Chasing the Sun: Your Chief Wellness Podcast with Mark Mohammadpour
By Mark Mohammadpour
Chasing the Sun: Your Chief Wellness Podcast with Mark MohammadpourOct 17, 2019
13. Have You Met PR Hero, Mary Prevost?
This week, I am honored to speak with Mary Prevost! Mary and I have gotten to know each other over the last year and is just an amazing person in the industry. She’s a parent, runs her own business, a master networker and we had such a wonderful chat on how she lives her best life!
We chat about:
· Mary’s role at Prevost Partners, her background and what it’s like to run a business with her husband.
· Mary’s experience working on the client side and agency side, and how it compares to running her own company.
· How Mary works as a master networker.
· How Mary ensures she makes herself a priority.
Enjoy, and thank you, Mary, for your time!
Links!
About Mary Prevost:
Mary Prevost, MBA
Founder, Prevost Partners
PrevostPartners.com
Empowering brands and inspiring people to think differently – this is how Mary Prevost has approached her 17 years of work in the public relations industry.
Nurturing meaningful relationships is key to Prevost’s success – from internal executives and colleagues, to external target audiences and media. Prevost’s vast experience spans both agency and client-side work and she’s helped clients of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to startups and non-profits. Her specialties include both B2B and B2C strategic communication, content marketing, media relations, writing, social media planning and execution, crisis communication, brand development, event planning and internal communications/team building.
Prevost previously worked as Director of Communications at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center in Cheyenne, WY, and then transitioned into agency work as an Account Supervisor at an agency in downtown Minneapolis. In 2014, Prevost founded MJP Strategic Communications to provide independent public relations consulting services. In 2019, she founded Prevost Partners with her husband to broaden their services.
Prevost graduated with an M.B.A. from Augsburg College (Minneapolis, MN), a B.A. in Mass Communications with emphasis in Public Relations and News Editorial from Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction, CO) and an A.A.S. in Radio/TV Broadcasting from Central Wyoming College (Riverton, WY).
12. Have You Met Marketing Hero, Brandon Laws?
Really excited to have Brandon Laws, director of marketing at Xenium HR and host of the "Transform Your Workplace" podcast, on the program. Today, we touch on:
- How Brandon evolved his role at Xenium HR to Director of Marketing
- How Brandon has built a personal brand at Xenium within his own company.
- How Brandon balances life at work with family.
- The books that have influenced Brandon the most (Brandon's Goodreads link!).
Suggested reading:
How to Win Friends and Influence People | Atomic Habits | What Got You There Won’t Get You There | Deep Work | Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook | Atlas Shrugged
About Brandon Laws:
Brandon is the Director of Marketing at Xenium HR. He joined the team in October 2008. In over nine years with Xenium, he has held the positions of Operations Administrator, Sales & Marketing Coordinator, Senior Marketing Specialist & Business Analyst, Marketing Manager, and Senior Marketing Manager.
Taking on the role of Director of Marketing in July 2015, Brandon spearheads all marketing efforts with a focus on lead generation, contributing to new business growth. Brandon oversees all outbound marketing campaigns, product marketing efforts, the digital marketing strategy (e.g. website management & SEO, blogging, content creation, social media, pay-per-click advertising), events management, sponsorships, and public relations. Brandon is heavily involved in other company initiatives as well. He has contributed to the Xenium Culture Integration & Team Enhancement (XCITE) committee for six years and has sat on the Stoller Group wellness committee for three years.
In February 2012, Brandon received The Stoller Group’s “Bright Idea” award for implementing and having success with local search engine optimization for the Xenium website and for contributing to the development of a client utilization tracking system. Additionally, Brandon volunteers on the board of the Portland Human Resources Management Association (PHRMA) as the Director of Marketing and PR. Brandon’s focus on personal growth is central to all he does and leads to his continual efforts to become a better person and a greater asset to the people around him. In his various roles, Brandon has led projects such as “Passport to Xenium,” (an internal marketing effort designed to encourage all Xenium employees to invest in marketing and sales efforts), a rebuild of the Xenium website, the Human Resource for Small Business Podcast, and other projects relating to search engine marketing and social media marketing.
