PRactically Speaking Houston

Welcome to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America! On PRSay we spotlight our talented members and get to know each other a little better.

Today’s guest is Emily Conklin, APR, CPC. Emily is the Director of Communications and Community Partnerships for Sheldon ISD. 

She has worked in school public relations for 18 years serving school districts in the Houston and Dallas Fort Worth regions. She holds a master of arts in communication from Tarleton State University and a bachelor of arts in mass communications from Texas State University. 

As the daughter of two public school educators, Emily is a proud advocate for public education. She is passionate about public relations and actively looks for ways to give back to others who are just starting in the field.

Learn more about the PRSA Houston Chapter, our events and opportunities at www.prsahouston.org.

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher, Public Relations. 

Welcome to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America!

Ty combines his love for creativity and knowledge of various industries to execute client needs in effective and unexpected ways. Some of these industries include: public health, non-profit funding, renewable resources, retail, event planning, powersports, government entities, and hospitality.

As an Integrated Communications Supervisor, he strategizes with our team and clients on the best ways to make their message resonate with the target audience all while managing campaign deliverables. He also holds valuable media relationships with reputable outlets on both a local and national scale.

Ty graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in Media Production and Spanish minor. Because of his background in non-profit organizations and expertise in the Spanish language, Ty is key in relating to the growing Latino market.

Tune in to this episode to learn more about Ty and be sure to connect on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ty-meza-hughes-b21582a7/ 
and Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/thisoneguyty/ 

Learn more about the PRSA Houston Chapter, our events and opportunities at www.prsahouston.org.

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher, Public Relations. 

Welcome to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America! On PRSay we spotlight our talented members and get to know each other a little better.

Today’s guest is Leslee Hackett. As an avid learner, Leslee is always committed to improving her craft within the Public Relations and Communications field. Leslee is an analytical thinker that has a proven track record of developing successful social media plans, content creation and management ideas, effective media monitoring, concise trend spotting, creating pitches, conducting website updates, and making Canva based graphics.

As well as established key strategies that thrive in any company environment such as the execution of external and internal marketing techniques.

When Leslee is not working within the PR field you can find her taking photos, volunteering, teaching bible study, and learning new tricks of the trade!

Tune in to this episode to learn more about Leslee and be sure to connect on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesleeh/

Learn more about the PRSA Houston Chapter, our events and opportunities at www.prsahouston.org.

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher, Public Relations. 

Welcome to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America! On PRSay we spotlight our talented members and get to know each other a little better.

Today’s guest is Robyn Egbert, Outreach Coordinator. Robyn Egbert is a Strategic Communicator with a background in business development, relationship-building, public outreach, digital marketing, and social media campaign management. Beginning her career as a geophysicist, she made the transition to communications in 2016 where she pursued her Master of Arts in mass communication at the University of Houston.

In this episode, Robyn shares her passion for engaging organizations with their communities, and what that is like post-pandemic compared to previously.
Tune in to this episode to learn more about Robyn and be sure to connect on LinkedIn-https://www.linkedin.com/in/balabanrobyn

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher Public Relations. We design and execute personal visibility strategies for businesses, organizations, authors and entrepreneurs who are ready to uplevel their brands and leverage earned media to legitimize their place in their niche.

Visit us at veronicavsopher.com, or connect on LinkedIn at @veronicavsopher.

Welcome to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America! On PRSay we spotlight our talented members and get to know each other a little better.

Today’s guest is Cynthia Murga, Director of PR & Social Media. Cynthia Murga is a communications professional and Public Relations strategist with more than 10 years of experience in both the general and Hispanic markets. She specializes in strategy development and project management and is always identifying the best ways to provide an integrated marketing approach to achieve success.

In this episode, Cynthia shares about how social media has evolved as a whole and how we as PR professionals can utilize it to help humanize our businesses and brands. Tune in to this episode to learn more about Cynthia and be sure to connect on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiamurga/

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher Public Relations. We design and execute personal visibility strategies for businesses, organizations, authors and entrepreneurs who are ready to uplevel their brands and leverage earned media to legitimize their place in their niche.

Visit us at veronicavsopher.com, or connect on LinkedIn at @veronicavsopher.

Welcome to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America! On PRSay we spotlight our talented members and get to know each other a little better.

Today’s guest is Ross Winkler, Director of Government Relations & Public Affairs for Winkler Public Relations. 

