83. Florida Municipal Power Agency General Manager & CEO Jacob Williams
Release Date: 05/17/2021
102. Florida Behavioral Health Association CEO + President Melanie Brown-Woofter
Fluent in Floridian
To mark Mental Health Awareness Month, SMPR CEO and Founder April Salter sat down with Florida Behavioral Health Association CEO and President Melanie Brown-Woofter to discuss her work in the mental health space. Growing up in the tight-knit community of Wakulla County, caring for others was a way of life that seamlessly translated into her early career as a nurse. It was not until she entered the world of public policy that she learned she could positively impact millions of Floridians. At FBHA, she aims to reshape the dialogue around mental health and substance use disorders....
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101. Robin Hassler Thompson, Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center Executive Director
Fluent in Floridian
In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, SMPR President Heidi Otway sat down with Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center’s Executive Director Robin Hassler Thompson to discuss her journey through politics and navigating her life as a human rights activist. Thompson’s political passion was ignited as a high school senior while volunteering for Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign. She shares how this initial spark led her to pursue a law degree and develop a love for public service. However, it wasn’t until Thompson witnessed sex and labor trafficking in Bangladesh...
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100. SalterMitchell PR Founder + CEO April Salter
Fluent in Floridian
The 100th episode of the Fluent in Floridian podcast features none other than SalterMitchell PR CEO and Founder April Salter. From her idyllic upbringing in Key West to her dynamic career as an entrepreneur and PR professional, April's story is a testament to her love of the Sunshine State. Tune into this special 100th episode as April discusses her influential role in Governor Lawton Chiles' administration and first encounter with a young journalist named Heidi Otway that led to a decades-long friendship and the establishment of SalterMitchell PR, which celebrates 25 years of business...
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99. Volunteer Florida CEO Josie Tamayo
Fluent in Floridian
Josie Tamayo has never been afraid to be “the first.” Inspired by her mother’s legal career in Cuba, Tamayo grew up in rural Georgia to become the only Hispanic woman to graduate from her law school class. Tamayo’s passion for helping others drew her to a career in public service, where she charted a course from state attorneys' offices to the Second Circuit Court bench to serving as general counsel for six of Florida’s state agencies. Today, Tamayo’s current role as CEO of VolunteerFlorida reflects her years of passionate community service: a pathway that she now gets to help...
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98. Crisis Management Advisor & Best-Selling Author Melissa Agnes
Fluent in Floridian
As social media emerged in the early 2000s, many top corporate executives and business leaders wrote it off as a passing trend. Frustrated by crisis management professionals’ hesitancy to embrace digital communications, Melissa Agnes saw an opportunity to serve a developing industry. Nearly 15 years later. Agnes is a leading voice on all things crisis management and communications. She joins SalterMitchell PR Founder and CEO April Salter to share her story and discuss today’s communications challenges.
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Fluent in Floridian: Summer Break
Fluent in Floridian
Fluent in Floridian is going on summer break! So far this year, the podcast has featured some fascinating Floridians, from high-profile politicos to pro athletes. Use this time to catch up on episodes you may have missed, and stay tuned for the new season to begin later this summer.
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97. Pro Golfer Kamaiu Johnson
Fluent in Floridian
When Kamaiu Johnson was spotted swinging a tree branch at golf balls that rolled astray near his grandmother’s house, onlookers could see that the teen was a natural talent. Many masterful strokes later, Johnson is now one of the few black golfers at the professional level, and he’s committed to making golf look “more like America.” Tune in as professional golfer Kamaiu Johnson joins SalterMitchell PR CEO + Founder April Salter to share stories from the fairway, and explain how the kindness of a stranger led him to pursue his passion.
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96. Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie
Fluent in Floridian
From hurricanes to pandemics to refugee crises, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has led the state’s response to countless disasters. FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie joins SalterMitchell PR CEO + Founder April Salter to share stories from the emergency operations center, and discuss his career trajectory from local law enforcement to leading statewide emergency management operations.
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95. Lobbyist Yolanda Cash Jackson
Fluent in Floridian
Yolanda Cash Jackson may be Florida Trend’s latest Floridian of the Year, but the self-described “girl from Liberty City” has been making her mark as a lobbyist for over two decades. In her compelling conversation with SalterMitchell PR President and Partner Heidi Otway, Jackson shares her story of growing up in South Florida and pivoting to a lobbying career in her late twenties. They also discuss Jackson’s notable achievements, such as spearheading the effort to install a sculpture of Mary McLeod Bethune — founder of Bethune-Cookman University — in Statuary Hall at the United...
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94. Hotelier Harris Rosen
Fluent in Floridian
Harris Rosen has made a name for himself as Florida’s largest independent hotelier. A self-made millionaire and savvy businessman, Rosen is president and COO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts. But, he would have never pursued a career in hospitality had it not been for a chance encounter with Marilyn Monroe as a child. In this fascinating conversation with SalterMitchell PR President Heidi Otway, Rosen shares the story of his life, from humble beginnings working banquets as a boy to growing his hospitality empire in Central Florida. They also discuss his notable philanthropic work, which includes...
info_outlineSalterMitchell PR President Heidi Otway discusses all things energy with Florida Municipal Power Agency General Manager and CEO Jacob Williams, who leads FMPA’s efforts in advancing and improving the utilities industry. His agency serves more than 2 million residents and 10 percent of Florida’s power. In a state dubbed the Sunshine State, that is no small undertaking.