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Brittany Vanderpool posted this on May 20th, 2013
Kathy Keller is a Senior Graphic Designer here at Vanguard. She has been with the company for a total of nine years.
 Kathy Keller with her mom and older sister. When did you know you wanted to work in public relations? Other than a couple of classes I took in college, I didn’t know much about PR until I came to Vanguard, as my first job practicing graphic design. I was inspired by the ability of communications and design to touch the causes that I believe in, especially animal, wildlife and environmental protection.
What excites you the most about the future of public relations/design? I was initially excited to work at Vanguard because of the types of clients and causes we work for. I’m looking forward to seeing our work as communicators continue to make a positive difference in the lives of other people, of our planet and of our pets!
How would you define innovation? Seeing past the norm and what already exists, and creating something that makes even one life better or more fulfilled.
Who is a communicator that inspires you? Why? Any person that uses their skills, fame or fortune to further the causes they believe in most to make the world a better place.
If you didn’t work in public relations what would you do? Be an architect (the perfect blend of art and math/science), a vet (without practicing euthanasia) or a special effects “wizard” for movies.
 Kathy helping to transport dogs from a high kill shelter in North Carolina so that Dog World Rescue could help them find new homes. What’s the song most played on your iPod these days?I’m probably one of the only people who still doesn’t have an iPod — I decided I’ll wait until one is made that can actually fit ALL of the music I already have, times two (for the music I want). But between iTunes and Spotify, I’ve been listening mostly to STRFKR, J-Man, Donora, Ducktails and Macklemore over the past couple of weeks.
What’s your favorite food? Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Desserts in general.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? My creative side wants the beauty of Venice, Italy. But my everyday laid-back side loves any city where there is an awesome indie music scene.
What’s the one word you would choose to describe yourself? Random.
Rachael Siefert posted this on May 17th, 2013
Who says watching TV is a waste of time? You can learn about PR from ABC’s “Scandal” and NBC’s “The Office.”
 Today is Bike to Work Day! Did you ride your bike into the office this morning? Top brands <3 Instagram.
Measuring happiness one tweet at a time.
“Measurement is the new black,” according to this post on The PR News Blog. We agree!
How to pitch your environmentally-savvy clients to Audubon.
This week we joined American Psychological Association’s Mental Health Blog Day to help educate and raise awareness about mental health. Read our posts here, here and here.
Did you know that suicide rates among youth ages 15-24 have increased more than 300 percent since the 1950′s? Learn more about how we’re raising awareness about suicide prevention with our new staff volunteer program — Vanguardians 4 Social Change.
Crystal Borde posted this on May 15th, 2013
 I recently read about Attitudes in Reverse (A.I.R.), a suicide prevention nonprofit in New Jersey launched to educate young adults about mental health and curtail the rising suicide rate for this population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 20 percent of deaths of 15- to 24-year-olds each year result from suicide, making it the third-leading cause of death in this age group. For every completed suicide in this population, an additional 100 to 200 suicide attempts are made.
To encourage young people to seek help when in crisis, A.I.R. staff visits middle schools, high schools and colleges and shares Kenny’s story — the son of A.I.R. founders — who suffered from depression and anxiety and completed suicide four years ago. He was 19. At these speaking engagements, they share how Kenny felt and the mental health challenges he dealt with in order to develop a connection and shared understanding with audience members who may be experiencing similar feelings or disorders, or may be contemplating harming themselves.
Society often debates whether or not conversations like the ones A.I.R. leads with youth actually reduce the number of suicide attempts, or if they unintentionally increase the number. I don’t know the answer to that question. However, as a communicator, I know that personal stories are powerful tools to find common ground with an audience and educate them about important social issues, such as suicide prevention. And I know that discussing how a person was feeling or what mental health issues they were experiencing before attempting suicide rather than the details of the action itself will be more persuasive in compelling people considering self-harm to seek support.
It’s in our shared experiences and feelings that we can really break down stigma associated with mental illness and suicide and have important, real conversations about these challenges with young adults and our communities.
As we mark the American Psychological Association’s Mental Health Month Blog Day today and talk about suicide prevention during the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Prevention Week observance on Thursday, we should continue telling our behavioral health stories, and in their re-telling, emphasize what we share instead of what could set us apart.
Stephanie Dukes posted this on May 15th, 2013
Throughout history, countless individuals have made outstanding contributions to our world, all while living with various mental health challenges. From artists, writers, athletes and musicians to explorers, activists, industrialists and scientists, these individuals changed the world. They bear witness to the tremendous value of moving beyond the stigma and stereotypes that force too many people to the margins of society. Meet these famous figures who have dealt with mental illness. Some of the names may surprise you.
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Kirana Bammarito posted this on May 15th, 2013
When communicating about what it means to be healthy, people often think of physical health, but not mental health. As we’ve observed in recent events, the discussion around mental health is often couched in stigma and labels. That’s why I’m glad to see a societal and communications shift toward embracing positive mental health with the overall concept of wellness.
Wellness is a combination of physical and mental health that also encompasses social determinants of health and other factors such as spiritual fulfillment, financial stability and intellectual stimulation. The concept of wellness acknowledges that mental and physical health affect one another — in good and bad ways. Just as emotional stress can negatively affect one’s cardiovascular health, so adequate sleep, good nutrition and exercise can positively affect someone’s mental ability to focus.
The discussion of wellness is a holistic way of looking at the entire picture of health. Many workplaces, communities and other societal institutions are thinking about and acting on improving wellness, whether with Employee Assistance Programs or other wellness programs, such as gym memberships and wellness half-hours. More companies are realizing that wellness isn’t just good for their employees’ health, but is also good for their company’s profits. Whole cities even have wellness initiatives.
Examining our wellness allows for honest discussions about our mental health that might not take place otherwise. As communicators, we can embrace wellness to focus on strength-based, positive mental health — whether that of a person, community, city, state or nation.
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