What’s your backstory — how did you end up starting (or joining) an agency?

After working at PR powerhouses Rogers & Cowan and Burson-Marsteller, one of my former clients, Dr. Drew Pinsky, encouraged me to open my own agency. Prior to that I also held positions at Davidson & Choy Publicity and garnered television publicity experience at 20th Century Fox Television.

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When do you feel most energized at work?

Working on projects with a purpose is the thing that energizes me and gets me excited about work.  I've had the honor of working with The Ed Asner Family Center that serves the neurodivergent community in Los Angeles, The Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Maple Counseling Center.

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What’s a day in your life really look like (no filters)?

After 15-20 minutes of meditation, I get up and hit the ground running.  I check the headlines for breaking news and check for urgent emails while I have coffee.  At 9 am sharp I have a staff meeting with my team to go over deadlines and workflow.  As we are all remote, it's important to check in daily.  Then we start writing pitches, creating media lists, pitching to journalists, and posting about our clients media hits on social media. I usually have several Zoom calls each day with clients, journalists, agents and managers.  In the afternoon I may do an in person client or new business meeting.

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What’s a personal ritual or habit you credit for your success?

Whenever possible I like to meet people in person.  So much of our work is done over email and zoom.  I think it's important to take the time to develop personal relationships.

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What’s one mistake you made early on that taught you something lasting?

Be careful who you do business with.  Make sure clients are vetted and have funding.  Don't get left holding the bag after doing all the hard work.

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What’s something people get wrong about you?

Underneath it all I am not as tough as I may seem.  I have deep compassion and respect for my clients, employees and other PR colleagues.

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What do you do to recharge outside of work?

I have a wide circle of friends and an active social life outside of work.  I also spend quality time with my family and my dogs.  I love to be outside in the  garden and I love watching my hummingbirds fly around. I also love the beach and can be found at Zuma on Sundays.  The  Hollywood Bowl is a magical place to see a show.  I recently got into sound baths and self care.

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What’s your definition of “success” right now?

I have been in business now for over 25 years.  That alone defines success.  I've been through riots, earthquakes, pandemics, fires, and hard economic times but I am still here!

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What makes your agency different from others in your space?

VAPR is different than most agencies in that we work harder than anyone else to deliver the best in class media relations and crisis communications.  We leave no stone unturned.

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What type of clients or projects are a 'no' for you?

I will not work with people who are abusive or disrespectful to me or my staff.

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What’s a principle or value your agency lives by?

At VAPR we believe each client is unique.  We create custom campaigns.  Nothing is cookie cutter.  We always deliver our best and always adhere to the highest ethical standards in our business dealings.

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How do you hire? What do you look for in people?

When hiring I look for people who are enthusiastic, who have good writing skills, demonstrate leadership qualities, and are well spoken.

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How do you foster creative thinking on your team?

I try to challenge my team to think outside the box on a daily basis.  When writing I often ask them to do a first draft and I will then give feedback and editing.

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What’s a trend you’re betting on long-term?

Everyone is betting on AI tools.  It's the future and the future is now.  There are so many great AI tool that can streamline and help get tasks done quicker.

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What advice would you give to someone starting an agency today?

Have a 1 year, 2 year and 5 year plan.  Don't over extend yourself or grow too fast.  Make sure you always have reserve funds.

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Who’s one founder or operator you really admire — and why?

I really admire Judi Davidson, founder of Davidson & Choy Publicity.  She taught me so much about client relations, the arts and theater.  She was always so elegant and classy.  She also showed me that a woman can lead an agency and bring in new business.

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What software or tool do you swear by?

There are so many great tools and software programs.  I am a big fan of Freshbooks for accounting.  I also love Canva for creating graphics.

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Remote, hybrid, or in-office — what’s your ideal setup and why?

I have come to embrace remote work.  So much less stress.  No driving, no office rent or overhead.  I do like to have staff in the same city when possible for event and occasional in person meetings.

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What’s one thing you wish clients understood better about agency work?

Clients do not understand how PR works.  They don't understand that there is a process and sometimes it takes a minute to get traction.  I also wish they understood that they are not getting on Joe Rogan but smaller niche podcasts can be very worthwhile.   There is no magic wand.  You have to do the legwork.

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What’s your favorite thing about being in this industry?

I love that everyday is a new challenge.  I love that all the clients are different and each has something unique to offer.  I always learn so much about so many different topics from my clients.