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Summary: In this episode of The PIO Podcast, we sit down with Rebecca D’Auria, Public Information Analyst with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, to unpack how one of California’s largest sheriff’s offices approaches social media, crisis communication, and community engagement. Rebecca shares how she got her start in law enforcement communications, why storytelling matters in public safety, and how her team balances planned content with fast-moving breaking incidents. We talk about the shift toward short-form video, the importance of adapting content for different platforms, and why law enforcement agencies should stop treating social media like a press release dump. She also breaks down how audience feedback, analytics, and behind-the-scenes content shape their strategy, as well as how her team handles transparency, legal limits, and the growing role of AI. Her biggest takeaway: don’t post and ghost — social media should be a conversation, not a broadcast.

Rebecca's BIO: As the Public Affairs Specialist for the Orange County Sheriff's Department, she manages the department's digital presence, overseeing more than 90 social media accounts. Since joining the team in 2021, she has
been dedicated to developing and executing effective social media outreach strategies, ensuring that our digital content resonates with the community and enhances engagement. Her role involves creating and implementing creative content across platforms, analyzing social media trends, and providing valuable insights on analytics to help drive department goals. Rebecca works closely with
internal teams to keep them informed of key performance metrics, and my research into emerging digital trends influences how the department's content is presented and received across various platforms.

In addition to my work in digital communications, I have a passion for mentoring and training junior communications professionals, helping them build skills in social media management and outreach. Before my current role, I worked as a Staff Writer and Social Media Manager for Behind the Badge, an award-winning news outlet focused on police, fire, and public safety reporting in Southern California.

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Episode Summary: Erinn Reyes, Director of Communications for the City of Garden City, Kansas, shares insights on municipal communication strategies, crisis management, and building community trust. Discover how her diverse background and recent FBI training shape her approach to transparent, effective public engagement.

Erinn's BIO: Erinn Reyes is the Communications Director for the City of Garden City, where she works at the intersection of municipal government communications and public safety messaging, managing everything from crisis communications to community engagement to citywide information strategies. Erinn is passionate about fostering positive relationships between the local government and the community, advocating for transparency, and promoting a safe, informed environment for all residents and followers, all while adding some humor and good human moments along the way. She has proudly served with the City of Garden City since 2015. Before leading the City’s Communications Department, Erinn also served as the Public Information Officer for the Garden City Police Department. 

Erinn earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications from
Northwestern Oklahoma State University and is a graduate of the Emergency
Management Institute’s APIO Program (2024) and the FBI-LEEDA’s 177th Media
& Public Relations Course (2023).

In her spare time, Erinn enjoys reading, playing video games, and spending quality
time with her family and friends, her two dogs, and her growing guinea pig farm.

Erinn's LinkedIn

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Evan Meyer, creator of MyGovTools, shares insights on government technology, community engagement, and the challenges of modern public communication. Discover how innovative tools can rebuild trust, improve efficiency, and address bureaucratic hurdles.

Evan's BIO: Evan Meyer is a tech entrepreneur and civic leader passionate about
transportation, urban revitalization through art, and building purpose-driven 
communities. He founded BeautifyEarth.com, a tech platform accelerating mural-
driven beautification in cities, and BeautifyEarth.org, a public charity beautifying
schools in underserved communities. He also created RideAmigos.com,
optimizing commuter travel through intelligent analytics, and MyGovTools.org,
rebuilding trust in government through efficiency and transparency. As a former
District Director for the California State Senate and neighborhood association
president, Evan brings real-world civic experience to every conversation.

Evan's Website

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In this episode, Dr. Josh Bear, a research professor specializing in community resilience and disaster response, shares insights into the complex human and community behaviors during emergencies. We explore how recovery can span years, the importance of tailored communication, and the role of simulation in improving disaster management.

BIO: Dr. Joshua Behr is a research professor at the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC). He conducts studies, performs modeling, and publishes insights on resilience, catastrophic events, recovery, evacuation and sheltering, and supply chain material & labor convergence. This entails leveraging natural systems data to model storms and flooding, built environment data to characterize the physical structures in our communities, and social-
behavioral data related to population perceptions and behavioral response.

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Summary: In this in-depth interview, Sergeant Major Daniel J Wallace shares his extensive military career, insights into strategic communication, leadership credibility, and the evolving landscape of military public affairs. Discover practical advice for aspiring public affairs professionals and the importance of authenticity and adaptability in high-pressure environments.

BIO: SGM Daniel Wallace enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 2003 as a health care specialist before reclassifying in November 2009 to become a public affairs specialist. He is currently assigned to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command as the Chief Public Affairs Noncommissioned Officer at Panzer Kaserne, Kaiserslautern, Germany.

