PRactically Speaking Houston

Welcome LaRahia Smith, Communications Director, University of Houston, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, to PRSay - the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

LaRahia is the chapter Vice President and shares the importance of membership in PRSA and the value it has brought her throughout her career, which started in the Austin area. When she moved to Houston, she knew that connecting with PRSA in her new market would benefit her moving forward. LaRahia is passionate about supporting membership engagement, mentoring and supporting the local PRSSA chapter.

LaRahia also shares her work as a master’s degree student, that includes DEI in public relations, and the impact on the social justice space.  She partnered with a local advocacy group and studied how they used communications to advance their efforts and their messaging. LaRahia emphasizes the importance of listening to the community and how successful organizers leverage listening in their communications strategy. This is a great conversation of how we can all learn from each other.

Be sure to connect with LaRahia on LinkedIn @larahia, and say hello at our next in-person event.

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 Kami Huyse, APR, with Zoetica Media, and the founder of the Houston Social Media Breakfast, to PRSay - the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Kami shares her journey as a communications professional and has seen the evolution of social media and its impact on community engagement for brands. Kami offers insight into connecting with your community and knowing where they are and where they are moving to on social media. She shares that a good brand follows their community to stay connected. Kami believes that marketing and PR must work together to have a strong social engagement strategy that brings value to a brand’s community.

Kami brings great insight into the social media space, why we need strong content and how to show up authentically online. She would love to connect with other members on LinkedIn, so be sure to follow her @kamihuyse. Kami is also the founder of Smart Social Secrets.

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 Mary Beth Bassett, Senior Public Relations Manager, Visit Galveston to PRSay - the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Mary Beth is an experienced public relations professional with a demonstrated history of working in crisis communications, editing, journalism, and media relations.

She shares with us her wealth of knowledge and the unique opportunity for public relations in the travel and tourism industry.

In addition to Mary Beth’s vast experience in public relations, she prides her position with living in and loving the city of Galveston.

She is currently serving on the PRSA Houston Board of Directors.

Be sure to connect with Mary Beth on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-beth-bassett-a4b1bb80/

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 Lis Harper, APR, with Medley, Inc., to PRSay - the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
Lis has a passion for data and uses it to design communication strategies for clients. This becomes the blueprint for share those brands’ stories and creating compelling content that drives the brand’s mission. We can all use a little more strategy in data to feed our PR strategies! Lis shares her background and journey, and emphasis the importance of networking within the profession. She values her membership in the Houston Chapter of PRSA, and wants to build that network. Be sure to connect with Lis on LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/lisharper/.
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 Julie B. Fix, our chapter’s only member of the College of Fellows to PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of American. Julie shares her journey as a communications professional and how she supports university students in getting hands-on experience. After several successful career moves, she moved into the academic space to help grow future PR leaders. 

Julie emphasis the need for young professionals to grow their professional network and to mind their professional development, as these are key elements to growing in the profession. She is a valuable PRSA mentor and has a passion for seeing members pursue accreditation and with 20 plus years’ experience to apply for College of Fellows. 

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.

On this episode of PRSay, the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, Juan Alanis shares how important creative content is to growing your brand and reach.

Juan is the Founder and Chief Content Officer of Market Street Consultants. He is a former print journalist in both the Spanish and English language spaces, who later moved into the nonprofit space before opening his own specialty agency. As part of the pivot that many of us have had to do during the pandemic, Juan found that companies and nonprofits needed more support with their digital marketing.

He attributes his engagement with PRSA as part of his success in growing his strong professional network, and Juan believes that a strong network is key to collaborations and business opportunities. He encourages members to focus on authentic relationships. 

Be sure to connect with Juan on LinkedIn and learn more about Market Street Consultants at www.marketstreetconsultants.com.

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 the PRSA Houston Chapter President, Felicia Perez, to PRSay – the podcast of the Houston PRSA Chapter.

On this episode, Felicia shares her journey that started in the newsroom and has led to FAR Public Relations, her own PR firm. She offers insight into the art of pitching stories and how to ensure your story will rise to the top of the pitch pile. Felicia works with the media on a daily basis and knows how they process through the many PR pitches they receive, and she shares her tips with listeners.

In addition to running her own firm, Felicia also teaches public relations at the University of Houston, her alma mater. Her students get an opportunity to hear from a pro who has worked on both sides of the desk.

As the PRSA Houston Chapter President, she is passionate about helping members make connections so they can grow in their profession. She believes in networking so members create opportunities and collaborations. Connect with Felicia Perez on LinkedIn.

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 Saki Indakwa to PRSay – the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
On this episode, Saki shares how leadership in PRSA can truly grow your network, help develop your leadership skills and create opportunities for your professional development. She has grown as a professional in the PR space and attributes a great part of that growth to her role in various leadership positions in the organization.
She encourages everyone to attend in-person events, conferences and other local, regional, state and national events to grow their network and learn from peers. Be sure to connect with Saki on LinkedIn.
 
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.

Let’s connect with Catherine Burch Graham, MS, APR, on the first episode of PRSay - the podcast of the Houston Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
On this episode, Catherine shares her journey starting out as a journalist and moving into public relations, her true calling. She is now a public relations professor and shares her years of experience with up-and-coming communications professionals. Catherine believes in the power of mentoring and networking! She is passionate about DEI and creating opportunities for marginalized groups to grow in our profession, especially those with disabilities.
Catherine is excited to connect with fellow PR professionals, so be sure to connect with Catherine Burch Graham, MS, APR on LinkedIn.

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.

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