11. Have You Met PR Hero, Ashley DelBello?
10. Have I introduced you to Tracey Lam and Erin Merz, PR Heroes (Part Two)?
We talk about:
Our respective pets and the role they play in keeping us sane!
Challenges and tips for making career shifts.
The impact of managers in our career.
The impact of PRSA.
Erin and Tracey’s role in advancing diversity and inclusion.
Their exercise of choice.
Enjoy!
About Tracey Lam, APR: Tracey is an award-winning communications professional with more than 20 years of experience. She currently works as a communications specialist at OHSU, specifically supporting the Center for Diversity and Inclusion in its efforts to enhance the climate at OHSU through diversity, equity and inclusion. Prior to this, Tracey served as the communications manager at Make-A-Wish Oregon and executive producer of special projects at KATU-TV. Tracey is also very involved in her community. She recently wrapped up a 3-year stint on the board of directors of the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter. She continues to support PRSA through her involvement in the chapter’s diversity and inclusion committee. One of her proudest achievements is co-founding API Forward, an education foundation dedicated to the advancement of Asians and Pacific Islanders. She maintains her sanity by practicing yoga almost daily, hiking, snowshoeing, playing tennis and curling up on the couch with her lap cat, Tilly. She also organizes a monthly book club.
About Erin Merz, M.A., APR:
Erin is a seasoned marketing and communications professional skilled at creating quality content that reaches the right audiences and inspires action. Her passion for storytelling, results-driven mindset, and commitment to building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders adds substantial value to the organizations she works with. Erin serves as director of marketing and communications for The School of Business at Portland State University where she’s responsible for developing and implementing strategies that support the institution’s recruitment and retention efforts. Erin has worked at PSU since 2015. Prior to, she held a variety of marketing and communications roles that span the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Erin has a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from Grand Valley State University, a master’s degree in communications from the New York Institute of Technology and holds the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). She’s also an active member and volunteer with the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter. Connect with her online at erinmerz.com.
9. Have I introduced you to Tracey Lam and Erin Merz, PR Heroes (Part One)?
It was SO great to talk to Erin Merz, APR, and Tracey Lam, APR recently. This is a two-part series. Part one is live now, and part two on December 5.
We talk about:
- Our respective pets and the role they play in keeping us sane!
- Challenges and tips for making career shifts.
- The impact of managers in our career
- The impact of PRSA.
- Erin and Tracey’s role in advancing diversity and inclusion
- Their exercise of choice.
Enjoy!
About Tracey Lam, APR:
Tracey is an award-winning communications professional with more than 20 years of experience. She currently works as a communications specialist at OHSU, specifically supporting the Center for Diversity and Inclusion in its efforts to enhance the climate at OHSU through diversity, equity and inclusion. Prior to this, Tracey served as the communications manager at Make-A-Wish Oregon and executive producer of special projects at KATU-TV. Tracey is also very involved in her community. She recently wrapped up a 3-year stint on the board of directors of the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter. She continues to support PRSA through her involvement in the chapter’s diversity and inclusion committee. One of her proudest achievements is co-founding API Forward, an education foundation dedicated to the advancement of Asians and Pacific Islanders. She maintains her sanity by practicing yoga almost daily, hiking, snowshoeing, playing tennis and curling up on the couch with her lap cat, Tilly. She also organizes a monthly book club.
About Erin Merz, M.A., APR:
Erin is a seasoned marketing and communications professional skilled at creating quality content that reaches the right audiences and inspires action. Her passion for storytelling, results-driven mindset, and commitment to building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders adds substantial value to the organizations she works with. Erin serves as director of marketing and communications for The School of Business at Portland State University where she’s responsible for developing and implementing strategies that support the institution’s recruitment and retention efforts. Erin has worked at PSU since 2015. Prior to, she held a variety of marketing and communications roles that span the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Erin has a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from Grand Valley State University, a master’s degree in communications from the New York Institute of Technology and holds the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). She’s also an active member and volunteer with the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter. Connect with her online at erinmerz.com.
