Meet the Authors of "Latinas in PR": Carmen Boon and Amelia Taurel Folkes
Release Date: 03/11/2025
Making Milestones Happen with Michael Klein
Smart Talk Series
As we’ve learned this season, milestones don’t just appear. They come after brave actions, years, and sometimes decades of hard work and dedication. In the final episode of Season 10, Melissa interviews Michael Klein, Public Relations Manager at Ferrovial Construction, to discuss the career milestones he made possible by bravely asking for opportunities and taking action to bring them to life. About Michael: Mike Klein is a high-energy people person who began his career in television as a sports producer. Then changed career paths by becoming a public relations manager for one of...
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Celebrating Organizational Milestones with Joseph Nespral and Casey Casseb
Smart Talk Series
A major milestone in your organization is the perfect time to take stock of what you’ve achieved and chart a path for the future. In this episode, Melissa interviews President & CEO of Texas Organ Sharing Alliance Joe Nespral and TOSA’s Director of Communications Casey Casseb, to discuss celebrating 50 years of their organization’s important work in organ donation. About Joe: Joseph Nespral, MD, CPTC is the President & CEO of Texas Organ Sharing Alliance. Joe has been with TOSA since July 1997 and was promoted to CEO in October 2016. Joe has an extensive background in...
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Supporting Future Young Professionals with Emilia Williamson
Smart Talk Series
Today, Melissa is taking a break from talking to seasoned professionals by sitting down with a future young professional: her daughter, Emilia. Listen as Melissa and Emilia discuss how communication professionals can support and inspire Generation Z and beyond as they work to achieve milestones of their own. About Emilia: Emilia Williamson is a rising junior in high school who has “interned” in public relations and communications since she was a toddler. She is an honor roll student, award-winning theatre performer and cosplayer, aerial dance artist, and tenured Junior Intern at MVW...
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The Moments That Shape You with Hussein Al-Baiaty
Smart Talk Series
There are many moments in life, tragic and joyful, that can help create the person and professional you are today. In this episode, Melissa chats with Hussein Al-Baiaty, an author marketing strategist, about the past moments that shape us and the future moments we can manifest with the right mindset. About Hussein: Hussein Al-Baiaty is an author marketing strategist, author, and founder of Rising Authors, a platform that helps nonfiction writers grow their influence, income, and impact through powerful brand-building. As a refugee turned entrepreneur, Hussein combines storytelling,...
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Leveraging Milestones for Social Change with Claudia Romo Edelman
Smart Talk Series
With each milestone you reach, your career and reputation grow. What good can you do with that power? In this episode, Melissa sits down with Claudia Romo Edelman, a global mobilization expert, about how Claudia uses her voice and influence to help positively change the world. About Claudia: Claudia Romo Edelman is a global mobilization expert, catalyst for social change and marketer for social causes. She is a recognized speaker, activist, thought leader, author, and upcoming entrepreneur. Follow Claudia on . Topics covered: Claudia's milestone moments What inspired Claudia...
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Celebrating Your Own Milestones with Karen Swim
Smart Talk Series
Celebrating milestones as an entrepreneur can be difficult when you're trying to navigate a tough time or just busy serving your clients. In this episode, Melissa sits down with the President of Solo PR Pro, Karen Swim, to discuss how to leverage milestones as a business owner, the enduring spirit of solopreneurs, and how to take care of your well-being while leading the way in public relations. About Karen: Karen Swim, APR, is an accredited public relations professional, speaker, podcaster, author, and champion of independent by choice workers. She is the Founder of Words For...
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Bonus Episode: Branding, Bravery and Breaking Through with Melissa Vela-Williamson, Karen Swim & Michelle Kane
Smart Talk Series
Enjoy a bonus conversation between Melissa and the hosts of That Solo Life: The Solo PR Pro Podcast, Karen Swim and Michelle Kane about Melissa's tips on cultivating a purposeful personal brand.
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Bonus: Thought Leadership for Agency Growth with Chip Griffin & Melissa Vela-Williamson
Smart Talk Series
Enjoy a bonus conversation between Melissa and Chip Griffin about Melissa's unique journey in public relations and the importance of content creation.
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Bonus: Most Experts Stay Quiet—She Refused with Hussein Al-Baiaty & Melissa Vela-Williamson
Smart Talk Series
Enjoy a bonus conversation between Melissa and author champion and publishing strategist Hussein Al-Baiaty on the Rising Authors podcast where they discuss how challenging it was for Melissa to "be" the author for her first book, "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know." And then, what it was like to inspire other Latina leaders to go down that path with her second, "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture." Thanks to Hussein for having Melissa on her show to talk about her journey!
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Meet the Authors of "Latinas in PR": Irasema Romero and Lorraine Pulido
Smart Talk Series
In today's episode, Melissa introduces two authors from the new anthology, "Latinas in PR", Irasema Romero and Lorraine Pulido. About Irasema: Irasema Romero is a seasoned internal communication advisor and leadership coach with more than 15 years of experience supporting leaders through transformative organizational changes. She currently leads internal communications at Gong, an AI-powered revenue intelligence platform, and has a leadership coaching practice, Ollin Growth, focused on supporting early-career leaders. Throughout her career, Irasema has worked with C-suite executives during key...
info_outlineIn today's episode, Melissa introduces two authors from the new anthology, "Latinas in PR", Carmen Boon and Amelia Taurel Folkes.
About Carmen:
Carmen Boon, M.A. serves as the Vice President for Public Affairs at Food Bank For New York City, amassing decades of experience in crafting strategic communication strategies and spearheading social impact and advocacy initiatives. As a first-generation immigrant from Venezuela and a Fulbright scholar, Carmen has contributed to various New York City government agencies, tackling outreach challenges and managing crisis communications that provide critical services to millions. Her efforts in social impact communications within the nonprofit and public sectors have garnered her and her teams numerous recognitions, including the Shorty Impact and PR Week Purpose Awards. Carmen is an alumna of both The New School in New York City and Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Caracas.
Connect with Carmen on LinkedIn
About Amelia:
Amelia Taurel Folkes, MPS, APR is an accredited PR professional and strategic communicator with a vision and passion for helping brands position themselves for growth. She has more than 18 years of experience in public relations and thought leadership supporting a variety of clients in the fields of technology, government, B2C and B2B, financial services, and non-profit sectors.
Connect with Amelia on LinkedIn
Follow Amelia on Blue Sky
Topics covered:
- How the authors got in Public Relations
- What inspired them to share their story
- A preview of each author's story
- Advice for someone taking a step forward in their career
- Buy your copy of "Latinas in PR" on Amazon
Resources mentioned:
- "Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture"
- "Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know"
- MVW Communications