Tag: Member Stories

Tell us about your professional experience and what brought you to The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. 

My first job in PR was an internship with a small boutique firm in DC. I’ll admit that my main reason for applying was that I was a broke college student and it paid $15 an hour. But that semester I fell in love with communications and public affairs. I loved the challenge of working on a tight deadline and learned how thrilling it can be to watch a good communications campaign change the way issues, politics, and events unfold.  

After college I had the privilege to learn from an incredibly smart group of people on the health and science team at the Glover Park Group (now Finsbury Glover Hering). When I decided to move into nonprofit work, I wanted to stay in the health and science space so I spent two years at the American Public Health Association before I joined the National Academies’ news office. 

What is a typical day in the life of Megan in your current role as Media Officer? 

The first thing I do when I start working in the morning is read the news. On any given day I’m working with 4-5 different research teams on anything from behavioral research to climate science and fielding unexpected (and urgent) media requests—so my typical day is really about balancing projects and being flexible.

In the morning I could be launching a report about reopening schools during the pandemic, at lunch writing a news feature or press release, and in the afternoon hosting a webinar on the future of earth sciences. The variety of beats and subject areas that I cover is really engaging and it’s something I love about my job. 

What is your favorite thing about working at The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine? 

My favorite thing about working for the Academies is the research. I find the fact that our staff can bring 15 experts in to a room together and get them to agree on anything—much less a full-length report with recommendations for the future of their field—to be an impressive feat. Getting to share that process and the end result with the public and reporters is really fun for me. And I love that I get to immerse myself in a new niche area of science every few weeks. 

What advice would you give to women just starting out in the media industry?

My advice is to read the news. A newspaper is like a graded exam paper that you get back after a final—reading between the lines you can see which experts reporters choose to consult, which quotes were snappy enough to make it in to the final draft, and how to tie your pitches to current events. I also find reading talented writers is the best way to improve my own writing style.  

What do you love about WWPR?

I love getting to cheer on other women in my field who live and work in DC. There’s so much talent in this community and it’s always inspiring to see others excelling and getting to learn from their experience and expertise. 

Tell me a little bit about your background and your current role at Hager Sharp.  

I have spent my career in agencies, first Ogilvy and now Hager Sharp, working in social marketing and health communications. I currently serve as President and CEO of Hager Sharp, where our mission is to work with clients seeking to make the world a better place and help people live healthier, smarter, safer lives. 

Can you explain what social marketing is and how your agency incorporates this practice into the work you do, the clients you choose to take on, and your company culture? 

Social marketing is a 50-year-old discipline that combines ideas from commercial marketing and the social sciences to develop activities aimed at changing or maintaining peoples’ behavior for the benefit of individuals and society as a whole. This ideal of working in the public interest permeates Hager Sharp’s culture in many ways, from influencing our decision to pursue new clients to fueling our team’s volunteer and community service projects on company time. As an employee-owned agency, we use our autonomy to prioritize seeking clients and projects that align with our team members’ interests, passions, and values.

Is there a particular campaign or issue that you are most proud of? 

I can’t pick just one. I’ve had the privilege of working on many meaningful and successful projects, including campaigns to promote women’s heart health, colorectal cancer screening, skin cancer prevention, pediatric palliative care, vaccines, and more. I’m especially proud of Hager Sharp’s work on CDC’s HPV Vaccine Is Cancer Prevention campaign, which engaged healthcare providers and parents in increasing HPV vaccinations among adolescents. I’m also enormously proud of Hager Sharp’s work for the Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, which is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in various subject areas and helps inform decisions about how to improve the education system in the U.S.

As a previous WWPR Woman of the Year, what advice would you give to other women who are looking to step up in the PR industry?  

I’d say be true to yourself and your interests, and don’t be afraid to explore “lateral” as well as “upward” opportunities throughout your career. There are a lot of different paths in PR – from specializing in a specific skill set to mastering client service to leading operations – and if you follow your heart it will make your journey much more meaningful and rewarding.

What has being a member of WWPR meant to you? 

When I started in this industry, there were far fewer women than there are now, so WWPR provided important opportunities for networking and support. Over the years, I’ve really enjoyed the camaraderie and “women helping women” aspects of WWPR.

Tell me a little about your background and current day job.  

My background is all things PR services. I have been in the PR industry for a good number of years. I started at a TV and radio news monitoring service, moved on to a print press release company, then to broadcast. I am now settled into my role at 4media group in broadcast/digital PR. This includes activities like filming b-roll, planning media tours, creating PSAs and more, but now also includes social, online and paid campaigns for global brands, agencies, associations and government agencies. What also drew me here is that 4media group offered PR market research which I had never been directly involved with in the past.

