Advertise on podcast: PRSA SV #FridayForum Podcast

Jeannie Entin, who you may remember from earlier this season, returns for this mini-episode. She looks back on her time supporting PR for the ubiquitous Halloween megastore, Spirit Halloween. We hear about consumer PR, supporting new sales ideas and some of her favorite Halloween tips. Listen … if you dare!

Lamiya Cotton and Meseret “Mercy” Mehzun wrap up this season by sharing the very beginning of their careers. From screenagers to AI’s influence in their work, Lamiya and Mercy talk about a new generation of PR pros and how the pandemic caused a major content evolution.  Links:  What Now? With Trevor Noah: https://www.youtube.com/@WhatNowPodcast  Baby, This is Keke Palmer: https://www.youtube.com/@BabyThisisKekePalmer  Code Switch: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch  Bospar blog: https://bospar.com/insights/blog/  Damaryan Benton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damaryanbenton/   Emily the Recruiter: https://emilydurham.org/  Connect with Lamiya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamiyacotton/  Connect with Mercy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meseretdmehzun/

Erin McCabe leads communications at cloud platform OpenText. We talk acquisitions, international communications, values and how a comms team can have a common AI understanding. Plus, we hear how her appreciation of storytelling leads to a better understanding of everything from SaaS to murder mysteries.  Links:  Cold Blooded: Mystery in Alaska true crime podcast: https://abc.com/news/c913cd14-fac1-471b-aa41-7970b25eda18/category/1138628 The 65 podcast:  https://www.sixfivemedia.com/podcast Arthur W. Page Society: https://page.org/ AI-generated art seen in the OpenText lobby: https://www.instagram.com/p/DC6834CNsZa/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Gerry Corbett is a PR thought leader and former PRSA chair and CEO. We follow his five-decade career from the beginning, when he reeked of garlic and spent his days in wind tunnels, to a fruitful corporate comms stretch working with 17 CEOs. He led PR for large farm equipment, heavy industry, real estate and aerospace companies. In this episode, we hear why it's difficult for older PR pros to find work, how to nurture your creative side and why Congress doesn’t like expensive hammers. Links:  The Borowitz Report podcast: https://www.borowitzreport.com/podcast Scott Monty podcast: https://scottmonty.com/podcast  PRSA Seasoned Professionals & other affinity groups: https://www.prsa.org/about/diversity-equity-inclusion#affinity  Gerry’s PR Job Coach blog: https://prjobcoach.blogspot.com/  Gerry’s nature photography: https://www.instagram.com/sun_tography/

Meghan Fintland runs PR at the cybersecurity firm Rubrik. We hear how she finds motivation in causes close to her heart and cuts through tech jargon by focusing on the human element in storytelling. She also discusses expanding channels for thought leadership and how to activate a communications plan during a crisis. Bonus: We find out why Meghan’s happy place probably has fence lines and a good nonfiction book. Links:  Reality Life with Kate Casey: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/272-reality-life-with-kate-cas-27910385/ Becca Chambers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccapchambers/

Tara Thomas wears many hats, some of them at a C-suite level and some of them counseling those at the top. She specializes in marketing and events, and in this episode Tara talks to us about what it takes to run a small business, how to get into CEO minds, and she shares how events have evolved since the pandemic. Links: Julius Solaris / Bold Push: https://boldpush.com  Jason Limkin / SaaStr newsletter: https://www.saastr.com/the-new-and-improved-saastr-newsletter/  Smart Meetings: https://www.smartmeetings.com/  MPI blog: https://www.mpi.org/blog  PCMA business events industry association: https://www.pcma.org

Jazmin Eusébio credits the Jonas Brothers for her career, and she’s spent that career building community. As a DEI comms specialist, Jaz talks about the complicated times for that area and gives advice for young practitioners who want their voices heard. Links: Vibe Check: https://open.spotify.com/show/6r4uD6EuT70XHmhcqByNPa  NPR Culture: https://www.npr.org/sections/culture/  Hispanic Public Relations Association: https://hprausa.org/

AMD's Mike Sanchez explains why promoting cannabis and AI chips actually have more in common than you'd think. Plus, you'll hear how flashcards and a backpacking trip through Southeast Asia taught him invaluable lessons in strategy and tactics that keep him adaptable in today's tech industry. Links: Professor G. https://www.youtube.com/c/TheProfGShow-ScottGalloway Theo Von: https://youtu.be/o_B5vful8KQ?si=rrk03uj3nQHm2-Vp  Techmeme: https://www.techmeme.com/

Jeannie Entin (our chapter president) kicks off the Friday Forum reboot. We learn about communications in the venture capital world, talk about helpful AI agents and get a preview on what’s to come this year for PRSA.  Links: Learn about (and donate to support) our chapter’s Diversity and Multicultural Scholarship: https://www.prsa-sv.org/news/prsa-silicon-valley-opens-applications-for-diversity-and-multicultural-scholarship-fund-for-the-5th-consecutive-year  Yahoo Finance Opening Bid: https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/ Cliff Worley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliffworley/

Friday Forum is back! We're here for the summer bringing you podcast-exclusive content with interviews from some of Silicon Valley's most fascinating communicators. New episodes every Friday, starting July 11.

