2)    How long have you been in the PR field?

13 years

3)    What skills are required to do your job? 

When it comes down to it, there is lot of sales involved in nonprofit marketing and public relations.  There's in-selling to organizational stakeholders that involves regular presentations and updates on campaigns and there's ongoing sales of campaigns to external audiences of all kinds-from the media to supporters and volunteers and prospects.  So a mission-centered sales mentality is pretty critical to this job, along with the requisite production, distribution, account management type skills that most PR jobs require.

4)    What's your greatest career achievement? 

My greatest career achievement to date is being able to combine my skills as a communicator with my personal mission of helping people at the same time.  The fact that my team wins some pretty impressive awards while doing so is a bonus.

5)    Where would you like to see yourself in five years? 

Nowadays, we all hope we're still employed in five days-five years seems a long way away.  What I know at this point is that I hope my career in five years can continue to mirror my humanitarian instincts.

6)    How do you begin each day? 

Highly caffeinated.

7)    What's your dream job?

 To be a permanent member of a clinical trial group studying the benefits of daily therapeutic massage. 

8)    Who's your role model, and why do you admire him/her?

I admire so many people but lately Captain Sullenberger has topped the list.  He showed us all how being ready saves lives-a message we share everyday at the Red Cross.  He also was an example of how being calm during crisis is contagious.  Oh and he also gave me reason number 2401 not to be scared during turbulence.

9)    What's the last book you read or movie you saw? 

Frost/Nixon.

10)    Tips for maintaining the elusive work/life balance? 

My best tip involves getting home at a reasonable time.  I got a dog.  His name is Whiskey and he gets me home at a pretty regular time every night, which has been a blessing.  I can finish up from my home office if need be.   Needless to say, there were quite a few raised eyebrows the first time I flew out the door saying, "Goodnight, I really have to get home for Whiskey!"