We've Got Issues

This month we were excited to welcome our own Executive Vice President, Rich Copp, who leads up our healthcare and mission-focused teams at IMG, as a guest on We’ve Got Issues. Rich came to our firm after serving as the Vice President of Communications and chief spokesperson for Mass General Brigham for 13 years. His impressive career also includes various senior communications roles at the Massachusetts Hospital Association and Brockton Hospital, as well time spent as the director of communications for two secretaries of health and human services.

During our conversation, Rich shared his insight into how the role of communication has changed in healthcare in the aftermath of the pandemic, and where the pain points are today for the healthcare sector in Greater Boston. He also helped to dispel some of the most common misconceptions out there today about the American healthcare system and shared some of the trends in healthcare that he’s keeping an eye on this year.

In this episode we sit down with two-time Super Bowl champion and local radio personality, Christian Fauria, to talk about what his transition from the NFL to on-air radio personality was like, how other well-known athletes have handled similar transitions into broadcasting careers, and what his advice is for rookies preparing to enter the media spotlight. 

Christian’s impressive NFL career as a tight end speaks for itself, but arguably his most important job began in 2019, when his son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The experience inspired Christian to become a staunch advocate and fundraiser for diabetes-related research and treatment, and launch the Christian Fauria 25-Hour Crusade for a Cure that same year. To date, the multimedia event has raised more than $550,000 in support of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). During our conversation, Christian shares what his experience navigating his son’s diabetes diagnosis has been like, and how his advocacy and the public’s support can help make a real difference in the fight against the disease. We hope you enjoy the conversation! 

In this episode of We've Got Issues, we speak to Christina Gordon, CEO and Co-Founder of The Women’s Foundation of Boston. During our conversation, Gordon explained how investing in women and girls leads to a multiplier effect of resources, time and effort being put back into the community, and why it’s so important to support nonprofits that solely focus on that demographic. We also discussed The Women’s Foundation of Boston’s unique approach to grantmaking, and how the organization is planning for its next five years and beyond, with a focus on sustainability and expansion. We hope you enjoy listening!

In this episode, we speak to on-air personality, Jordan Rich! Listeners will likely recognize his voice from the long-running, overnight, Jordan Rich Show, or the many other shows he has or currently hosts for WBZ. Rich is also the co-owner of Chart Productions, an audio/video company in Boston, where he produces and hosts several podcasts and shows, and a national voice-over artist and coach, as well as celebrity auctioneer, keynote speaker and master of ceremonies.

During our conversation, Rich shared his perspective on the evolution of radio, and how the media landscape has shifted in light of the rise of podcasts. We also discussed what role radio/audio media plays in a given communications strategy, and the most memorable interview Rich has ever done. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In our most recent episode of We’ve Got Issues, we had the pleasure of speaking with M.E. Malone, the Deputy Director of the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety.

Prior to joining the Betsy Lehman Center in 2014, Malone spent 25 years as a journalist covering government affairs. During our conversation we discussed a variety of important health and safety topics, with a focus on using effective communications to produce the highest level of medical care in Massachusetts.

In this special episode of We’ve Got Issues, we sit down with our boss and the CEO and Managing Partner of Issues Management Group, Dan Cence, to discuss our agency’s new name, and his biggest takeaways since acquiring the firm in January of 2020. Dan touches on the evolution of communications and public affairs, and shares his perspective on leading a company virtually for more than two years. We hope you enjoy listening! 

In this episode we speak to The Boston Globe's Deputy Business Editor, Tim Logan, to discuss what headlines are catching his attention right now, and how the unceasingly active Boston real estate market has evolved over the last few years. Tim also shares how the pandemic and the rise of hybrid work has impacted the journalism industry, and how the development industry has approached efforts to increase diversity in the field. We hope you enjoy!

The latest episode of & Then Some features a conversation with Zineb Curran, Chief Communications Officer for Fenway Sports Group and our beloved Boston Red Sox.

In this episode, Zineb discusses a variety of fascinating subjects including how she got from her home country of Morocco to Boston, changes in the sports communications landscape since she started at Fenway Sports Group, and how the sports industry needs more women.

In this episode, we have a conversation with Massachusetts State Representative and House Assistant Majority Leader Michael Moran, who represents the 18th Suffolk District in the House of Representatives covering Allston, Brighton, and some of Brookline.

