Flyer PR is proving that the future of public relations isn’t waiting until graduation. Based at the University of Dayton, this student-run agency gives aspiring communications professionals real-world experience managing campaigns, navigating crisis simulations, working with clients and building brands before they ever enter the workforce full-time. 

On this episode of The PR Podcast, we’re joined by three of the student leaders behind Flyer Public Relations at the University of Dayton — Haley Reid, Kaitlyn Kenaan and Gabby Davis and their faculty advisor Natasha Baker. As part of one of the country’s most hands-on student-run PR agencies, they’re already managing real clients, building campaigns, navigating crisis simulations and learning what it truly takes to succeed in modern communications. We talk about the future of public relations, how AI and social media are changing the industry, and why experiential learning may be the best preparation for a career in PR today.

The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals. 

Flyer PR

Website: https://www.udflyerpr.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flyerpr/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flyerpr/

Kaitlyn Kenaan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate.kenaan_/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlyn-kenaan/

Haley Reid

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haleynreid/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleynreid/

Gabby Davis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_gabbyd_/

Music Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbydavisofficial/

LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-m-davis/

Natasha Baker 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashab40/

The PR Podcast

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Dorie Klissas is the founder and president of Dorie Klissas Media and an Emmy Award-winning television producer. She spent 15 years at NBC’s Today Show and is an Edward R. Murrow Award contributor for her work on The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. She has served in leadership positions at major health systems, including the Mount Sinai Health System, Hackensack Meridian Health, and NYU Langone, where she oversaw an increase in media coverage by as much as 1000 percent in her first year of tenure, securing placements in high-profile outlets such as CBS’s “60 Minutes” and “Face the Nation.” She is currently the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer with LiveOnNY, the organ donor procurement organization for the New York metropolitan area.

The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals.

Dorie Klissas

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dorie.klissas/

Twitter: https://x.com/DorieKlissas

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klissasdorie/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorie-klissas-8806706/

Dorie Klissas Media

Wesbite: https://dorieklissas.com/site/

The PR Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePRPodcast/Twitter: https://x.com/ThePRPodcast1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprpodcast_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theprpodcast?

Jennifer Acree is the founder and CEO of JSA+Partners, a strategic communications agency she has led for more than 17 years, working with major consumer tech brands including Yahoo, Sphere, Electronic Arts, Exploding Kittens and Character.AI. She’s known for blending strong storytelling with data-driven strategy, most recently through launching Fogline, a proprietary measurement platform focused on meaningful insights over outdated metrics. In 2025, after losing her childhood home in the Palisades fire, Jennifer mobilized her network to launch the L.A. Strong Comms Coalition, delivering more than $150,000 in pro bono PR support to small businesses and securing national and local media coverage to aid recovery efforts—demonstrating the real-world impact of public relations.The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals. Join the conversation on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ at @ThePRPodcast.Jennifer AcreeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferstephensacree/JSA PartnersWebsite: https://jsapartners.coSubstack: https://talkingpointsbyjsa.substack.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jsa-partners/The PR Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePRPodcast/Twitter: https://x.com/ThePRPodcast1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprpodcast_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theprpodcast?

Mark Mallchok, Chief Event Strategist and co-founder of Brella Productions, joins the show to break down what it really takes to create corporate events that deliver results—not just applause. With a background in theater and film, Mark brings a storytelling-first approach to designing experiences that engage audiences across in-person, virtual, and hybrid environments. He shares how companies can eliminate inefficiencies, control costs, and still produce high-impact events that support real business and learning goals. The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals. Join the conversation on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ at @ThePRPodcast.Mark Mallchok LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brellamm/Brella Productionswebsite: https://brella.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brella-productions/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrellaProductionsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/brellaprod/The PR Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePRPodcast/Twitter: https://x.com/ThePRPodcast1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprpodcast_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theprpodcast?

Alison Seibert is the founder and principal of The James Collective, a boutique PR and integrated communications agency that captures the power of attention for leading lifestyle brands. TJC partners with high caliber CPG food and beverage, wine & spirts and travel companies who are dedicated to creating a more delicious and connected world.

Founded in 2015, The James Collective has grown to a bicoastal business with a portfolio of luxury, DTC and legacy brands that have included Jacobsen Salt Company, the 1 Hotel, Food52, Joseph Phelps Vineyards (owned by LVMH), Kermit Lynch, Hungryroot, Flowers Winery, Maille Mustard (a Unilever brand), Oishii, and more. Alison holds an MBA in International Business and both invests in and advises growing businesses in the CPG food, beverage, and travel industries, and is especially passionate about ventures led by the next generation of women entrepreneurs.

The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals. Join the conversation on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ at @ThePRPodcast.

The James Collective

Website: https://thejamescollective.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejamescollective/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-james-collective/

Alison Seibert

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisonseibert/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonseibert/

The PR Podcast

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theprpodcast?

What happens when you combine storytelling, strategy, and high-stakes advocacy? You get a communicator who understands not just how to craft a message—but how to make it matter.

This week on The PR Podcast, we sit down with Caroline Sánchez-Avakian, Strategic Communications Director at the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, to talk about the intersection of policy, narrative, and real-world impact. From leading national advocacy campaigns to her work as a playwright and Emmy-nominated host, Caroline brings a unique perspective on how stories shape public opinion and influence outcomes.

