Tag: Member Stories

WWPR Content Committee member, Florence Sumaray had an opportunity to connect with WWPR member, LeAnne DeFrancesco to learn more about her role as Vice President at Vanguard Communications and how she got involved with WWPR.

Tell me a little bit about your background and your current position at Vanguard Communications.  

I was a journalism major at the University of Georgia and after a few jobs in DC, found my way to public relations. I lead Vanguard Communications’ Design and Editorial practice where I contribute to client campaigns, event production, corporate initiatives and business development. Working in a small firm like Vanguard means there is never a dull day! And I love that we focus exclusively on social change communications for some of the country’s most progressive organizations.

How has COVID-19 affected the way your organization functions and your interaction with your clients?

Vanguard got to test the remote work environment waters when our office space underwent a renovation in late 2019. We were back in our spot on K Street for about 6 weeks when the pandemic hit. While it has been hard to be away from co-workers, who are really like family, we were completely prepared to continue to thrive in this teleworking environment. I certainly miss doing the office jigsaw puzzle at lunchtime, but we have gotten really creative with our social activities to stay connected (Zoom trivia, Bingo, Quiplash…we even made a baby book related to travel for one of our colleagues who is due this month!). These activities have helped us maintain our organizational culture and stay healthy mentally. 

From a work standpoint, I don’t think we’ve missed a beat. We are engaging with our clients and providing great customer service using virtual platforms and tools. People are still bringing the same passion and dedication to their jobs every day and the extended time at home seems to be translating into even more productivity, which I didn’t think was possible from our small but mighty team!

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

Well obviously digital strategies have been transformative. Especially for our small clients, being able to reach audiences even with modest budgets is huge. Video is another area where we have been watching trends and building our internal competencies. We used to have to partner for most video work but now we can do a tremendous amount in-house. And of course Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Although this has gained traction in recent years, for our firm, it’s always been part of how we approach communications. We take it extremely seriously and lately have seen a major uptick in the number of organizations who need this type of strategic counsel. Personally, I have learned a lot from our DEI experts.

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

I joined because I wanted a slightly broader horizon. I wanted to meet people who had other kinds of PR expertise and other types of clients and challenges, and share ideas. Working as part of the Pro Bono Committee has been so gratifying. I have met wonderful women on the committee, and wonderful people in the organizations we support.

During this time, was there any hobby you picked up or spent more time doing that you have enjoyed?  

I learned how to make homemade biscuits! As a southerner, this was huge for me. I got up early on Saturdays for about a month trying different recipes with my daughter, until we settled on a favorite and perfected our technique. (Using a cheese grater for the butter made all the difference.) Now I’m always on the lookout for markets that carry buttermilk. I also did my first Netflix binge: The Umbrella Academy. So good!

What are some of your favorite things to do in the DMV area and how have you adjusted since COVID-19?

A co-worker signed up for a nationwide miles challenge (run, walk, swim, bike) for the month of August and invited us to participate. 19 “Vanguardians” participated as a team and logged nearly 2,000 miles! I’m really proud of that. Now I’m trying to stay in the biking habit because it makes me feel stronger physically, and it helps reduce stress. I also discovered a wonderful author, Yangszee Choo. I read The Night Tiger first and am just digging into The Ghost Bride. Highly recommended for a little escape at the end of a hectic day.

WWPR Content Committee member, Florence Sumaray had an opportunity to connect with WWPR member, Ianthe Metzger to learn more about her role as Deputy Director of Campaign Communications for State & Local Campaigns at EMILY’s List and how she got involved with WWPR.

Tell me about your background and your work with EMILY’s List. Perhaps share how COVID-19 has upended traditional campaign events and the challenges and rewards of generating attention for down-ballot races.

From working to change hearts and minds on marriage equality and LGBTQ protections with the Human Rights Campaign, to my current role at EMILY’s List where I help elect women up and down the ballot, I’ve always been interested in political communications and advocating for a particular issue or candidate through the media.

