Bob Bilbruck, founder of Captjur, is an accomplished and visionary CEO with nearly 30 years of experience in emerging markets and technology. In his third appearance on PR 360, he discusses his role in bringing flag football to the 2028 Olympics, the importance of diverse AI ecosystems, and the need for the U.S. to stay competitive in the global AI arms race. Key Takeaways: - The growing world of flag football - The future of the gig economy - The AI arms race Episode Timeline: 1:50 Captjur Spor...
Jul 09, 2025•34 min•Ep. 282
Jennifer Avril, a communications professional specializing in strategic and effective change for both corporations and nonprofits, is a Senior Account Manager at Warner Communications. In this interview, she discusses the importance of effective communication in addressing climate change, how regulations can create opportunities, and the role of thought leadership in PR. She also shares stories from the summer she spent working on feminist activist Kate Millett’s farm, as well as her contributio...
Jul 02, 2025•28 min•Ep. 281
Mike Atkinson, an account director at Sage Communications, discusses the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and the role of public relations in managing crises and media coverage. He highlights current trends, including the impact of AI on cybersecurity threats, the importance of crisis communication plans, and strategies for breaking into mainstream media. Mike also shares insights on effective pitching and the significance of building relationships with reporters to enhance thought leadership...
Jun 25, 2025•24 min•Ep. 280
Jeff Montegut is the director of Extra Life, a peer-to-peer fundraising program that empowers gamers to support Children's Miracle Network hospitals. Jeff shares Extra Life's inspiring origin story, its impact on children's healthcare, and how the gaming community has rallied to raise over $132 million since its inception. The conversation also delves into the mechanics of peer-to-peer fundraising, the significance of Game Day, and Jeff's personal journey in the nonprofit sector. Key Takeaways: ...
Jun 18, 2025•28 min•Ep. 279
Mark Westlake is the founder and CEO of GearBrain , a tech company focused on simplifying the Internet of Things (IoT). With over 25 years of experience in digital media and technology, his career includes executive roles at prominent companies such as About.com, HowStuffWorks, and Purch. A former member of the 1980s NYC band The Modulators, Westlake shares his journey from music to innovation, offering insights on smart home tech, AI integration, consumer education, and how GearBrain bridges th...
Jun 11, 2025•31 min•Ep. 278
Brad Myers is the Charles M. Geschke Director of the Human-Computer Interaction Institute and Professor in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, with an affiliated faculty appointment in the Software and Societal Systems Department. He’s also the author of a new book, "Pick, Click, Flick! The Story of Interaction Techniques." In this episode, he discusses the importance of usability in design, notable failures in user interface design, and the future of Human-Computer Int...
Jun 04, 2025•28 min•Ep. 277
Scott McKenzie, managing director of Industrial Talk Media, a leading industrial education and entertainment platform, shares how he is making "volcanic shifts" in industrial marketing through podcasting. He emphasizes the importance of human connection in industry communication and identifies gaps in how companies market themselves. Scott also discusses successful strategies used by companies to attract talent and the necessity of understanding customer pain points in marketing efforts. Key Tak...
May 28, 2025•31 min•Ep. 276
Craig Cook is a visionary entrepreneur who shares his journey from founding Rhythm.net to becoming a business mentor who uses Qigong to help people find balance and success. Here, he discusses the principles of qigong, introduces his Five Elements of Success framework, and talks about the importance of balance in his personal and professional lives. Key Takeaways: - How qigong can help business professionals - Craig's transition from CEO to mentor - The Five Elements of Success Episode Timeline:...
May 21, 2025•29 min•Ep. 275
Tiffany Aguinaldo is an Account Director at Forge—a creative studio recently ranked the #4 fastest-growing private company in Orange County. Tiffany leads business development and PR at Forge and brings 15 years of experience with major brands like Hoag, Toyota, and The Irvine Company. She’s also the 2024 President of the Orange County PRSA. In this episode, she discusses the value of mentorship, Forge’s rapid rise, and her involvement with Disney Forward. Key Takeaways: - Mentorship is crucial ...
May 14, 2025•25 min•Ep. 274
Lana McGilvray is co-founder and CEO of Purpose Worldwide, a brand, communications, PR, and growth consultancy that specializes in helping clients drive their purpose and growth. In 2020, PR News recognized Lana as one of the Top Women in PR. Here, she discusses the importance of purpose in brand growth, the impact of AI on business, and the current state of DEI in PR. Key Takeaways: - Purpose is essential for brand growth and authenticity - Brands often struggle to define their purpose - The st...
