Nonprofit Day – PR Bootcamp

As Vice President of Public Relations with &Barr, a 64-year-old agency in Orlando, Fla., Erin Pagán leads the public relations team and provides strategic counsel, plan development, and senior account service to clients. Erin’s nearly 25-year career in public relations has included leading public relations services for agencies, public and private companies, and nonprofits. In her most recent position prior to joining &Barr, she developed, grew, and led a global corporate communications department for a public, multi-billion-dollar company, where her team managed all facets of public relations, including internal and external communications, CSO, issues/crises planning and management, as well as investor relations support. With &Barr, Erin leads a strong team of diverse PR practitioners dedicated to providing strategic, fully integrated communications plans for the agency’s ever-growing client list, featuring nationally and internationally recognized brands. Erin’s previous experience includes tenure with SteinMart, The Home Depot, American Red Cross, and Hilton – just to name a few – providing public relations services to a diverse array of industries from Aviation, Entertainment, and Hospitality to Retail, Real Estate, and Travel/Tourism. She started out her public relations career in the nonprofit sector.

Chris Bright has been working in the communications and marketing fields for over 20 years, and currently serves as the Director of Communication for the United Way of Collier and the Keys.  Chris’ background includes time with for-profit, government, and non-profit enterprises.  As a small-business owner, Chris operates Bright Idea Media Group, a multimedia production company.  Storytelling is a major part of Chris’ professional path, and he believes that every organization has a story to tell.

Jennifer Galbraith
How to Create an Effective Communications Campaign

Jennifer Galbraith is a marketing and public relations professional and nationally certified StoryBrand Guide that enjoys helping her clients clarify their message and create their overarching brand strategy. Her company, Alestra Marketing, Inc., is a social change communications agency that uses the power of stories, media and technology to change behavior, advance policy, build communities and transform thinking. She has over 20 years of experience in public relations in the public and private sectors. Prior to starting Alestra, Galbraith worked in the public sector in Economic Development for almost a decade. Working in conjunction with the Fort Myers Regional Partnership and their public/private partnership, the Horizon Council, she helped launch and staff task forces for education, workforce, diversification, health care and overall business climate issues. She oversaw all local, regional and national public relations initiatives for the organization and its partners. She also has experience working with a diverse client base through previous national advertising account management roles with BVK and Cramer Krasselt. Working on the agency and client-side, she has helped to market and promote everything from nonprofit organizations, retail outlets and artists to foundations, schools, associations, airports, resorts, tourism destinations, technology companies and more.

Sarah Owen, president & CEO of Collaboratory, leads a passionate and diverse team of possibility makers committed to coordinating the solving of all the social problems in Southwest Florida on a daring 18- year deadline. Her journey into the non-profit sector began as the leader of a grassroots hunger fighting organization, following a career in investor relations, public relations and corporate communications. Her corporate experience was in the automotive and engineering industries and Sarah was sought out by innovators and entrepreneurs developing emerging technologies. Sarah brings this focus on innovation to her work at Collaboratory. In 2017, Sarah oversaw the execution of a public private partnership with the City of Fort Myers to create Collaboratory’s headquarters in the historic Atlantic Coast Rail Depot, a $10.5 million project funded with New Market Tax Credits. The LEED Gold campus comprises the renovated 1920s ACL Depot and a 14,000 square foot addition designed to provide a physical and virtual space to connect the region’s problem solvers and their work including nonprofit organizations, businesses, residents and government partners. A graduate of Florida Southern College and the University of South Florida, Sarah holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education as well as certifications in environmental sciences from the University of Florida’s TREEO Center. She is married to David Owen and they have three adult children pursing their own dreams for the future.