What do you enjoy most about your job? Are there any moments you are most proud of? 

Working in broadcast for many years, I feel fortunate that we have the opportunity to partner with clients on what tend to be their most important and impactful campaigns and activations.    Our role may change with each campaign, as sometimes we have the opportunity to provide full counsel from our media, production and/or PR market research teams when the campaign is just evolving while with others we might partner on a single broadcast tactic or quick-turn crisis communications. It keeps us on our toes!

If I didn’t have MANY proud moments after working in the industry for as many years as I have, I’d be in trouble or in the wrong field! In general, I’m proud of the relationship that I have with the clients that I work with and any of their successes make me happy. Some clients I have been working with for years!  

Most recently, I had the opportunity to work very closely with clients in regards to COVID-19 and vaccinations. This included producing media tours with Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins, the Surgeon General and many pharma and health associations. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to partner with the amazing American Red Cross regarding disaster relief, blood shortages and more. Those people never rest! I also just helped produce a global satellite media tour for Virgin Orbit’s satellite launch – that was out of this world!

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

The creative process here at 4media group tends to be a customized group effort and it’s all hands on deck. We are sort of a “tactics toolbox” for agencies, brands and associations, and as their needs change our approach changes with it. This helps our creative stay fresh and fun! Our research, digital, production and broadcast teams LOVE to brainstorm with clients whether it be at the very start of a campaign, with ideas to pitch to their clients, or to help find ways to breathe life into a campaign that needs a nudge.  

One not so serious but very creative example of our research and broadcast teams working together was when our client came to us with their client, a garbage disposal manufacturer. The task was to get more broadcast placements for their brand. Our research team created a quirky PR survey about “when do consumers know to throw away old food from the fridge – by smell, taste, sight or more…” We then paired consumer responses with an environmental talent that we secured and booked a satellite media tour. During the segments, the talent reminded viewers that spoiled food should go into the garbage disposal and not in the trash. This story turned into a well-received national satellite media tour! Not breaking news, but fun!  This research even ended up in USA Today.  

How has your experience been with WWPR and what advice would you give to someone wanting to join?

I joined WWPR many moons ago. Over the years, I have had membership to WWPR and other associations, and my experience here has been the absolute best. I have found that WWPR is an amazing group of approachable, intelligent and powerful women. My participation has varied over the years, I have assisted with membership and WOY and enjoyed both roles. 

I always advise any women in our industry to join right away if they are not familiar with WWPR. I know they won’t regret it!

WWPR Content Committee co-chair Melinda Tolliver connected with Laila Mokhiber, director of communications for UNRWA USA, to talk about her international nonprofit work and how she got involved in communications.

Tell me a little bit about what you do and why.

I work for UNRWA USA, an independent American nonprofit that supports the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. I joined the organization about eight years ago and our work is focused on advocating for the humanitarian needs of Palestine refugees who lost their livelihoods and homes as a result of the Nakba in 1948. For seven decades, these refugees have needed assistance from the UN to access education, health care, and social services. 

My work is really focused on building the brand of the nonprofit, communicating the plight of this refugee population in plain language, and using storytelling to win hearts and minds for the cause. We are focused on telling the stories of refugees and changing the narrative around what it is to be a refugee and the context that created their situation, with the ultimate goal of fundraising for the work we do. 

As a fourth-generation American of Arab descent, I find it’s my responsibility as someone who has immense privilege and hails from that region to amplify the voices of the people outside the United States who don’t have the same access or ability to advocate for themselves. 

How do you share the powerful stories of the refugees helped by your organization?

Pre-COVID, I would travel to the Middle East every year—a great privilege to see the programs in action and meet the people benefiting. While there, I interview refugees in shelters where they live or where they are receiving services, such as the UNRWA schools all over the region. It’s been really important for us to center these voices and make sure we’re always lifting them up in a dignified way.

When I can’t gain these stories in-person, I turn to an alumni group we created of people who graduated from the UNRWA schools, benefited from services or worked for the agency, since 90% of the staff on the ground are refugees themselves. Many of the Palestine refugees have found their way to North America because their education allowed them even greater opportunities. I find these people to be our best advocates, storytellers and validators because this was their lived experience and now they are your neighbors, doctors, and teachers. My team uses our blog, Voices of UNRWA, and a monthly live speaker series on Facebook, Let’s Talk UNRWA, to share their stories. 

What’s one campaign you’re most proud of?

In 2018, the Trump administration had defunded UNRWA, which cut about $360M in annual funding. To bring attention to the issue and the plight of the Palestine refugees, I organized the Relay Run for Refugees, a 250-mile run from New York City to Washington, D.C. People came from Palestine and other parts of the world to run down the I-95 corridor and stop in neighborhoods along the route to create a buzz around the agency. In each community we stopped in, we held an evening event called Refugees Reimagined where we had Palestine refugees tell their stories to humanize their experiences. 

