FEMA Awards Vox Optima Media Training Contract
ALBUQERQUE, N.M. (October 13, 2011) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region VIII office selected Albuquerque-based public relations firm, Vox Optima, LLC, as its media relations and crisis communication trainer to support its training program for senior executives and spokespersons.
Designed to support FEMA’s future emergency management efforts, the single-award contract training is scheduled for early November at the FEMA Region VIII offices in Denver.
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| Mark McDonald |
Lincoln, Neb.-based director of Vox Optima’s western region, Mark McDonald, along with Vox Optima partner, Emmy-winning TV journalist, Jeannie Ohm, will conduct several sessions of multifaceted crisis communication, media relations and spokesperson training to senior Region VIII leaders.
McDonald served as the media point of contact and led all media support and training for the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s response to the 2005 tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia. With 15 years broadcast journalism experience, Ohm produced and reported stories as NBC News’ White House, Pentagon and Washington News Bureau correspondent.
“FEMA officials always face challenging situations and their communication must clear, accurate and very timely in order to be successful,” McDonald said. “From my own personal experience in natural disaster operations, I’ve seen how difficult it is to keep communication clear and accurate. Jeannie and I will use our combined experiences to help the Region VIII team improve and hone their communication skills.”
Vox Optima’s media training is geared toward providing clients with the confidence and skills necessary to be effective media spokespersons in high-pressure, constantly changing environments. Given FEMA’s primary mission of disaster and emergency management, the Vox Optima team’s media training will center on crisis communications.
“FEMA recognizes that a crisis can strike at any moment,” McDonald said. “Organizations with a crisis communication plan and well-trained spokespersons are far more successful responding to the inevitable media attention. Our crisis communication training forces an organization to look at their actions, culture and values. This lets them see themselves as outsiders view them even before a crisis occurs.”
Vox Optima is a full-service public relations firm with offices in Albuquerque, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Hampton Roads, Va.; Lincoln, Neb.; San Diego; and the greater Atlanta region. Government clients wishing to do business with Vox Optima via the GSA 541 schedule may contact JC Kreidel, managing director of Business Development, at (866) 499-2947 ext. 707.