5 Questions With...Marcus Liem Director of PR at BCG, North American

1. Tell us about your career journey and the key lessons you learned along the way.

For over 20 years, I've worked in public relations. Initially, I worked in Reno, Nevada, where I served two
nonprofit organizations. In 2011, I moved to New York City for graduate school while continuing to work.

My journey in NYC led me to various communication roles. First, I worked at the NYC Health Department,
supporting their external 9/11 health research initiative. Then, I became one of the spokespersons for the
NYC Department of Education. Finally, I transitioned to corporate PR at Ernst and Young (EY), managing
media for its consulting business.

Today, I am the North America Director of Public Relations at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). I lead a
dynamic media relations team, driving creative, compelling, and impactful communication campaigns.

Throughout my career, here are a few things that I’ve learned:

• Always do your best work, but at the end of the day, it's just a job, so don't stress.

• Give people grace and start from a place of wanting to help.

• Check in on people and ask how they are doing, especially considering everything that is happening in the world today.

• When it comes down to it, journalists are reasonable people.

• You don't always have to be so serious; it's PR, it's supposed to be fun, so laugh!

2. How do you typically start your mornings?

My mornings typically begin with some quality time with my furry friend, named Meatball, a rescue mix. Our morning routine starts with an early feeding (6:30 am is when he wakes me up), followed by a brisk walk. This time with my dog benefits both of us, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the moment, relishing the outdoors and the company of my loyal companion. It's also an excellent way to clear my mind before the day's hustle and bustle.

One thing I consciously avoid in the morning is checking my emails. I make sure to postpone that task until after our morning walk. This practice helps me maintain focus on the simple joys of life before immersing myself in the digital world.

3. What does your day usually look like?

My day as a PR professional is ever-changing, but one constant is the morning huddle with my team. This daily ritual provides a structured forum for us to align our efforts and stay on top of our game.

During this morning meeting, we engage in a thorough debrief of our activities from the previous day. This helps us track the progress of ongoing projects, identify any challenges or roadblocks, and ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. It's also an opportunity to celebrate achievements and wins.

We also discuss the day ahead, highlighting important internal meetings, media interviews, and any urgent tasks on our plates. One of the most valuable aspects of our morning huddle is the opportunity for team members to voice their needs for support, as PR is a collaborative field. This open communication ensures that no one feels overwhelmed and that we can quickly rally to support each other when necessary.

4. How do you support your mental health?

One way I support my mental health is by spending time outdoors and exploring. I often find myself wandering for hours, accumulating steps, browsing shops, and enjoying snacks along the way in both New York and the cities I visit. Simply strolling around with my headphones on enables me to clear my mind and alleviate the stresses of life.

5. What are you most excited about for the rest of this year and/or 2024?

There is much that excites me, and one outstanding aspect this year is the noticeable increase in people's eagerness to establish meaningful in-person connections.

Not only are my colleagues returning to the office more frequently in our hybrid environment, but I have also observed that journalists are increasingly enthusiastic about one-on-one, in-person engagement like never before. Additionally, I’ve witnessed a heightened interest among professionals in attending industry and large conference gatherings. This is more than a return to pre-pandemic levels of in-person engagement; it is a clear signal that human-to-human interaction, free from digital roadblocks and barriers, is highly valued.

As a Sagittarius, I am thrilled about this trend and optimistic that it will continue to thrive in 2024.

5 Questions With...Elissa Nuñez Senior Account Executive at BerlinRosen

1. Tell us about your career journey and the key lessons you learned along the way.
I’m currently a senior account executive on the issue advocacy team at BerlinRosen, but prior to pursuing a career in communications, I was a television news producer. My job was incredibly rewarding - as many journalists say, I had a “front row seat to history” from City Hall to Capitol Hill, and while I was thrilled to cover the major stories of the day with some of the best journalists in the business, I started to crave a new challenge outside of the newsroom. 

As I considered my next move, my favorite internship came to mind. During the fall semester of my senior year, I was a public affairs intern supporting our team in developing a targeted communications strategy that would reach communities affected by America’s heightening opioid crisis. My few months there taught me the power of storytelling to transform, and even save, lives. 

I realized that what drew me to journalism was telling the stories of those most impacted by the defining challenges of our time. That prompted me to consider a career in advocacy communications, to work directly on the issues that matter to me most, and to serve clients who are advancing justice for their communities. 

The last few years have taught me that changing course is totally normal. Trust that every experience is preparing you for the path forward, and if you’re open to it, your impact can extend far beyond a single role or industry.

2. How do you typically start your mornings?
I chose “consistency” as my word of the year, but now that it’s October, I can safely say that it didn’t stick! Every morning looks different for me, but I do have some non-negotiables. I try to wake up early enough to have a slow, quiet morning before the day starts. I’ll fill my water bottle and hydrate as soon as I wake up, take my vitamins and probiotics, go for a walk outside, and drink coffee. Ever since TikTok told me that having coffee on an empty stomach can spike cortisol levels, I’ve been trying to eat something before reaching for the espresso. I do feel like it’s had a positive effect on my energy throughout the morning. 

 
3. What does your day usually look like?
I always start by answering any time-sensitive emails or Slack messages, then writing my to-do list for the day. That allows me to prioritize tasks and decide how to organize my day before meetings start. Our firm provides a variety of services to our clients, but for me, each day will usually involve developing communications strategies to help meet client goals, executing rapid response opportunities in breaking news situations, or brainstorming proactive opportunities that will move audiences. 

4. How do you support your mental health?
Therapy is essential for me, but I’ve also found that it’s really important to build a relationship with yourself to learn what you need at a certain moment. Over time, you can develop a toolbox to manage and improve your mental health. For me, those tools include therapy, exercise, meditation, cuddling with my dog Gavin, cooking healthy meals, prioritizing sleep, and even consuming all forms of content (yes, that includes TikTok!). Doing what I enjoy helps me focus on being present and having fun, and that is always great for my well-being.

 
5. What are you most excited about for the rest of this year and/or 2024?
I’m excited to visit New Orleans on Halloween for the first time with my family. We’re going to explore all the haunted spots and eat our way through the French Quarter. I’m also looking forward to Election Day in just a few weeks, mainly to cheer on the many advocates and organizers who are fighting to uphold our shared values across the country. 

 

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's thought leadership series featuring industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

Dear PRSA-NY Family, 

PRSA-NY’s leadership is deeply saddened and troubled by Hamas’ recent act of terrorism in Israel and the subsequent humanitarian crisis it caused in the region. We unequivocally condemn the murder, violence, and abduction of innocent civilians by Hamas and are deeply committed to supporting those in our community who have lost friends, family, equanimity, and stability. 

We collectively condemn all forms of hatred and discrimination and further denounce hate-fueled personal attacks, especially those that are antisemitic or Islamophobic, and implore our local communities to embrace our humanity and each other. 

PRSA-NY calls on all communications and public relations professionals to confront and call out intentional disinformation and unintentional misinformation in a way that only communicators can. Let us inspire and lead productive calls to action that promote civility, knowledge, empathy, healing, and peaceful coexistence. 

Our hearts are with all those affected, including Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Muslims, those in the Middle East, and those here at home, who bear the brunt of the ongoing atrocities over which they have no control or voice. 

In these trying times, we must be resolute in our commitment to progress and unity. To that end, for our flagship chapter event in November, where we will recognize excellence in integrity, influence, and innovation, the chapter will share a portion of ticket sale proceeds with the International Red Cross, a neutral, independent, humanitarian organization that is supporting emergency efforts in the region. 

Thank you for being a part of our community and for your dedication to inclusivity and understanding. 

In solidarity,

PRSA-NY Board

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Resources to learn more about what is happening in Israel and Gaza:

History of the Conflict Explained (BBC)

Insights from RAND Research (RAND Corporation)

The Israel-Hamas War (Council on Foreign Relations)

Additional Organizations to which we encourage personal donations:

Alliance for Middle East Peace

Doctors Without Borders

Magen David Adom

Palestine Red Crescent Society

Project C.U.R.E.

The Jewish Agency for Israel

5 Questions With...Nya-Gabriella Parchment, Vice President, Brand Partnerships, UGC, & Marketing at Digital Brand Architects 

1. Tell us about your career journey and the key lessons you learned along the way.
Well when I started college the goal was to be Rihanna’s publicist and then somewhere during my college career, this app Instagram popped up and that changed everything. My first internship, they technically filled all their intern spots but my supervisor really liked me so she created a social media internship role for me. And that seems to have followed me throughout the years, just jumping in creating roles and divisions out of something new, usually a byproduct of what is happening on the internet. That would drive most people mad, but I love it! Everyday I get to figure something new out. Everyday is a challenge and I wouldn’t ever change that.
 
2. How do you typically start your mornings?
On a good day, I usually am at the gym first thing. But that’s rare these days. Most often, I wake up, meditate and journal before getting ready. It’s really important to me that I take a second to check in with myself because the days can move so quickly.
 
3. What does your day usually look like?
Since my company’s headquarters is in LA, I get my best work done in the mornings. Then around 11am, my meetings start. On a typical day I meet with a wide range of people including talent, agencies or brands, my immediate team, and/or our leadership team. I end my day around 6pm and walk to Penn Station to decompress a bit and commute home.  
 
4. How do you support your mental health?
First, therapy! Therapy has been so helpful this year. I’ve been very open about it, even telling co-workers “hey, I can’t meet because I have therapy at that time.”
Exercise is also a non-negotiable for me. It’s so easy to lose your whole day sitting at a desk, whether it’s at home or in an office. So I try to at the very least go for walks or take a bike ride on days I don’t make it to the gym. Lastly, maybe most importantly having a great support system is key. I’m an over-thinker, so being able to talk through things, whether personal or professional is helpful so I can get out of my head.
 
5. What are you most excited about for the rest of this year and/or 2024?
This year feels like the first real post-COVID year. Last year, we were all trying to figure out what it means to be out in the world and this year we’re doing it. So I’m excited to get back to socializing, industry events, and just being out in the world.

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's thought leadership series featuring industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions With...Valarie De La Garza, CEO of Fenton Communications

1. Tell us about your career journey and the key lessons you learned along the way.

I am a proud 30-year veteran in strategic communications.  Like many people, I accidentally fell into public relations as a college student on the verge of graduating and trying to figure out what to do with my life. At the time I was the editor of Daily Bruin at UCLA, the first Latina to serve in that role in university history.

I was conflicted – actually overwhelmed – as most 22-year-olds are about they’re going into the “real world.”  My journalism advisor at the Bruin suggested I try an internship with something new -- “Latino public relations.”  In the early 90s a group of firms began to emerge with expertise in serving Black, Latino and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.  After serving as a student journalist for four years at first I bristled at the idea of “PR” but once I got into the business, I found my path – and that was to use the power of communications connect and engage with communities who historically weren’t represented or engaged with cultural authenticity.  

