FUEL PD Bootcamp - In the Spotlight: Public Relations Skills for Everyday Leaders

In the Spotlight: Public Relations Skills for Everyday Leaders

Whether you are building a corporate career, volunteering for a cause you care about, or helping a nonprofit bring an event to life, you may find yourself representing the work more publicly than you planned. You are the person promoting the fundraiser, explaining the mission, or answering questions when attention shows up. This session helps you step into those moments with confidence by building practical public relations skills that protect your credibility and amplify your impact.

For many early and mid-career professionals, public relations is a side-of-desk responsibility handled without formal training. This session pulls back the curtain on what modern PR really requires and what journalists actually need to say yes to a pitch. You will hear directly from a veteran PR pro and journalist who will share practical strategies for building mutually beneficial relationships, identifying newsworthy angles, and creating buzz for events and initiatives without sounding salesy or scattered. Expect candid insight, real examples, and a 360-degree view of how media decisions get made.

Attend, and you will:

- Learn how to spot newsworthy angles in everyday work and pitch with purpose

- Explore what builds trust with reporters and what can damage credibility quickly

- Practice interview strategies for staying on message and handling tough questions calmly

- Learn an immediate first-hour crisis checklist for responding to misinformation and reputational risk

- Get live feedback during a “hot seat” Q&A by submitting real pitch ideas or PR challenges for input

Join us for a practical, high-value conversation that helps you move from uncertainty to readiness in public-facing moments. Bring your questions, your event ideas, and the stories you want told, and leave with tools you can use the next time the spotlight finds you.

About the Kim Shine

Kim Shine is an award-winning journalist, communications strategist, and dynamic media host with more than two decades of experience in storytelling and public engagement. She currently serves as Senior Digital Producer and Host of Uniquely Milwaukee at Radio Milwaukee, where she leads the station’s flagship longform podcast. Through in-depth interviews and rich storytelling, Kim explores the people, culture, and defining moments that shape the Cream City.

In addition to hosting Uniquely Milwaukee, Kim supports HYFIN’s digital station with daily on-air “Grapevine” news updates and produces its bi-weekly newsletter. She also curates and produces HYFIN’s daily news segment, The Grapevine, delivering timely, relevant stories that keep the community informed and connected.