At EMILY’s List, I work solely with women who are running down-ballot on their media strategies, message development, and media training, and also elevate the work of EMILY’s List’s state and local campaigns team more broadly. While there’s always more focus on the White House and federal races, state and local races are incredibly important. I seriously can’t make that point enough. Our city councils and state legislatures have an enormous impact on our day-to-day lives and are increasingly getting the attention they deserve from voters and the media, given the harmful bills these legislative bodies have passed in recent years and the fact that it’s a redistricting cycle. The women in these offices are just awesome and do a fantastic job!

As with everything, the way we do our work and support our candidates has changed so much over the past few months. Last fall, I was in Virginia doing in-person GOTV events with our organization’s president, Stephanie Schriock and our candidates. We door-knocked in key districts as part of our successful effort to flip the Virginia General Assembly. This cycle is totally different as we work with our candidates on how to reach voters on the virtual campaign trail. Thankfully EMILY’s List was already equipped to help candidates through our robust training center that offers sessions on hosting virtual events, rapid response and crisis management, digital organizing and ads, and so much more.

Many of our endorsed women were already running on a message of expanding access to health care and creating sustainable job opportunities, so we’ve worked with them on how to incorporate COVID-19 into their existing messaging and make clear to voters and to the media that they are best suited to represent their district. It’s timely, it’s authentic, and it’s what reporters are interested in. Also, a lot of our candidates are educators, small business owners, or health care professionals who can speak to the issues that the country is facing firsthand, so we’ve worked hard to elevate their stories in the press. While nothing can replace a face to face conversation at the door, a positive of the virtual campaign trail is being able to easily reach more people all over the state and doing virtual events featuring high profile surrogates, who are typically incredibly busy. They may not have been able to stop by your in-person campaign event in a different city or state, but they can certainly pop into a Zoom townhall for 20 minutes to talk about why you’re a great candidate.

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

For anyone who’s on the fence about joining WWPR, you should definitely do it! It’s always been a great community of women, but that’s even more true as we collectively learn how to navigate COVID-19 and write new rules as we go. 

WWPR’s webinars and trainings over the past few months have been invaluable and it’s been great to hear from so many experts on what’s working at their organizations, best practices, and innovative solutions for how to get your message out and breakthrough in a media landscape that continues to become more and more challenging. 

I joined this community because I wanted to connect with a group of like-minded women who were committed to learning from each other and growing in their fields, and I’ve definitely gotten that as a member of WWPR.

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

From The Lily to The 19th to The Fuller Project, I’ve loved seeing all the new outlets that have emerged in recent years that target women and focus solely on their stories and experiences at the intersection of politics and policy. I also think that in recent years, organizations have been putting forward more diverse spokespeople and newsrooms are finally beginning to elevate more diverse voices on the air which is critical, long overdue, and a trend that I hope continues. 

Through our work at EMILY’s List, every day we prove that women can win tough races, all across the country and storytelling continues to be a key part of that. It’s clear, not only from the sheer volume of women candidates running this year (a record 584 in Congress alone!) but also by the diversity of these women, that the political environment is ripe for women’s leadership. They all come from different backgrounds and prove that despite conventional wisdom, there’s no one way to be “the woman candidate.” It’s about being brave enough to tell your story authentically and put your name on the ballot.

During this time, was there any hobby you picked up or spent more time doing that you have enjoyed? 

I used to read quite a bit before, but I’ve gone through so many books during quarantine. I’d recommend The Great Alone, Saving Ruby King, and The Last Flight if you’re looking for something to dive into. I’ve also been baking a lot of new treats, most recently cinnamon roll cheesecake, making new cocktails with my husband, and finally getting around to using all the appliances that we got as wedding gifts two years ago! My sisters live in Philadelphia and Milwaukee so we’ve been scheduling virtual workouts that we do together over Google Hangouts. It’s been a really great way to stay connected and something that we probably would not have started doing had it not been for COVID-19, even though we’ve always lived in different cities.

