Owning Our Power in This Moment with NSPRA President Kelly Wachel
Release Date: 12/17/2025
Using AI Thoughtfully & Practically in School PR with Cristina Capretta, APR
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In this episode of The Content Generation Podcast, we’re joined by Cristina Capretta, APR, Director of Marketing and Community Relations at and President-Elect of . With over a decade of experience in school communication, Cristina has become a trusted voice on how emerging tools like AI are shaping the field. Cristina views AI as a practical resource for school communicators, utilizing it to analyze problems, generate feedback, and save time without compromising accountability or human voice. In this episode, she talks openly about how she experiments, where she draws boundaries, and why...
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Owning Our Power in This Moment with NSPRA President Kelly Wachel
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In this episode of The Content Generation Podcast, we’re joined by Kelly Wachel, President of the . Kelly shares how her path transitioned from the corporate world into public education shaped a career in school communications spanning urban, suburban, and rural districts across the Kansas City. That experience has prepared her to lead at a critical moment for public schools nationwide. Throughout the conversation, Kelly reflects on what it means to “meet the moment” in school communication as districts navigate increasing complexity and scrutiny. Drawing on decades of experience and the...
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Building a Culture of Storytelling in Schools with Communications Director Derrian Hallas
The Content Generation
In this episode of the Content Generation Podcast, we’re joined by Derrian Hallas, Director of Communications at the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education in Alberta, Canada. A lifelong resident of the community she now serves, Derrian’s role has grown significantly since she first stepped into the division’s inaugural part-time communications position. Over the past decade, she has helped build a more intentional and strategic approach to communication. Derrian shares how her work has evolved from day-to-day content creation into leading the division’s response during high-pressure...
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Why Schools Need Stronger Neighborhood Connections with Robbie Turner of Nextdoor
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In the season six premiere of the Content Generation Podcast, we’re joined by Robbie Turner, Senior City Strategist at Nextdoor, who’s been with the platform since its early days as a startup. Robbie shares how her background in tech and public sector innovation led her to Nextdoor and how that experience helped shape the ways public agencies, and now schools, use the platform to connect with their local communities. In our conversation, Robbie explains how school communicators can use Nextdoor to reach an often-overlooked audience: neighbors who may not have students in school but care...
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The Power of Authentic Video Storytelling in Schools with Jake Sturgis, APR
The Content Generation
In this episode of the Content Generation Podcast, we’re joined by Jake Sturgis, APR—founder of Captive Media + Consulting and a longtime advocate for video storytelling in schools. Jake shares how his background in broadcast news led him to a meaningful career in school communications, where he’s helped districts across the country capture and share stories about students, teachers, and everyday moments that build community. Jake reflects on the shift toward more authentic, unscripted content as audiences navigate a crowded digital space increasingly shaped by polished and AI-generated...
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Bridging the Gap Between Athletics & School PR
The Content Generation
In this episode of the Content Generation Podcast, we’re joined by Emily Worell, Director of Communications and Marketing, and Brent Doty, Athletic Director, at Wawasee Community School Corporation. As Wawasee-natives-turned-department-leads, Emily and Brent know their community well but, like in many districts, communications and athletics haven’t always worked in sync. Emily and Brent share how they grew from parallel efforts to true collaboration, sparking the creation of a parent social media ambassador program that’s transforming their district’s visibility and reputation for the...
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Monumental Impact: Barbara Hunter on NSPRA & School Communications
The Content Generation
In this episode of the Content Generation Podcast, we’re joined by Barbara Hunter, APR, Executive Director of NSPRA (the National School Public Relations Association). A lifelong advocate for public education, Barbara’s journey began in the front office of her local elementary school, where her mother worked as the school secretary. That early exposure to education, paired with a passion for supporting educators and elevating public schools, sparked a career in public relations and strategic communication. With decades of experience—including serving as assistant superintendent of...
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Student Content Creator Lexi Vazquez on Real-World Learning & Career Readiness
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In this episode of the Content Generation Podcast, we sit down with Lexi Vazquez, a high school senior at with a passion for social media and sports. As she prepares to attend the University of Iowa to study marketing with a minor in sports management, Lexi shares how her experiences in content creation as a student have shaped her career goals and ambition to one day produce content for professional sports. Lexi began creating content as vice president of , where she took over iJAG’s social media channels during a trip to Washington, D.C. Hand-selected for iJAG by her teacher,...
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Live from TSPRA with Dr. Jill and ParentSquare’s Anu Vaid
The Content Generation
In this live episode recorded at the 2025 Annual Conference, Class Intercom’s Dr. Jill Johnson sits down with Anupama Vaid, President and Co-Founder of , to explore how schools can build stronger partnerships with families. Anupama shares how ParentSquare, which recently celebrated 14 years of serving schools, is redefining family engagement by listening to educators and creating a roadmap that addresses the unique communication challenges schools face. ParentSquare is revolutionizing how schools connect by uniting all direct communication tools in one platform—serving 40%...
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How Hudl is Revolutionizing School Sports through Social Media Engagement
The Content Generation
In this episode of the Content Generation Podcast, we sit down with Hudl’s Tony Linder, to explore how the company is transforming the way schools engage their communities through sports and storytelling. As one of the biggest names in athletic performance analysis technology, Hudl is used by 99% of schools across the U.S. to help student-athletes and teams perform at their best. With the launch of Hudl Fan Suite, the company is now expanding its focus beyond athletes to support entire athletic departments with solutions for live streaming, sharing highlights, ticketing, schedules, and...
info_outlineIn this episode of The Content Generation Podcast, we’re joined by Kelly Wachel, President of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). Kelly shares how her path transitioned from the corporate world into public education shaped a career in school communications spanning urban, suburban, and rural districts across the Kansas City. That experience has prepared her to lead at a critical moment for public schools nationwide.
Throughout the conversation, Kelly reflects on what it means to “meet the moment” in school communication as districts navigate increasing complexity and scrutiny. Drawing on decades of experience and the relationships she’s built through state and national SPRA networks, she highlights the importance of listening and mentorship in helping school communicators stay grounded amid challenges.
Kelly also shares her vision for NSPRA’s future, highlighting the role of advocacy and collective leadership in elevating school communicators and reinforcing public education as a cornerstone of strong communities. Her insights offer a timely look at how school PR professionals can support one another while shaping positive public perception, trust, and understanding.