Major Lessons From My Internship from a Soon-to-Be College Graduate

By Janelle Vaca, Winter Intern, Randle Communications

For the last three months, I had the opportunity to navigate the exciting and challenging world of public relations and public affairs as an intern at Randle Communications. As a soon-to-be communications graduate from Sacramento State, I believe the insights I gained from my internship positively shaped my understanding of the industry as well as my future career path.

From Pajamas to Professional: Balancing School and Work as an Intern

Navigating the landscape of the Sacramento communications world as an intern has been an adventure. As a full-time student, balancing the demands of school and work was a challenge, but I quickly adapted to the hybrid environment and learned to work effectively from home.

During my first day at Randle, I was met with a new industry lexicon of industry language and business acronyms including CTA, KPI, PAC, ROI and many, many more. But with the help of my colleagues and mentors, I studied and quickly picked up on the terminology. My colleagues were patient and happy to explain any concepts or acronyms that I didn’t understand.

My first piece of advice for interns is to always ask questions, especially if you are unclear of what something means. There are a lot of acronyms in PR, and it can be confusing at first, but asking for help from those who have been in the industry for many years is the best way to learn and grow in your role.

Lights, Camera, Impact: Behind the Scenes

One of the most exciting aspects of my internship was the opportunity to learn about the energy, effort and strategy of activities conducted behind the scenes. As a public relations/public affairs firm, much of our work to position clients, industries and issues happens behinds the scenes. I gained a new appreciation for the importance of this work and what it takes to support client partners and achieve their goals through strategic communications and advocacy. I was, as an example, extraordinarily proud to be a part of a team who supported the important work of a local health care organization. Together, we helped make a positive impact in the community, and I learned firsthand how vital PR/PA work is in shaping public discourse and educating key audiences. It was a great feeling to be a part of something bigger, and to see firsthand the positive impact that we had on the local community.

From Social Media Rookie to Messaging Master: Skills I Learned

During my time at Randle, I also developed a range of valuable skills that will be useful throughout my career. Not only did I observe the mastery of the firm’s senior digital strategist, but I also learned the importance of creating effective messages that match platform distribution and are generated from trusted ambassador voices.

I also practiced executing work while under tight deadlines, a valuable skill in any workplace, but a necessity in the fast-paced world of public relations and public affairs. Traditional and new media landscapes are full of evolving content and with issues rapidly and constantly changing, and I saw firsthand the importance of flexibility and time management to ensure tasks are completed on time. In an agency, things move quickly, and I learned to ask colleagues for specific timelines to help prioritize my tasks, and those timelines were frequently adjusted throughout the day. I’m grateful to my team for helping me learn more about prioritizing activities and perfecting the art of time management.

Carbs and Communication: The Importance of Building Relationships

Networking is key in public affairs and public relations to meet and connect with other professionals and industry players. I was fortunate that my internship included frequent mentorship sessions and daily engagement with members of the firm’s leadership team. We also enjoyed weekly all-team meetings to connect with other coworkers, usually over some morning bagels or other goodies. This streamlined my onboarding process and helped me feel more comfortable in the office right away. The regular networking events were always a highlight of my week because I loved having the opportunity to connect with professionals in my field and learn from their experiences. It’s essential to take what you learn about networking with you after your internship. As you continue to grow in your career, don’t be afraid to ask other professionals out for coffee or lunch, attend industry events, and stay connected with your former colleagues. The connections you make during your internship and beyond can be invaluable for your professional development and help you succeed in the field of public affairs and public relations.

Lessons Learned and Future Goals: Reflecting on my Internship

Looking back on my internship at Randle, I’m proud of everything I learned and grateful for the experiences I had. I’m especially thankful for this introduction to the professional world, which will help me further my future in communications. My team gave me a head start on how to use programs that I will use for the rest of my career. Thanks to Randle, I feel more prepared and confident than ever as I embark on my career in the communication field.

If you’re considering an internship in public relations or public affairs, I can’t recommend Randle highly enough. It’s a challenging and rewarding environment that will help you develop valuable skills and make a positive impact on the community.

Announcing Promotions of our Executive Management Team

 

Hello colleagues, friends and industry partners,

Today is a historic day at Randle Communications as I am thrilled to announce major promotions for our talented executive leadership team. Across my 35 year career in public affairs, public relations and politics, I’ve never worked alongside such a talented and passionate group of professionals, who exude ‘Good to Great’ leadership and are committed to one another and the success of our team.