Over 30 years I’ve worked for Latino boutiques to a global firms like MSL, regional independents to my own small consultancy.  I also went in-house at the California Community Foundation a few years ago before being convinced to go back to my people – agency communications – at Fenton which is solely committed to social justice work.  The ultimate lesson in my career was the social impact was always my calling.  Listening and following my gut — was  critical in my career and overall life journey.  

2. How do you typically start your mornings?
I am an early riser — I am generally in front of my computer by 7 a.m. EST.  Before I get started with my day, as a spiritual person, I pray and ask for guidance for the day and protection of my loved ones. I read the news and check email and Slacks — more than half of our 100+ folks are on the East Coast.  I usually go on a morning walk and listen to something inspirational.  Right now I am loving the "Wiser than Me" podcast with Julia Louis Dreyfus and anything from Oprah.

3. What does your day usually look like?
Every day is different which is the beauty of our industry.  I am in touch with our senior-most team members — head of client service and chief people officer for example to ensure we are on track with external client and internal initiatives. I get a read on new business efforts and financials of a daily basis and connect with our owner.  If I am lucky I get to consult on client work which is what brought me to this amazing business.

4. How do you support your mental health?

Time with friends and family and in general, laughter is critical to my wellbeing.  My weekends are sacred for both time with loved ones and for myself. I do yin yoga every Saturday and attend Sunday mass. Trying new recipes out for my three sons and husbands along with a great glass of pinot noir is salve for the soul.  I am also an avid concert-goer. I love music of all kinds.  This year I’ve seen Janet Jackson, the Cure, Adele and Los Lobos so far!

5. What are you most excited about for the rest of this year and/or 2024?
The election season is important for us at Fenton.  It gives us the opportunity to activate on one of the things we do best which is help our change-maker clients in protecting our democracy and personal freedoms.  Nothing is more important. 

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's thought leadership series featuring industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions With...Maureen Lippe -  Founder and Chairman of Lippe Taylor Group

I’ve had many amazing moments throughout my career, but one of the highlights has been the publication of my debut book, Radical Reinvention: Reimagine, Reset, Reinvent in a Disruptive World, which just launched this week. The book features my personal and professional journey of self-discovery after being forced to reimagine, reset, and reinvent after losing my beloved husband and partner to COVID-19 and having to transform and grow my company, Lippe Taylor. But let’s take a step back to where it all began.

I started out as an editor, but this didn't come easy. I always wanted to work at Vogue, but when I first went out for the job, however many years ago, they turned me down because I wasn't proficient at typing. I didn't take that laying down, though. Instead, I went to secretarial school for six months and then returned. They were so impressed by my tenacity, and improved typing skills to boot, that they started me out as an assistant. After many years of hard work, and some chance run-ins with the likes of Samuel Irving "S.I." Newhouse Jr. – he owned Conde Nast – I eventually worked my way up the ladder, going on to become fashion, beauty and health editor at Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar where I showcased content on all issues facing women.

After many years of working in editorial, I eventually shifted to PR and marketing, founding the iconic communications agency, Lippe Taylor, based in New York City, where I'm now a chairman. Over the course of 30 years, I've provided brand-building counsel to leading companies including Procter & Gamble, Walmart, Clairol, IKEA, Johnson & Johnson, Allergan, Nestlé, Intel, Kmart, Nordstrom, Bayer, Constellation Brands, and Keurig Dr. Pepper. Additionally, I'm a member of the Arthur W. Page Society and have served on many boards including Step Up Women's Network, Women's Venture Fund, PR Council, and Cosmetic Executive Women.

Along the way, I've learned to never give up and to push back and fight for what you believe in and want out life. While there were plenty of people who helped me along the way, I was determined to make my own path in this world.

2.     How do you typically start your mornings?

My morning routine is one of the most important parts of my day as helps set me up for success by getting my mind and body primed for the day ahead.

I always start by having a large glass of water immediately followed by 15 minutes of stretching and light exercise. This clears my brain and allows me to focus on what I need to achieve that day. I also like to watch TODAY Show to make sure I’m up to speed with the latest news and pop culture updates. I do all this while getting ready, and then I make sure I’m in the office within an hour of waking up.

Additionally, I do intermittent fasting. Research shows that this has many benefits, including reduction in inflammation and improvement in the cell repair processes, and it makes me feel less sluggish as I kickstart my day.

3.     What does your day usually look like?

First, I have five essential things that I do each and every day. This starts with restorative sleep, which all of us need more of, especially in trying times – loss of a loved one, work or financial stress, or simply writing your next chapter in life. Good nutrition and hydration is also important, not only to how you look but also how you feel and your body functions. Additionally, I make sure that I'm regularly moving and also getting light therapy by stepping outside into the sun. There are so many positive benefits of vitamin D, including helping treat hypertension – after all, we all need less stress in our lives – and improvement of our immune system and bone strength. Lastly, social connections are key. I make it a point to walk around the office to engage with people, asking them how their days are going, but I also love one-on-one time with family and friends. This might entail a drink out on a random Tuesday night with a girlfriend I haven’t seen lately or a night in where we cook, sing and dance together. Like sleep, we all need more human connections to keep us grounded and feeling our best, and having those I love close to me fills me with so much joy.

4.     How do you support your mental health?                    

Mental health is of great importance to me. In fact, I’ve regularly told my employees to take the time they need, even if it’s a last-minute mental health day that allows them a break to recharge and come back stronger than ever. NEVER be afraid to take the time you need.

In terms of how I focus on my mental health, I have several things that I do on a regular basis. First, I love walking through my lily garden, which my late husband, Jerry Taylor planted for me. Seeing and smelling the beautiful flowers blooming throughout the season makes me feel connected to him and immediately brings a rush of happiness over me.

Second, I’m a firm believer in the power of intention. As I mention in my book, I knew from an early age that if I wanted to be successful and travel the world that I would need to make my own money and charter my own path in life, so I began very early on envisioning the life I wanted and putting the steppingstones into place to help me achieve my many goals.

Lastly, my son, Nick Taylor, and I love grounding. Sometimes referred to as earthing, the belief is that, by connecting your bare soles to the earth, you’re connecting to the earth’s electrical charges, which can have positive effects on your body, including your mental health. Whether I’m walking on the beach or through Central Park, I love to remove my shoes and let my toes feel the sand and grass. If nothing more, it makes me feel connected to the larger world around me and brings me peace.
  

5.     What are you most excited about for the rest of this year and/or 2024?

With my debut book, Radical Reinvention now out in the world, it makes me feel somewhat vulnerable to share so many intimate details of my life and career. However, in doing so, I hope that people are able to use my 8-Step Reinvention Toolkit, which I personally created, tested, and verified with therapists and brave fire starters who are also featured in the book. Also, I’m excited that all book proceeds will benefit Step Up Women’s Network. I have served on the board for many years for this non-profit that is helping provide structured mentorship programs, focused support, and inspiring connections to help girls, and those who identify with girlhood, define, and achieve their unique visions of success.

Additionally, while the pandemic was difficult for all of us, and our struggles are often exacerbated by the evolving nature of our industry that seems to change on a minute-by-minute basis, I planted my feet deep in the ground and continued fighting for the business I’ve built over the last thirty years. Much of my success is thanks to the bright, talented, loving people I work with every day, and by actively listening to their needs and ensuring I’m always available in-person in the new hybrid workplace, I hope to continue growing my business and fostering an inclusive, equitable culture that makes people want to stay here for many years to come.

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's thought leadership series featuring industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions with Anna Pearce, Account Manager, LaunchSquad 

2023 marks the Year of the Rabbit in the Lunar calendar, and the Rabbit represents thoughtfulness, care and steadiness – qualities that are so needed and increasingly valued in this dynamic – at times volatile – world. How will you bring more thoughtfulness, care and steadiness forward at work and in life?

I think the dynamic and volatile nature of the world we’re in makes everything feel a little more frenzied and high-stakes. There are a million timely issues and conversations unfolding at any given moment and begging for our attention. It’s overwhelming, and typically my response to feeling this way is to just put my head down and power through. But lately I’ve been challenging myself to practice taking a step back, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. You can gain a lot of perspective in a short period of time that allows you to come back with a clearer head and better focus. 

Similarly, I think most PR people “live” online but I’ve been trying to spend more time away from the internet. It’s counterintuitive when you’re trained to stay close to the news, but ditching my laptop/phone and getting outside allows me to show up as a more balanced, thoughtful person and communicator. I’m lucky to work at LaunchSquad, where we have a 4-day work week on a bi-weekly basis – we call them “Flex Fridays” and I’ve been really intentional about treating those days as a true break from the work week in every sense, which is what they’re intended for! 

This March 2023, we celebrate Women’s History Month, an opportunity to acknowledge and honor women’s contributions to history, culture and society. Who are the women that inspire you and who helped pave the way for you?

Maybe this answer is a common one, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say my grandma, who was my best friend and biggest inspiration. She was one in a family of eight that moved from the small island of St. Martin to the U.S. when my grandma was 10 years old. She was the second oldest child and the first to really chart her own way, carving a path for her siblings and eventually me. Beyond sharing her strong work ethic with me, she also celebrated and was genuinely proud of everything I did – every (and I mean every) art project, report card, internship. It taught me that I am capable and showed me how to be proud of myself. I was the first person on both sides of my family to graduate college, and I don’t think that would’ve been possible without her by my side for most of the way. 

What advice do you have for BIPOC and women professionals aspiring to leadership positions in our industry? What advice do you have for agencies, brands and companies?

One thing that immediately comes to mind is impostor syndrome. In the moments when you’re the only person at the table who comes from a different background or ethnicity, it’s important to speak up and share your distinct point of view, but it can also be daunting to serve as the sole representative for so many people beyond yourself. It can make you second-guess what you have to say, but our experiences and perspectives are not only valid, they need to be heard. In my early days at LaunchSquad, my managers and mentors would often talk about “finding your voice” – for a long time I didn’t know what that meant, but looking back my career didn’t really start progressing until I did. 

On the flip side, my advice for agencies, brands, and companies that are trying to make space for BIPOC people is to listen. You can’t create a positive, equitable experience for employees of color or have your brand resonate with BIPOC customers without first asking your audience what they need and how they want you to show up. Create dedicated space for us to share and empower us to do so – then listen to the feedback you receive, and be sure to credit BIPOC people for their ideas and contributions. 

ChatGPT took the world by storm when it launched late last year, with pundits, educators, comms leaders, tech brands all weighing in on its impact. What’s your take on ChatGPT’s impact to the comms and media profession?

In my role, I primarily work with tech companies – the majority of which are AI companies to their core or have products that are AI-enabled. ChatGPT has created a lot of “noise” in the space, some of which is helpful and some of which just adds to the hype. I think new, splashy AI pushes communicators like me to further sharpen our messaging. More and more, we need to be really clear about what the AI tools we’re pitching are and are not, and we need to outline their intended use/impact to avoid setting off alarms or overpromising on AI’s capabilities. 

