I was recently asked to conduct a workshop for student writers on how to conduct a journalistic-type interview. Below is a list of tips I offered. — Identify your story and goals for the interview. Decide on an angle and identify what you need to complete your story prior to setting up any interviews. Think through the keys to information gathering — the five Ws and one H (Who, What, When, Where, Why and How) — and…

This time last year, I wrote a blog for The Startup that offered some key learnings from my transition as an in-house public relations professional to a communications consultant. As I begin the start of 2019, I thought it would be a good time to reflect again on what I’ve…

It’s been one week since the Camp Fire ripped through the small mountain town of Paradise in Northern California. It’s also been a year since the Tubbs Fire devastated Santa Rosa, the flagship city in Sonoma’s Wine Country. Not only do these events share the unfortunate distinction of being the…

If you are anything like me, you’ve become obsessed with the police #LipSyncChallenge videos over the last few weeks. Not only is it a boon for the image of a much maligned profession (as the New York Times points out), but the videos have been an absolute joy to watch…

I’m not a baker. I loathe DIY projects. But I’ve discovered recently what an amazing resource Pinterest is for business. — For the past few months I’ve been “pinning” and filing away infographics on a number of topics, including public relations, blogging, social media, marketing and productivity. Here are four of my recent favorites, that offer advice on: Media Relations This infographic was created back in 2014, but the information is still very…

When I switched to consulting almost a year ago, I made the decision to work mostly from home. The problem? My husband was already working remote, so our new arrangement required us to share an office (gasp!). Even though friends and family expressed concern (“Won’t you get sick of each…

We’ve all heard the story by now — two black men were arrested last week in a Philadelphia Starbucks while waiting for a friend. The manager called 911 for trespassing after they used the bathroom but hadn’t purchased anything (something I have done more times than I can count!). Like…

How Emergency Alerts Should Work — This article originally appeared on Inside Higher Ed’s Call to Action Blog: It was a wild weekend for our friends in Hawaii. On Saturday morning, more than a million people were sent a false alarm alert that a ballistic missile was headed their way. To say it caused extreme panic…

The Media Mogul Had a Speaking Platform at Sunday’s Golden Globes and Smartly Took Advantage — The watercooler was bubbling today with talk of Oprah’s #MeToo speech at Sunday’s 75th annual Golden Globes Awards. If you haven’t had the opportunity to watch her full address you can do so above — it’s well worth the 9+ minutes of your time. Perhaps what was…