Julie Phillips is being promoted to President and a Partner at the firm after 11 years of exceptional work at Randle Communications. Julie is an extraordinarily talented professional and a one-of a kind leader that blends a unique ability to think strategically and execute complex projects flawlessly. She is the ultimate team player that uses her talents to mentor our team while also staying laser focused on developing each one of them into great professionals. In her role as President of the firm, she will run the firm’s day to day operations, lead the Senior Management Team and play a larger strategic and leadership role with our clients. Since joining the firm, Julie has been a catalyst for company growth, launching the firm’s award-winning digital public affairs program, spurring innovation in services and leading public affairs and public relations projects for major California clients.

Lindsey Goodwin will now serve as Randle’s Senior Vice President leading the firm’s public affairs and health care practices. Known and respected for her passion and deep public policy experience, she enriches client strategy and delivers sophisticated and fully integrated programs to many of California’s largest industries and organizations. Since 2013, Lindsey has propelled Randle’s award-winning public affairs and health care practices, in the process becoming an expert in health care, transportation and housing, while also cultivating the trust and respect of clients and colleagues.

Erin Dunlay is a remarkably talented and versatile professional whose two decades of experience splits across public relations, public affairs and ballot measure campaigns. Erin specializes in strategic communications and will drive the firm’s growing public relations practice as Senior Vice President, bringing her vast experience launching large-scale initiatives, building and protecting brands and amplifying client stories using traditional and innovative digital tools. Since 2015, Erin has played a central role across diverse client industries, leading project teams that span health care, banking and finance, environmental protection, public pension management and crisis communications.

Nanette Farag has supercharged Randle’s political affairs practice since joining the firm and will now serve as its Senior Vice President, bringing her unmatched talent to power the expansion of the firm’s political affairs practice. Nanette is a skilled public affairs and political strategist with executive experience achieving success and winning ballot measures at the state and local levels. She leads the industry with her strategic thinking and tenacious pursuit of winning. Nanette has nearly two decades of experience leading strategic operations, political campaigns and external relations for high-profile candidates and elected officials. Since 2019, Nanette has propelled the firm’s in-house political affairs services, cultivating a comprehensive suite of offerings that connect research, data, strategic coalition development, breakthrough content production, earned and paid media and multi-faceted messaging strategies.

This marks a monumental step as the firm creates a pathway for further expansion and innovation into the future.

Along with our Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Kifer, the senior leadership of Randle Communications is comprised of individuals with tremendous talent, experience, passion and commitment to leading a team-first organization. Individually each are spectacular based on their unique expertise and skills, and combined, they represent a dynamic and powerhouse team.

These promotions will drive continued collaboration across practice and issue areas, bringing greater value and strategic communications support to firm clients.

Please join me in celebrating this exciting announcement!

Best,

Jeff Randle,
Founder & CEO,
Randle Communications

Randle Communications Elevates Senior Leadership Team to Power the Firm into the Future

New Roles Drive Public Relations, Public Affairs and Political Practices 

 

SACRAMENTO – Randle Communications, the leading public relations and public affairs firm in Sacramento, has announced major promotions of its executive team to drive the firm’s continued expansion, growth and innovation. Julie Phillips has been elevated to President and Partner of the firm, and Lindsey Goodwin, Erin Dunlay and Nanette Farag have been named to Senior Vice President roles in Public Affairs, Public Relations and Political Affairs. This marks a significant step for the firm, as its executive team will drive growth and success across dynamic practice areas and continue bringing clients innovative in-house services with the tenacity of a startup and the expertise and resources of a national firm. Jeff Randle remains in the position as Founder and CEO, bringing decades of strategic communications experience working alongside client partners at the highest levels of the private and public sectors.  

“Julie, Lindsey, Erin and Nanette are a powerhouse team who bring tremendous value to our client partners based on their unique strengths and expertise, and together, they offer visionary leadership and decades of public relations, public affairs and political expertise,” said Founder and CEO Jeff Randle. “Their talents, passion, and devotion to supporting our team have propelled the firm to its top position in the market and sustained our growth over the past decade.” 

The leadership team, including its Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Kifer, has been working together for nearly a decade to deliver results for clients across diverse industries including health care, finance, housing, natural resources, education and utilities. Their innovative approach to communications has solidified the firm’s position as a leading provider of public affairs and public relations services across California.   

In her new role as President and Partner of the firm, Julie Phillips will steer firm operations with her dynamic leadership, creativity, and flawless execution of complex projects, and she will play a larger strategic role leading major clients across the organization. Since joining the firm in 2012, Phillips has been a catalyst for company growth, launching the firm’s award-winning digital public affairs program, spurring innovation in services and leading public affairs and public relations projects for major California clients.  