In terms of how ChatGPT might influence our day to day, working in comms and PR requires good judgment and a certain degree of emotional intelligence. I think AI-powered writing tools have the potential to help us work more efficiently, but I don’t see how human comms and media professionals could be replaced by AI. 

What are you most excited about as 2023 unfolds? And what’s keeping you up at night?

I am both excited by the recent rise in queer visibility, especially in the media, and deeply disturbed by the response to it. As a member of the LGBTQ community and a massive fan of drag and ballroom culture, it is so incredible to see authentic queer stories becoming more mainstream. But the backlash and way in which queer people – but especially trans and nonbinary people – are being policed and politicized and used for political gain literally does keep me up at night. My hope for 2023 is to see more people outside of our community speaking up and fighting for LGBTQ safety and equality, and encouraging others to do the same. It’s needed now more than ever. 

Bio

Anna Pearce is a New York-based Account Manager at LaunchSquad, where she partners with a wide range of both B2B and B2C technology brands. She loves working in the dynamic, fast-paced world of PR and gaining exposure to new industries she never thought she’d encounter – from venture capital, to retail, artificial intelligence, healthcare, customer experience and more. In her 5+ years at LaunchSquad, Anna has spearheaded the development of data reports, podcasts, and social campaigns, along with leading her teams on day-to-day media and content strategy. She has supported clients such as Kroger, General Catalyst, The Trevor Project, and Johnson & Johnson, and has experience in corporate communications, crisis communications, financial communications, thought leadership, media relations, and branding. Anna is a graduate of Colgate University who enjoys exploring NYC with her dog. 

5 Questions With...Fatou B. Barry - Founder of PR Girl Manifesto

1. 2023 marks the Year of the Rabbit in the Lunar calendar, and the Rabbit represents thoughtfulness, care, and steadiness – qualities that are so needed and increasingly valued in this dynamic – at times volatile – world. How will you bring more thoughtfulness, care, and steadiness forward at work and in life?

This year, I’m being reminded to embrace intentionality in everything I do.  it’s easy to get distracted by all of the possibilities of what the year and my life could look like in 2023.  I’m naturally eager when it comes to taking action, but I think bringing more thoughtfulness, care, and steadiness in for myself will be rooted in making intentional choices that are guided by intuition and self-trust (both in work and in life).  It’ll mean pursuing value-aligned options over what may seem or feel good at the time,  which will require me to lean into saying no if something isn’t a good fit and doubling down on taking my time.

2. We have just concluded the month of February, when we celebrate Black History Month -- an opportunity to acknowledge and honor the contributions and experiences of Black Americans. Who are the Black Americans who inspire you and helped pave the way for you?

The list of Black people who have contributed to this world is never-ending, and in this current season, I am particularly grateful for the work and contributions of Black Feminist authors. I often contemplate my existence as a Black woman and what experiences I've had the privilege of naming, thanks to Black Feminist authors like bell hooks, Audre Lorde, and Kimberlé Crenshaw. Their work challenges the idea that we all have universal experiences and explores how race, class, and sexuality intersect with gender in complex ways, allowing us to challenge dominant narratives and offer alternative perspectives. 

In the field of PR, I'm thankful for women like Inez P. Kaiser, a trailblazer not just for Black women but for all people of color in the PR industry. Despite facing discrimination, she persevered and eventually founded her own public relations firm, serving major clients. Her existence and advocacy for diversity in PR are a major reason why many Black women today feel empowered to pursue a career in public relations.

3. What advice do you have for BIPOC professionals aspiring to leadership positions in our industry? What advice do you have for agencies and brands?

My advice to BIPOC professionals would be to have audacious self-confidence. It is something that I struggled with in my own career and sometimes come back to. I think BIPOC professionals experience imposter syndrome differently because we’re dealing with both internal and external societal messages about our work and value.  To combat these feelings and actually go after what we know we’re capable of, we have to believe in our own potential and understand that we are deserving of what we are pursuing more than the perspective of not belonging that might be reflected back at us. 

My advice for agencies and brands regarding supporting BIPOC professionals aspiring to leadership in PR is to examine how they’re cultivating and supporting BIPOC talent. Are mentorship, networking, and career coaching opportunities accessible to everyone? It’s critical that brands and agencies provide equal opportunities for growth and advancement.

4. ChatGPT took the world by storm when it launched late last year, with pundits, educators, comms leaders and tech brands all weighing in on its impact. What’s your take on ChatGPT’s impact to the comms and media profession?

While ChatGPT is a valuable tool for professionals in the communications and media field, I don't think it will replace the work we do. This is because it doesn't generate original ideas or content; it relies on existing text and information.  Creativity, personal innovation, and unique experiences are all important aspects of our work that generative AI cannot replace. That said, I believe that communication and media professionals who find ways to incorporate ChatGPT into their workflow can increase the value of their work.

5. What are you most excited about as 2023 unfolds? And what’s keeping you up at night?

I'm most excited about how innovation and creativity will continue to transform our industry. We're in an exciting space where we're witnessing the PR & Comms industry expand its capabilities and how we approach our work. I see 2023 as a year that will continue to propel us forward in this aspect, and I'm excited to see what comes out of it.

In terms of what's keeping me up at night, it's the reality of wanting to do so much but also knowing that I can't do it all. So I often find myself staying up and trying to figure out how I can make at least some of it happen (lol).

About Fatou B. Barry

Fatou B. Barry is a strategist, equity advocate, and community builder with over a decade of experience in communications and brand development. Her specialty lies in supporting mission-consistent brands to chart a better path forward through impactful storytelling, strategic messaging, and communication design.

Community has always been integral to Fatou’s work, she is the founder of PR Girl Manifesto, a nonprofit and industry-leading platform comprising over 40,000 PR & Marketing professionals globally. PRGM works to re-imagine the communications industry while supporting its constituents through access to resources, fellowship, and mentorship.

Barry is also the co-founder of Hold The Press, a grassroots initiative that calls for action, accountability, and transparency in the Public Relations industry for Black people. She currently serves as a Board Member of the Diversity Action Alliance and Cyber Collective. 

Her work, fueled by a deep desire to bridge equity gaps for traditionally underserved talent focuses on generating opportunities to grow and amplify talent that is often overlooked. 

Fatou Barry is based in New York City.

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's thought leadership series featuring industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions with Carleen Donovan
Founder at the Oriel Company

1. With the holidays approaching, it can be a time of high activity at work and outside of work. What big or small shifts are you introducing in your day to day to stay mindful and calm?

   “As a business owner, reflection is essential. I prioritize what’s necessary for the job itself and the health of the company, but I also make sure I’m on the list. It’s always important to remember where you started and what got you here. We all pursued this industry out of love for this industry. As an example, when we returned from being virtual, we had a client on a television show. My business partner Chloe Walsh said, ‘We should welcome our assistants to go. That’s why we got into the industry’. It was a great moment for our team. You’ve got to remind yourself not to get bogged down in the details inherent in PR and celebrate those special moments.”

2. Thanksgiving is a great reminder to be grateful. What are you grateful for and how are you expressing gratitude daily?

   “I’m grateful for our amazing team. It’s an honor to be a part of a female-founded and female-run business. At the beginning of my career, women didn’t have access to much mentorship in the entertainment industry. So, we prioritize this at The Oriel Company. I’m not only grateful for the support our team provides clients, but I’m also grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned along the way. Most of all, I’m thankful to have an incredibly supportive family, and solid foundation at home.”

3. Reflecting on 2022, what are you most proud of? And what surprised you the most?

   “Over the past year, I’m very proud The Oriel Company has nearly doubled in size. It feels like our feet are firmly planted on the ground. The world has changed a lot. A significant portion of our business is rooted in live entertainment, which underwent a reinvention, and we were able to learn as everything shifted. Now, we aren’t just surviving—we’re thriving.”

4. Looking ahead to 2023, what trends or developments are you most excited about?

   “Technology and publicity are more integrated than ever. I’m happy we’re continuing to conduct press virtually as it presents a myriad of opportunities for clients. In the past, a touring artist had to pick and choose between certain in-person opportunities. Now, Zoom interviews enable artists to participate in interviews from anywhere. Publicists don’t need to spend so much time in the air, flying from junket to junket or event to event. We can centrally run campaigns, maximize coverage, and cover all of our bases. Publicity itself has evolved. We’ve embraced content development. We’ll work with our clients to enlist photographers and videographers and capture moments for them. They can share these socially or with other partners. It’s gratifying to engage on this level creatively.” 

5. And what are you manifesting in 2023?

“In 2022, we opened our third office in Nashville, and we’re excited to build our home there and move into other markets. We’re also looking forward to expanding into other areas of the entertainment industry. I want to continue to maintain work-life balance for myself and the staff.”

About Carleen Donovan

Carleen Donovan is the co-founder and managing partner of the preeminent full-service integrated communications agency The Oriel Company, leading teams in New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville. She has architected numerous campaigns for history-making GRAMMY^® Award-winning artists, Academy^® Award-winning creatives, Fortune 500 companies, and global philanthropic organizations. With extensive experience, a proven track record, and a lifelong passion for public relations, she seamlessly integrates clients into culture via highly strategic press and blockbuster brand partnerships. 

“For me, attention to detail is extremely crucial,” she says. “I care about each client and every single opportunity. It’s an honor to be a partner to visionaries in every realm of the entertainment industry. Our goal is to make a difference in their careers and, ultimately, their lives.”

The Oriel Company remains the agency of record for a roster of legendary superstars, A-list actors, household name brands, cultural arbiters, estates, festival experiences, and thought leaders. It maintains a foothold in North America’s three primary entertainment hubs—New York City, L.A., and Nashville—and is comprised of an all-female staff. Carleen’s work has notably been chronicled by Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Hits, and more.

Following a series of industry internships, she launched her career as Head of PR for influential independent label Mute Records at just 20-years-old. Following stints at the helm of media departments for several record companies, she held Senior Executive roles at KSA Publicity and Press Here Publicity in addition to the post of Executive Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing for Career Artist Management/ Live Nation. In 2015, she founded DPR, which flourished and grew for five years before the 2020 launch of The Oriel Company.

With a combination of experience, natural PR savvy, and a relentless work ethic, she stands out as a top-notch strategist. She applies these elements to distinct and personalized campaigns for actors and musicians alike. Moreover, she possesses the rare ability to shepherd multi-hyphenate talent across the spectrum of media. At the same time, she manages PR for estates from a fresh perspective and shares invaluable messaging and narrative advice to corporations for consumer entertainment strategy. 

Additionally, Donovan is a member of the Academy of Country Music PR Task Force, Live Nation’s Next Gen Femme program (created to empower and increase opportunities for women of color in the workforce), the New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and the Country Music Association PR Task Force. An ardent supporter of education, she also serves as a mentor/volunteer for the Harlem School Of The Arts. 

