Smart Talk Series

Truth and storytelling are the cornerstones of journalism. As the media landscape evolves with the rise in conflict journalism and AI, how do journalists keep the fundamentals at the forefront? Join Melissa as she closes out season 12 by having a candid conversation with Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson, a senior projects reporter at the San Antonio Express-News, about the realities, pressures, and bright spots of being a journalist today. Learn how Nancy left and returned to journalism with insights from teaching and a role in public relations.

About Nancy: 

Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson is a senior projects reporter at the San Antonio Express-News. Her reporting focuses on immigration enforcement, policing, crime and accountability, including investigations involving public officials such as U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales. Her work seeks to hold powerful institutions and individuals accountable while amplifying the experiences of vulnerable communities.

Connect with Nancy on LinkedIn

Follow Nancy on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram

Topics covered:

- Nancy's journey to creating her career fit

- Nancy’s start in journalism and her return after teaching 

- What PR pros can better understand about news and opinion journalism

- Key takeaways from teaching the next gen of professionals

Resources mentioned: 

- San Antonio Express-News

- Pitch Ideas Like A PR Pro Digital Course

- "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture"

- "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"

- MVW Communications

Being connected with a special interest group is an underappreciated attribute that all communicators can benefit from. The ability to bring people together around interests they love builds community, trust and loyalty. In this episode, Melissa talks with Ansley Partosa, the founder of Rosario Media & Events, about how she stitched together a career at the intersection of gaming, film production and cosplay.

About Ansley: 

Ansley Partosa combines her expertise in digital marketing to make a positive impact in the gaming world. With her business Rosario Media & Events, she uses her love of graphic design, video editing, and content creation to help clients share their unique stories. Ansley also serves as the Head of the Greater Gaming Society of San Antonio, where she leads the charge in hosting esports tournaments, game development meet ups, and inclusive community events.

Follow Ansley on Instagram

Topics covered:

- Ansley’s journey to her career interests

- Ansley’s experience in the gaming and entertainment industry

- Sustainable roles in entertainment

- The intersection of a creative perspective and an entrepreneurial mindset

- Cosplay skills that translate

Resources mentioned: 

- Greater Gaming Society of San Antonio

- San Japan

- Cirque Aria

- Pitch Ideas Like A PR Pro Digital Course

- "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture"

- "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"

- MVW Communications

Communications work often requires stepping confidently into unfamiliar territory. That's why the ability to simplify complex ideas can be a powerful skill. In this episode, Melissa talks with Joshua Sostrin, the founder and president of Imperative Content, about how his background in comedy launched him into a renowned career in speechwriting and storytelling.

About Josh: 

Joshua Sostrin is a speechwriter with over 20 years of experience and is the founder and president of Imperative Content, an executive communications consultancy. His background spans high tech, national security, academia, law, medicine, politics, and entertainment, with work featured in outlets from the World Economic Forum to The New York Times to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, including speechwriting for members of the U.S. House and Senate and a presidential candidate.

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn

Visit Josh’s website

Topics covered:

- Josh’s journey to his current career

- The nonlinear path to speechwriting

- Josh’s storytelling process

- What it takes to be a successful speechwriter

- Leveraging research in communications work

- Tips for creating engaging content

Resources mentioned: 

- Cristela Alonzo: Upper Classy

- “A call to kindness: We are stronger together; let’s be a force for good”

- “Storytelling That Elevates”

- Pitch Ideas Like A PR Pro Digital Course

- "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture"

- "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"

- MVW Communications

Aligning your career with the life you want often means weaving together your interests, strengths, and long‑held passions. In this episode, Melissa talks with Brandon Glass, a performer and Nationally Certified Sign Language Interpreter, about how he blends his creative and professional talents to build the career of his dreams.