What are some of your favorite things to do in the DMV area and how have you adjusted since COVID-19?

There’s something for everyone in the DMV; it’s my favorite thing about living here. Typically, I love brunching, going to festivals and concerts, and exploring our many museums –– it was devastating when the Newseum closed in December! I will say that I’m definitely more of a homebody so I wasn’t too put out in the first few months of quarantine, but that’s definitely changed as it’s dragged on. 

I live in Pentagon City and used to find all my entertainment in DC proper, but have been making more of an effort to explore my neighborhood and get to know Arlington, which I’ve really enjoyed so far. In the next couple of weeks, we also plan on checking out the drive-in movie theatre at Union Market and heading out to Prince William County for some hiking.

Hear more from Ianthe about her involvement in WWPR and why joining the WWPR community is so valuable, especially as we navigate the new normal of COVID-19:

WWPR Content Committee member, Florence Sumaray had an opportunity to connect with WWPR member, Kimberly Brown to learn more about her role in PR and how she got involved with WWPR.

Tell me a little bit about your background and your work with the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI).

For more than a decade, I have had the tremendous honor of serving in various communication roles for some of the leading medical organizations in the industry. I have found that sharing stories that give patients and their families a glimmer of hope brings me an immense amount of gratification and have felt fortunate to do such impactful work over the course of my career.

In my current role as Sr. Associate Director of PR & Communications for the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI), I am primarily responsible for developing, implementing, and directing SCAI’s public relations activities. SCAI is a 5,000-member organization dedicated to the advancement of interventional cardiology, a specialty that is dedicated to diagnosing and treating heart disease. My position oversees various communications efforts for the organization, and I also provide day-to-day management of SCAI’s public education website, SecondsCount.org, all in an effort to support SCAI’s mission and enhance its reputation to its key stakeholders and the public.

What are some campaigns you are currently working on related to COVID-19?

SCAI has taken a proactive role in communicating to our members and the patients they serve about COVID-19 and how it impacts cardiovascular disease. The SCAI COVID-19 Resource Center has several resources for our members including news, surveys, registries, clinical documents, and emerging advocacy issues.

We are proud to have also recently launched the Seconds Still Count consumer awareness campaign which aims to educate and empower patients to remember the signs of a heart attack or stroke, and remind them that in the event of a cardiac emergency, seconds count when it comes to receiving life-saving care. We want to drive home the importance that cardiovascular care does not stop for COVID-19.

How is SCAI responding to the dual emergencies of the COVID-19 pandemic and racism as a public health crisis?  

The recent national events in the United States have put a spotlight on the institutional racism that continues to be pervasive in marginalized communities. Additionally, the alarming number of African Americans directly affected by heart disease and the COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the need to address racial disparities across the healthcare system. As a Black health communicator, I am keenly aware of the issues we face day-to-day as a race, and more importantly the need to address them and provide solutions in whatever small way I can. 

I’m constantly looking for ways to amplify these issues to the media, and recently have been having the necessary conversations with my organization’s leadership. We have launched a task force that is proactively implementing actions that ensure SCAI lives up to its core values and champions diversity, equity and inclusiveness within our Society. I’m proud of the role I get to play in that work. 

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

I was drawn to WWPR because I wanted to connect with other women who were working in my industry – right next door to me. There is something about the shared experience of working in PR in Washington that forever bonds you. I immediately found opportunities to volunteer, initially serving on the Emerging Leader Awards (ELAs) Committee, and ultimately serving on the Board of Directors as an ELAs co-chair. My advice to anyone considering membership would be: 1. Do it. 2. Get involved. 3. Bring someone else along for the journey. 

The knowledge, networking and relationships you will cultivate is invaluable and will serve you in ways you couldn’t imagine.

