Smart Talk Series

This season, we've learned that cultural strategy is essential, but approaches can feel hollow and performative without collaboration and authentic engagement with the cultures being recognized. In this season finale, Melissa speaks with Charlene Ostbloom, the founder of Bloom Communications and Angela Gonzalez, the communications manager for Chugachmiut, a tribal consortium. They dig into bridging cultures between business and Native communities, the missteps around Cherokee Barbie, and the incorporation of Native Land Acknowledgements.

About Charlene:
Charlene Ostbloom, founder of Bloom Communications, is dedicated to bridging cultures between businesses and Alaska Native communities. With decades of experience and deep roots in Nulato (noo-LA-Toh), Alaska, she offers Corporate Culture Camps, training, coaching and facilitation services. Charlene is also developing Native Women RISE, an innovative program that will celebrate the unique professional journeys of Indigenous women.

About Angela:
Angela Gonzalez is Koyukon Athabascan originally from Huslia, Alaska, and lives in Anchorage, Alaska. She is a communications professional, writer, and bead artist living in Anchorage, Alaska. She is currently the communications manager for Chugachmiut, a tribal consortium.

Visit Bloom Communications' website.
Connect with Charlene on LinkedIn.
Read Angela's blog, Athabascan Woman.
Follow Angela on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.

Topics covered:
- Learning from Mattel's missteps from the Cherokee Barbie
- Creating representation with Fish Camp Barbie
- Native Land Acknowledgements
- How Native Land Acknowledgements can be problematic
- How to increase respect for Native cultural expressions and practices

Resources mentioned:
- World Eskimo-Indian Olympics
- "Mattel Missteps With Cherokee Barbie"
- "Barbie releases Juan Gabriel-inspired doll to honor the Mexican icon's legacy"
- "Viral ‘Fish Camp Barbie’ celebrates Alaska Native heritage"
- First Alaskans Institute
- "The Love/Hate Dilemma of Alaska Native Land Acknowledgments: A Call for Authenticity"
- PRSA Counselor's Academy
- Athabascan Woman Blog
- "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"
- MVW Communications

Creating a cultural strategy is not enough. Effectively implementing your strategy is the first step to enacting real change. Listen as Melissa talks with Ben Finzel and LaTricia Harper Woods, APR of The Change Agencies about activating cultural strategy in today's society.

About Ben:
Ben Finzel is president of RENEWPR, a Washington, DC-based public relations firm. Ben and his team of seven independent PR professionals provide advice, counsel and outreach on strategy, messaging, media and partnerships to clients tackling energy, environmental and equity issues and opportunities. Ben is one of two founders of The Change Agencies, the national network of inclusive PR firms focused on changing the way business and organizations communicate across cultures.

About LaTricia:
LaTricia Woods is an award-winning, accredited public relations professional with more than 29 years of industry experience. She is the Founder and CEO of Mahogany Xan Communications, where she leads a talented team of professionals and serves a national client portfolio. She is also the founding principal of The Change Agencies. 

Follow The Change Agencies on Facebook.
Follow The Change Agencies on LinkedIn.

Topics covered:
- The current state of cultural competence in comms
- Key drivers for the creation of The Change Agencies' cultural strategy
- Embodying the cultural nuances of different target audiences
- Implementing cultural strategy in today's political climate
- Avoiding cultural appropriation
- Staying ahead of cultural trends and adapting strategies

Resources mentioned:
- The Change Agencies
- “Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know”
- MVW Communications

Sometimes the audiences that are the easiest to reach are not the ones that you need to hear from. In today's episode, Melissa sits with Jessica Broome Ph.D., the founder of Southpaw Insights about what inclusive insights are and how they can benefit every communicator.

About Jessica:
Dr. Jessica Broome is a survey methodologist and insights professional. She founded Southpaw Insights in 2008 to conduct meaningful, human-centered research that helps organizations make smart decisions and connect with audiences. Southpaw does qualitative and quantitative research to help clients understand what people think, feel, and do.

Email Jessica at [email protected]
Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn.
Follow Southpaw Insights on LinkedIn.