Carleen is based in New York City.

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..."is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions with Zoya Rukh Awan
Director of Public Affairs at Walmart

1. With the holidays approaching, it can be a time of high activity at work and outside of work. What big or small shifts are you introducing in your day to day to stay mindful and calm? 

   If I’m being honest, until answering this question I hadn’t thought of or made any changes to accommodate for the holiday crazy. My life feels high activity all the time though and It’s been a crazy year all together which has required continuous adapting and readjusting along the way to get into the full swing of things post-pandemic. Every day I try to spend a few minutes in presence both when waking up and when going to bed. Sometimes this takes the form of some breathwork, gratitude for the day behind me or ahead of me, journaling and/or visualizing the perfect day ahead. 

   For the holidays - I want to prioritize my time, be in gratitude and presence in the moment and fully enjoy the most wonderful time of the year!  

2. Thanksgiving is a great reminder to be grateful. What are you grateful for and how are you expressing gratitude daily? 

   Where do I even begin with this question! I am SO thankful for it all. The ups and downs, the all arounds, the beautiful journey and adventure that is life! I am grateful for God, love, family, connection, togetherness, and joy.  When you look at the world through a lens of gratitude you find so many more things to be thankful for. I try my best daily to put gratitude and intention into everything I do, and I truly noticed how much my experience of life changed for the best since doing so. 

3. Reflecting on 2022, what are you most proud of? And what surprised you the most? 

   As I reflect on 2022, I am most proud of my own personal growth and healing. Without going too deep, I ended the year last year feeling very hopeless and heartbroken after my plans to get married shattered (for good reason), but I found myself with a crushed reality with no idea what to do. Over the last year, day after day I committed to trusting the Divine and myself and with the help of many along the way I said yes to creating a new reality and reclaiming my own power. It’s been amazing and the journey very surprisingly wonderful! I have transformed entirely and have a feeling this is just the beginning. I am proud of my growth and how I get to integrate my passion for empowering communities and people through my work every day. 

4. Looking ahead to 2023, what trends or developments are you most excited about?

   I’m excited about this renewed energy I feel in the air – while it could be a reflection of my own personal experience. I feel an energy of change, action, hope and love! Granted we’ve been through a lot, and things around the world are still looking tough but we’ve also proven ourselves more resilient and stronger than we can ever imagine. We’ve found that when we come together in unique unified ways great change can happen and there is so much more to come! 

   I’ve been meeting with so many inspired people who are eager to step up and make change. Great connections are sparking, and seeds of ideas, growth and change have been planted. I am most excited for us all to water these seeds to grow and to together create the changes we wish to see in this world for a better future for us all. 

5. And what are you manifesting in 2023?

For 2023 and beyond I am manifesting more of all the below and much more– 😊  

LOVE. Abundance. Leadership. Healing. Peace. Adventure.  Flow. Family. Community. Community Spaces and Events. Art. Creative expression. Joy. Harmony. Alignment. Courage. Inclusion. Unity. Representation. Elevating voices. Diversity. Togetherness. Balance. Change. Trust. Wholeness. Happiness. Wellness. Healthy Living. Movement. Creativity. Clarity. Justice. Financial security and freedom.

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..."is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions with Alexa Nikiforou
Senior Media Specialist at Lippe Taylor

1. What are some impactful tactics that brands can do to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month that should definitely be included in a playbook?

   I think it is important that we include different terms to clearly distinguish between Latin(a/o), Latinx, and Hispanic. It is something that our brands are asking a lot more of and it’s important to educate consumers on each of the different terms. Additionally, it is vital that brands figure out how to partner with the community directly whether it is working with Latin-owned businesses or even KOLs, as it will help amplify their voices and give them a platform that they necessarily might not have been given. 

2. With fall season in gear, what big or small shifts are you introducing in your day-to-day?

   A big shift I’m focusing on is mindfulness. As we’ve seen at the end of summer/early fall, everything is ramping back from full blown launch events to press trips, so for me one big shift I want to take is just making sure to be mindful and take those brief moments to breathe to help level set with the craziness of the industry.

3. What’s inspiring you these days?

   There are a couple things that are inspiring me, one being the women in Iran protesting for their freedom and the other is the resilience of PR and DR. With all the tragedies that are happening, it's inspiring to see people come together and fight for what they believe in and the immense amount of support rallied behind each cause. 

4. With students back in school, what advice do you have to offer for students aspiring to enter the field of communications and public relations?

   The advice I give to everyone is if you want to be in PR, don’t give up. It’s a tough industry that is filled with stress, yet it is worth it and pays off if you continue to preserve.  It’s so important to network in this industry and that means starting from your first internship and beyond. Lastly, this industry may seem big, but it is small, and kindness goes a long way.

5. What are some ways that brands should help the people of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and the other affected islands after Hurricane Fiona?

Yes! Monetary donations are always ideal, however if you are able to offer donations from foods to clothing to home goods, etc., it will be more than appreciated. The main thing is showing that they have the support, and that people are willing to acknowledge what is happening in these areas. Rallying behind any efforts to help with the devastation and continue to spread the message goes a long way. 

About Alexa Nikiforou

Alexa Nikiforou is a first generation Cuban-American. She is an Account Director on the Media Team at Lippe Taylor, where she works on accounts across pharma as well as beauty, health, and wellness brands. She is also one of the co-chairs on the Lippe Taylor Latinx employee resource group, Nuestras Voces.

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..."is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions with Katherine Espinosa 
Vice President at The Romans

1. What are some impactful tactics that brands can do to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month that should definitely be included in a playbook

   Brands need to be consistent in their engagement efforts with the Hispanic audience. What doesn't work is creating flash pan campaigns or initiatives that narrowly focus on Hispanic Heritage Month, and then do absolutely nothing else for this segment the rest of the year. 

   The most important tactic is to authentically show up for the Hispanic community. Brands need to externalize how they historically have supported this community, and communicate plans to keep this segment at the heart of everything the brand does by creating opportunities for ongoing engagement.

2. With fall season in gear, what big or small shifts are you introducing in your day-to-day?

   The internet has a funny way of introducing normal activities as new things and one trend I’m on board with for all seasons but especially fall is “Hot Girl Walks.” I live one mile away from our office in Gowanus, so a small shift I’m introducing in my routine is walking to and from without multi-tasking - no walking meetings or texts. It’s a small shift that provides an opportunity to re-center sans distractions. 

3. What’s inspiring you these days?

   The Romans! Our agency favors bold thinking and nothing is more illustrative of that than the recent work we’ve done to launch The Gay Blood Collection during NYFW - a limited-edition set of art protest tools intended to make some bloody noise about the discriminatory FDA policy that prohibits blood donation from men who have sex with men. 

4. With students back in school, what advice do you have to offer for students aspiring to enter the field of communications and public relations?

   Whether you're a student or someone who is approaching PR without college experience, my advice is to cue up internships within the specific industry of interest and be fearless once you're in the door. Ask for opportunities to draft communication materials, pitch media, plus get involved in executing experiential activations and press events. I majored in public relations and the classroom was a great starting point, but I deepened what I learned in textbooks through hands-on experience. Most importantly, internships help you figure out what type of public relations discipline is most interesting to pursue. 

5. What are some ways that brands should help the people of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and the other affected islands after Hurricane Fiona?

Reactive communications to crises are only effective when there is authenticity. Brands have hopefully learned over the past two years that empty platitudes such as the aged go-to thoughts and prayers statement shared to social media is a fatal move that their audience will see right through. 

Factually, what we know from expert scientists is that climate change is believed to make hurricanes stronger, resulting in the catastrophic landfall affecting so many people in places like Puerto Rico, Florida, and the Dominican Republic. Brands should take a proactive approach now to workshopping their stance on climate change, and then develop strategy on how, when and why they show up. 

This approach to deepening brand self-awareness will shed light on its values and creates an opportunity to externally communicate how the brand is reducing its own climate footprint. Only then, when values and actions are transparent, can a brand react in the most authentic way possible.  

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..."is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org. 

5 Questions with Eilyn Segura
Vice President at M Booth & Associates

1. What are some impactful tactics that brands can do to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month that should be included in a playbook?

   My biggest piece of advice for brands trying to resonate with the Hispanic/Latinx community is to know your audience and do your research. Within the Hispanic culture there are more than 20 Spanish speaking nations. Each of those countries has a different dialect, different foods, celebrations, traditions and not all Spanish is created equal. For example, we have 11(!) different words for the term drinking straws! Imagine how many other differences there could be.

   Before launching a marketing or branding campaign, really analyze the audience you are trying to reach and how their cultural narrative comes into play. Grouping us under one umbrella will likely cause all your efforts to fall on deaf ears. We are incredibly proud of our roots, our history, our music and so many other things. The fabric that weaves all these nations together is also distinguished by each flag and all that they represent.

   Lastly, I would say I am Hispanic 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Companies who are deploying the right tactics are supporting the Hispanic community year-round, not just once a year when it is relevant and poignant for their bottom line. We make up 20% of the population, you can’t ignore us 11 out of the 12 months of the year and expect overnight brand loyalty, or for us to embrace your Hispanic Heritage Month campaign, in full.

2. With fall season in gear, what big or small shifts are you introducing in your day-to-day?

   With hot girl summer now behind us, gym girl winter descends to prepare for the season. All jokes aside, I am a person who enjoys routine, and a summer girl. The gym in the morning and a walk in the early evening are prime examples.

    As the days get darker, I find myself doing more in cozier environments with the people I love and embracing my hobbies more to get that added umph in my day. Iced coffee is a staple (and maybe one of my toxic traits is thinking I need one every time I step out the door) and in the fall I shift my walks to the morning to get the extra sunlight.

3. What’s inspiring you these days?

   I have a few sources of inspiration which remind me to stay grounded and humble, continue to learn, and aspire to do excellent work. One of those has always been my desire to try to leave this world better than I found it. I want to tell amazing stories with empathy and leave my mark on the world.

   My eternal source of inspiration is my mother. I don’t think I have to share much on this front, but she is where I get my determination, sass, class, and baddie attitude. She’s always taught me to speak my mind, be fiercely independent and fight for what’s right, and there is no CEO, executive or thought leader that will ever win a debate with the woman.

   Finally, I would say my main source of inspiration day to day is living up to the ideals and goals of my younger self.

   As the child of an immigrant with limited language skills, you are your parent’s translator, lawyer, teacher, administrator and generally their first line of defense and protector in situations where the language barrier could create a conflict or warrants support. It is important for people to know that behind every immigrant parent, there is a child who shoulders an adult-like burden. Being first-generation in this country there is a sense of responsibility and duty to your parents which forces you to grow up in ways most people can’t even imagine. The little girl in me could never have imagined just how far our family has come, and I try to make her big dreams come true and make her proud every single day.

