I am excited and honored to launch this public relations column with a special guest, Joannie C. Danielides, President and Founder of Danielides Communications, Inc. of New York, NY and President of the organization, New York Women in Communications. Ms. Danielides epitomizes what a successful women in Communications and entrepreneur is. I feel fortunate to have her as a mentor in the ever challenging, constantly changing and mostly exhilarating world of communications. Like many of us, Joannie started off in a different field but within time discovered that her true potential could only be realized in another calling. With a Masters in Art History Joannie followed a traditional path for art history majors as a lecturer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on her specialty art decofurniture design. At the same time she worked on promoting educational programs for the arts in the public schools of Manhattan. Yet, Joannie felt that her goal of empowering the arts could only be achieved by promoting them full-time and that the best way to do that was through learning public relations.

Joannie was both excited and enticed by the set of promotional skills that the public relations industry could offer her. With the goal to better promote the arts Joannie took on a modest role as a public relations intern at the renowned public relations firm of Ruder Finn. Working diligently in only three months time Joannie rose to join the ranks of full time employees and launched a lifetime career of empowering people and companies with a message to help people. While at Ruder Finn she acquired an impressive roster of healthcare and travel clients but after time found herself conflicted between playing the roles of mother to two sons and promoting her clients full-time.

With little to lose and much to gain she left the hectic world of travel accounts to go on her own. For Joannie the biggest challenge of going solo was working out of her home and learning to manage the flow of everything . She credits her success to her great drive, determination and a true enjoyment of what she does. Joannie also stresses the importance of her willingness to do all that it takes to meet her goals if it be writing the press release to making dozens of pitch calls.

Joannie’s ability to win people over won her, her first client, the Boys Choir of Harlem who along with the Girls Choir of Harlem, are still with her today. Joannie acquired both clients through networking experiences which are an important part of this industry. She had a good friend who worked on the board at BCH whom knew the Choir was looking for someone to do publicity on their upcoming tour. Her friend then recommended Joannie to the director of BCH and she secured the position. One of her greatest successes and most personal rewards was achieved when working with another long standing client, the Columbia University School of Nursing that she also obtained through networking. In the face of controversy, Joannie orchestrated a pr campaign that helped to empower nurse practitioners and advocate their expertise as primary care providers. Joannie secured extensive media coverage that educated and informed the public about the quality primary care offered by NPs. A 60 Minutes feature entitled, “The Nurse Will See You Now” was just one of the TV pieces that Joannie initiated and facilitated.

The 60 Minutes piece was so effective that it won CAPNA and Joannie an award from the American Nursing Association. Even more importantly is the fact that it was how the campaign impacted people’s image of what nurses do and in turn helped nurses to move forward and get the word out that the healthcare industry was changing.

Joannie’s need to empower people led her to her current position as President of New York Women In Communications, in which she continues to impact people. The organization’s mission is to nurture and help young women who want to enter into the communications business, to provide a network and to offer high quality programming that helps its members to grow and get insight into the industry.