SGM Wallace has served in a variety of positions during his 23 years of service, these include: Public Affairs Advisor to the Sergeant Major of the Army at the Pentagon, Virginia; First Sergeant for American Forces Network Pacific HQ at Yokota Air Base, Japan; Public Affairs Plans and Operations NCO for Eighth Army at Camp Humphreys South Korea; and Public Affairs Operations NCO for the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He has had multiple deployments, including: Operation Iraqi Freedom to Tikrit, Iraq, and Camp Burhing, Kuwait; and Operation Enduring Freedom to Kabul, Afghanistan.

SGM Wallace is a Christian and husband to Jobelle Wallace, and father to three daughters, Althea (22), Tyrish (21), and Ayumi (17), and one son, Gabriel (14).

SG<

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Episode Summary: In this episode, Alicia Johnson, founder of Two Lynchpin Road, shares valuable strategies for effective public communication during emergencies. Discover how trust, transparency, and community engagement shape public perception and improve crisis response.

BIO: Alicia is an emergency manager, resilience strategist, and Founder and CEO of Two Lynchpin Road — a woman-owned resilience consulting firm. With over 20 years of on-the-ground experience, she has spent her career on the question disaster response never fully answers: why do some communities recover while others don't — and what does trust have to do with it?

 That question drives her Resilience Operating System, which treats Trust Infrastructure — the measurable connections between institutions and the communities they serve — as a non-negotiable foundation for disaster preparedness. Alicia's work helps governments and organizations build community trust, strengthen public engagement, and create information systems that actually reach people before a crisis demands it.

 She has served as an expert to NATO, built White House-recognized preparedness resources, and worked with clients ranging from the City of Sonoma to state emergency management agencies across the country.

 When she's not building trust infrastructure before a crisis tests it, you'll find her taking photographs and planning her next travel adventure. 10 countries, 47 states, and counting.

https://twolynchpinroad.com

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Episode Summary:
In this engaging interview, retired FBI agent Jerri Williams shares insights from her career, debunks common misconceptions about the FBI, and discusses the art of storytelling in law enforcement. Discover how honesty, relationship-building, and effective communication build public trust and how her journey into crime fiction complements her mission to educate the public.

BIO: Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author, and podcaster, served 26 years in the FBI, specializing in economic fraud and corruption investigations. She’s now on a mission to show the public who the FBI is and what the FBI does. January 2026 marks her 10th anniversary hosting and producing FBI Case File Review, a true-crime podcast. Jerri has authored four books: two FBI police
procedurals and two nonfiction books that debunk misconceptions about the FBI found in books, TV, and movies. Her work helps true crime enthusiasts and aspiring FBI agents learn how the FBI investigates crime. Visit jerriwilliams.com.

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Episode Summary: In this insightful interview, Matt Davis, a law enforcement leader and founder of True Bold Leadership, shares his expertise on trauma-informed leadership, effective communication during crises, and building trust within organizations. Discover practical strategies to enhance public safety communication, foster internal trust, and uncover true boldness in leadership.

LinkedIn

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Episode Summary: Rox Cruz, the public information officer for Mooresville, North Carolina, shares her diverse background, innovative communication strategies, and insights on community engagement, language access, and crisis communication. Discover how her unique experiences shape her approach to building trust and connecting with a rapidly evolving community.

Rox's BIO: Rox Cruz is a public information officer and marketing strategist who believes government communication should sound human, useful, and maybe even a little interesting... imagine that. In her position with the Town of Morrisville, she leads video storytelling, media relations, crisis communications, digital engagement, website user experience, and community outreach. Her career has spanned local government, nonprofit leadership, the music industry, and sports, giving her a broad perspective on how people connect with organizations. As a domestic violence survivor and CPTSD advocate, Rox is passionate about creating a culture of belonging within the workplace and community, thought leadership, and breaking stigmas through transparency around mental health and single motherhood. She lives in North Carolina with her two wild boys and loves to golf and create art.

Instagram: PlotTwistOffScript

LinkedIn Rox Cruz

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Episode Summary: In this insightful interview, Ted Czech, a former reporter turned public information officer, reflects on the state of American media, its challenges, and how trust can be rebuilt. He shares his journey, the systemic issues plaguing journalism, and practical advice for both journalists and PIOs.

Ted's BIO:  Ted Czech spent 25 years as a crime and emergency journalist for newspapers in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Currently, he serves as the Public Information Officer for the York County Office of Emergency Management and York County 911. In 2024, Ted published his first book, Saving the Beast: A recovering reporter reflects on America's broken media and how to fix it, and is now toiling over his second, a retrospective of his chaotic career as a reporter.

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Link to Ted's Book Saving the Beast 

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