4. With students back in school, what advice do you have to offer for students aspiring to enter the field of communications and public relations?

   The one thing I would share is that you are not defined by your major. I studied political science, and although I still find it fascinating in a lot of ways, I decided before graduating that I wanted to take my life in a different direction. I went on to become a producer/reporter and later join the public relations field. Opportunities are there for those who seek them (I mean I found my first corporate internship on Craigslist!), but you have to be unyielding in your determination and unbroken by failure.

5. What are you looking forward to in 2023? 

I am always looking for the next milestone in my life and in my career. Learning new things is probably up there on my list with dancing, laughing, (the Yankees), and making memories with friends and family. Next year I want to learn more and live in every moment. 

About Eilyn Segura

Eilyn Segura is a Vice President leading corporate communications and media relations at M Booth. Prior to joining M Booth, Eilyn was the Senior Director of Corporate Communications at Hawkins International, where she provided strategic media insight and executive thought leadership planning for both client external communications and internal agency communications. Before Hawkins, Eilyn worked to leverage both brand and business storytelling opportunities for C-Suite executives for various clients, while leading Ford broadcast communications for North America, agency side. Prior to her foray into public relations, Eilyn was a news producer for six years. At both the Wall Street Journal and NBC’s Today Show, Eilyn focused on live production, storytelling, and editing. 

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..."is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions with Réal Hamilton-Romeo
Global Head of Corporate Communications & Marketing
Sims Limited

1. From societal issues to cultural awareness and celebrations this had been an eventful couple of weeks, are you pleased with communication messages coming from your brand(s)? Did you help shape those messages?

Yes, it most certainly has been an eventful few weeks! My team and I help to shape and package the messages, but the initiatives that are being communicated are developed by subject matter experts, department heads and functional leaders. Without them, we would have nothing to communicate; their participation in the overall communication process is vital. That being said, I am content with the messages coming from the various brands that I manage, but not 100% pleased. I think a lot of times, some of my SMEs think that the marketing and communications team will do it all, and so they do not participate or provide the content and information we need to do our jobs correctly. We could certainly do it all, but I am teaching my team about boundaries and working smarter. Once we have full participation from all of the relevant stakeholders, I will be elated and delighted with the messages coming from my brands.

2. On the heels of Pride Month and Juneteenth – Which brand campaigns stood out in celebration of Pride or Juneteenth?

I cannot really think of any brands that stood out this year, but I really liked what Ulta Beauty did to commemorate Juneteenth a couple of years ago. They were open and honest and called attention to (then) current events before breaking down for their followers the importance of the day and how they can celebrate.

I also liked the tips that Business Insider provided for readers on how to commemorate the day.

3. What’s inspiring you these days?

Honestly, my daughter. She is a huge source of inspiration for me. Seeing the world through her eyes has been a great honor and privilege – especially as she comes into her own. A lot of Gen-Z has their finger on the pulse of what is happening, why it’s happening and how we should feel about it. As a Black child of mixed heritage, my daughter, who identifies as queer, is really focused on equitable treatment for all. She is knowledgeable on so many topics that I never thought she knew anything about, and her perspective is often interesting, insightful and refreshing. And when it isn’t, that is my opportunity to step in as mom and an elder and educate her. Now, she is also a Leo, so she can be quite stubborn, but she always comes around to understanding someone else’s perspective.

4. From Coachella to Essence, we are in festival season. Here’s a hot topic question: Would you advise brands to use real-life or virtual activations?

Hmmm … I think it depends on the brand, quite honestly. If innovation, technology and the like are a part of the brand’s USP, then I think it is perfectly fine to have virtual participation. Otherwise, there is nothing like participating IRL to get a real feel for, and understanding of, the audience you are trying to engage with. Brands should take every opportunity possible to be present and establish a presence with a particular audience (i.e., the captive audience of Black women at Essence) to showcase your understanding of the SWANs (stakeholder needs and wants), as well as learn from the audience to better be able to engage with them in the future.

5. And, switching gears totally, with the summer heating up, how are you planning to unwind or disconnect?

HA! Initially, I was going to go home (to Antigua) and work remotely for a month, and then enjoy a relaxing couple of weeks before coming back to New York. However, I had a couple of profound life changing events take place, so I had to put a new plan in place. I am actually moving; I just purchased my second primary home, so I am going to take some time off at the end of the summer to relocate, readjust and get settled into my new home and lifestyle. I do not plan on answering email or attending meetings between unpacking boxes, etc. I am hoping to do all of that in one week and use the other week to enjoy a staycation in my new abode.

About Réal Hamilton-Romeo

Réal Hamilton-Romeo is a dynamic and innovative communications expert and strategist, who has risen to top leadership positions in demanding, competitive environments. She has conceptualized and launched global corporate initiatives, marketing communications campaigns, crisis communications plans, and public relations campaigns driving growth and impacting bottom lines for Sims Limited, Norwegian Air Shuttle, JetBlue Airways, and more. Throughout her career, she has aligned internal and external global communications with corporate objectives – all of which have increased public awareness and impacted millions of people.

She combines excellent problem solving and team building talents that have brought stability, focus, and value to corporate initiatives and cross-functional teams. Capable of rapidly synthesizing information and making timely, effective decisions, Réal is a leader who raises the effectiveness and performance of staff at every level. Committed to the highest ethical standards, Réal consistently leads the way to organizational performance and success.

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..."is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org

5 Questions With MIchael Kaye
Global Head of Communications
OkCupid

1. From societal issues to cultural awareness and celebrations this has been an eventful couple of weeks, are you pleased with communication messages coming from your brand(s)? Did you help shape those messages?

I could not be more proud of OkCupid for speaking out during pivotal moments like Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, and the abortion ban. In my role as the head of global communications it’s my responsibility to help craft these messages, but that’s less daunting when you have unanimous support —and passion— from the leadership team. And our brand has gone above and beyond sharing statements on social media. We have also donated to and raised awareness of several leading nonprofit organizations including the ACLU, Fair Fight Action, Human Rights Campaign, NAACP and Planned Parenthood. 

2. On the heels of Pride Month and Juneteenth – Which brand campaigns stood out in celebration of Pride or Juneteenth?

Tinder and the Human Rights Campaign worked together to help end LGBTQIA+ blood donation bans in the United States by encouraging users to take part in the ADVANCE survey that could help end the harmful policy. For a brand as big as Tinder to take a level of action like that was incredibly powerful, and it made me even more excited to be on the board of governors for the Human Rights Campaign, and an employee of Match Group. 

3. What’s inspiring you these days?

It’s no secret the past couple of years have been challenging; they’ve probably been the hardest years of my life. But, as I think about what inspires me there’s a dozen wedding invitations, I’ve received this summer alone from couples who met on OkCupid sitting on my desk. That, coupled with the countless messages I (or the brand) receives on Instagram and Twitter about how they found love on our app keeps me inspired. It reminds me of the impact and value of my work. 

4. From Coachella to Essence, we are in festival season. Here’s a hot topic question: Would you advise brands to use real-life or virtual activations?

It depends on where you plan to host these events. In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams recently declared a state of emergency over monkeypox. We’re also dealing with new COVID-19 cases. If you’re planning in-person events, I’d encourage you to require proof of vaccination from all attendees, and to also provide on-site testing the day of the event (just as we did for a recent event during Pride Month for influencers and journalists). If you’re thinking about virtual activations, be realistic and unbiased about if it’s necessary. I have major fatigue from Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and I’m selective about what virtual events I’m choosing to attend these days. 

5. And, switching gears totally, with the summer heating up, how are you planning to unwind or disconnect?

Over the pandemic I’ve turned (back) to reading as a form of detachment and relaxation. I’ve read 60 books since the beginning of last year, and it’s how I disconnect from our always-connected industry. I recently finished “Lily’s Promise” by Lily Ebert and Dov Forman and “More After the Break” by Jen Maxfield — and I just started “Greenwich Park” by Katherine Faulkner.

About Michael Kaye
Michael Kaye is the Global Head of Communications at OkCupid, one of the world's largest dating apps, where he leads PR programming in the United States and for countries across Europe, the Middle East and Oceania. Michael has been featured in ABC News, Ad Age, Business Insider, Bustle, CBS, CNN, Cosmopolitan, Elite Daily, Forbes, Good Morning America, The New York Times, PR News, PRWeek, VICE and The Washington Post.

About “5 Questions With…”
“5 Questions With..."is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org

5 Questions With Shira Almeleh
Public Affairs Manager
Jigsaw

1. It’s been tough to follow the news – particularly in the last few weeks – but as communicators, we also can’t ignore what is breaking headlines and capturing society’s attention. And as PRSA-NY President Aaron Kwittken passionately penned following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, “As communicators, we’ve been bestowed with a precious and powerful gift. The gift of oration, persuasion and influence. It’s times like these that we need to use this gift to counterweight the violence and hate of late.” As an influential and experienced communications leader, what role can communications play to drive positive change and/or promote mental well-being?

Storytelling is a powerful tool, and the media has the power to shape perceptions of complex issues. I joined Google’s Jigsaw team last year, where our mission to explore digital threats to open societies and democracies resonates with my goal of driving positive change. I work with a team of researchers, product managers, engineers, and policy experts, who collaborate to explore how technology can be used to address complex issues on the internet - like violent extremism, misinformation, toxicity and harassment, and government censorship. 

Communications play an imperative role in the way we investigate, understand, and build solutions to these challenges. It all starts with the way we approach our work. We aim to understand the many perspectives of those impacted by the internet - whether they’ve suffered an internet shutdown at the hands of a repressive government, or they’ve been enticed down a rabbit hole by conspiracy theories online, or left a platform entirely due to online harassment.  We center our work on these human stories to try to better understand the issue, explore creative solutions, and ultimately influence the tech ecosystem to do more. Those stories anchor our public communications just as they drive our work forward.

2. More specifically, how has your role and the communications profession changed following the transformation of how we work and what we expect of our employers and brands in the last few years?

In the last few years, the workplace has changed tremendously - and that varies across industries. Even within communications, PR and media, we’ve seen changes ripple across both in-house and agency life, as employers have had to embrace the shifts needed to accommodate workers’ daily needs and lives. Workers are expecting more of their employers when it comes to delivering on core values, social impact, and taking a stance on the issues that matter. 

In communications specifically, values and morals are central to what we do - so it’s no surprise that we expect our employers to support us when it comes to mental health, taking steps to advocate for charitable causes we care deeply about, and upholding diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace. But comms people know better than most that simply saying you’ve done the work is not sufficient. Following the events of summer 2020, corporate life went through an awakening on social issues, and it became clear that making a real impact requires companies and leaders to do the hard work even when no one will hear about it, or it won’t benefit their brand - because it’s the right thing to do. Empty words are worse than no words at all.