Topics covered:
- The importance of inclusive insights
- Findings from niche audiences
- Challenges when communicating with hard-to-reach audiences
- The future of inclusive insights
- Findings from studies on women and self-promotion
- How communicators can utilize inclusive insights

Resources mentioned:
- Southpaw Insights
- “Barriers to Accessing Swim Lessons and Water Safety Information for American Indian and Alaska Native Persons”
- “Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know”
- MVW Communications

Soccer brings together people of all cultures around the world. With a large audience that comes from so many backgrounds, how do you best communicate with each? Tune in to an engaging conversation with the Executive Director of Public Relations for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Daniel "Danny" Marin about how to communicate with an international IQ.

About Danny:
Daniel Marin is the Executive Director of Public Relations for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ where he leads all communications strategies for what will be the biggest sporting event in history. For two decades Daniel has held a range of comms roles within some of the biggest brands around, from UPS to Netflix, and most recently led communications for Amazon’s Prime Video division across Latin America, Canada, Australia & New Zealand. He’s a native of Miami, FL where he currently resides, and holds an MBA from Florida International University.

Connect with Danny on LinkedIn.

Topics covered:
- PR for the world's most popular sport
- Managing external communications
- The importance of incorporating both English and Spanish languages in communications
- Communicating with diverse cultural groups
- Internal vs. external communications

Resources mentioned:
- Junior Intern Emilia speaking ASL
- FIFA World Cup
- “Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know”
- MVW Communications

Culturally relevant communication is powerful, especially when it's created with knowledge, empathy, and solidarity. In this episode, Melissa talks to Gabriel Reyes, the president and founder of Reyes Entertainment about his new book and efforts to inform and educate the industry pros about the need for cultural competence.

About Gabriel:
Gabriel Reyes is considered one of the pioneers of Hispanic marketing in the Entertainment Industry. He has led Reyes Entertainment, a boutique PR agency based in Hollywood for over two decades. In 2023, Reyes was honored by the Public Relations Society of America L.A. Chapter (PRSA-LA) with its Sunrise Honors Award in recognition of his work promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Public Relations field.

Follow Reyes Entertainment on Facebook.
Follow Reyes Entertainment on Instagram.
Follow Reyes Entertainment on X.
Follow Gabriel on TikTok.

Topics covered:
- The importance of cultural competence for communicators
- The state of U.S. media
- Defining implicit bias
- How PR pros can elevate marginalized communities
- How communication professionals can make a positive difference

Resources mentioned:
- Reyes Entertainment
- "WOKE: A Cultural Competence Guide for Communicators"
- "The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema"
- Race Forward
- "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together"
- “Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know”
- MVW Communications

Join us this season as we focus on Cultural Strategy! Melissa kicks off Season 8 with Associate Director of Race and Ethnicity Research at Pew Research Center, Sahana Mukherjee. Listen as they discuss the important role research plays when crafting cultural strategy.

About Sahana:
Sahana Mukherjee is Associate Director of Race and Ethnicity research at Pew Research Center. She is an expert on issues of race relations, culture and identity, and immigration in American and Asian contexts. Sahana has published extensively in academic and non-academic outlets and has received multiple research awards from universities and professional societies in recognition of her work.

Access all of Pew Research Center reports on their website.
Sign up for Pew Research Center's newsletter or follow them on social.

Topics covered:
- Using research findings to inform communications strategy
- Findings from Pew Research Center's new report "A Majority of Latinas Feel Pressure To Support Their Families or To Succeed at Work”
- Unique pressures Latinas face
- Life satisfaction for Latinas

Resources mentioned:
- "A Majority of Latinas Feel Pressure To Support Their Families or To Succeed at Work"
- “Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know”
- MVW Communications

Season finale! Celebrate the end of Season 7 with an insightful discussion between host Melissa Vela-Williamson and Ernie Zuniga the host of "Pickup Lines". Ernie shares about taking the leap from being a TV morning news anchor on traditional media, to developing a self-produced show with a unique format.