Rep. Moran spoke with us about the recently concluded redistricting process, Boston’s new Mayor Michelle Wu, Bernie Sanders, and the importance of face-to-face communication in the age of social media.

During our discussion, Catherine shared with us what aspects of remote reporting she’d like to keep up beyond the pandemic, which social media platforms are the most valuable for reporting and consuming news, and why she believes there’s still value in print editions of newspapers. She also shared her honest perspective on whether press releases are still a valuable tool, and what makes a good relationship between a reporter and a PR professional.

In this episode, Jay Ash, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, shares how he learned to embrace and appreciate the Twitter community and how he became known for enjoying a nearly daily ice cream frappe while working as a member of the Baker Administration. Most importantly, he illustrates what he and his partners are aiming to achieve through their work at the Mass Competitive Partnership. We hope you enjoy the conversation!

For this special episode of the & Then Some podcast, co-hosts TJ Winick and Riva Cheses answer frequently asked questions about communications and Public Relations. They cover a variety of topics including what makes a story newsworthy, best practices for defending your reputation in the media, and how to continually generate positive coverage for your company and executive leadership. We hope you enjoy!

In this episode Beth Chandler, CEO and President of YW Boston, shares how she and her team work to find the right balance between listening and communicating effectively in DE&I education and training while advocating for more diverse perspectives within all organizations. She also shares what she believes to be the most important skills we can build in the next generation of young leaders: resilience and the ability to see the humanity in others. We hope you enjoy the conversation! 

In this episode, Suzanne Abair, President and Chief Operating Officer of real estate private equity firm, Northland, and President of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream, shares how communication has played a key role in making Northland an employer of choice as well as in managing numerous multifamily communities across the U.S. during the pandemic. She also explains what she admires most about the WNBA, and how the league’s strong values around equality, diversity, and inclusion are a perfect match for Northland’s culture. We hope you enjoy the discussion!

In this episode we connect with the versatile reporter/author Cameron Sperance who shares his experience covering industries that were hit especially hard by the pandemic—such as hospitality and commercial real estate. He also weighs in on the popular debate over whether the press release is a valuable tool or ancient tactic. We hope you enjoy!

In this episode, Rodrigo Martinez, Chief Marketing and Experience Officer for CIC Health, describes how he and his team leveraged good design and strategic communication to ramp up testing and vaccination sites at Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park and the Reggie Lewis Center at Roxbury Community College. Rodrigo also shares his insight into how we as communications professionals can help create a more diverse and inclusive communications/PR  industry, and names a few of his favorite places to free dive. 

In this episode, award-winning radio producer, editor and reporter Arun Rath describes how his production team grappled with their responsibilities covering Trump in the era of “fake news.” He also shares what it’s been like to create and host GBH's “In It Together” as a way to have intimate, fact-based conversations with subject matter experts and community leaders about the pandemic, honor the memory of loved ones lost to COVID-19 and bring the Greater Boston community together during a difficult time.

In this episode, Lisa Hughes, the award-winning WBZ-TV anchor who Boston Magazine previously named one of Boston’s 100 most influential people,  shares her experience reporting the news during a pandemic, and how she’s balanced covering COVID-19 with other significant stories including the 2020 elections, the Black Lives Matter movement, and issues that emerged over the past year. Lisa also shared with us some of the stories that inspired her during this challenging time, and what TV shows are keeping her spirits high while at home. We hope you enjoy!

An estimated $380 million was raised in the United States during last year’s annual #GivingTuesday event. The total represents a 45-percent increase year over year. With more than four million individual donations being processed during the day – needless to say, the event is an enormous opportunity for any organization that relies on charitable donations.

 The release of two rival documentaries from Hulu and Netflix looking into the catastrophic Fyre Festival of 2017 has us thinking about the impact of social media marketing, transparency in customer communications and the authenticity of online news and shared posts. In this episode we will delve into the various elements that contributed to the rise and fall of the festival, and the steps you can take to protect yourself from falling victim to similar manipulative tactics. 

In this episode of & Then Some, we chat with Solomon McCown & Company CEO Helene Solomon. Celebrating sixteen years leading the agency, Helene reflects on how she got her start in the business, the most rewarding part of building a successful PR agency, and her views on the biggest communications challenges facing today's leaders.