Media Spokesperson Workshop

March 15, 2011
Sofitel Lafayette Square
Washington, D.C., United States

Workshop begins at 1:00 PM ends at 5:00 PM.

In today's fast-paced, competitive and diverse communications environment, it's not enough to have a strong message. You must be able to effectively convey that message to audiences across multiple media formats in a clear and engaging fashion. Whether launching a new program, announcing a significant donation, negotiating a crisis, doing a Q&A about your college or university or delivering a speech before a live audience, a successful communicator understands how to adjust messages in a way that preserves content without compromising accuracy.

Media training provides the tips and techniques necessary to help ensure media interactions will benefit your institution's short‐term and long‐term goals. In addition, we teach skills designed to help increase communication leaders' comfort levels when talking with the media so that the focus of interviews is on your key points and the elements of the story that you want covered. We provide guidance on avoiding traps and how to best handle the unexpected and challenging question.

Institutions benefit from our understanding of broadcast, print and online media and our experience training hundreds of campus officials in best practices for preparing for and participating in media interviews. The trainers at Widmeyer have advised presidents, board members, senior administrators, athletics officials, student leaders and faculty on identifying key messages and projecting those messages with clarity, confidence and enthusiasm.

Separate registration fee required.

Benefits of Attending

• Evaluate fundamental strategic communications goals
• Identify media do's, don'ts and bridging techniques
• Review simple crisis communications rules
• Understand message mapping and practice creating message maps about potential good news
• Practice delivering talking points/message maps and recording interviews

Presenter

Teresa Valerio Parrot
Vice President of Higher Education
Widmeyer Communications

 Teresa Valerio Parrot leads Widmeyer Communications' higher education practice. Valerio Parrot brings her expertise in higher education media, crisis communications, marketing and administration to provide data-driven strategy and counsel to Widmeyer's impressive client roster.

Valerio Parrot draws on extensive experience designing and implementing strategic media and marketing efforts aimed at enhancing institutions' image, reputation and brand. She has conducted numerous communications analyses for colleges and universities, developed and launched multiaudience research projects and is experienced in communicating the tactics and techniques that drive effective media and marketing outreach efforts.

Previously, Valerio Parrot was vice president of media relations and crisis communications for SimpsonScarborough, a higher education consulting firm. She provided media, communications and marketing assistance to institutions.

A prolific keynote and conference session presenter, Valerio Parrot has spoken on behalf of Academic Impressions, ACE Fellows, AGB national conference and online speaker series, AIMHO, AMA, AASCU, CAAE, CASE Online Speaker Series and Districts I and IV, CCCU, Higher Education Hero, NAGAP, NAPAHE, NASPA, RMACRAO and United Educators webinar series.

She counts almost ten years of experience with the University of Colorado System, including an officer-level appointment as assistant secretary of the university. In addition, she served the Boulder campus chancellor as director of donor relations during the university's successful $1 billion fundraising campaign and served as special assistant to the system president.

Valerio Parrot earned a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in environmental biology, and a master's degree in public administration with emphases in state and local government and nonprofit management, both from the University of Colorado.