Lindsey Goodwin will lead the firm’s public affairs practice and launch a new health care practice, bringing passion and deep public policy experience to enrich client strategy and deliver sophisticated and fully integrated programs to many of California’s largest industries and organizations. Since 2013, Goodwin has propelled Randle’s award-winning public affairs practice, in the process becoming an expert in health care, transportation and housing, while also cultivating the trust and respect of clients and colleagues.  

Erin Dunlay specializes in strategic communications and will drive the firm’s growing public relations practice with her vast experience launching large-scale initiatives, building and protecting brands and amplifying client stories using traditional and innovative digital tools. Since 2015, Dunlay has played a central role across diverse client industries, leading project teams that span health care, banking and finance, environmental protection, public pension management, crisis communications and ballot measure campaigns.  

Nanette Farag will fuel the expansion of the firm’s political affairs practice. Farag is a skilled public affairs and political strategist with executive experience achieving success and winning ballot measures at the state and local levels. She leads the industry with her strategic thinking and tenacious pursuit of winning. Farag has nearly two decades of experience leading strategic operations, political campaigns and external relations for high-profile candidates and elected officials. Since 2019, Farag has propelled the firm’s in-house political affairs services, cultivating a comprehensive suite of offerings that connect research, data, strategic coalition development, breakthrough content production, earned and paid media and multi-faceted messaging strategies.  

“This group’s passion for the industry and their commitment to culture and supporting one another is unmatched,” said Randle. “It’s an extraordinary group of ‘Good to Great’ leaders who make a powerhouse team.” 

These promotions will propel continued collaboration across practice and issue areas, bringing greater value and strategic communications support to firm clients.   

 

About Randle Communications:  

Jeff Randle created Randle Communications in 2001 to give clients great service from experts who thrive in a team environment. Randle specializes in strategic storytelling, executive positioning, brand building and reputation management, media relations, digital advocacy, breakthrough content generation, ballot initiative campaigns, litigation communications and crisis management. The firm is a two-time Inc. Magazine Best WorkPlace award winner and has been a longstanding receipt of the Sacramento Business Journal’s A+ Employer award.   

 

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Leveraging Social Media to Cultivate and Strengthen Coalitions

By: Michael Lienhard, Senior Account Executive, Randle Communications

A critical public affairs strategy for success is building an authentic coalition of partners who champion your cause. Coalition building includes cultivating a group of stakeholders, often from diverse backgrounds, that have unique viewpoints but a shared stake in the outcome of policy decisions. While digital platforms and social media are ubiquitous in 2023, online platforms are often overlooked as a tool for creating and growing coalitions.

From recruiting potential partners to engaging with existing allies, social media can expand reach, mobilize supporters and amplify messages. Below, we examine the role of social media in coalition building and provide three best practices to leverage social media to build successful coalitions and win for our clients.

  1. Identify Prospective Coalition Members

Who are existing allies and how can we identify new partners? Consider the individuals, organizations and other influencers who share goals or have a stake in the issue at hand, even tangentially. Use social media listening tools, to analyze online conversations, to identify organizations, individuals and groups with shared views.

When examining potential partners consider individuals and organizations with large social media followings or other forms of influence, such as high engagement rates or loyal followers.

2. Leverage Social Media for Partner Engagement

Once potential partners have been identified, the next step is to engage by commenting on posts, sharing content, tagging individuals and organizations in posts or articles of common interest, and reaching out directly to share your goals and propose ways of collaboration. It’s important to be sincere with all interactions and to avoid simply asking for their support. Instead, focus on building genuine relationships and finding ways to collaborate on shared goals.

In addition to reaching out to potential partners, social media is a must when engaging with existing coalition members. This could include sharing updates on the campaign, highlighting the work of coalition members and providing engaging content and opportunities for members to share their own stories and experiences related to the issue. Keeping coalition members engaged and informed can help build a sense of community and momentum around the campaign.

3. Measure Success and Partnership Engagement

If you can’t measure impact it is difficult to determine effectiveness, so it’s important to track and analyze social media efforts and make refinements as necessary. Establishing goals at the onset and monitoring engagement metrics such as likes, comments and shares, is key to gauge the impact of efforts to grow the coalition over time. By analyzing this data, you can identify what’s working and what’s not, and adjust the social media strategy accordingly.

Social media is a powerful tool for building coalitions in strategic public affairs campaigns. By identifying potential partners, engaging with existing coalition members and leveraging influencers, campaigns can use social media to expand their reach, mobilize supporters, amplify resonance and ultimately deliver winning results. Randle Communications follows these best practices to help clients achieve their goals.