About Ernie:
For almost 18 years, Ernie Zuniga helped to wake up San Antonio area residents bright and early every weekday as the anchor and co-host of FOX San Antonio’s highly-rated morning show, “FOX News First”. Ernie has stayed very busy, trying his hand at podcasting and going 'all-in' on the digital talk show he created six years ago inside his own car, called "Pickup Lines".

Follow Ernie on Facebook
Connect with Ernie on LinkedIn
Follow Ernie on Instagram
Subscribe to Ernie's YouTube channel
Listen to Pickup Lines on Spotify

Topics covered:
- The format of "Pickup Lines"
- Securing sponsorships
- The best and worst part of creating and hosting your own show
- Using audience feedback to improve
- Advice for pivoting in your career

Resources mentioned:
- Pickup Lines Facebook Live shows
- North Park of Lexus of San Antonio
- North Park of Lexus at Dominion
- PRSA San Antonio
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications

When you see a lack of representation in media, sometimes the best way to address it is to create the type of publication you're craving. In today's episode, Melissa sits down with April Monterrosa, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Live From The Southside Magazine, to talk about creating content for a niche audience and an insider's look into becoming a community influencer.

About April:
April Monterrosa, a native of San Antonio, Texas, is an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and business mentor. She’s the publisher and editor-in-chief of Live From The Southside Magazine, the first woman-owned publication in Southside San Antonio. Her entrepreneurial journey commenced at 12 when she assisted with various responsibilities within her father’s plumbing contracting company, Greg Galindo Plumbing. This early exposure laid the foundation for her journey into business ownership. With over 20 years of hospitality and spa industry expertise in the corporate world, April thrived as the proprietor of her esthetic and wellness business before her media career.

Follow Live From The Southside on Facebook
Follow Live From The Southside on Twitter
Follow Live From The Southside on Instagram

Topics covered:
- An insider's look at Live From The Southside
- The evolution of Live From The Southside
- Advantages from focusing on a hyper-local area of the city
- The effects of becoming an influencer
- Radio in today's world
- Advice on creating content for a niche audience

Resources mentioned:
- Live From the Southside
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications

You don't have to be a subject matter expert to help create an engaging event for professionals in a certain sector. You just have to be an expert at creating events. In this episode, Melissa talks with Erika Bradbury, an editorial and event content strategist about creating successful events and communications for business-to-business (B2B) audiences.

About Erika:
Erika Bradbury is an editorial and event content strategist. For more than 15 years, she has worked cross-functionally to create and activate B2B content. This has included writing for both print and digital publications, as well as programming large and small conference agendas. Event programs have included Social Shake-Up, IAB Annual Leadership Meeting, IAB Mixx, the Direct Brand Summit and Fashion Digital. She has worked on partner programs for Cannes and Mobile World Congress, as well as produced programs and managed talent at Podcast Upfronts and Newfronts West.

Connect with Erika on LinkedIn
Email Erika at [email protected]

Topics covered:
- Focusing on business-to-business (B2B) communications and events
- Creating content and experiences for a profession
- Topics that impact how we practice PR
- Creating content and events for social media
- Managing events for professionals
- Advice for pros looking to work for a trade publication

Resources mentioned:
- PRNEWS
- The Social Shake-Up Show
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications

No matter what field you're in, there's probably a publication that is created for professionals like you and covers stories that are relevant to your area of work. This is called trade journalism. In today's episode, Melissa is joined by John Elsasser, the editor-in-chief of PRSA's Strategies & Tactics for a discussion about the evolution and importance of trade journalism.

About John:
John Elsasser is an experienced director of publications with a demonstrated history of working in the public relations and communications profession. He's an accomplished writer and editor with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University.

Connect with John on LinkedIn
Email John at [email protected]

Topics covered:
- John's path to PRSA
- The evolution of the PRSA publication
- Writing for evolving attention spans and platforms
- Advice for students and pros interested in trade journalism

Resources mentioned:
- Strategies & Tactics
- Melissa's column
- PRSA ICON Conference
- "PRSA Releases Guidance on Artificial Intelligence"
- PRSA LinkedIn
- Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know
- MVW Communications