8. Have I Introduced You to PR Hero, Jaimee Fox? (Part Two)
A native Oregonian, Fox received her bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in political science and global studies from Washington State University and a master’s degree in public relations from Michigan State University.
7. Have I Introduced You to PR Hero, Jaimee Fox? (Part One)
A native Oregonian, Fox received her bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in political science and global studies from Washington State University and a master’s degree in public relations from Michigan State University.
6. I'd like to introduce you to PR Hero, William Careri!
This week, we speak with William Careri from Temple University. William is a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and we have gotten to know each other quite a bit over the last year.
During this episode, we talk about:
- William's role with PRSSA
- How William's education and life experiences have led him to the path he's interested in pursuing
- William's key takeaways from the PRSSA conference
- The impact of mentorship
- What the semicolon means to William
Thank you, William, for your time!
About William:
William Careri is a current senior at Temple University in Philadelphia where he is pursuing a degree in public relations. He currently holds an assistant firm director position at PRowl Public Relations, Temple's student-run public relations firm where he works with outside clients on marketing, branding and more.
Outside of Temple, William is an active mental health advocate, often speaking on the topics of anxiety and depression. This past April, he gave his talk "The Importance of Sharing Your Story" at TEDxTempleU.
After graduation, William plans to pursue a law degree specializing in intellectual property.
5. Have You Met PR Hero, Ashley Stanford Cone?
This week, we chat with Ashley Stanford Cone of Bloom Communications. Like me, Ashley has had a recent career update. She has also been very public about sharing how she lives with anxiety. I so appreciated her time to discuss her career and how she lives her best life. Today, we chat about:
Ashley’s time at Bloom Communications
Finding your niche and what you love.
Our message to college students about the difference between agency and in-house
Ashley’s advice for those heading into agency life.
How Ashley balances self-care, work, and parenthood.
The importance of building trust in your teams.
How Ashley has learned how to live with anxiety.
About Ashley:
An accomplished communications professional with over 18 years of experience, Ashley is a natural storyteller and strategic thinker, always looking for a unique angle to share creative client stories. With a heart to help others, she has dedicated most of her career to the nonprofit sector, specifically focusing on healthcare and child welfare. She strives to produce outcomes for her clients that are meaningful, impactful, and exceed all expectations.
Before joining Bloom Communications, Ashley served as a Public and Community Relations Consultant for Legacy Health, supporting Randall Children’s Hospital and CARES Northwest. During her tenure, she led the organization’s editorial and social media strategy, managing brand reputation through powerful storytelling across digital, social, and traditional media channels, consulted on crisis communications, and managed strategic relationships with stakeholders, media, and community partners. Prior to working in healthcare, she spent close to seven years working in agencies serving children through international and domestic adoption, orphan care, foster care, and youth homelessness. In the early part of her career, Ashley spent time working in entertainment PR, advertising, and Real Estate marketing.
A true collaborator and client partner, Ashley values trust, accountability, and transparency in her work. By cultivating trusting client relationships, identifying relevant gaps and needs, and partnering with clients to find creative and sustainable solutions, she believes we can not only impact our communities, but also our world.
Ashley holds a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution and a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Portland State University. She is a native-born Oregonian living in Portland with her husband and two sons, and serves on the ambassador board for Children’s Cancer Association.
4. Have I introduced you to Lise Harwin, PR Hero (Part Two!)
I recently spoke with Lise Harwin, employee communications manager at the Port of Portland (Oregon). Lise is an expert in internal and employee communications and truly lives and breathes the Port of Portland brand.
Recently, Lise and I realized that we share a similar weight loss journey. We chatted for almost an hour about her story so I broke it up into two parts! Today we talk about:
The importance of being AWARE of what you’re eating.
How much we overemphasize the body mass index (BMI).
Tips to think about before you join a gym, head out to restaurants, or travel.
How Lise makes her mental and physical health a priority.
The ONE thing Lise has never regretted.
