The Social Strategist Project
What gives someone the personal audacity to not only believe, but also effectively use, the power of communication to make the world a better place? Are there unique personal traits and professional best practices that enable communicators to become not mere practitioners but rather social strategists and true societal change makers? Those are the core questions that The Social Strategist Project aims to address through original weekly interviews and blog posts. Created by CSIC Fellow John Trybus, the award-winning multimedia series is a year-long exploration that aims to create a dialogue on effective cause-based communication with 60 of the most innovative thinkers and doers who frequently work in non-traditional ways to invoke social impact. From Jane Goodall to Beth Kanter and everyone in between, the series proves that social strategists are not your typical nonprofit PR directors but rather an elite group of leaders from which we can all learn. Phase two of the project, to be released in the Winter of 2012, will result in the findings from a survey among the social strategists and the publication of key lessons learned.
(Streaming audio requires QuickTime. Download the free player.)Podcasts
Jane Goodall
renowned anthropologist and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute
Seema Bhende
Senior Director, Corporate Responsibility at Waggener Edstrom
Sybil Hunt
Community Outreach Director at One Warm Coat
Joe Whinney
Founder of Theo Chocolate
Annie Griffiths
Photographer at the National Geographic Society and Executive Director of Ripple Effect Images
Kristine Templin,
Vice President, Corporate Partnerships at Special Olympics
Kyle Taylor
Business Development Manager at Inspired Adventures
Shonali Burke
President of Shonali Burke Consulting
Jonathan Hutson
Communications Director at the Enough Project
Tarrah Cooper
Press Secretary at Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel's Office
Jason Cone
Communications Director at Doctors Without Borders
Thom Clark
President of the Community Media Workshop
Ibrahim Hooper
Communications Director at Council on American Islamic Relations
Michael "Nick" Nichols
Photographer and Editor at Large at the National Geographic Society
Esta de Fossard-Nelson
Entertainment-Education Expert and Professor at Johns Hopkins University
Chris Arnold
Communications Director at Chipotle Mexican Grill
Diana Mayhew
President of the National Cherry Blossom Festival
Beth Kanter
Founder and Author of Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media
Josh Wachs
Chief Strategy Officer of Share Our Strength
Joyce Coffee
Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability at Edelman
Susan Spector McPherson
Senior Vice President and Director of Global Marketing at Fenton Communications
Cathy Renna
Managing Partner at Renna Communications
Katya Andresen
Chief Strategy Officer at Network for Good
Nell Edgington
President of Social Velocity
Merrill Shugoll
President of Shugoll Research, Inc.
Susan Davis
President of Susan Davis International
Jean Butzen
Founder & President of Mission Plus Strategy
Andy Solomon
Vice President of Public Affairs, MacArthur Foundation
Brooke McMillan
Online Community Manager, LIVESTRONG
Jana Sweeny
Director, International Communications at American Red Cross
Yasmina Zaidman
Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships at Acumen Fund
Theresa Marquez
Chief Mission Executive of Organic Valley
Regine Webster
Executive Director of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy
Sheri Turnbow
Director of Partner Marketing at the World Wildlife Fund
Dr. Rochelle Ford, APR
Associate Dean or Research and Academic Affairs at Howard University
Alan Andreasen
Professor at Georgetown University and Social Marketing Expert
Holly Barkhymer
Vice President of Marketing and Communications at The Michael J. Fox Foundation
Luciana Bonifacio-Sette
Director, Corporate Partnerships at Save the Children
Phillip Harvey
Founder and President of DKT International
Matt Scharpnick
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Elefint Designs
Mike Dupee
Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at Green Mountain Coffee, Inc.
Jan Jones
Executive Vice President of Communications and Government Relations at the Caesars Entertainment Corporation and former Mayor of Las Vegas
Coming Soon
Chuck Bennett, Vice President of Earth and Community Care at Aveda
Todd Blecher, Communications and Social Media Director at The Boeing Company
Kate Atwood, Executive Director at the Arby's Foundation
Beth Kuenstler, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Kiva
Aric Noboa, President of the Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership
Jennifer Silberman, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Hilton Worldwide
Sandy Herz, Director of Strategic Alliances at the Skoll Foundation
Marilee McInnis, Senior Manager of Community Relations and Giving at Southwest Airlines
Jennifer Smith, Senior Director of Communications and Special Programs at Ronald McDonald House Charities
Sherrie Westin, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the Sesame Street Workshop
About the Creator & Producer
John Trybus is a research fellow at the Center for Social Impact Communication and an alumnus of Georgetown University’s Public Relations and Corporate Communications master’s degree program. In his day job, he advises a number of nonprofits, foundations and responsible businesses as a member of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide’s social innovation practice. Previously, John served as an aide to chimpanzee expert and UN Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall at the Jane Goodall Institute where he was responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of her perpetual 300-day-per-year global speaking tour. During his tenure, John traveled with the environmental rock star to 40 U.S. states on a world tour that reached more than 130,000 people in person annually. He was named to PRNews’ 15-to-Watch list in 2010 and has also been honored with awards from PRSA, IABC and the Arthur W. Page Society. John would love to keep the conversation going: you can find him on LinkedIn, follow him on Twitter @johndtrybus or send him an email.