4 Questions Journalist Spotlight

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Abby Kousouris with WANF TV! Abby is the state reporter for the station, which means you'll see her stories on Gray TV stations across Georgia (and beyond).

Important Things to Know About Abby:

Coolest Thing: She loves to go hiking around Atlanta
Last Book Read: "It Ends with Us" by Colleen Hoover
Favorite Local Restaurant: Mezza Luna
Favorite Local Getaway: East Palisades Trail
Favorite Non-Work Hobby: Hiking and walking around Atlanta
Favorite Guilty Pleasure:  Sushi Snack with a Bravo TV show

Mitch’s day job is providing public relations services, media training, and crisis communications, but he also operates Leff’s Atlanta Media, an online database with contact info for thousands of Atlanta-based journalists, and Mitch’s Media Match, a service that connects Atlanta journalists with local experts. 

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Audrey Galex with the AIB Network!

Important Things to Know About Audrey:

Coolest Thing: She runs a Facebook page called the "Abandoned Mattress Project"
Last Podcast: Hidden Brain
Favorite Local Restaurants: Cafe Alsace, Pastries A Go Go
Favorite Local Getaway: Tin Roof Cantina
Favorite Non-Work Hobby: Playing the harmonica!
Favorite Guilty Pleasure:  Dancing and live music and a cool drink called the "Aviation"

Mitch’s day job is providing public relations services, media training, and crisis communications, but he also operates Leff’s Atlanta Media, an online database with contact info for thousands of Atlanta-based journalists, and Mitch’s Media Match, a service that connects Atlanta journalists with local experts. 

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This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Tracie Morse, owner/publisher of North Atlanta Fitlife magazine in Atlanta.

Important Things to Know About Tracie:

Coolest Thing: She loves to dance!
Last Books Read: "Henderson House" by Caren Simpson McVicker, "Go-Giver" by Bob Burg and John David Mann
Favorite Local Restaurant: Rumi's Kitchen (Avalon)
Favorite Local Getaway: North Georgia hiking, Highlands, NC
Favorite Non-Work Hobby: Exercise (of course!)
Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Wine!

Mitch’s day job is providing public relations services, media training, and crisis communications, but he also operates Leff’s Atlanta Media, an online database with contact info for thousands of Atlanta-based journalists, and Mitch’s Media Match, a service that connects Atlanta journalists with local experts. 

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Marlon Hyde, business reporter with WABE Radio in Atlanta. 

Topics he’s looking at for upcoming stories: Electric vehicles, economics during the election year, tech companies in Georgia, VR companies, housing and interest rates, 

Important Things to Know About Marlon: 

• Coolest Thing: Collects vinyl record albums. He’s got a big collection. He loves going on stage and telling stories
• Last Book Read: “Midnight Library,” The Beautiful People Podcast
• Favorite Local Restaurants: Waffle House
• Favorite Local Getaway: Piedmont Park
• Favorite Non-Work Hobby: Basketball (watching or playing, teaching to his niece or nephew)
• Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Playing poker on his phone for fake money

Mitch’s day job is providing public relations services, media training, and crisis communications, but he also operates Leff’s Atlanta Media, an online database with contact info for thousands of Atlanta-based journalists, and Mitch’s Media Match, a service that connects Atlanta journalists with local experts. 

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This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Audrey Washington, a general assignment reporter and anchor at WSB TV in Atlanta.

Important Things to Know About Audrey:

Coolest thing: She loves anything live, live performances, live music, and she loves to cook ... especially cooking fish.

• Last Book Read: Protect Your Peace by Trent Shelton
• Favorite Local Restaurants: Twisted Soul and Serena Pastificio
• Favorite Local Getaway: Westside Park
• Favorite Non-Work Hobby: Pilates and going to a good spa (Infinity Massage in Buckhead)
• Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Listening to YouTube segments about Real Housewife shows (Real Housewives of Salt Lake City)

Mitch’s day job is providing public relations services, media training, and crisis communications, but he also operates Leff’s Atlanta Media, an online database with contact info for thousands of Atlanta-based journalists, and Mitch’s Media Match, a service that connects Atlanta journalists with local experts.

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Josh Green, editor of UrbanizeATL, an online media outlet that covers real estate and development around the metro Atlanta area. UrbanizeATL is part of a family of online media outlets across the US and in Canada.

Important Things to Know About Josh:

Coolest thing: Just published his first novel, “Secrets of Ash”! He’s working on getting it into local bookshops, but you can buy it online.