PRSA-SV #FridayForum: “Salary Negotiation Strategies for PR Professionals” PRWeek’s PR/Talent Salary Survey revealed that 22% of PR pros changed jobs in the past year, and 79% increased their salary with their new role. Listen to our conversation to hear strategies on negotiating your salary from career experts and PR professionals.  Moderating is PRSA SV Board Member Jazmin Eusebeo, Jazmin is a justice advocate who is consistently identifying ways to create equitable opportunities for underserved communities.  Our panelists include: Nicole Balsam Nicole brings over 8 years of Executive Search experience to her current role as an Associate Partner at Eastward Partners. Judith Cushman As President of Judith Cushman & Associates, Judith uses her 30 years of experience in this field to provide retained search and consulting services exclusively filling the full spectrum of Communications, Public Relations, Public Affairs, Marketing Communications, and Investor Relations Positions.  Gideon Fidelzeid of PRWeek  Gideon heads up all custom content activations, as well as some legacy editorial projects, including the annual Salary Survey.

Making the leap from college to a communications career can be daunting. Whether you’re a communications major with multiple internships under your belt nearing graduation, an undeclared first year student, or looking to make a mid-career switch with continuing education, this conversation is for you. In this week’s PRSA Silicon Valley Friday Forum, San Jose State University alumni will delve into the ins and outs of making the most out of college and embarking on a career in communications. Caylee Tompkins, president of the San Jose State University chapter of PRSSA moderates this lively discussion. Three San Jose State alumni have joined me to discuss the ins and outs of making the most out of college and embarking on a career in communications. Alannah McDermott, a senior account executive at Lumina Communications and project manager for PRSA Silicon Valley's Media Predicts 2022.Sierra Fatlowitz, a corporate communications specialist at eBay who previously worked in local government as well as for a tech PR agency. Jazmin Eusebio, who is a Senior Account Executive and Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Specialist at Highwire PR as well as a PRSA-SV board member. Take a listen!

How I Got Here: BOCA CEO & Founder Kathleen Shanahan “How I Got Here” #FridayForum, PRSA Silicon Valley hosts Board Member and BOCA Communications CEO and Founder Kathleen Shanahan. Take a listen to how she started in agencies, learned the business and now owns and drives her own PR agency with a client roster that includes some of the best of the best in Silicon Valley and beyond. Moderated by PRSA-SV Chapter President Vanessa Yanez.

#FridayForum: Elevating ESG Impact through Strategic Communications In boardrooms, on earnings calls, in company-all-hands and customer meetings—stakeholders at every turn are demanding more action from companies on everything from social justice to climate change. The pressure is on and as communicators, we’re often at the front line. What, when and how to communicate on Environmental Social Governance (ESG) topics in an authentic and meaningful way to each audience individually can be a daunting task. In this #FridayForum we’ll break it down and get into the tips and tricks and creative approaches to making the most impact with your ESG communications.    Key Takeaways Understand why ESG communications is critical to building a company’s brand reputation and increasing brand trust and loyalty Industry insights and examples of how companies are doing this well (and not) today. Useful tips and creative ways to integrate ESG into a corporate comms and brand strategy effectively About the Speakers Hotwire Global Communications Co-President, North America Heather Craft is responsible for managing clients’ experiences and health, as well as overseeing our People and Culture and Finance departments in the US. With over 15 years of experience, Craft has extensive expertise and a proven track record leading integrated communications programs of scale, from early-stage startups to established public companies. Most of all, she loves building thoughtful and incredibly high-performing teams. ESG Marketing & Communications Consultant Paige Rodgers has spent over 20 years working at the intersection of business, technology, and social / environmental impact. She has worked with leading software, hardware, and technology services brands, including Salesforce.com, StubHub, Autodesk, Cloudera and Equinix, to build and execute their social impact, sustainability, and ESG marketing and communications strategies and is currently working with leading tech marketing and communications consultancy, Hotwire Global Communications, to design and deliver their new ESG practice.

PRSA-SV #FridayForum:  A Day in the Life: Agency & In-House  Is agency experience needed to succeed in an in-house role? What is the difference between going straight to agency and going in-house? Whether you’re an emerging professional trying to decide which route to pursue or an experienced PR pro looking for your next gig – take a listen to the August 12 #FridayForum panel discussion to hear answers to these burning questions and more! You’ll hear perspectives from a PR professional who has spent an entire career working at PR agencies, and another who made the switch to an in-house position. Zelle and Early Warning® Sr Director, External Communications Meghan O'Driscoll Fintland has more than 20 years of experience working with private and public companies across various sectors, including non-profit, corporate, enterprise, and consumer technologies, consumer goods, automotive, and healthcare industries. 42 West B/HI Sr Account Executive Rae D'Agnillois an experienced PR professional with a background in comics, gaming, and tech. As a key member of the gaming and publishing teams, Rae manages major titles and tentpole projects, drives content creation, and leads massive measurement and success reporting. PRSA-SV DE&I Committee Member Adriana Gonzalez Sebastian (panel moderator) is a graduating PR senior at San José State University. She currently works full-time at Hartnell College and interns part-time at Precious Stone PR Inc. as a PR and design coordinator.