May 07, 2025•23 min•Ep. 273
Chris Caggiano is the senior editor at Fareportal, a travel E-commerce brand, and Intelligent Relations, an AI-enabled PR software-as-service company. His writing has appeared in Inc., where he worked as a reporter, writer, and editor for 13 years, as well as in CMO, D&O Reporter, The American Lawyer, The Advocate, Business.com, among others. Here, he discusses how Preston, Intelligent Relations’ AI tool, aims to democratize PR for startups and explores the conflict between journalism and PR...
Apr 30, 2025•32 min•Ep. 272
Gilad Bechar is the Founder and CEO of Moburst, a digital full-service, mobile-first marketing agency that helps companies scale and become category leaders. In this conversation, Gilad discusses what sets Moburst apart from other agencies, the importance of client selection, the role of AI in enhancing marketing strategies, and how to understand Google's content ranking algorithm. Key Takeaways: - Making sure clients are a good fit - Concerns over AI's accuracy and IP rights - How AI-generated ...
Apr 23, 2025•32 min•Ep. 271
Michelle Rupp is an EMMY and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist and the Founder and CEO of Memorable Results Media, a boutique agency helping small and mid-sized businesses gain media coverage on local and regional TV. Here, she discusses the evolving landscape of local media, how to craft effective media pitches, and how businesses can prepare for a PR crisis. Key Takeaways: - The lasting power of local media - Keeping the audience top of mind - How to be prepared for a crisis Episode Ti...
Apr 16, 2025•25 min•Ep. 270
Kourtney Jason is the president and co-founder of Pacific and Court, a Brooklyn-based book publicity and digital marketing agency, and the author of five nonfiction books, including "Lights, Camera, Booze: Drinking Games for Your Favorite Movies." Here, she discusses the current state of reading and publishing, the rise of audiobooks, and the importance of innovative PR strategies in reaching audiences. She also shares insights on crafting effective media pitches and the significance of timing i...
Apr 09, 2025•26 min•Ep. 269
Lindsay Ferraro Bennett is a public relations executive at Pace PR with 20 years of longstanding relationships and results-driven work within the luxury, lifestyle, fitness, food/beverage, travel, health/wellness, and publishing industries. Here, she discusses the evolving landscape of affiliate marketing, the importance of authentic content, and the role of influencers in driving brand success. She also emphasizes the need for a diversified approach in affiliate strategies and shares insights o...
Apr 02, 2025•22 min•Ep. 268
Amanda Lee is the Vice President of Marketing, Analyst, and Public Relations at DDN, the world’s leading data intelligence platform. She has 20-plus years of experience in marketing communications across AI, data intelligence, and technology ecosystems. Here, she discusses the rapid advancements in AI technology, the importance of data infrastructure, and the challenges women face in the tech industry. Key Takeaways: - How AI is revolutionizing supply chain, agriculture, and life sciences - Why ...
Mar 26, 2025•23 min•Ep. 267
Susan Peters, a former litigator turned PR expert, shares her unique journey from law to public relations. She discusses the benefits of PR for lawyers and offers insights into media training and interview preparation. The conversation also explores the impact of AI on the legal industry and PR, as well as effective social media strategies for lawyers. Key Takeaways: - How PR helps lawyers build their reputation and attract clients - The importance of media training - Susan's transition from a l...
Mar 19, 2025•28 min•Ep. 266
Omer Maman, VP of Marketing at Healthee, explores the challenges of navigating healthcare benefits and how Healthee’s AI-powered platform is transforming the experience. He also shares why great marketing isn’t just about selling a product—it’s about creating an emotional connection. Key Takeaways: - How Healthee's AI platform simplifies healthcare navigation for employees - Why marketing is all about emotions - AI solutions for healthcare Episode Timeline: 1:30 An overview of Healthee 2:00 Navi...
Mar 12, 2025•27 min•Ep. 265
Beth Mach, co-founder and COO of Spacely, shares how her company has made buying print ads as easy as buying a plane ticket and why the medium still so valuable in the digital age. She also discusses how she has found success in the ultra-competitive world of voice-over acting. Key Takeaways: - How Spacely simplifies the process of buying print ads - Why print advertising is still a significant player in marketing - How to break into voice over acting Episode Timeline: 1:30 Automation is great f...
Mar 05, 2025•25 min•Ep. 264
Eric Morley is the co-founder of Blue C, a California-based agency specializing in brand strategy and creative marketing. In his second appearance on the show, he discusses the evolution of client categories, the agency's proprietary branding strategy, BRANDPWR, and the importance of humanizing brands to build community and loyalty. Key Takeaways: - The six pillars of BRANDPWR - Effective marketing strategies - Humanizing your brand Episode Timeline: 2:15 An overview of Blue C's work 4:00 The BR...