• Last Book Read: “The Substance of Things Hoped For” by Tom Noyes
• Favorite Local Restaurant: Daddy D’s BBQ
• Favorite Local Getaway: The unbuilt sections of the Beltline, Lullwater Park
• Favorite Non-Work Hobby: Bike riding, he’s got four bikes for different settings (mountain and street!)
• Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Creed’s first album

Mitch’s day job is providing public relations services, media training, and crisis communications, but he also operates Leff’s Atlanta Media, an online database with contact info for thousands of Atlanta-based journalists, and Mitch’s Media Match, a service that connects Atlanta journalists with local experts.

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” podcast focuses on Rebecca Grapevine, a staff writer with the Atlanta Business Chronicle. She covers healthcare, higher education, startups, and venture capital.

Important Things to Know About Rebecca:

She loves history, in fact she’s got her Ph.D. in History and taught it before getting into journalism. In this episode, she talks about how they look for stories about problems and solutions … and about innovation. Many of their stories will focus on medium to larger businesses.

• Coolest Thing: She loves finding fun things to do all over Atlanta from theater to restaurants to comedy!
• Last Book Read: “Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn”
• Favorite Restaurant: Echo, General Muir
• Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Chick-fil-A
• Favorite Getaway: Savannah, Isle of Hope
• Favorite Non-Work Hobby: Reading

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Rico Figliolini, publisher of Peachtree Corners magazine and Southwest Gwinnett magazine. Plus, he's got a podcast, Peachtree Corners Life!

Important Things to Know About Rico:

• Coolest Thing: Used to like being an extra in film and tv productions (the food was really good!), bur he really loves anime, manga, playing Call of Duty 
• Last Podcast: Cyberwire Daily 
• Favorite Local Restaurant: Mojitos
• Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Practices tennis to decompress
• Favorite Local Getaway: Seabrook Island near Kiawah Island
• Favorite Non-Work Hobby: Call of Duty, Watching Anime, and gaming festivals like MomoCon and DreamHack Atlanta

Mitch’s day job is providing public relations services, media training, and crisis communications, but he also operates Leff’s Atlanta Media, an online database with contact info for thousands of Atlanta-based journalists, and Mitch’s Media Match, a service that connects Atlanta journalists with local experts.

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Leff & Associates Public Relations last month launched a new podcast that will highlight Atlanta’s talented PR and marketing community. The “4 Questions Atlanta PR & Marketing Spotlight” podcast starts with a conversation with Caren West, founder of Caren West PR. 

This is part 2 of 2, completing our conversation with Caren.

Coolest Thing About Caren – I surround myself with awesome people
Favorite Local Getaway – Blue Ridge
Favorite Nonwork hobby – Love to read, Just read Matthew Perry’s memoir and young adult novels, post-apocalyptic novels
Favorite Guilty pleasure – I love watching TV especially true crime and Dateline
Client or Project – Skirt magazine anniversary party and BaconFest

The new podcast is available on YouTube and across the agency’s social media channels. Future episodes will focus on digital marketing agencies, sports marketing, technology, healthcare experts, and more. Those interested in being a guest should contact Mitch Leff at [email protected]. 

“Atlanta has some of the most talented public relations and marketing professionals in the country, representing some of the world's biggest brands,” says Leff & Associates president Mitch Leff. 

The conversation with Caren West showcases her agency’s unique focus, the clients she loves, and lessons she’s learned over 25 years in the public relations business.

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Ryan Sauers, publisher of the Out Town Gwinnett magazines.

We talk all about his magazines, how to pitch him, and, of course, him favorite local restaurant! 

What’s New? Big Gwinnett focused awards competition and new television show. Both coming in 2024. Check out his website at www.endresultz.com and www.OurTownGwinnett.com. 

Important Things to Know About Ryan: 

Coolest Thing: There’s chill Ryan and chatty Ryan!
Last Book: Atomic Habits
Favorite Local Restaurant: Mellow Mushroom (@mellowmushroom)
Favorite Guilty Pleasure: DJing at parties!
Favorite Local Getaway: Myrtle Beach
Favorite Non-Work Hobby: Watching sports and learning to play pickelball

Mitch’s day job is providing public relations services, media training, and crisis communications, but he also operates Leff’s Atlanta Media, an online database with contact info for thousands of Atlanta-based journalists, and Mitch’s Media Match, a service that connects Atlanta journalists with local experts. 

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