Ross shares his expertise in engaging stakeholders and the importance of communicating and meeting stakeholders where they are at. His work with lawmakers in the government sector brings great value to his clients.

In this episode, Ross and Veronica chat about his journey in public relations and his path to Winkler Public Relations. 

Be sure to connect with Ross on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/Ross-winkler

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher Public Relations. We design and execute personal visibility strategies for businesses, organizations, authors and entrepreneurs who are ready to uplevel their brands and leverage earned media to legitimize their place in their niche. 

Visit us at veronicavsopher.com, or connect on LinkedIn at @veronicavsopher.

Welcome to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America! On PRSay we spotlight our talented members and get to know each other a little better.

Today’s guest is Mike O’Neill, Director of Public Relations for TDECU, the largest credit union in Houston. Mike spent nearly 25 years in television news in markets both very small and very large. He transitioned into corporate communications a little over five years ago.

In this episode, Mike and Veronica chat about the art of creating a great hook for your press release and the importance of building trust with media. Mike also shares the importance of clear and concise writing when putting together a press release, and the importance of AP Style.

His advice for people beginning their careers or making a change is to remember that skills can be taught, but knowledge is key, and remember to be nice to everyone because you never know where those connections will take you.

Be sure to connect with Mike on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeoneill2348/

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher Public Relations. We design and execute personal visibility strategies for businesses, organizations, authors and entrepreneurs who are ready to uplevel their brands and leverage earned media to legitimize their place in their niche. 

Visit us at veronicavsopher.com, or connect on LinkedIn at @veronicavsopher.

Welcome to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America! On PRSay we spotlight our talented members and get to know each other a little better.

Laci Theriot, APR, is the Marketing Communications Advisor for Univar Solutions.

Laci is an experienced 10-year veteran in marketing and communications with a demonstrated history of producing solid results and working in various industries. She is a strong leader skilled in external communications, digital marketing, project management, content development, public relations, sponsorships, community relations and partnerships, donations, advertising, marketing analytics and CRM, website management, social media management, media relations, event management, and corporate and regional marketing.

She is a PRSA Houston chapter board member and assembly delegate of PRSA Houston chapter.

In this episode, she shared about her position and how she is able to work with the media and cultivate connections to share the great work of her company and how to obtain strategic visibility.

Laci discusses the many benefits to earning the APR accreditation and some insight for members of the chapter who are considering making that step.

You can find Laci at https://www.linkedin.com/in/laci-theriot.

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher Public Relations. We design and execute personal visibility strategies for businesses, organizations, authors and entrepreneurs who are ready to uplevel their brands and leverage earned media to legitimize their place in their niche. 

Visit us at veronicavsopher.com, or connect on LinkedIn at @veronicavsopher.

Welcome to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America! On PRSay we spotlight our talented members and get to know each other a little better.

Today’s guest is Susan Ann Schmaeling, APR, President/CEO of Susan Schmaeling Public Relations. Susan shares her expertise in working in the non-profit and the cultural arts space.

In this episode, Susan shares her journey in public relations and how she got her start as a copywriter in an advertising agency, before moving to Austin. In 1989 Susan moved to Houston and continued to tell the great stories of the arts in her various roles. She is a natural storyteller and has used her talents and skills to support some amazing organizations.

In addition, Susan has been a huge supporter and volunteer for the Houston chapter of PRSA. Tune in to this episode to learn more about Susan and be sure to connect on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanschmaeling

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher Public Relations. We design and execute personal visibility strategies for businesses, organizations, authors and entrepreneurs who are ready to uplevel their brands and leverage earned media to legitimize their place in their niche.

Visit us at veronicavsopher.com, or connect on LinkedIn at @veronicavsopher.

Welcome to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America! On PRSay we spotlight our talented members and get to know each other a little better.

Today’s guest is Priscilla Tinsley, Americas Public Relations Lead for AVEA. Priscilla has had an amazing career in public relations and used all of her hands-on experiences to inspire and guide PR students at the university level. After eight and a half years teaching, she has transitioned back into the work force.

In this episode Priscilla shares her career journey and the great value PRSA has had in her career.

Be sure to connect with Priscilla on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscilla-tinsley-1a7b6815.

PRSay is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher Public Relations. We design and execute personal visibility strategies for businesses, organizations, authors and entrepreneurs who are ready to uplevel their brands and leverage earned media to legitimize their place in their niche. 

Visit us at veronicavsopher.com, or connect on LinkedIn at @veronicavsopher.