The experience culminated on Capitol Hill for our first-ever advocacy day. The representatives we met with, including Rep. Betty McCollum, were so floored by these stories they decided to take up our cause and advocate to reinstate funding for UNRWA. And, although we can’t claim direct responsibility, earlier this year the Biden administration decided to re-engage the agency after a three-year hiatus. That’s a promising first step in addressing these humanitarian needs.

How do you keep your mental health uplifted and positive working on such a serious issue?

Part of this work for me is mental health advocacy. The largest event we host every year is the Gaza 5K, a charitable walk-run to raise awareness and funds for UNRWA’s mental health programming in the Gaza Strip. Children in the Gaza Strip are suffering from psychological trauma, including PTSD, because of recurrent military bombardment and life under a blockade and our funding ensures they have access to counselors to help them cope.

The experiences and the resilience that I’ve seen from these students is what gives me the boost I need to do this work without letting it bring me down. If you are to read any of these stories we put out or meet any of the refugees who are served, you would find the same sort of the same sort of inspiration.

On a personal level, I do a lot of practical things as well, including seeking out my own therapy, spending time in nature, and taking time for creative outlets like music to help me feel rejuvenated.

What piece of advice do you have for someone wanting to break into communications at an international nonprofit?

I always remind people it’s a fierce competition. I’ve hired a lot of people over the years and you have to make sure everything you’re putting out there can shine above the others. In a communications role for a nonprofit, you really need that secret sauce. Even if you’re not working in the field, if you have the skills then you can create your own project. It shows that your skills and passions are an extension of who you are and what you could lend to an organization.

Introduce yourself
I’m Liselle Yorke, senior PR manager at Population Research Bureau (PRB). I spend my days helping demographers, global health specialists and researchers explain why and how data and research findings can change people’s everyday lives.

Tell us about why you joined WWPR
I’m surrounded by academics so rejoining WWPR was a way to keep my creative juices flowing and learn from others trying to navigate our “new normal”. I really enjoyed our March 10 professional development book talk. Hearing what others were reading and getting different perspectives on our main themes of vulnerability, making space for others, and building relationships was really insightful for me.

What do you love about PR and your specific role?
I view myself as a storyteller. In my current role that means explaining the impact of population trends to different audiences and working with researchers to package and share their findings in formats that can be understood and acted on by policymakers, advocates and communities.

One memorable campaign is the launch of a February 2020 report on the risk of undercounting young children (under the age of 5) in the 2020 Census and the potential impact of underfunding of communities, especially areas that need these resources. We faced a huge challenge because we had to launch it during the same week as the U.S. Senate’s vote on impeaching then President Trump and the National Prayer Breakfast. Our advantage was that the issue had staying power beyond those events and we were able to garner coverage in the ensuing weeks, including interviews on WABE (NPR Atlanta affiliate) and an expansive piece in NJ.com.

During the pandemic, journalists have been citing our data on aging and global population trends in pieces looking at the impact of the virus on different populations. Many have either tapped into articles and data we’ve already published, or they’ve asked us to provide specific data for their stories. There has been less interest in the areas that don’t directly relate to the pandemic so we’re experimenting with different ways to tell those stories.

How has the PR industry changed in the last five years and what are you doing differently that seems to work in your industry?

The changes over the last five years are in many ways an acceleration of trends we’ve seen coming for some time, notably more strategic use of digital and social media as newsrooms shrink and our “audiences” become more active information consumers. I moved from international development to research/academia in 2019 and in this space, data journalism is key. In our work at PRB, we’re trying to present data and research findings differently (visualizations, newsier articles, blogs, social media graphics) to help readers connect the dots to everyday life.

During this time, was there any hobby you picked up or spent more time doing that you have enjoyed?
Overdrive and my local public libraries have become my best friends! I now listen to at least two audiobooks each week, usually mysteries (I highly recommend Louise Penny, Ann Cleeves, and Ngaio Marsh). I’ve also started listening to a lot more podcasts that cover pop culture, news, and personal development. 

What are some of your favorite things to do in the DMV area and how have you adjusted since Covid-19?
My teen daughter and I like taking road trips. With both of us working/learning from home, mini trips have become our way to get out while staying safe. We simply pick a street and then go wherever it takes us. Just last week we discovered that Georgia Ave (Rte 97) takes you from Washington, D.C. through Montgomery, Howard and Carroll counties in Maryland.

Why did you join WWPR, how has the experience been and what advice would you give to someone wanting to join WWPR?

If you want to be in a place where you can learn, grow and thrive with like-minded PR professionals, WWPR is the place for you.