I believe that the comms profession has become much more attuned to the ways in which companies can actually demonstrate their commitments to these issues beyond donating money and paying lip service. We expect to hear a diverse set of stories told, and we mobilize to make that happen.

3. What advice would you give to up-and-coming and rising communicators?

Keep going, and don’t be afraid to send a cold email or reach out to connect with others in your field. Whether it’s a new reporter on a beat that you find interesting, a colleague who you think you could learn from, or a comms leader at a company you admire, it’s always worth reaching out for a conversation. Those connections can help you navigate to the place in the industry that you’ll find most rewarding and stimulating.

4. As you look to the second half of 2022 and beyond, what are you most excited about at work and life?

I’m excited for the opportunity to see Jigsaw’s research into media literacy, and countermeasures to prevent the spread of misinformation, be applied all over the world. The more we learn about rich media landscapes in other countries, and the misinformation narratives taking shape there, the more excited I am to be a part of it. Learning about differences in how journalists approach their work has been an especially rewarding and informative experience for me, and I’m excited to invest more deeply in some of these relationships.

5. Conversely, what is keeping you up at night?

I think this is generally an anxious time for anyone immersed in the news cycle. I worry that the political divisions in our country are deepening, and I think one of the biggest threats we face is inaction in the face of some of the largest issues of our time. As communicators, I hope that we can keep looking for ways to use media to bring people together, create empathy, and tell important stories, not just in the US but on the global stage as well. 

About Shira Almeleh

About “5 Questions With…”

“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org

5 Questions With Lance Buckley
Senior Vice President
Lippe Taylor

1. It’s been tough to follow the news – particularly in the last few weeks – but as communicators, we also can’t ignore what is breaking headlines and capturing society’s attention. And as PRSA-NY President Aaron Kwittken passionately penned following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, “As communicators, we’ve been bestowed with a precious and powerful gift. The gift of oration, persuasion and influence. It’s times like these that we need to use this gift to counterweight the violence and hate of late.” As an influential and experienced communications leader, what role can communications play to drive positive change and/or promote mental well-being?

As a school shooting survivor, the ongoing shootings have been devastating, particularly the one in Uvalde where so many young children lost their lives; it hit way to close to home and triggered a lot of bad memories.

First and foremost, as communications leaders we need to lead from a place of compassion and empathy. It can be easy to lose sight of this, but it’s important when it comes to building community and trust among our peers. One way we do this is by acknowledging that people are human and subject to many external factors that can impact their mental health. In those moments, it’s important to check in and be a person that your colleague or client can lean on. Also, we need to normalize mental health breaks.

Following the shooting in Uvalde, I spent half the day on client calls, crying on mute, when I thought to myself, “What am I doing?” I let my team know I needed a mental health break, and I logged off two hours early. For me, it was important to take a little time to allow my brain an opportunity to decompress from the intake of so much tragic news and to process how it was making me feel about past events. I was also transparent with my teams, letting them know why I was taking the time. For those starting out in their career, they may not feel empowered to do something similar, so seeing senior members of their team acknowledge that they need time, in a sense, gives them permission to do the same.

At the end of the day, if someone on my team needs a break, I want them to take the day to regroup. In giving each other that time and space, we show support for one another, and ultimately, we come reenergized and ready to dig into the work. 

2. More specifically, how has your role and the communications profession changed following the transformation of how we work and what we expect of our employers and brands in the last few years?

The last few years have been challenging for various reasons, but one positive transformation to come out of it is how we collaborate. Of course, as communicators, collaboration is intrinsically baked into everything we do, but I was excited to see how colleagues and clients pulled together to come up with innovative new ways to work together in this new normal. Across the industry, we quickly went from phone calls to video chats, allowing us to see each other and share materials in real-time. In many respects, this has resulted in better work, and it’s created so many efficiencies, especially when it comes to receiving client feedback and approvals. 

3. What advice would you give to up-and-coming and rising communicators?

The best advice I can give to those starting out in their careers as communicators is to listen and absorb knowledge from those around you. I’m an observer at heart, and in those moments when I’m quiet during a work meeting, I’m often taking in my surroundings, analyzing the environment and information, and using this to then develop my council strategically. As communicators, we should be able to walk into any room and clearly speak, but it’s just as important, if not more so, to listen. In fact, I often develop some of my best ideas by taking a pause to listen to the bright, thoughtful people around me. You’d be amazed by how much you can learn simply by observing the room.

4. As you look to the second half of 2022 and beyond, what are you most excited about at work and life?

Professionally, I’m excited to be working with several new clients, including one that has been on my wish list for the better part of a decade. Additionally, a lot of my focus is in the health and wellness space, and we have several anticipated milestones in the back half of the year that could help bring new treatments to people around the world, including children with rare diseases. One of the most rewarding things about my job is hearing from patients and caregivers who are beyond thankful for the work we’re doing. What’s not to love about that?

Personally, I’m looking forward to traveling again and being able to spend more time with loved ones. We work so hard in our industry, and it’s important to take these moments with those we care about most so that we can recharge our minds and bodies.

5. Conversely, what is keeping you up at night?

What doesn’t keep me up at night? I’m a night owl and morning person, which means I tend to only sleep for 4-6 hours and often find myself up at odd hour of the night thinking about the most random things. That said, while working in our industry can be extremely stressful, I try not to let that stress impact my sleep. I do this by setting some basic boundaries, which include not checking emails before/after certain times of the day, including overnight. If it’s an emergency, my team has my cell and knows how to reach me. I also like to end each day by cleaning up my inbox – this can be a challenge – so I have a clearer picture of what to expect the day/week ahead. 

About Lance Buckley
Lance Buckley is a communications expert with more than 15 years experience developing and implementing dynamic media programs for a diverse range of clients. With a background that features a record of creative, out-of-the-box strategic plans, Buckley has worked with some of the most prestigious beauty, grooming, fashion, fitness and home brands on the market today, going above and beyond standard product placements.

As a senior-level strategist, Buckley's innovative, client-focused, results-oriented campaigns take a multi-prong approach that consistently deliver media buzz that helps drive the needle. His proven ability to collaborate and lead teams from diverse backgrounds while inspiring them to their highest levels of performance and productivity have contributed to his success, as well as the success of those around him. As a media partner, Buckley is often sought out for his insights into the industry, and he is often quoted within the pages of PRWeek.

About “5 Questions With…”

“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org

5 Questions With Patrice Tanaka
Chief Joy Officer
Joyful Planet LLC

1. The last few years have helped normalize mental health in the workplace. As an influential and experienced communications leader, how do you foster mental well-being at work and with your team?

I’m a big believer in bringing your “whole self to work.” That’s what I’ve always done and encouraged others to do when I had my own PR agencies.  If people can be who they really are and NOT just their “purely professional,” guarded self it will help ground and center them to better engage with others in a more compassionate,human way.

Of course, you can’t just legislate employees, bringing their whole self to work.  You must create a welcoming “workplace community” with practices and policies that invite them to do this. It is why we created an open office at my first, employee-owned, PR agency, PT&Co., with a living room in the middle of the office, an eat-in kitchen and lunchroom, and a meditation room, which we encouraged employees to use in whatever way they wished, e.g., take a nap, a time out, pray, do yoga and yes, even meditate.  There were no desks or computers in this room – only big floor pillows.

At PT&Co., we were also committed to making the transition from weekend to work week as stress-free as possible, so employees didn’t get that terrible feeling in the pit of their stomachs Sunday night.  We offered flexible start- and end-work times, casual dress every day, telecommuting, and ability to take time off to tend to personal needs with the agreement that employees complete their work.

We also tried to support employees wherever possible, for example, we probably offered the PR industry’s “first” maternity benefits policy in 1991 with up to three months paid leave – one month for every year you worked at the agency.  Later, when we could afford it, we offered six weeks “parental bonding leave” for mothers and fathers who didn’t need the six-week “medical leave” part of the benefit.

We also hired coaches to come in and work one-on-one with employees and teams and we created fun time to relax with colleagues during the workday.  Every Wednesday at 5 p.m. we announced over the office PA system, “Margaritas are now being served on the Fiesta Deck.”

By working to address the needs of employees, we enjoyed one of the lowest, turnover rates in the industry at 10 percent.  And PT&Co. was routinely ranked among the “best places to work” in the PR industry.

2. Amid a rise in anti-Asian racism combined with growing attention to social justice, how has your role and the communications profession changed in the last two years?

I grew up in Hawaii where Asians are in a majority, so I had the luxury of not having to think about my ethnicity.  And even when I moved to New York City in my early twenties I still didn’t view myself primarily through the lens of being an Asian American or even a minority.  I was, frankly, just single-mindedly focused on my PR career and starting/building three agencies. 

Even when I proposed that the PR Museum organize its “first-ever” Asian American  and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration in March 2020, it was more about “fairness” that AAPIs should be recognized along with other diverse communities that the Museum regularly celebrated during the year.  George Floyd’s murder happened two days before that first AAPI HM celebration and immediately following our event, our 17 AAPI panelists participated in an #AAPIs stand with #BLM social media campaign.

Although I was aware of rising anti-Asian hate and violence it was not until the Atlanta Spa Shootings in March 2021 that I realized Asians and, Asian women, were being targeted and killed.  It was a punch to the gut.  I wrote about my first-hand experience of walking the mean streets of the Upper East Side in the aftermath of those murders and not feeling safe for the first time after having lived in New York City for more than 40 years.  Worse yet, the people I engaged with on a frequent, sometimes daily basis, didn’t even acknowledge the horrific shootings.  I was shocked and felt isolated in my grief.  

The Atlanta Spa Shootings have made me much more vocal both “in-person” and “online” about anti-Asian hate and violence.  Like many AAPIs, since then I’ve been relentlessly focused on making our community “more visible” so that hate and violence against us are more visible, too. I’m gratified to see many other AAPIs engaged in this effort, too.

I’ve always been a vocal advocate of diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism and was asked to serve as Co-Chair of the Diversity Action Alliance in March 2020, which is a PR industry-wide coalition comprised of 15 influential organizations committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in the PR profession.  I see my role as an Asian American in diversity conversations  to make sure discussions don't get reduced to a focus only on Black, Brown, and White communities.

I am heartened by the heightened awareness and focus on the AAPI community by many organizations in all sectors. I believe that communications professionals have a huge role to play in helping their organizations stay focused for the long term on the important work of DEIA. 

I’ve always viewed our role of communicators as being “community builders,” helping organizations not only create a marketplace for their goods and services but going beyond that to guide them in contributing to a healthy, sustainable, global community that will provide the most fertile environment to flourish and thrive.

Taking on the role of “community builder” for our organizations will further strengthen the role of communications as a vital business function.

3. As you look to 2022 and beyond, what are you most excited about at work and life?

I’m excited about the work I do through my consultancy, Joyful Planet LLC, to help individuals and organizations discover and actively “live” or “operationalize” their purpose to unleash greater success, fulfillment and joy in their personal lives, workplaces and communities.  Joyful Planet is also my vision of 7.9 billion people, leveraging their talents, expertise and passion in service of other people and our planet.