About Brandon: 

From touring the world as a professional dancer, stuntman, and live host to coming home to his community and serving as a coach, mentor, and ASL interpreter, Brandon spans the globe embracing his passion and sharing his love for community through live performances, teaching workshops, and connecting with his community in elevating and inspiring ways. Having toured with notable companies such as Odyssey Dance Theatre, Step Afrika, and Ringling Bros., his most recent adventure takes him to South Africa, skating as a Live Host with Disney on Ice. His studies and community engagement provide a space for him to come home and work closely with the Deaf community as a Nationally Certified Sign Language Interpreter as well as a leadership and youth sports coach! 

Connect with Brandon on Instagram

Visit Brandon’s website

Listen to Brandon’s podcast 

Topics covered:

- Brandon's journey to creating his career fit

- The path to working in entertainment

- Brandon’s work as a Nationally Certified Sign Language Interpreter

- The intersection of working with the Deaf community and entertainment

- How to make your dreams possible

- Tips for PR pros and full-time communicators 

Resources mentioned: 

- Disney on Ice, Mickey’s Search Party 

- Cirque Aria 

- Thrive Gym

- Pitch Ideas Like A PR Pro Digital Course

- "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture"

- "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"

- MVW Communications

🚨New Media Relations Digital Course!🚨

📰 Today, our founder, Melissa Vela-Williamson, is launching her first digital course, Pitch Ideas Like A PR Pro, to help anyone who needs support crafting and delivering a strong pitch.

This course is built for anyone looking to level up their skills in pitching story ideas to journalists, business ideas to investors, or just trying to land your next opportunity. Presenting your case in a compelling way is invaluable.

In just over an hour, you'll hear best-practice insights directly from a seasoned PR pro whose recent local market campaign resulted in 613 pieces of earned coverage with a 660 million audience reach and over 16.6M views. 

Let Melissa's hard-learned lessons, insider tips, and PR kit tools help your business, nonprofit, institution, or thought leadership pitch an idea in meaningful ways. 

Enroll now: https://www.mvw360.com/course

Sometimes the best career move is letting your passion lead the way. In today’s episode, Melissa talks with Laura Perez, the associate director of brand operations at Spurs Sports & Entertainment, about striking the balance between your niche interests and an organization’s needs.

About Laura: 

Laura Perez is a sports and entertainment professional with more than 21 years of experience at Spurs Sports & Entertainment. 

As Associate Director of Brand Operations, she leads operational strategy and workflow management for the Brand Engagement team and has played a key role in major initiatives, including the San Antonio Spurs’ 50th Anniversary season, while championing leadership development and community impact throughout South Texas.

Connect with Laura on LinkedIn  

Topics covered:

- Laura’s journey to her professional specialty 

- Working in brand operations

- How to manage change and competing priorities

- Illustrating your organization's values in your work

- How a career in sports informs the life of a sports parent 

- Tips for communications students and professionals

Resources mentioned: 

- Healthy Sports Parents

- Pitch Ideas Like A PR Pro Digital Course

- "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture"

-"Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"

-MVW Communications

Resilience is key when you’re going all in on a niche. As external factors change, your passion and skills will help you stay afloat. Join Melissa as she kicks off season 12 with Jonathan Carone, the owner and creative director of Carone Designs and founder of Healthy Sports Parents. Listen as they discuss this season’s theme of finding your niche.

About Jonathan: 

Jonathan Carone has spent the last 10+ years helping organizations communicate more clearly, connect more deeply, and build trust with the people they serve. That's his day job at CaroneDesigns. But on the side, he's been building a new platform called Healthy Sports Parents. What started as a side project has become a fast-growing media platform with over 165,000 followers and 3M+ monthly views across social media helping moms, dads, and coaches navigate the world of youth sports with more empathy, perspective, and presence.

Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn 

Topics covered:

- Jonathan’s journey to his niche

- The inspiration for Healthy Sports Parents

- How to cut through the noise and connect with an audience

- What HSP taught Jonathan about communications

- Tips for using communication for good

Resources mentioned: 

- Carone Designs

- Healthy Sports Parents

- Parents 2026 Next Gen Awards

- Opportunity Knocks

- Pitch Ideas Like A PR Pro Digital Course

- "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture"

- "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"

- MVW Communications

Any organization or individual can encounter a public relations crisis. That’s why it’s important to proactively build an immunity to crisis and have the right team in your corner when your reputation is at stake. In this season’s finale, Melissa talks with Jon Goldberg, the founder of Reputation Architects, about the lessons he’s learned through his work in crisis communications and reputation management.

About Jon: 

Jon Goldberg founded Reputation Architects in 2009 after more than 25 years as an advisor to top executives and boards and a senior leader at some of the world's most prominent communications firms. Trained as a journalist, Jon is a frequent speaker, author and media commentator at the intersection of risk, reputation, culture and technology, including building organizational immunity to crisis; countering disinformation; the psychology of online trolling; communicating on polarizing social issues; and the role of artificial intelligence in stoking—and potentially reversing—incivility and online hate.

Connect with Jon on LinkedIn

Topics covered:

- Crisis communication vs. reputation management

- How to manage your well-being in a stressful line of work

- Learnings from Jon’s deep experience in crisis communications

- Who is at risk for a crisis

- The intersection of reputation, risk, culture and technology

- What Jon wishes PR pros knew about managing crisis comms

Resources mentioned: 

- The Coffee Bean 

- "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture" 

- "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"

- MVW Communications

Coaching is a valuable way to help break through what is keeping you from being the leader you were meant to be. In today’s episode, Melissa speaks with the founder and CEO of Piñata Possible, Laura Saldivar Luna, about how working with a leadership coach can transform your professional and personal life.

About Laura: 

Laura Saldivar Luna is a wife, mom, and the founder and CEO of Piñata Possible, a transformational coaching practice that helps purpose-driven leaders unlock breakthroughs in their inner leadership and external impact. Before stepping into entrepreneurship, Laura spent nearly 20 years with Teach For America—serving as a classroom teacher, as an Executive Director, and as the organization's Chief People Officer. Her work is rooted in the belief that when leaders liberate their full expression, they expand their clarity, joy, power, and impact.

Connect with Laura on LinkedIn

Topics covered:

- The story behind Piñata Possible’s framework

- Lessons learned from working in education

- When to seek the help of a coach

- What prevents people from taking action on their goals

- What to know about working with a leadership coach

- How cultural differences impact coaching experiences

Resources mentioned: 

- Piñata Possible

- Beyond the Bite with Eddie Aldrete: Laura Saldivar Luna on Breaking the Piñata and Finding the Potential Within

- Chip Conley

- Ask A Latina

- "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture"

"Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"

MVW Communications

Paying it forward doesn’t always have to mean a monetary act of kindness. Sometimes, candid career advice and making connections can be infinitely more valuable to students searching for or starting their careers. 

In today’s episode, Melissa speaks with public relations professor and the founder of SpeakerPost, Komal Shah Kapoor, Ph.D., about why it’s impactful to share advice from your professional journey with students and young professionals.

About Dr. Kapoor: 

Komal Kapoor is a public relations professor at Pepperdine University and the founder of SpeakerPost, a platform that connects educators with industry professionals for guest speaking opportunities in high school and college classrooms. With a background spanning global marketing, media, and entrepreneurship, her work focuses on mentorship, relationship-building, and helping students feel more confident and prepared as they enter professional environments.

Connect with Dr. Kapoor on LinkedIn

Topics covered:

-Dr. K’s passion for connecting students and industry professionals

-Student’s perspective on PR and communications

-Feedback from students

-How students utilize AI for advice

-What Dr. K wishes pros knew about young professionals

-How to advise the future generation of PR professionals with SpeakerPost

Resources mentioned: 

- SpeakerPost

- Green Sea Shells

- "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture"

- "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"

- MVW Communications