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CEOs trust us, the media tolerates us, and our mothers think we know Oprah. The Smart in Public podcast, hosted by Katie Boysen and Katie Dufficy, shares business, career, and life experiences through the world of two Public Relations professionals just trying to keep their sh*t together.
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In the spirit of Season 3's unofficial theme of 'are we helping or hurting', The Katies take to Reddit to uncover some of the questions that are on our fellow comm's folks minds. Did we give some good advice? Hopefully! Did we have fun pretending like we're not both individual contributors in our day jobs? Definitely! Whether you're an intern trying to break into PR, a mid-level pro feeling stuck, or an agency leader managing impossible client demands, this episode might be just what you need...
What happens when one of tech's sharpest communications minds crosses over to the investment side? Ashley Mayer, co-founder and GP at Coalition, made the leap from leading comms at some of the most talked-about startups to backing them and the Katies want to know what she's learned sitting in both seats. Ashley unpacks the messy reality of startup storytelling, why the "chief storyteller" title usually falls on founders whether they want it or not, and how the tech industry's curr...
We're back, baby. Season 3 kicks off with what we're now calling a Katie & Katie Special. We felt like the distinction was necessary considering how many guests we have coming your way, so sit back, relax, and listen to us argue about localizing events, AI, and a bunch of other shit. We cover two case studies about the future of events without people in mind & what it actually means to build a personal brand when everyone is screaming for attention. You'll hear a lot of... 🎙️ Re...
Hello from down unda! We're on the same time zone for the first time for a year and wanted to take a quick moment to wrap up Season 2 with a gratitude bow. Thank you to everyone for tuning and chiming in -- we still can't believe that our little passion project has turned into the platform that it has! We'll be back for Season 3 mid-January 2026 with some guests that we're extremely excited about!! Until then, have a very happy holidays and in the meantime we'll be photoshopping our hea...
Crisis communications expert Tara Goodwin has seen it all: executives freezing under pressure, companies making bad situations catastrophically worse, and the rare leaders who actually nail it when everything's on fire. In this no-BS conversation with the Katies, Tara shares why most organizations are dangerously unprepared for inevitable crises and what actually works when your reputation is on the line. Most CEOs don't have a dedicated crisis plan. They're operating on vibes, crossing their...
Most PR professionals think they understand journalists—but Meredith Klein, the veteran communications strategist behind the rapidly-growing Meredith & the Media newsletter, is here to take us to school. In this no-holds-barred conversation with host Katie Boysen, Meredith pulls back the curtain on the massive disconnect (AND OPPORTUNITY) between what PR professionals think journalists want versus what actually lands coverage. With 20 years of communications experience and a Substack that...
Ever notice how when corporate giants go to war, they suddenly discover their deep concern for "customers" and "fairness"? This week on Smart in Public, the Katies dissect the Disney vs. Google/YouTube TV standoff and spoiler alert: neither company gives a damn about you. What they do care about? Leverage, market control, and making sure you think they're the good guys while they battle for billions. Most coverage of corporate disputes treats them like sports rivalries—pick a side...
Ever wonder why everyone in PR talks about measurement but nobody seems to have cracked it? Linda Zebian, VP of Communications at Muck Rack, just said the quiet part out loud—and it's exactly what you need to hear right now. In this episode of Smart In Public, the Katies sit down with someone who's uniquely positioned to call out the industry's blind spots: a comms leader who works at the company that literally builds the tools we're all supposed to be using to prove our worth. Linda's journe...
In an industry obsessed with job-hopping, Jess Aptman, Chief Communications Officer at Zocdoc, has been at the company for 13 years and she's here to tell you why loyalty isn't a dirty word. In this refreshingly honest conversation with The Katies, Jess breaks down what it actually takes to build a communications function from survival mode to strategic powerhouse, and why the best career move might be doubling down instead of moving on. This episode is a masterclass in (what some people mi...
In the 50th episode of Smart in Public, The Katies unpack the fallout from Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff’s recent controversial comments and what it reveals about the modern relationship between leadership, communication, and reputation. They explore how Benioff’s remarks led to public backlash and even a Salesforce Foundation board member’s resignation, raising deeper questions about how powerful CEOs perceive risk, influence, and accountability. The conversation examines the role of communica...