I love working with groups of diverse students, young professionals, and women to provide them with the “competitive advantage” of clarity about their life and leadership purpose to focus and drive them to accomplish what matters most in their one very brief and precious life.

Here is an example of an inspiring and galvanizing DEI-focused, life purpose statement I helped someone at a PR agency craft:  “My purpose in life is to build on the conversation of equity, inclusion and belonging to help create systemic change and the opportunity for everyone, especially diverse people. to achieve our biggest goals and dreams.” To have people inspired and galvanized by their own life purpose and then be able to actively live it is extremely gratifying to me.

I’m in the midst of a project right now, working with the Center for Asian American Women (CAPAW) and their signature Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute (APAWLI) Fellowship Program, to help these young women gain clarity about their life and leadership purpose.  This is a full-circle moment for me as I was one of the 18 co-founders of APAWLI in 1995.  We decided to start APAWLI because, at that time, the only nationally known Asian American woman leader anyone could point to was Connie Chung, the first Asian American female news anchor on the NBC “Today Show.” We decided then that we needed to seat more AAPI women at every leadership table and so we started APAWLI, which is now part of CAPAW. 

I’m also serving as a director or trustee with three non-profits. Each of them is re-evaluating how they can deliver their missions more strongly by grounding it with a renewed focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and accessibility. 

May is an exciting and busy month with two Galas I’m Co-Chairing and/or on the Host Committee of, as well as participating in a number of AAPI Heritage Month events, including the PR Museum’s third annual AAPI Heritage Month Celebration 2022. At the end of May, I’m looking forward to finally, returning home to Hawaii for a visit. Yay!!!

4. Conversely, what is keeping you up at night?

The usual things – the ongoing pandemic/endemic, America’s reckoning with systemic racism, rising anti-Asian hate and violence, the country’s increasing polarization, Putin and his war on Ukraine, among other things.

For the most part, however, I stay focused on actively living my purpose every day – “To choose joy, to be mindful of joy, and to share joy with others.”  When I focus on my present actions, the future takes care of itself.  Living my purpose helps me to live in a more “inner-directed and driven way” rather than being vulnerable to/buffeted by external events.

5. From nightly rituals to decompressing after a stressful day - or even meeting- what do you do to unwind? 

I work from home and when things get a bit stressful, I take a break, make myself a cup of tea, sit and just watch the Hudson with all manner of watercraft plying the river and above, the ever-changing sky.  It calms me down.  At night, I’ll usually find a great streaming series to binge watch.  I’ve discovered so many great Danish, Swedish, French, German, Spanish and Italian series during the past two years of the pandemic. They’re more nuanced , grittier,  and satisfying than a lot of American fare driven by our need for quick fixes, happy endings and things neatly wrapped up in hour-long episodes.  If anyone has recommendations for a great new foreign series, I’m all ears. 

About Patrice Tanaka

Patrice Tanaka is a best-selling author, public speaker on business and life purpose, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of three award-winning, PR & Marketing agencies and the consultancy, Joyful Planet , focused on helping individuals and organizations discover and actively “live” or “operationalize” their purpose to unleash greater success, fulfillment and joy in their personal lives, workplaces and communities. Life and organizational purpose are the subjects of her best-selling books, Beat the Curve  and  Performance360 . Patrice has been honored by PRWeek (Hall of Fame), PRSA Foundation (Paladin Award), PRSA (Paul M. Lund Award for Public Service), New York Women in Communications (Matrix Award), Girl Scouts of Greater New York (“Women of Distinction” Award),  Asian Women in Business (Entrepreneurial Leadership Award),   University of Hawaii (“Distinguished Alumni Award), among others. Patrice has lived in New York City for most of her adult life but calls Hawaii “home” and is committed to living her life with the “Aloha Spirit.”

Reach Patrice via  LinkedIn ,  Twitter ,  Facebook  and  Instagram .

About “5 Questions With…”

“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions With Nina Chang
Vice President and Head of Corporate Communication
Heidrick & Struggles

1. The last few years have helped normalize mental health in the workplace. As an influential and experienced communications leader, how do foster mental well-being at work and with your team?

I try to check in often and encourage my team to schedule the time they need to do what’s good for their personal well-being, whether it’s taking time to work out, go to a class, or have a cupcake break with their kids in the afternoon. 

I also like to make sure we have time to catch up in a relaxed setting – so that can be over a Zoom happy hour, or in person and, sometimes, it also means making space to vent or blow off some steam – we all get frustrated, or have a bad day, so I think it’s important to listen and let my colleagues “get things off their chest” with no judgement and in a safe environment.

2. Amid a rise in anti-Asian racism combined with growing attention to social justice, how has your role and the communications profession changed in the last two years?

I think one positive coming from these challenging situations is that the role of communications has been elevated immensely. Coming through the pandemic and in the face of the many social justice issues that must be addressed, leaders today have to communicate with their employees, customers and multiple stakeholders – and communicating frequently, transparently and compassionately are table stakes for effective leaders, so I think we are seeing much stronger partnerships and collaboration among leaders and their communications teams.

3. As you look to 2022 and beyond, what are you most excited about at work and life?

I am excited to see more of my colleagues in person, more often, and I am eager to see what the new normal will bring all of us. I am hopeful and optimistic that our experiences over the past two years have brought to light that we can work effectively in different ways – whether it is going hybrid and having the trust and freedom to create our own flexible schedules, to no longer having to “suit up” for the office – I, for one, am doing a much better job when I’m in my jeans and Adidas!

4. Conversely, what is keeping you up at night?

So many things! But, generally speaking, I hope that the many commitments that have been voiced by organizations in relation to addressing social justice issues stay front and center on the agendas of leaders. Initial inroads have been made, but the types of systemic change we are looking for in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion take long-term, sustained commitment. In order to achieve the changes we want to see – diverse leadership, inclusive teams and cultures, and equity in pay, participation and impact – we have to commit to the long-haul!

5. From nightly rituals to decompressing after a stressful day - or even meeting- what do you do to unwind? 

These days, I am much more intentional about prioritizing time for me after a big event or meeting, so that means signing off early or padding in a little time in my calendar afterward to take a break for a coffee, or a chat with a friend to decompress – and I don’t feel guilty about it!

I also like cooking to unwind in the evenings, so once I unpack my kitchen, I can, hopefully, re-incorporate that into my nightly ritual!

About Nina Chang

Nina Chang is Vice President and Head of Corporate Communication for Heidrick & Struggles, a premier provider of executive search, leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions. In this role, she leads the firm’s executive and global employee communications.

Nina has more than 15 years of experience as a global communications leader, creating and implementing corporate communications strategies for leading global brands. She brings a vision-driven, business-focused approach to delivering integrated PR, digital marketing and social media programs for external audiences, as well as thoughtful and engaging employee communications programs to support diverse and inclusive cultures and workplaces.

Before joining Heidrick & Struggles, Nina was Vice President of Corporate Communications at McGraw Hill, where she developed proactive PR and thought leadership programs to support large-scale U.S. product sales and the company’s broader digital transformation. Prior to that, she served as a Vice President of Corporate Affairs & Communications at American Express, while based in New York City and London. She held various roles of increasing responsibility across PR, marketing, employee and executive communications and provided global leadership to support the U.S. and international expansion of its B2B card-issuing partnership business, one of the company’s fastest growing businesses. She also led the communications strategies for launching new mobile and online payment technologies and introducing new industry standards for secure payments. Previously, she managed various corporate communication clients at three leading PR agencies in New York City and Mexico City.

Nina graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish Language and Literature from North Carolina State University and is based in New York City.

About “5 Questions With…”

“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions With Dan Oh
Senior Vice President and Group Creative Director,
Edelman

1. The last few years have helped normalize mental health in the workplace. As an influential and experienced communications leader, how do foster mental well-being at work and with your team?

Work and life feel very intertwined at this point. I've gotten to know the members of my teams personally over the past few years. For me, mental well-being at work comes down to two things...appropriate staffing so people have more time to take a breath, sit down for lunch, get inspired, and soak up the world around them, and having a shoulder to lean on or cry on when necessary. Creative work is an intimate affair and creatives really put themselves out there when they believe in an idea. We have to protect that process by protecting the individual. So it's my job to listen, to offer advice with a grain of salt, and to help folks process the issues they're facing with their career or their colleagues. Sometimes, we just need someone to talk to, and the time to do so for that matter—I try my best to serve my co-workers in that way.

2. Amid a rise in anti-Asian racism combined with growing attention to social justice, how has your role and the communications profession changed in the last two years?

Ideas must be deeply considered from all angles, now more than ever. A diverse set of opinions and perspectives have to be absorbed on the way to a winning idea. The echo chamber gets deafeningly loud sometimes, so we must diversify our inputs, so to speak. Just because we read an article on DEI or social justice, doesn't mean we have a sufficient lay of the land. It's vital that we have real conversations as much as possible, even though a deadline may be fast approaching. Sure, you can only beat up a brief so much, but you can never not talk to too many people. It's time to take teamwork beyond just tactical execution and into communications strategy.

3. As you look to 2022 and beyond, what are you most excited about at work and life?

I'm still very new to Edelman, but I'm excited about the sheer possibility of the global healthcare role I've been assigned. There are some amazing accounts and opportunities either in the works or on the horizon. Everywhere I turn so far, it's all purpose-driven briefs and assignments...the best kind of work, in my humble opinion.

4. Conversely, what is keeping you up at night?

The terror-filled question "Where is my next idea going to come from?" perpetually haunts me. I've definitely lost sleep over that, especially if I'm leading the charge on a project. But, then I remember I have an amazing team that I can trust, people absolutely more skilled and talented than I am...that's when I fall asleep. So that, and the effort of true integration in the comms space...I think there are still some challenges in designing and implementing an optimal integrated model/process overall, so I am keen on trying to help solve for that and hopefully create some lasting benchmarks along the way.

5. From nightly rituals to decompressing after a stressful day - or even meeting- what do you do to unwind? 

My spiritual walk really allows me to put it ALL into perspective. I'm active in my church and I also get to work with the youth group and they keep me on my toes and young at heart. I do all this with my wife and it has been an absolutely blessing, through thick and thin. Once you understand the path God has laid out for you, problems transform into opportunities and hardships become conditioning to get to the next level. Serving others and a purpose higher than yourself empowers you more than you could know otherwise.

About Dan Oh

Dan Oh is a battle-tested advertising and PR creative professional with 16 years of experience in communications and advertising. Currently, he is a Senior Vice President and Group Creative Director at Edelman. Dan has worked across CPG, hospitality, cause marketing, non-profit, home improvement, OTC medicines, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, advocacy organizations, spirits, energy, higher education, and more. Dan is uniquely versed in marketing and communicating with virtually everyone with buying power and/or influence: consumers, businesses, healthcare professionals, educators, potential donors, government officials, and the media. He has built his career, launching products, creating awareness campaigns, and constructing creative strategy. Dan regularly provides creative solutions across print, video, digital, web, CRM, social, creative tech, direct mail, branding and verbal identity, experiential, and activations.

