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Jack's Bio

PREREQUISITES

PUBLIC AFFAIRS ADVISOR ON CYBER AND STRATEGIC COMPETITION
U.S. Army Reserve Active Duty 9/2020 to Current.
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND POLICY ADVISOR
Booze Allen Hamilton (BAH), Washington D.C., 8/2017- Optional return after military duty
Consultant to multiple U.S. Agencies on Public-Affairs and communication policy

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND POLICY
US Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany, 7/2014 – 7/2017
Designed and managed military, cross-agency, and multinational communication strategy, and campaigns across Africa

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY OFFICER
US Department of State, Embassy Kabul, Afghanistan, 1/2013 – 10/2013, (limited-term position)

PUBLIC AFFAIRS, DEPUTY CHIEF OF PLANS AND OPERATIONS
U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, 3/2010- 1/2013
Designed and led multiple U.S. & NATO communication campaigns, operations, and exercises throughout Europe

DOD PUBLIC AFFAIRS & STATE DEPT. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY OFFICER
Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team, Kirkuk, Iraq, 8/2006 – 1/2010
Military deployment to the Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team to lead public affairs and deputy public diplomacy

SPOKESPERSON
State of California, Department of Transportation, San Francisco Bay Area, 01/2000 – 8/2006

Phone: 571-289-8937
Email: [email protected]
LI: linkedin.com/in/Jack-H-Gaines

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In this episode, we’ll let you hear part of a dynamic presentation from Judy Pal….a media trainer, strategist, former PIO, and another past president of NIOA.
 That’s coming up on the PIO PODCAST.

Please take a moment to complete the survey on the last 5 episodes with our guest reporter Ed Buice. Click on the link below.  

Link to the Survey

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In this episode, we’ll continue the theme of “WHAT WOULD YOU DO?”
 Louisiana PIO Brennan Mattherne—another former president of NIOA—shares some of the lessons he learned from Hurricane Ida. 
 

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In our next episode, we’ll hear North Port Florida PIO Josh Taylor discuss the case of Gabby Petito, a young van lifer whose disappearance in late summer 2021 captivated the international media.   Josh will offer tips that might help…..if you ever find yourself in a situation like THAT case.
 That’s coming up, on THE PIO PODCAST.
 

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To find out more about the National Information Officers Association….visit NIOA.ORG
In this episode of the NIOA training conference recap, we’ll hear more great lessons learned and also talk with one of the vendors that help sponsor the conference…..and attend to discuss their products and services with attendees. 
That’s coming up…….on the PIO PODCAST 
 

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You’ve heard me talk many times about NIOA—-the National Information Officers Association, the premiere organization for public information officers in public safety.
 
 In the next five episodes of The PIO Podcast, we will hear some recaps from the most recent NIOA Annual Training Conference. 

The first couple of shows features interviews with conference attendees talking about their takeaways and lessons learned from the conference.  

 The other three episodes are big segments of three of the featured case studies presented at the conference,

 All will provide you with a lot of actionable intelligence or "news you can use" if you will...to help you be a better PIO.

 Serving as our host for these episodes…..is NCIS Senior Public Affairs Officer Ed Buice, a former city police PIO, former radio and TV reporter, and former NIOA President.
 
 

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Captain Sheronda Grant is a proud Milwaukee native who grew up in the 53206 area. Shortly after graduating from Hamilton High School, she was hired by the Milwaukee Police Department as a police aide in 2001. After graduating from the Police Academy, she was assigned to District 4 as a patrol officer. As an officer, Captain Grant became a state-certified law enforcement instructor trained in Professional Communications, Defense and Arrest Tactics, Emergency Vehicle Operations, and Vehicle Contacts. She also became a field training officer, specialized in undercover operations, and at one point was the sole recruiting officer for the entire Milwaukee Police Department.  

In January 2014, Captain Grant was promoted to the rank of a police sergeant and has been assigned to District 5, the Internal Affairs Division, the Police Academy, and the Office of the Chief as the agency’s Spokesperson. In 2020, she was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to District 3. In December 2021, she was reassigned to District 5 as the Acting Captain, and on February 18, 2022, she was promoted to Captain and remained at District 5.  

Captain Grant holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and Quality and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, both from Marian University. She graduated from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) - Leadership in Police Organizations. She has attended various FBI LEEDA courses, earned several training certificates, and graduated from Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command - Class 518. She is a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, IACP, and is a former President of the League of Martin. Captain Grant believes that diversity in law enforcement is essential, therefore, she works to encourage more African Americans, other minorities, and women to join the law enforcement profession.  