Think climate communications is all doom, gloom, and corporate greenwashing? Corina Standiford, VP of Communications at Elemental Impact, is here to flip that narrative. In this episode of the Smart In Public podcast, Corina sits down with The Katies to break down why the biggest climate week ever happened this year—despite what the political headlines want you to believe—and what that means for every communications professional watching this space. Why this episode hits different: 🌍 The narr...
In this week's episode of Smart in Public, The Katies dissect Jimmy Kimmel's media controversy involving FCC threats + Disney's response strategy and Australia's Optus telecommunications crisis that left customers unable to call emergency services. This episode unpacks what happens when crisis management goes right—and catastrophically wrong. What we covered for Jimmy The FCC's unprecedented response: How FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened ABC's broadcast licensesDisney's communication stra...
The Katies are back from our Season 2 intermission to bring you a conversation that goes deep—because that's the only way that Christine Choi, Partner and Head of Brand Communications at M13, knows how (and we wouldn't change a thing). There's a reason why leaders like Sir Richard Branson have trusted Christine with their messaging, programs, and comms strategies over the years. She thinks deeply, considers all angles, and strongly believes that communications isn't just about getting y...
If you skip this episode you're going to miss an epic 5 6 7 8. Also, moving forward, you can just assume that when those count-ins are over the top, we do not have a guest. lol The Katies are taking a couple weeks off and will be back Sept 23 with a guest you're not going to want to miss!! Here's a hint: we'll SEA you then! Connect with us on: Instagram TikTok Web Have a topic or a guest idea? Email us at hello@smartinpublicpod.com
This week the Katies had Gab Ferree, founder of Off the Record and former VP of Global Communications at Bumble, on the show and she doesn't hold back. For the listeners, our emotion-driven chat and sentence-finishing will be a fun ride, but trust me when I say editing this episode was a (worth-while) nightmare. 😂 If you're tired of surface-level industry conversations and want the unfiltered truth about where communications careers are heading, this one's for you. What makes this episo...
Ever wonder what the CEO of Medium—the platform where millions go for real, thoughtful content—thinks about authentic communication in our AI-slop-everywhere world? Tony Stubblebine dropped some serious truth bombs on this episode of Smart In Public that every communications professional needs to hear. While everyone's panicking about AI taking over content creation, Tony argues that authenticity and genuine thought leadership are becoming more valuable, not less. His hot take? Everyone has e...
This week on the Smart in Public podcast, the Katies welcome Eleanor Hawkins, author of the Axios Communicators newsletter to discuss the evolution of communications roles, the impact of AI on the industry, and the importance of authentic leadership. Eleanor shares insights and predictions into the communications industry based on her work on the Axios Communicators newsletter, including the challenges faced in the current job market, the dynamics of the return to office, agency struggl...
Most PR professionals think investor relations is just about spreadsheets and earnings calls—but John Cummings, Managing Director, CFO, and COO at Smith Point Capital, proves that IR is actually advanced brand storytelling attached to VERY big dollar signs. In this episode of Smart in Public, John unpacks how investor relations professionals master the art of narrative control when (sometimes!!) billions of dollars hang in the balance. From his unconventional path from political science to th...
In today's episode of the Smart in Public podcast, the Katies welcome Daniella Vallurupalli, VP and Head of Global Communications at Cloudflare, to demystify the role of communications professionals during the IPO process. Daniella shares the importance of preparing for an IPO well in advance (with some incredibly helpful tips on how to do that), how to get a S.E.A.T. at the table throughout the entire process, and the unique challenges faced by comms teams when trying to navigate a tim...
In this week's episode of the Smart and Public podcast, the Katies dig into the crisis recently faced by Qantas, Australia's most well-known national airline, following a significant data breach earlier this month. Hot topics were the implications of the breach on customer trust and loyalty, the challenges of crisis communication in today's instant-info digital age, and the importance of CEO messaging and transparency in rebuilding brand reputation. A use case that we touched on was the...
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