Feb 26, 2025•30 min•Ep. 263
Media relations consultant Amanda Griffith shares her journey in healthcare storytelling, shaped by her experiences with chronic illness. She highlights the power of empathy in media, the impact of personal connections, and key themes like loneliness and burnout. Amanda also introduces the Chronic Boss Collective, a community empowering women with chronic illnesses to embrace their identities and share their stories in a technology-driven world. Key Takeaways: - How Amanda's chronic health condi...
Feb 19, 2025•28 min•Ep. 262
JJ Nelson, Director of Communications at Bergmeyer, joins us to discuss the power of joy in branding, the importance of authenticity, and how Bergmeyer stands out in the design world. He also shares insights on navigating economic shifts, adapting during COVID-19, and his work with SpeakOUT Boston in amplifying LGBTQ+ voices. Key Takeaways: - The importance of joy - Authenticity in branding - How Speak Out Boston empowers LGBTQ+ voices Episode Timeline: 1:00 The important role that joy plays in ...
Feb 12, 2025•27 min•Ep. 261
Kristine Frech is Vice President of Corporate Communications at Amplify, a leading New York City-based curriculum company. Before joining the Amplify team, Frech was the Vice President of National and Strategic Communications at Teach For America (TFA) and served as advisor to then Governor Gina Raimondo as the Governor pursued a universal pre-K program. Here, she shares how to communicate with the education world and reminisces about her work with Governor Raimondo in Rhode Island. Key Takeaway...
Feb 05, 2025•25 min•Ep. 260
Anne Green is the CEO and principal at G&S Integrated Marketing Communications Group. She is passionate about providing counsel to clients in sectors such as healthcare, professional services, and financial services and is an accomplished media trainer and speaking coach. Here, she takes a deep dive into the world of media training and shares the skills that make people great communicators. Key Takeaways: - Media training 101 - How COVID drove the need for media training - The mystery of cha...
Jan 29, 2025•31 min•Ep. 259
April White is the CEO of Trust Relations, which she founded after working for legacy PR firms, including Weber Shandwick, Edelman, and Rubenstein PR. She is also the host of the "PR Wine Down" podcast and an official TEDx speaker. Here, she discusses how she developed the skills to be an authentic leader and why it's essential for agencies to "do what you say before you say what you do." Key Takeaways: - April's approach to leadership - Why leaders should exemplify their brands - Managing asser...
Jan 22, 2025•30 min•Ep. 258
Chris Drake is the Senior Vice President at iconectiv, where he is responsible for internal and external technology initiatives, including emerging opportunities in mobile content, cybersecurity, and virtualization. Here, Chris explains how scammers are adapting to AI, recent regulations on robocalls, and the rise in text fraud. Key Takeaways: - Scammers are increasingly using text messages instead of robocalls - Understanding the new wave of scam tactics - How scams are affecting businesses Epi...
Jan 15, 2025•27 min•Ep. 257
Paige Arnof-Fenn is the founder and CEO of global branding and marketing firm Mavens & Moguls, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her clients include Microsoft, Virgin, The New York Times Company, Colgate, venture-backed startups, and non-profit organizations. Here, Paige discusses why it's vital for everyone to have a personal brand and how to stay relevant in a constantly changing media landscape. Key Takeaways: - The benefits of tai chi - Why everyone needs a personal brand - Finding your...
Jan 08, 2025•27 min•Ep. 256
Thought leadership was a significant theme on "PR 360 " throughout 2024. So, to close out the year, we gathered insights on the subject from a diverse group of guests from every facet of the PR industry. Recognizing that we can all use some help expressing our ideas, we've compiled 10 of our favorite tips and tactics to help inspire even better thought leadership throughout the PR and beyond in 2025. Key Takeaways: - What thought leadership means to 10 "PR 360" guests - How to be a better though...
Dec 18, 2024•24 min•Ep. 255
Jonathan Baker is the head of M and A at Punctuation, a small advisory practice that helps firms with positioning, lead generation, benchmarking, valuation, and succession planning. Here, he shares the inside scoop on how to sell an agency and determine its worth. We also discuss two topics near and dear to Jonathan's heart: Australian shepherds and craft beer. Key Takeaways: - Common mistakes in creative firms - When to sell an agency - How to evaluate your agency Episode Timeline: 1:15 The per...
Dec 11, 2024•23 min•Ep. 254
Wing Lam is the eldest of the three founding brothers of Wahoo’s Fish Taco, with over 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Beyond business, Wing is actively engaged in philanthropy, serving on the boards of organizations like Share Our Strength and the Surfrider Foundation. On his fourth “PR 360” appearance, he discusses what it means to live the Wahoo's Way, shares the secret of Mr. Lee's sauce, and discusses current restaurant business trends. Key Takeaways: - The latest from the...
Dec 04, 2024•29 min•Ep. 253