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

I believe we have gotten back to the beauty of storytelling. In my industry, emerging research is usually at the top of a reporters wish list, but we’ve found great success in sharing the patient experience which has provided journalists with a much more well-rounded understanding of the health care experience and how advancements in medicine and science really impact people. 

During this time, was there any hobby you picked up or spent more time doing that you have enjoyed?  

I’m cooking more! Something I rarely did pre-quarantine. My fiancé is thankful 😊.

What are some of your favorite things to do in the DMV area? How have you adjusted since Covid-19? 

I’m a Prince George’s County, MD. native, so I love everything about the DMV. Prior to the pandemic, my family and I thoroughly enjoyed going out to eat (DC brunch is a lifestyle!), attending concerts, and finding fun activities for our five-year-old son. Now, we’re enjoying our home more, completing projects around the house we’ve put off for the last few years, taking walks outside, and I just completed a discipleship program online with my church. We look forward to returning to “normalcy” someday, but our home has always been our refuge. It’s been a blessing to enjoy it more, together. 

Hear more from Kimberly about her involvement in WWPR and why she encourages other women to join:

Tell us a little bit about your background and your work with the Maryland Stadium Authority.  What has it been like for you during COVID-19?   

Rachelina is passionate about the transformative power of experiential tourism, especially cultural and sports travel, on people and places. At UMBC, she received her B.A. in Philosophy, which provides a foundation for critical thinking, public speaking and persuasive writing. She treasures her career experience with Southwest Airlines which included growing the customer service department at BWI Marshall Airport, and participated in the management program at headquarters and embracing the company culture to this day. While at Visit Howard County, she quadrupled their budget by advocating for dedicated public funding and enhancing the private sector investment opportunities. 

As a storyteller, converting the post office in Ellicott City into a welcome center was an opportunity to create space for informing and entertaining residents and visitors.  In 2017, she was honored to join the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) as a Public Information Officer. The volume and variety of the work by this stellar organization inspires her. In addition to managing and maintaining the Camden Yards Sports Complex, home of the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, MSA oversees very visible and time sensitive construction projects and feasibility studies across the state.

While Major League Baseball (MLB) is delayed and the National Football League scheduled to begin in the fall, MSA still operates and secures the iconic Warehouse as commercial real estate. Even in the required telework environment, MSA’s projects and studies are being delivered on time and on budget.

During the pandemic, MSA has repurposed portions of the 85 acre Camden Yards Sports Complex to assist our neighbors in need by inviting World Central Kitchen for weekly meal distribution, welcoming the Salvation Army of Central Maryland for daily meal delivery to seniors and hosting the Maryland National Guard for humanitarian aid throughout the region.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
Every day, Rachelina is surrounded by highly successful yet extraordinarily humble economists, engineers, project managers and sports enthusiasts in a mission-driven work environment. MSA’s sports commission positions the state’s venues as a top destination for youth, amateur and professional sports.

She enjoys partnering on the ground-breakings and ribbon-cuttings for the 21st Century School Buildings program, M&T Bank Stadium’s renovations and MARC Camden Station’s replacement. Announcements of new sports events and completion of feasibility studies are welcomed by the communities that request MSA’s services.

MSA’s commitment to sustainability is commendable. Planning the on-field pregame Earth Day 2018 announcement for Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the oldest ballpark in MLB to receive the LEED Gold certification, was especially exciting.

Why did you join WWPR?  
Rachelina was introduced to WWPR by the Capitol Communicator newsletter, and attended her first event in which she recalls a warm welcome by so many smart, successful, and sharply dressed women. The genuine camaraderie amongst WWPR’s members, at every career stage, creates environments where ideas and insights are generously exchanged, with smiles and laughter.