About “5 Questions With…”

“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

As a father, husband, brother and uncle I can’t stop thinking about the 19 innocent children and two adults senselessly murdered yesterday in their elementary school in Uvalde, TX. I pray and grieve for them, their families, their community and the eyewitnesses on the ground. I also applaud the heroic efforts of the first responders and law enforcement. 

There have been more mass shootings than days so far this year. No other country in the world suffers as much gun violence as we do here in the US. And as I reflect this week on the second anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, the senseless and horrific racially motivated murders in Buffalo, the most recent subway shooting and what seems to be the never-ending wave of violence plaguing our great city, I still remain confident that love and humanity will win over hate and barbarism. I really do.

But change takes more than words. More than emails. More than speeches. More than social posts.  It takes leadership, courage, conviction and action on our part. In 2019 I signed a pledge alongside hundreds of other CEOs – including Richard Edelman and other leaders from the PR, marketing and advertising world –urging Congress to take meaningful actions towards instituting greater gun safety measures and reform.

As communicators, we’ve been bestowed with a precious and powerful gift. The gift of oration, persuasion and influence. It’s times like these that we need to use this gift to counterweight the violence and hate of late. 

So what can you do?

• Don’t allow yourself to be numb. Turn your sadness and rage into action. Volunteer your time, use your trade, and donate to organizations committed to ending gun violence:
  
• Everytown For Gun Safety
• The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
• The Brady Campaign
• Be unapologetically judicious when it comes to who you work for or with. This should be non-negotiable. Let your values guide your decisions. Choose humanism over capitalism.
• Tell your CEO to sign the CEOs For Gun Safety pledge.

I never seek out or say the names of the murderers. I instead choose to focus my mind and energies on the lost lives of the innocent victims. 

Sometimes and often unintentionally our clients and our bosses have blind spots or freeze when it comes to addressing tragedies. It’s your job to ground and guide them in these times.

It’s okay to not be okay. This can be hard to admit, I know. Talk to friends and don’t be afraid to seek professional help from a mental health professional. 

And while I know it’s unconventional to do so, I’d like to share with you some words from my Rabbi, Joshua Strom.

“In this moment of tragedy and unspeakable loss, I pray that the memories of the precious souls taken from us yesterday, beautiful children and their educators, will come to be a blessing for those who mourn them. And I pray that we all may be moved, in their memory, and in honor of our living children and grandchildren, to make our communities, our nation, and our world a safer, and better, place.”

I wish you and your family peace and love in these tumultuous times.

Aaron Kwittken,
PRSA-NY President

About PRSA-NY
For 75 years, the New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is one of the oldest, largest, and most prominent public relations Chapters in the country. Located in the media capital of the world, it offers top-level professional development, networking, mentoring, and awards. PRSA-NY serves communications professionals in agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government, as well as independent practitioners. For more information about PRSA-NY’s  upcoming events , mentorship program , jobs boards,  volunteer opportunities , and membership details , go to prsany.org .

5 Questions With Erica Chan
Head of Strategy, Brand and Insights, North America
Alibaba Group

1. The last few years have helped normalize mental health in the workplace. As an influential and experienced communications leader, how do you foster mental well-being at work and with your team?

The pandemic has reminded us to prioritize life and health, and has also made it easier for us to be more open and honest about our own vulnerabilities. 

One of the things my team at Alibaba.com tried to maintain in the past two years while everyone has been working from home (and often early in the morning or late at night because of the global nature of our organization) is to take moments to take a deep breath, laugh, and see things from different perspectives. To that end, we tried various online team events and activities: from facilitated breathing exercises and meditation, to “boot camp”-like workouts, to virtual tours of a rescue animal farm, to improv, to game shows and competitions. 

We have also set aside time every Friday to get to know each other better—whether that’s virtual tours of each other’s work-from-home work stations, or show-and-tell about an object we cannot live without. These activities and gestures have helped uncover shared interests, humor, and vocabulary that I believe are making our team communicate and work together more effectively—not to mention in a more fun way.

2. Amid a rise in anti-Asian racism combined with growing attention to social justice, how has your role and the communications profession changed in the last two years?

Working for equity and inclusion has always been a personal mantra. One of the reasons I joined Alibaba.com is its mission: to make it easy for everyone—no matter who they are, where they are, or where they are starting from—to do business and succeed on their own terms. Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and forms. 

Minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs are key to the U.S. economy, yet COVID and the disruptions in the past two years have hit this group worse by exacerbating underlying inequalities and vulnerabilities. 

In addition to always trying to shine a light on these incredible businesses through our content and advocacy series, Alibaba.com B2B Today, I am most proud of the Alibaba.com Grants Program that we launched in partnership with Hello Alice last year. We awarded 50 $10K grants to U.S. small business owners with business ventures that seek to help create a more healthy, beautiful, knowledgeable, sustainable, and equitable world. Almost 80% of the recipients are people of color and about 78% are women entrepreneurs. Importantly, almost 90% of recipients shared that the vast majority of their teams hail from historically underrepresented groups, including persons with disabilities, military veterans and LGBTQ+.

3. As you look to 2022 and beyond, what are you most excited about at work and life?

At a personal level, I am excited about returning to an in-person world. While the M-F 9-6 office culture might be a thing of the past, I look forward to the “2022-and-beyond version” of water cooler conversations, white-boarding sessions,spontaneous trips to see friends and family, and exploring new places (without quarantines). 

As someone whose job is to support small business growth in the U.S. and around the world, I look forward to innovations and breakthroughs that can help ease global supply chain challenges and create more certainty for businesses.

4. Conversely, what is keeping you up at night?

Climate change, intolerance, xenophobia, and globalization taking a wrong turn. 

5. From nightly rituals to decompressing after a stressful day - or even meeting- what do you do to unwind? 

Spontaneous dance parties in my living room with my 7-year-old daughter—someone recently pointed out that there is now scientific proof that dancing effectively makes people happier and less stressed!

About Erica Chan
Erica Chan joined Alibaba Group in 2018 to lead brand and marketing strategy for Alibaba.com in the U.S. Alibaba.com is one of the world’s largest B2B ecommerce marketplaces and a business unit of Alibaba Group. She helped oversee the brand relaunch in the U.S. in 2019, when it unveiled its enhanced platform to enable U.S. small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to sell their products to millions of Alibaba.com buyers in the U.S. and around the globe. With a mission to make it easy for SMBs to do business anywhere, Alibaba.com is dedicated to making it easier for the nearly 30 million SMBs in the U.S. to access the $23.9 trillion global B2B ecommerce market, an opportunity that is six times larger than the global B2C ecommerce market. Prior to joining Alibaba, Erica was Strategy Director at Interbrand where she worked with top global brands to build business and brand clarity, internal capabilities and winning customer experiences. Erica has a B.S. in Applied Economics from Cornell University and a Master in City Planning with a focus on economic development from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

About “5 Questions With…”

“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.

5 Questions With Eric M. Winkfield
Vice President
M Booth and M Booth Health

1.  As an influential and experienced DEI leader, how do you use your role and expertise to bring more inclusivity – and less division – in our lives, both work and at home?

In my opinion, inclusivity begins with listening. In addition to listening, I have to remember to keep learning, as I never know it all. As a DE&I leader,  our greatest strength and opportunity in our role is to be a bridge or connector within the organization we are trying to enhance. People have all types of lived experience but to reach true inclusion we have to stop, listen and try to understand the perspectives of others and not just our own.

2.  How has your role and the HR & DEI profession as a whole changed in the last two years?

The one thing that is constant in the DEI profession and life is change.  In the last the two years, the expectations of colleagues and the communities we represent have changed, and with that the way I have approached the work. I have learned that everyone in the organization must feel connected or represented in the DE&I work for it to be successful. DE&I has to be the center of the business models or threaded through the business intentionally. Often my role is blended, and I find myself consulting across the organization in both vertical and horizontal capacities. I have seen firsthand how we can create better when we start with making room for others and build on one another’s genius.  

3. As you look ahead to 2022 and beyond, what are you most excited about at work and in life?

I am cautiously optimistic about the constant stream of actions that some companies are making to be intentional and go beyond the surface with their DEI commitment. The communications industry is driving more than just conversations these days and we are seeing some actions. Some examples I can point to is the work of the PRSA Foundation, The Diversity Action Alliance, The Plank Center for Leadership in PR and certainly the PRSA NY Chapter itself. We are doing more, involving more and speaking truth to power more. There are more organizations out there doing incredible things to advance DE&I and all of them give me hope to the future state of our industry. However, we still have more work to do.

4. Conversely, what is keeping you up at night

Before I log off for the day, I ask myself: Are we doing enough? Have we moved the needle?  Are we creating change? Unfortunately, these are questions that most DEI professionals are pondering because the work is much bigger than ourselves and organizations. I believe the work we are doing is priming the environment for future generations to have it just a little bit easier. Essentially, that is what those who have come before my generation has done. This work never stops, it only evolves.

5. What words / mantra best describe your life right now?

Today I am finding great inspiration from the words of Ursula Burns : “Believe that there are no limitations, no barriers to your success —you will be empowered and you will achieve.”

About Eric M. Winkfield
Eric M. Winkfield is a vice president at M Booth and M Booth Health leading the firms Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. As a practitioner, his scope includes strategically counseling key corporate clients, adding depth in reputation management, public affairs, and issues and crisis management.

Prior to joining M Booth, Winkfield worked for Pepco, a Washington, D.C.-based public utility company owned by Exelon. There he served as key member of the governmental and external affairs team, charged with advancing community outreach strategies, strategic stakeholder engagement plans and leading cross-functional teams on regulatory and public policy initiatives. He holds a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University, and a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Florida A&M University

He is passionate about advocating and helping others grow to become their best and authentic selves and has an unwavering commitment to mentoring. Winkfield serves on the faculty and visiting committee at the Reed College of Media at WVU. He is also strongly involved in mentoring and alumni engagement for the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication at FAMU. In 2018, The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations’ named him as an Emerging Leader.

Winkfield is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., serves on the board of advisors for After-School All Stars DC, The Emerging Leaders Committee for the Plank Center in Public Relations, and is a graduate of Leadership Montgomery County, a nonprofit dedicated to developing future leaders and building work cultures that celebrate different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds.

About “5 Questions With…”

“5 Questions With..." is the PRSA-NY DEI Committee's new thought leadership series, which features industry voices from across agency, in-house, and other sectors of public relations. Look out each month to hear from someone new and learn insights to apply in your workplace. For more information, contact info@prsany.org.