MARTY BOYER
(510) 886-6903Marty Boyer has spent 17 years communicating public issues in one way or another. She served for six years as a journalist with the major East Bay newspaper chain, covering every aspect of local government. She left the newspaper business in 1984 to develop a public affairs program for the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator in Alameda County. Since then, she has managed communications regarding everything from budget to earthquakes, scandal, program crisis, investigations, firestorms, and more. Throughout the years, she has emphasized developing a positive relationship with editorial boards to generate support and a high degree of credibility for Alameda County Government.
Marty has also been doing media consulting work for the past 7 years, and has now left Alameda County to open her own consulting firm, "Communication Advantage." In her new role, she draws on her long experience in crisis intervention, media training, and strategic media planning for public agencies throughout the state. She has trained more than 4,000 officials to date, most of them, appointed and elected public officials of all levels
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.TOM COLBERT
(800) 995-6808Tom Colbert wears the hats of three different careers: television producer, teacher and writer.
AS PRODUCER, Tom served more than ten years with CBS news at the network's Los Angeles station, KCS. In 1989, he was recruited by Paramount Television to help create the syndicated show HARD COPY. After two years as the program's Director of Research, Tom left to launch his own story development business. His Hollywood-based service, "Industry R & D," is the country's first true-life story company, and it feeds episodes to producers of TV news, reality shows, movies, magazines and books.
AS TEACHER, Tom has conducted hundreds of classes on media related subjects. He's in his 13th year at the California Specialized Training Institute, one of the world's most respected crisis-management schools. Tom also supplies TV stories for police, fire and paramedic training. His segments have appeared on the Law Enforcement Television Network, Professional Security Television Network, Fire and Emergency Television Network and Emergency Medical Update.
The years spent working with police has corrupted Tom. say his fact-gathering in crime stories can show the persistence and drive of a detective. Some say his fact gathering in crime stories can show the persistence and drive of a detective. An NBC TV movie, "Baby Brokers," recently portrayed his actual part in helping solve a nationwide fraud case.
In Tom's after-hours pursuit of writing, he's penned for publications as diverse as The Washington Post and Spy Magazine. In screen writing, his first motion-picture script in 1986 placed fifth in national competition. A feature idea was sold to Aaron Spelling Productions in 1987. And in 1990, the rights to his second movie script were optioned by a London-based film company.
He's a graduate from the award-winning Broadcast Journalism Department at California State University, Northridge, and one of seven children born and raised in Los Angeles.
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DONNA WEISZ JONES
(213) 367-4640Donna Weisz Jones is an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles, currently serving at the Department of Water and Power. Ms. Jones is the primary advisor to DWP's retirement plan. She also handles Public Records Act requests and subpoenas.
Prior to her service at DWP, from 1984-1995, Donna performed in the Civil Branch as general legal counsel to the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments, primarily on policy issues. She represented both departments, as well as the City of Los Angeles, in litigation, including civil rights cases, injunctive relief, criminal discovery issues (including Pitchess motions - i.e. People v. O.J. Simpson), and Public Records Act requests.
From 1975 to 1984, Ms. Jones worked in the city's Criminal Branch conducting prosecution of misdemeanors, Red Light and Narcotics Abatements, and obscenity cases.
She holds a B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles and a J.D., cum laude, from Loyola Law School.
Ms. Jones taught at the LAPD Academy, specializing in courtroom testimony for the Vice School and civil liability for the Tactical Awareness School. She also instructs in CSTI's Terrorism course.
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BONNI MONTEVECCHI, M.A.
(559) 261-1532
E-Mail: vvoyager@attitude.comUsing her 25 years of corporate experience, Bonni shares her business savvy and insights in a manner that not only educates but inspires others to become better communicators, goal setters, and peak performers.
Bonnie holds a Masters Degree in Human Resources and Organizational Development from the University of San Francisco. Bonni's Bachelor of Arts degree is in Journalism with a minor in Radio-Television from California State University, Fresno. Bonni has 15 years in the Broadcast News industry and ten in Public Relations, Corporate Training and Development. Bonni also hosts a travel discussion group throughout California. She believes effective training needs to be highly interactive, hands-on, fun, and informative.
Her expertise includes one-on-one coaching, crisis communication and on-camera training for media interviews and public presentations.
Her "Someday Isle" signature seminar represents her approach to business and personal success. Using a blend of audio and visual presentations and hands-on activities, "Someday Isle" is aimed at directing people toward fulfilling their personal goals and aspirations.
Bonni's other seminars include:
Bonni is available to do training needs assessments, as well as create customized public relations plans. She also has a signature speech entitled, "The Sublime 9 of ‘99," a fun, thought-provoking and informative presentation.Customer Service Academy (including needs assessment and mystery shopping service) Team-Building Training and Interventions Coaching and Mentoring Laughter in the Workplace Creativity, "Out-Of-The-Box Thinking" Stress Management "Break The Fear" Cycle Change Management
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KAREN OWENSKaren began her career with the Long Beach Police Department in October of 1990. She spent the first two and a half years working in Crime Prevention. In April of 1993 she was selected as the Police Department's first civilian Public Information Officer (PIO).
As a civilian PIO, Karen is considered the "anchor" in the Public Information Detail and is responsible for providing training and assistance to police officers as they rotate through the Detail. She is considered one of the department's experts in the area of Media Relations and teaches new recruit classes at the Long Beach Police Academy and senior officers during Advanced Officer Training. During her tenure in the Public Information Detail, she has been instrumental in building a positive working relationship between the Police Department and the media and in improving the Department's public image.