How do you keep up with the latest trends in PR and how has the industry changed in the last 5 years?
Over the past five years, the speed of the 24-hour news cycle and the need to generate meaningful multi-media content requires marketing and communications teams to merge and converge. While roles are blurred, goals are focused and data driven. Reading voraciously, consuming content, attending workshops and webinars to further one’s skills and connections in this ever-evolving industry is a must. Rachelina recently earned professional certificates in Social Media Management and Digital Marketing at the Georgetown School of Continuing Studies and invests in courses at General Assembly. In addition, she volunteers with the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA’s) professional development committee, enjoys her American Marketing Association (AMA) membership and indulges in Smithsonian Associates programs.

What other organizations are you involved with outside the office?    
As her schedule permits, Rachelina is an advocate for the National Brain Tumor Society and the Beagle Freedom Project. Helping navigate the halls, tunnels and protocols of Capitol Hill and Annapolis with first-time volunteers to tell their story to elected officials and staff that localizes proposed legislation is rewarding.

What are some of your favorite things to do in the DMV area?
The DMV has so many parks, trails and gardens to explore and experience the seasons. Rachelina loves daily sunrise and sunset walks with her beagles. On weekends, dining al fresco, whether it’s a picnic at a winery or waterside seafood shack is her chosen treat. Summertime concerts, under the stars, with family and friends is also a favorite.

After years of dreaming and watching too much HGTV, she and her boyfriend bought a fixer-upper cottage near the Chesapeake Bay. Working together on DIY projects, planting the gardens and upcycling décor has been their happy place during the pandemic.

What have you learned about yourself during this pandemic and how do you stay positive? 
The Italian culture celebrates “il dolce far niente”, the joy of doing nothing and embracing the sweet simplicity of life. Throughout their careers and after working with people all day, Rachelina and her boyfriend unwind by cooking dinner together at night.

Rachelina has a small, but sunny home office, so transitioning to required telework was smooth and MSA workflow steady. When asked how she’s fared during the pandemic, the quote that comes to her mind is Cicero’s “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”

Meet Sheila Brooks, Ph.D., Founder, President and CEO of SRB Communications

Sheila is the founder, president and CEO of SRB Communications, an advertising, marketing and PR agency based in Washington, DC. SRB Communications will be celebrating 30 years in business in June 2020.

Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Sheila spent nearly 13 years in television newsrooms across the country, first as an anchor, reporter and producer, and eventually as a news director and executive producer. Throughout her career, she has taught courses in journalism as a college professor, and she currently teaches multicultural marketing in the Strategic Public Relations program at the George Washington University.

In 2015, she returned to the classroom and completed a Ph.D. in Media, Culture and Communications at Howard University. Over the years she’s won numerous awards including two Emmys, the inaugural Pat Tobin Media Relations Award from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the 2019 NABJ Ida B. Wells Award. She was also nominated for the 2019 NAACP Image Award for literary work on publishing her first book, Lucile H. Bluford and the Kansas City Call: Activist Voice for Social Justice.

Leading SRB Communications

Over the past decade, Sheila’s job as CEO of a minority- and woman- owned business, has evolved from working “in” the business to working “on” the business. Her talented team of eight to 10 employees handle the day-to-day accounts under the leadership of No. 2, Adiya Mobley, SRB Communications’ Vice President of Marketing and Communications. Sheila enjoys closing deals and developing and executing a growth strategy for the agency.

Joining WWPR

Sheila joined WWPR to connect with some of the most talented PR professionals in the country. It also provides opportunities for her and the staff at SRB Communications to network and share new ideas.

Outside of the office

Sheila serves on the Federal City Council as a member of the Board of Trustees and as chair of the Board of Visitors for the Global School of Journalism and Communication at Morgan State University. She also serves on the advisory board of the Jim Vance Media Center at Archbishop Carroll High School. Sheila finds her many decades of serving on boards for journalism, educational and entrepreneurial organizations proves to be rewarding. She also enjoys giving back to the community and is specifically committed to sharing her experiences with young people.

Staying busy during COVID-19

Sheila generally loves to cook and entertain. Since COVID-19, she has spent more weekend time with her husband at their beach house, only an hour away in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland. They social distance walk with friends, barbecue, and just enjoy the serenity of the Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, during the week when she’s home in Silver Spring, Maryland, she is loving her Peloton. 