About Lise:
For 18 years, Lise Harwin made a career in media relations — pitching organizational stories ranging from life-saving at a Level 1 trauma hospital to life-affirming at the American Red Cross to life-changing in higher education. Now she’s turned her corporate raconteuring and social media savvy inward, transitioning to employee engagement and communication for the Port of Portland – owner and operator of PDX, America’s Best Airport. Lise has helped bring a modern perspective to the 125-year-old organization, embracing Portland’s quirky reputation at every turn. When she’s not proving that working for government isn’t what you’d expect, she’s picking the lineup for Portland’s only all-ages summer music festival and seeking out the city’s best cocktails. And while she doesn’t write for fun as much as she used to, you can still find her signature affinity for alliteration in the Apartment Therapy archives.
3. Pardon me, but have you met PR Hero, Lise Harwin? (Part One)
I recently spoke with Lise Harwin, employee communications manager at the Port of Portland (Oregon). Lise is an expert in internal and employee communications and truly lives and breathes the Port of Portland brand.
Recently, Lise and I realized that we share a similar weight loss journey. We chatted for almost an hour about her story so I broke it up into two parts! Today we talk about:
- Lise’s career, which started in journalism, then moved to external communications, and now in employee communications.
- Lise’s time as a public information officer.
- Our respective weight loss journeys.
- Tips for people coming into a job and how to make their health and wellness a priority.
We had a great chat. Part one is up, and stay tuned for part two next week!
About Lise:
For 18 years, Lise Harwin made a career in media relations — pitching organizational stories ranging from life-saving at a Level 1 trauma hospital to life-affirming at the American Red Cross to life-changing in higher education. Now she’s turned her corporate raconteuring and social media savvy inward, transitioning to employee engagement and communication for the Port of Portland – owner and operator of PDX, America’s Best Airport. Lise has helped bring a modern perspective to the 125-year-old organization, embracing Portland’s quirky reputation at every turn. When she’s not proving that working for government isn’t what you’d expect, she’s picking the lineup for Portland’s only all-ages summer music festival and seeking out the city’s best cocktails. And while she doesn’t write for fun as much as she used to, you can still find her signature affinity for alliteration in the Apartment Therapy archives.
2. I'd like to introduce you to Tatiana and Colby, PR Heroes!
Tatiana Skomski and Colby Reade live with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease respectively. We had a great chat about their career, how they live with their condition, and discuss advice for managers and those who live with or are working with those with similar conditions.
I so appreciated their time. And so will you!
About Tatiana:
Tatiana has 3 years of both agency and in-house public relations and social media experience. Additionally, she is the founder of Simply Balanced with Tati, a simple girl’s guide to navigating life, health and fitness with chronic illness. She is a certified holistic health coach in training and is passionate about living life simply and balanced. She is an ulcerative colitis fighter and, although she is in remission, she still has daily struggles with her health. Her hopes for Simply Balanced with Tati is to give a voice to women everywhere living with chronic illnesses and to create a community of strong, fearless women who want to better their relationship with themselves, their diagnosis, food, their bodies and their overall wellness. You can follow along on her journey via instagram @simplybalancedwithtati and via her (soon to be launched) blog www.simplybalancedwithtati.com
About Colby:
Colby Reade, APR, is the Director of Communications for the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. A Portland native and graduate of the University of Oregon, Colby started his career as a journalist before transitioning to public relations full time.
His background includes several years working for some of the region’s leading PR teams, including work on behalf of Microsoft, JELD-WEN, Alcatel-Lucent, The Portland Clinic, HEALTHWORKS, and Avangrid Renewables.
In his free time, Colby serves on the board of PRSA Oregon and has volunteered his time to support the marketing and outreach efforts of numerous nonprofits, such as SMART, Boys and Girls Aid, Junior League of Portland and WVDO. But the most important role he fills is husband to an incredibly talented wife and father to a brilliant daughter.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/colbyreade
Podcast: Coffee with Colby
1. Have I introduced you to my amazing wife and personal hero, Christine?
It's a really special day in the world of Chasing the Sun! We've become a fully-fledged company, focused on health coaching for communicators, marketers, and public relations professionals.
This would not have come without the love and support of my hero, Christine!
Christine and I talk about our own personal health and wellness journey. It's a really special chat, and I hope you enjoy it!