"Six Questions With..." Francie Israeli

1. What do you do at Kellen?

I am a senior vice president of John Adams Associates, the public affairs division of Kellen.

2. What kinds of clients do you work with?

Issues management is the mainstay of my PR career, and it's what I love to do most – particularly around environmental issues. I began my time with JAA working on chemical and health related issues, from bisphenol A (BPA) to phthalates to detergents ingredients like linear alkylbenzene sulfonate. A current client, the National Solid Wastes Management Association, represents the private sector solid waste industry in the U.S. They have a very good environmental message to tell; they are innovators in renewable energy and the leading industry investing in hybrid vehicle technology. I help them tell their story to the media as well as help to get their members' employees engaged and active in their local community to spread the message.

In addition to my client duties, I represent John Adams Associates on the Global Board of Directors for the Worldcom Group, which is the largest network of independent PR agencies in the world. JAA is a founding member – and there are now more than 100 partner agencies involved. Because we are Worldcom’s only DC representation, I am frequently tasked with assisting our partners with their clients’ DC needs.

3. What is your most memorable experience at Kellen? (client crisis, event, success, etc)

That would be the very first PR event I ever managed with JAA. It was for a medical association client who wanted a breakfast on the Hill (sponsored by former Rep. Rick Lazio, who was at the time battling Hillary Clinton for the Senate seat from New York – her first campaign) and then a press conference. I was still a bit green and nervous, but managed to pull it off. It was pretty thrilling.

4. What’s your favorite part about working at Kellen?

My DC colleagues – both old and new. They astound and inspire me with their dedication.

5. What has changed in the industry since you started at Kellen?

The obvious answer would be the increasing pervasiveness of the Internet and the transformed media landscape. When I started with JAA, we were barely off dial-up and no one had heard of blogging, let alone Twitter. Newspaper was still king. Things have changed a bit since then.

6. What changes do you foresee within the industry in the future?

Newspapers are already on a sad decline, and television is definitely next. I know far too many people who have already ditched cable and are hooking their TVs directly into their Macs. We need to stay on top of where our stakeholders are gathering so we can get through to them.