Defining the “new normal” for SRB Communications

SRB Communications has been working remotely nearly three months while continuing to provide clients superior services and value add. The company has been fortunate to work from home daily during the COVID-19 pandemic, which the team at SRB Communications realizes is a privilege many people aren’t afforded. 

Besides working from home, it has been business as usual for the most part. They have daily team and client meetings, and new business efforts keep them busy regularly. They are also excited to be celebrating their 30th year anniversary this year with a year-long roll out of campaigns to introduce to the public and their stakeholders.

Keeping up with trends in communications

Sheila can’t emphasize enough the importance of being a lifelong learner and staying ahead of the curve. Keeping up with digital trends is essential for SRB Communications to stay ahead of their competition. To do so, Sheila personally reads two books per month, and as an agency, they subscribe to several information resources. Some of those resources include following the right marketing thought-leaders and influencers, taking advantage of the many resources their partners have access to, networking with other marketers in the field through Meetups and networking sites. Lastly but most importantly, remaining agile and embracing new technology as it is introduced to the public. They also prioritize attending webinars and annual conferences like the National Association of Black Journalists, AAF-DC and ColorComm.

How the industry has changed in the past five years

In the past five years, the digital landscape has truly transformed the world, and the SRB Communications’ team now understands more than ever how important it is for their business and their lives. There have been so many advancements in the way people communicate through technology. The digital space is ever-evolving, and as marketing and communications professionals, it is our responsibility to stay abreast on the latest technologies driving the day-to-day work. 

Celebrating SRB Communications’ 30th anniversary

If you asked Sheila his time last year what they would be doing to celebrate SRB Communications’ 30 year anniversary, she never would have guessed celebrating during a global pandemic. However, here they are, celebrating … in the midst of a global pandemic.

Even though they are all quarantined and safely social distancing, they have decided to transition their celebratory efforts to the digital atmosphere. They’re excited to reintroduce the SRB brand and newly designed logo to the public. They also have a few content and storytelling campaigns rolling out across their social media channels throughout the entirety of the anniversary year. To kick off 2021, they’ll be releasing their 2021 Multicultural Marketing Trends Report outlining the latest and greatest happenings in inclusive marketing and campaigns. Make sure you follow them on social media to get the latest 30th anniversary update: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Lessons learned during this pandemic and how to stay positive

If you don’t walk away from this pandemic having learned something new, whether about yourself or about the broader community that we live in, then you’ve missed a huge growth opportunity. Sheila has learned that as a community they are stronger together. She has seen that play out even within the SRB team. She has watched the team stay resilient in the face of this pandemic and stay committed to their client’s work and the agency business. She stays positive because of her advisors and her fellow business owners that are supportive with regular phone calls, emails and texts. 

Like many fellow business owners, Sheila has also learned how to work from home. That’s not something she thought she would be able to do, but the team has done it and hasn’t skipped a beat. Sheila has faced other crises over the past 30 years in business, and through them all,  she’s learned to embrace the challenges, create opportunities, stay innovative, and most importantly, trust in her unshakeable faith. She is truly fortunate to be able to do this work with honor and a sense of responsibility at this moment in time.

Five lessons learned from 30 years of running a successful marketing and communications firm

Sheila’s passion in serving multicultural audiences has led her to a purpose that is both profitable and valuable. She can’t give up on that. The work she does is not solely for her. She’s invested in so many lives and so many have invested in her. You can’t stay in business and keep people working if you don’t make a profit. You have to keep that in mind.

Five lessons Sheila has learned in running a successful marketing and communications firm:

1. Know when to pivot the business. Stop selling what you have. Sell what the client needs.
2. Keep a customer-first mindset.
3. Obtain a bank loan or line of credit before you need it.
4. Recruit and retain the best talent.
5. Stay laser focused on your business growth plan.