Captain Grant's clothing line https://www.wearestrongenough.com/ 

https://city.milwaukee.gov/police/About-MPD/Command-Staff-Bios/Sheronda-D.-Grant

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In this year-end episode, we wrap up all 36 guests with excerpts from each episode related to Public Information Officers. 

Some quick stats from 2022:

• 1063 minutes and 32 seconds of audio was recorded
• The podcast was downloaded 8,459 times, double of 2021
  • 73 % of our listeners heard the podcast on an Apple Podcast/I-tunes
  • 6% on Stitcher
  • 4% on the Web
  • 4% on iHeartradio
  • 3% on Google Podcast
• 78 % Listened on your iPhone
• 8% listened on an Android
• 14% listened on other devices

See you in 2023. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

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Our premiere sponsor, Social News Desk, has an exclusive offer for PIO Podcast listeners. Head over to socialnewsdesk.com/pio to get three months free when a qualifying agency signs up.

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Lauri-Ellen’s experience in Government and Corporate PR includes serving as communications lead in more than 30 Incident/Unified Commands since her career took a turn in the direction of emergency/crisis/risk communication and management, with her appointment as a spokesperson for Super Bowl XXXIX (39) Safety and Security and lead PIO for the event. 

She has “stood up” or run many Joint Information Centers for hurricanes, high-profile murder trials, industrial incidents, civil unrest/riot, and a campus shooting during her 14-year tenure as the press secretary to two elected Sheriffs in Florida and a Mayor in Mississippi. She led the PIO unit and served as lead comms strategist/press secretary for the nation’s 14th - largest law enforcement agency. She then served as a Community Relations Director on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Government Relations Officer and Emergency Management in a state regulatory agency’s regional offices. 

Today, Smith is a crisis/risk communications strategist and media trainer for C-Suite members and non-government spokespersons, as well as a designer and trainer of emergency management tabletop exercises. In her “prior PR life,” Smith spent 10 years as the PR/Marketing Director for an extensive health system, serving as their government affairs director and lobbying at the state and federal levels. She most notably advocated for healthcare portability and tort reform and co-authored a best practice for communicating adverse medical incidents.

Lauri-Ellen advises clients (government, first responders, healthcare, higher education, utilities, and private corporations) on their integrated marketing/communications and public affairs programming. She most enjoys developing tactical strategies and policy development/support; analyzing/supporting PIO staff's functionality and JIC skills; training spokespersons; teaching social media best practices, and advancing common-sense social media policies. She is highly regarded as an advisor on risk/reputation management and front-line worker customer service training. 

Smith serves on the Board and Executive Committee of PRSA's Public Affairs and
Government Section. She is the 2015 recipient of the Lloyd B. Dennis Distinguished Service Award in Public Affairs, PRSA’s highest honor for PAO’s and PIOs. She earned
her bachelor’s degree from the nationally ranked PR program at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.

She is a 2021 graduate of FEMA’s Master PIO (MPIO) program. She now joins an elite group of the nation’s top emergency management crisis communicators – the first (and currently only) credentialled MPIO in her adopted state of Mississippi.

Email: [email protected]

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Lauri Stevens is the principal consultant and founder of LAwS Communications. Lauri is also the creator and producer of the SMILE Conference ® .  A former Television news reporter and anchor,  she is an interactive media professional with over 25 years of media experience, including 12 years in higher education as a Department Chair of Interactive Media. She is most well known for having worked with the Toronto Police Department in 2010 to develop a service-wide social media strategy integrating every operational unit. This strategy has been widely emulated by some of the largest police departments in North America and Europe. Clients include the Dallas Police, The USDOJ COPS Office, and the Massachusetts State Police.

She was a social media columnist for LawOfficer.com and currently writes for PoliceOne.com. She has also been published in Police Chief, FBINAA magazine, the NSA’s Sheriffs Magazine, California Peace Officer, American Police Beat, and Police and Security News and quoted in dozens of mainstream publications, including the Boston Globe, Washington Post, CNN, CBC, and NPR.

Lauri is passionate about the Internet, the web, and social media and helping law enforcement leverage these technologies to help them do their jobs, connect with their communities, promote their departments, and investigate and solve the crime.

She holds an MBA in eBusiness from Bentley University, an MS in Mass Communication/Communication Technology from Boston University, and a BA in Political Science from Clemson University.

Telephone - 978.764.9887
Email - [email protected]
Twitter @lawscomm 
Linkedin.com/in/lauristevens 
www.lawscommunications.com 

Support the show

Our premiere sponsor, Social News Desk, has an exclusive offer for PIO Podcast listeners. Head over to socialnewsdesk.com/pio to get three months free when a qualifying agency signs up.