hard-copy catalog in addition to emails purchased 24% more items over those who simply received emails. The return on investment lift turned out to be enormous. Go online and check for yourself. There’s plenty of research, but we don’t always want to believe what doesn’t sound feasible in today’s electronic world. We get so little in our mailboxes these days, that almost anything sticks out. There hasn’t been a better time to send the slow route. Mail something today! And like advertising, go beyond the one-off. Spread gratefulness often and anywhere. Read The Thank You Economy for data-driven proof that caring about customers pays big dividends.
The handwritten note has more meaning than an email. There’s something special about holding paper in your hands. My clients are convinced. Time after time, they get a call saying thank you for the note, or a note back thanking them for a note. Building friendships with clients helps cement the relationship and as everyone in this business knows, 99% of all sales comes from previous clients – or something like that. I guarantee you will stand out from the competition if you begin showing appreciation beyond emails.
Gratitude is contiguous as well as contagious and it connects all forms of our lives with positive feelings, whether it’s our family or our business. The concept of pay-it-forward furthers how good-to-great materializes. Acknowledging gifts of time, advice, and kindness increases all successes exponentially. Oh, but saying thank you in print is so old fashioned. We shouldn’t go out of our way to show gratitude….
There are six full pages of thank-yous at the end of Learned Excellence by Eric Potterat and Alan Eagle. The book just came out in 2024. The author is a famous Navy SEAL – so a tough guy. He coaches other tough guys and gals. My point? Showing gratitude is still in fashion. It still sells. And it’s not an old lady thing. Look at each sentence in the image and how it begins – thank you. It’s important to make sure social media posts acknowledge companies that participated, team members, and especially the photographer. People want to be highlighted for their work. Say more than congrats on LinkedIn. Spend time to think of a special way each person touched your life—get personal. For an uplifting viewpoint on the positive results of writing notes, please read 365 Thank Yous.
Sending gifts is another important way to show gratitude. Hand-delivered presents, with handwritten notes attached, in the off-season sets companies apart from those that do nothing. Like snail mail, the number of real gifts people deliver has also dropped recently, which makes anything sent out by your company stand out. Find a time of the year when everyone else isn’t sending things. I got a paper bouquet of flowers from my real estate agent for Virginia Garden Week. Expensive, but she’s playing the long game. Eventually I’ll sell. And I’ll call her because she has consistently engaged with me on a personal level. I read her informative newsletters. She donates to my charity requests. She knows I’ll keep her posted on possible deals in my neighborhood. Companies that practice this strategy set themselves apart as the good guys/gals.
Oh, we can’t spend money on gifts and snail mail promotions—even a postcard costs too much. And I’m here to say that if everything you send gets ignored but that one thank you note, or that one Happy 4th of July baseball ticket, or the one postcard that simply thanks clients for being there for 25 years, then that 1% return on your investment will more than make up for the entire cost of the campaign.
Showing gratitude has been proven to make customers feel valued. When they tell others about your kindness, that strengthens your brand and ultimately drives higher profits. And you all know that. I’m preaching to the choir. So why the hesitation about sending a handwritten note? Just do it! I know you will thank me.
Marilynn Deane Mendell is a WWPR member and the president of WinSpin CIC, Inc.
What is Running Start, and why has WWPR chosen it as a pro bono client?
Running Start is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to inspiring young women to run for political office. WWPR selected Running Start for our 2024-2025 pro bono partnership to empower and elevate the next generation of female leaders in politics, aligning with our commitment to support women and children in the D.C. area. It is important to note that politics is the core of their mission, not just leadership.
We asked CEO and founder, Susannah Wellford, for her favorite story on an alum’s success. She said, “We all know what people want to hear – a few years ago the first congresswoman who went through Running Start was elected, Lauren Underwood. Very exciting for sure. But that isn’t the measure of who we are. We have trained 27,500 alums, all of whom are active in doing things that make us proud, even though all aren’t elected to office.” She is proud that Running Start prepares women for political leadership, whether they run for Congress, serve in a nonprofit, or speak out in student government.
How can WWPR members contribute to this partnership? Running Start needs your expertise. They have very little in-house support for communications but a big story to tell! Your skills – especially in messaging, media relations, digital communications, branding, and crisis communications – can significantly impact Running Start’s mission, enhancing its visibility and influence. If interested, sign-up to join the Pro Bono committee here!
What are the expected outcomes of the collaboration between WWPR and Running Start? The partnership aims to boost Running Start’s reach and effectiveness, enabling more young women to receive the training and support they need to pursue political leadership.
How does this partnership benefit WWPR members? Working with Running Start provides a unique opportunity for professional growth and networking. Members can apply their skills in a new context, gain insights into the nonprofit sector and political communications, and contribute to meaningful societal change.
Where can members learn more or sign up to get involved with Running Start? For more information or to join the Pro Bono Committee’s efforts with Running Start, sign-up for the Pro Bono committee here contact Kelsey Flora (kelsey.flora@wwpr.org) or Alicia Aebersold (alicia.aebersold@wwpr.org). Read more about Running Start at runningstart.org.
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