We get into what PR professionals can learn from advocacy communications, how to sharpen messaging in high-pressure environments, and why the most effective communicators understand both the facts and the human story behind them.If you want to think differently about influence, messaging, and the role of PR in shaping the world around us—this episode is for you.

The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals.

Ballot Initiative Strategy Center

Website: www.ballot.org

Socials: @ballotstrategy

Podcast page: https://ballot.org/podcast

Caroline Sánchez-Avakian

website: www.carolineavakian.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carolineavakian

The PR Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePRPodcast/Twitter: https://x.com/ThePRPodcast1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprpodcast_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theprpodcast?

Most agencies treat legal like a necessary expense—something to deal with when contracts need signing or problems arise. But what if legal strategy could actually become a driver of revenue, protection, and long-term growth?In this episode of The PR Podcast, we sit down with Sharon Toerek, a marketing and intellectual property attorney who works with independent PR, marketing, and creative agencies across the United States. Sharon is the founder of Toerek Law and the host of The Innovative Agency podcast, where she helps agency leaders navigate the complex legal landscape surrounding intellectual property, contracts, compliance, and growth.Sharon digs into the legal issues many agencies overlook—from protecting the value of their creative work to avoiding contract pitfalls that can quietly erode margins. They also explore the rapidly evolving risks surrounding AI, data privacy, and influencer marketing, and why agencies need to start thinking about governance and legal structure much earlier in their growth cycle.Sharon also explains how strong legal foundations can actually increase an agency’s valuation, especially when preparing for mergers, acquisitions, or future expansion. Instead of being a defensive expense, she argues that legal strategy can become a proactive advantage for agency owners who want to scale with confidence.If you run an agency—or work inside one—this conversation will change the way you think about contracts, intellectual property, and the role legal strategy plays in building a stronger business.In this episode, we discuss:- Why legal should be seen as a strategic asset—not just a cost- How agencies can protect and monetize their intellectual property- The contract mistakes that quietly hurt agency profitability- The growing legal risks around AI, influencer marketing, and data privacy- How legal preparation affects agency valuation during mergers or acquisitions- Why governance and compliance matter even for smaller agenciesThe PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals. Join the conversation on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ at @ThePRPodcast.

Sharon Toerek

Website: LegalAndCreative.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sharontoerek

Podcast: The Innovative Agency

The PR Podcast

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Restaurant PR is one of the most competitive and fast-moving sectors in communications. Grand openings, influencer buzz, local community engagement, and crisis management all collide in an industry where every detail matters.In this episode of The PR Podcast, I speak with Courtney Mazzella, Vice President of Client Services at Champion, one of the largest restaurant PR agencies in the United States.Courtney joined Champion in 2011 as one of the agency’s earliest team members and has spent the past 15 years helping grow the firm into a national leader in restaurant communications. She works with brands across the country on grand openings, local store marketing, media relations, influencer engagement, and crisis communications.In our conversation we explore:• What makes a restaurant grand opening truly successful• Why local marketing and community engagement are critical for new locations• The evolving role of influencers and social media in restaurant PR• How restaurant brands navigate crises and reputation challenges• What it takes to build long-term client relationships in agency life• Why hospitality brands succeed when they become part of the communityWhether you work in public relations, marketing, hospitality, or simply love the restaurant industry, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how restaurant brands grow and stay relevant.The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals. Join the conversation on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ at @ThePRPodcast.Courtney Mazzella🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymazzella/?hl=en🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneymazzellaChampion🔗 website: https://championmgt.com🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/championmgt🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/champion-managementThe PR Podcast 🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePRPodcast/🔗 Twitter: https://x.com/ThePRPodcast1🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprpodcast_/🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theprpodcast?

Our guest is Matisse Hamel-Nelis, an award-winning communications strategist and accessibility advocate who is helping organizations rethink how they show up in the world. From websites and press releases to social media and broader communications strategy, Matisse specializes in making content not just compliant—but genuinely usable, inclusive, and impactful for everyone. She brings a rare blend of real-world PR experience, formal accessibility training, and academic insight, showing why accessibility isn’t an add-on—it’s smart, effective communication. This conversation challenges how we write, publish, and share stories, and why accessible communications are quickly becoming a professional imperative, not a nice-to-have.

The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals.

Matisse Hamel-Nelis

Website: https://matissenelis.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matissenelis/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matissenelis/

Twitter: https://x.com/matissenelis

YouTube (PR & Lattes): https://www.youtube.com/@PRandLattes

The PR Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePRPodcast/Twitter: https://x.com/ThePRPodcast1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprpodcast_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theprpodcast?

Liz Burke is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Journalism at Hofstra University and a reporter at News 12 Long Island, teaching the next generation of journalists while actively covering news in one of the most competitive local media markets. She understands exactly what reporters look for, how stories get assigned, and where PR efforts succeed—or fall flat—in real time. Her social media is an informative master class in how to be a better reporter, tips and advice on storytelling, TV tech and more.

The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals. Join the conversation on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ at @ThePRPodcast.

Liz Burke – Official Links & Social

News 12 Long Island: https://longisland.news12.com/author/liz-burke

Hofstra University: https://www.hofstra.edu/faculty-profile/?id=7729

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lizburketv

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizburketv/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizburkemedia/

The PR Podcast

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