5 Ways to Increase Innovation at your Agency or Organization

Randle Record blog banner image

By Rachel Marquardt, Senior Digital Strategist, Randle Communications

The hustle and bustle of agency life includes full schedules, complex projects and client objectives, and professionals with diverse strengths and skill sets.  The landscape doesn’t easily create space and time to pursue new ideas and breach the innovative frontier, but as the digital world continues evolving, it’s critical agencies ensure their teams are positioned to maximize new technology, ideate and problem-solve while still supporting their clients with industry-leading services. 

Here are a few tips that could benefit your agency as you work to weave in time for innovation for your busy team. 

1. Embrace Strategies to Turn Pressure into Productivity  

Did you know that individuals are most creative at a specific time of day? It’s science – when the brain is overwhelmed, it leaves no room for creativity. This may give readers who are in the agency world the urge to stop reading this article altogether because it can be difficult to unclutter your mind when there is consistent pressure to provide the highest quality work for clients. The answer is this: Harness pressure into productivity. 

When stress becomes overwhelming, something neurologists refer to as “downshifting,” a state of fight or flight occurs where your brain’s pathways are not open to creative ideas, only ideas that will support survival. However, there are ways to “upshift” your brain out of this state and into a state of creativity and productivity, according to Leading Crisis Management Expert Ben Ramalingam in his book “UpShift.” 

There are a few things you can do to upshift your brain and turn pressure into productivity, including: 

These disruptions to your standard flow or routine will give your brain the opportunity to upshift.  

To learn more about upshifting, check out the book  “Upshift” by Ben Ramalingam.  

2. Optimize Your In-Person or Virtual Collaboration Time 

Brainstorming – a concept initially invented by Alex Osborn in the 1950s – is best done together in an inclusive, undistracting environment. This means setting aside other tasks to focus on one goal, together, whether in a virtual setting or in person. Optimize your in-person or virtual collaboration time by scheduling 30 minutes to 1 hour for your team to brainstorm solutions to one challenge without any other agenda items or distractions. At Randle Communications, we value using our brainstorming space to set aside focused ideation sessions where we don’t let other client items or tasks interfere. 

3. Encourage Diverse Perspectives to Generate Ideas 

There is great value in incorporating diverse skills and perspectives into a team who is looking to problem-solve. Unlike what some may believe, it isn’t the similarities between team members that hold the most value but their differences. This means different backgrounds, departments, skills, and levels in your organization too. It takes multiple personalities, ideas, and perspectives to achieve goals and see innovative ideas through.  

There are many helpful tools for helping people pinpoint their productive personalities and where they best fit when it comes to innovative problem-solving. For example, is there someone in your office who is an endless idea generator? Or how about someone who likes to take a plan and jump in to make things happen? These people are just some of the many puzzle pieces that fit to make an innovative team. 

Many people believe it is an innate personality trait to be innovative or be a “problem-solver,” but that is truly not the case. This means when you’re assembling your project teams or bringing people together to solve a problem, even someone who may not feel like they have the “innovative” gene might have the perfect piece to finish your team’s puzzle. If you’re interested in learning how your team can harness their skills and personalities in the workplace, check out FourSight, or The Ten Faces of Innovation by Tom Peters. 

4. Quantity Will Lead to Quality 

You have the team, you’ve set aside the time. But how do you plan a productive brainstorming session? When it comes to brainstorming ideas that will lead to innovative solutions, quantity will lead to quality. This concept was coined by Osborn and has been researched and confirmed by multiple creativity, innovation, and behavior researchers. 

In order to develop quality concepts from a quantity of ideas, here’s a quick sequence to try in your brainstorming sessions: 

  1. Define your challenge, or the problem you are hoping to solve. 
  2. Have your team individually write down as many ideas as possible.  
  3. Have each team member add their ideas to a whiteboard, or a virtual list for the team to see. 
  4. Begin discussing which of the ideas are most viable. Can multiple ideas connect? Do some of the ideas spark others? 
  5. From there, pick the idea or ideas the team wants to move forward with, and begin making a plan to address your problem. 

Practice omitting the word “no,” from these brainstorming sessions, as someone’s “no” might be a YES from a differing perspective, or could pair well with another idea. 

5. Create an Innovative Space… Physically. 

This last section is for teams with a hybrid working schedule or mainly work in-office. If your space is drowning in division due to a large number of physical dividers, consider reimagining a part of your office space for your team. Prioritize building a common space for brainstorming and creativity. Here are a few suggestions for building out your collaboration space: