Courtney Sanders, Manager of Communications and Events at Child Study Center

Courtney Sanders, Manager of Communications and Events at Child Study Center

By: Diana Truss

Image taken from http://www.cscfw.org/

Courtney Sanders found her passion for corporate communications at the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating from college in 2006 with a degree in Corporate Communications, Sanders has worked in public relations for four years. Immediately after college, Sanders went to work in politics. She worked as a Legislative Correspondent and was in charge of all constituent Correspondence for a United States Congressman. Following her position as a Legislative Correspondent, Sanders worked as the Grassroots Director and Communications Manager for Texas State Official, Susan Combs. Sanders worked as the liaison between the media and the Comptroller. After her career in politics, Sanders currently holds the position as the Manager of Communications and Events at the Child Study Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Child Study Center is a non-profit organization that offers a wide range of services to children who have developmental disabilities and related behavioral problems. As manager of communication and events, Sanders coordinates numerous events to raise awareness of the Child Study Center’s mission and vision with the public.

In order to work in public relations, Sanders says you must constantly be networking with other professionals. It is important to get to know all outlets of communication and be “in the know” of everything that is going on in the world of public relations. Sanders says it is also important to understand how to direct questions to the particular person you are interviewing or corresponding with, whether it be with your client target public.

Sanders offered some advice for future public relations professionals. “My main advice is to stay in touch with the people that you meet throughout your career. It is very important to network and get to know others in your field,” Sanders said. She also explained that it is valuable to follow current events that are happening not only in the United States, but also all over the world.

Disney's "Magic of Healthy Living"

(Image: www.disneychannelmedianet.com)

Magic of Healthy Living

By: Diana Truss

In an effort to helping children lead healthier lifestyles, Disney kicked off a public relations campaign entitled “Magic of Healthy Living”, in order to educate children on the importance of healthy eating and leading an active lifestyle. The campaign was launched on September 30, 2010 and will continue for an entire year.

The goal of the campaign is to inform children on the importance of eating healthy as well as maintaining an active lifestyle. Disney understands the value and benefit of eating healthy and wants children to engage in this lifestyle. Disney paired with First Lady Michelle Obama and various Disney Channel stars, such as Nick Jonas, Brenda Song, Alyson Stoner and Tiffany Thornton to deliver public service announcements that will air on the Disney Channel, Radio Disney, Disney.com, Disney XD and the ABC network.

There will also be two web sites available for parents and children to access who want to learn more about the campaign’s efforts. These web sites can be found at Disney.com/healthyfun and Family.com/healthymagic. The web sites feature healthy recipes, tips for healthy living and exercise suggestions.

Starting October 21, 2010, Disney is featuring a national essay contest through the campaign called Magic of Healthy Living the Weekend, where children can submit ideas about how to live a smart, healthy lifestyle at home, school or in their community. There will be 50 winners across the United States who will have the opportunity to spend the weekend at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Along with the campaign, Disney will give a $1 million grant in order to build gardens and play spaces in 10 underprivileged communities around the nation. Disney will team up with KaBOOM, a non-profit organization whose vision is to provide playgrounds for every child within walking distance.

In my opinion, Disney’s multimedia initiative is very effective in delivering their messages by having Disney Channel stars that kids recognize and look up to discuss healthy living. The fact that Michelle Obama also appears in the campaign is effective as well. Obama is extremely passionate about eating healthy and is highly recognized by families. It is effective and appealing to have celebrities deliver information regarding nutrition because it grabs the attention of parents and children when they see famous teenagers who they love to watch on television and in movies. Also, Michelle Obama has a reputation for eating smart and parents are going to listen to what she has to say.