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Mike Koehler is the founder of Smirk New Media, Oklahoma's original digital marketing agency. Smirk has grown from one pawnshop laptop to working with nationwide brands. We’ve put together a scrappy team of experts who help companies connect with their customers online using creative content, targeted advertising, customer service innovation and data-driven strategy. 

Specialties: social media strategy, social media content, understanding social media channels, multimedia storytelling, new media, content marketing, writing

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I have been with the Oxford Police Department since 2005. I have held numerous positions, such as Reserve Officer, Patrol Officer, DUI Officer, Sergeant of the DUI Unit, Patrol Lieutenant, Admin Lieutenant, Patrol Captain, and now Admin Captain. Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Mississippi in 2006 and Master's Degree in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership from the University of San Diego in 2020. Attended the 270th Session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA. Married with 2 beautiful girls.

Hildon - [email protected]

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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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Luis Agostini is the public information officer for the DEA Chicago Field Division. Prior to joining the DEA, Luis served as an assistant director of communications with the Chicago Police Department. Luis brings over two decades of communications experience from his time in the DEA and CPD, his 12 years of service in the United States Marine Corps as a combat correspondent and public affairs chief, and five years in the private sector at various public relations firms in Chicago. 


DEA Twitter DEACHICAGODiv
Luis Email [email protected]

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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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Shawna Bruce brings her clients 40 years of risk and crisis communications, public information, and media relations experience. Shawna served as a Public Affairs Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces before transitioning to Dow Chemical Canada's National Public Affairs Leader, where she was responsible for corporate communications and support to Dow's petrochemical sites across Canada.

Today, Shawna runs her own consulting business focusing on helping organizations boost their confidence and communication capacity during crises. She is also a curriculum writer and instructor for courses at NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) and the Justice Institute of British Columbia, sharing her knowledge and expertise with aspiring professionals.

A true believer in giving back to your community Shawna volunteers as a Board Member for the North East Region Community Awareness and Emergency Response (NR CAER) mutual aid group, First in the Field (a Veteran's Organization founded by her family), ForVeterans Advisory Council (University of British Columbia) and is newly appointed Associate Board Member with the Concordia University of Edmonton.

Shawna is a graduate of Carleton University (Mass Communications), Algonquin College (Public Relations Diploma), the Defense Information School (DINFOS - US), and Royal Roads University (MA Disaster and Emergency Management).

Shawna's Email
Shawna's Twitter

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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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Barry Furey is an award-winning public safety executive with over 50 years of experience. Serving as a fire officer in three states, a 9-1-1 director in four, and as a consultant here and abroad, he has authored more than 300 articles, contributed to industry texts, and published two books, including his recent "Managing 9-1-1, 365 Days a Year", available on Amazon Kindle.

Chairman of numerous committees, he led the creation of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) "Homeland Security White Paper," which examined best practices for emergency communications centers after 9/11.

Barry can be contacted through his website www.bareyFurey.com

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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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Allison Breanna Hudson currently serves as Division Manager in the Office of Community Affairs for the Houston Police Department. She has 20 years of experience in crisis communication, media management, and all things public safety. Prior to her move to the Houston Police Department, she served a year as program manager and advanced public information officer for the City of Houston Office of Emergency Management and ten years with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office in Ascension Parish, Louisiana.

Hudson has served in several volunteer roles as President of the Donaldsonville Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Donaldsonville, and the Arc of East Ascension. She has also served as Vice-President for the Iris Domestic Violence Center.

After six short months of transitioning to Houston, Allison was awarded the Top 40 under 40 for the Houston Business Journal, making it her third 40 under 40 award; previously the Baton Rouge Business Report in 2016 and Xavier University Top 40 under 40 alumni award in 2016.

Hudson also serves as an instructor for FEMA, teaching public information courses, Joint Information Center training, and crisis communication and social media classes.

Allison's Email 

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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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Trent's Bio
Trent has been a professional copywriter since 2015.
Trent has predominately worked with the firearms, outdoor, defense, and marketing industries.
Some notable clients Trent has such as Ammo Terra (former) and Sportsman's Warehouse (current).
Over the years, Trent appeared on numerous podcasts, primarily focusing on self-help, marketing, and storytelling.


Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trent.gander.33

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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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Jerred A. Johnson has an extensive background in public safety, spanning over 16 years in firefighting and rescue, campus law enforcement, criminology, the American Red Cross, and now Homeland Security/Emergency Management. Jerred is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice: Homeland Security at Liberty University after receiving an Associate's Degree in General Studies, a Bachelor's in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland College Park, a Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security Management and a Master's Degree in Emergency Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. He is the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Planner and the Public Information Officer for Somerset County Emergency Services located in Princess Anne, Maryland. 

Recently, Jerred was appointed as the Public Information Officer and Executive Officer of the Stockton Volunteer Fire Company and voted in as a Board of Trustee member, as well as a volunteer firefighter/rescue technician and medical responder. In his spare time, Jerred volunteers with his church enjoys free time with his dog, Sophia, and his cat, Nola, and enjoys anything outdoors like fishing, hunting, camping, and hiking. 

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In this week's episode, we interview  Dana Whyte, the Communications Manager from Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety, on the shooting on campus on February 13, 2023.

Dana's Bio
Dana Whyte is the Communications Manager and Spokesperson for the Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety, leading all strategic communication initiatives for MSU DPPS. She manages the department's website and social media pages, serves as the spokesperson for media interviews, and is in charge of internal communications, including developing and distributing a monthly employee newsletter.

Dana comes to MSU DPPS from a journalistic background, serving as a television news reporter for four years. She worked for both WOOD-TV8 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and WLNS-TV in Lansing, Michigan, covering historic events such as the coronavirus pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the 2020 Presidential Election. She received her bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University in Broadcast & Cinematic Arts and is currently pursuing her master's degree in Strategic Communication from MSU. In her spare time, Dana enjoys reading, traveling, and serving as a fitness instructor at The Barre Code East Lansing.

Dana's LinkedIn 

Dana's Email Address

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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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Bill Delaney has over 40 years of experience in the fire service, first as a volunteer and career firefighter and, over the last 23 years, as a civilian manager. He retired as a Public Information Officer with the Fairfax County (VA) Fire & Rescue Department in May 2023. Bill serves as a social media consultant with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Bill is considered a thought leader in public safety social media use and a nationally recognized speaker presenting at Women in Fire, Firehouse Expo, IAFC, and the NFPA. Mr. Delaney is a past chair of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Virtual Social Media Working Group.

Bills e-mail
Bills Twitter @billdelaney

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.