In addition to her department responsibilities, Karen is also very active in the Southern California Emergency Public Information Officers Association (SCEPIOA). The SCEPIOA is a professional association that was recently created to provide networking and training opportunities to PIOs involved in Public Safety/Emergency Services. Karen is one of the co-founders of the organization and has served on the Executive Board for the past two years.
Ms. Kerr Owens received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from California State University at Long Beach in 1991 and has received Media Relations training from the California Specialized Training Institute in San Luis Obispo and the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
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CHUCK ROSSIECharles M. Rossie, Jr., is a news media relations consultant. His firm, The CMR Group, Inc. specializes in news interview survival, crisis communication, issue management, public relations strategy, and financial journalism.
He prepares clients to appear on programs like SIXTY MINUTES as well as routine encounters with hometown news reporters and pre-dawn radio talk shows. He has personally coached more than 6,000 executives.
He is a guest lecturer at programs conducted by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services for law enforcement, government and industry.
From 1977 through 1985, Chuck was the Senior Vice President of a national media institute, the Foundation for American Communications. He was the author of the popular MEDIA RESOURCE GUIDE, printed and distributed under sponsorship of the Gannett Foundation.
From 1972-1977, he was the Manager, News Planning, at KNBC TV, in Los Angeles. He was responsible for news gathering and story assignments for the local news and was awarded an EMMY Citation by the Television Arts and Science Academy.
Prior to joining NBC, Chuck worked for 10 years in Sacramento, California at KOVR-TV. He was a news reporter and news assignment editor. He started newspapering at the Los Angeles Times and worked at the Fresno, Modesto and Sacramento BEE newspapers.
He holds a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in journalism from UCLA. He became interested in a news career when he was editor of his student newspaper, the UCLA Daily Bruin.
He is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, The California Association of Public Information Officers, Southern California Emergency Association, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, the Radio and Television News Directors Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the California Yacht Club.
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SCOTT SUMMERFIELDScott Summerfield made the move from government communications staffer to the private sector about five years ago. With offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, his firm provides help with marketing and public education issues for a wide variety of clients throughout the West.
With special emphasis in the local government field, Scott's work includes strategic communications plan development and public relations for organizations that include Waste Management, Inc., League of California Cities, California Healthy Cities/Western Consortium for Public Health, Affordable Housing Resources, Rabanco, City of Saratoga, City of Foster City, City of Hayward, City of Davis, City of Truckee, Sacramento County Open Space, East Bay Municipal Utility District, City of Mountain View, and Santa Clara County Open Space.
Scott brings seven years of award-winning municipal public information/public participation experience, along with tenures at several other organizations focused on community issues. Scott crafted the City of Newark, California's General Plan public participation program as a staff member, employing a wide range of communications tools to involve hundreds of community representatives. He has created public participation programs for recycling efforts and waste collection issues, and has provided guidance on a multitude of City projects in all areas of municipal operations such as public safety, cable television, customer service, emergency planning, and economic development.
He recently served as project manager for the largest grant program in League of California Cities history, supervising a team of nine consultants throughout the state who worked with local communities to implement waste prevention public education and public participation projects.
His public participation work includes a large San Francisco Bay Area urban runoff program which required a new fee to be paid by residents and commercial property owners. This project included a far-reaching public education component and development of strategies for reaching potentially hostile audiences. Community meeting facilitation and structuring of public input processes are a cornerstone of his municipal background, and Scott's public participation approach of identifying all possible affected audiences and then creating a communications program to reach each audience member has served his organizations well.
He served as director of communications for the City of Newark from 1987 until 1993, designing and implementing the communications, marketing, and information services function for the city of 40,000 population. Responsibilities included business development, internal communications/motivation projects, communications support for elected officials, speech writing, publishing, supervision of graphics professionals, supervision of Washington, D.C. lobbyists, and introduction of emerging communications technologies into city operations. He was responsible for creating and managing an in-depth City/Chamber marketing relationship, including developing marketing contracts, developing business expansion and retention goals, and integrating City/Chamber activities to ensure a unified image and approach.
Scott's past special projects include coordination of a visit by President George Bush, live broadcast of ABC-TV News "Nightline" from city hall, and creation of a new business development program that dramatically improved the perception about the city on the part of business leaders, employees, and residents.
Scott served with the Oakland Chamber of Commerce from 1981 until 1987 and was responsible for all member communications and media relations for the 1,900-member business advocacy organization. Responsibilities included publishing membership newsletters and directories, planning numerous special events aimed at changing the public's image of the community, working with local and national media to develop positive news stories, writing weekly internal digests for board members and staff regarding issues and events, and coordinating clearinghouse meetings between diverse community organizations.
Scott's previous experience includes serving as a game-day media relations coordinator for the Oakland Invaders USFL Football Team and reporter and announcer for KPBS-FM Radio in San Diego. The Oakland native is a graduate of San Diego State University with a bachelor's degree in Telecommunications/Film.
Scott is a past president of the California Association of Public Information Officials, a Paul Clark Award Winner in recognition of outstanding contributions to the public information field, a board member of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, an executive board member of the City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA), a board member of the Bay Area Cable Excellence Awards, and a crisis communications instructor at the California Specialized Training Institute.
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KAREN TERRILL
(916) 563-5123Karen Terrill is the Information Officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF). Ms. Terrill joined CDF in 1987. Prior to that she was a television news anchor, reporter, producer and talk show host. She has also worked in public relations and taught junior high and adult school.
Her professional affiliations include membership on the Prevention Education and Communications Working Team under the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, the California Fire Strategies Committee, and the Fire Safe California Advisory Committee. She is also a member of the State Information Officers Council, the Sacramento Press Club, and the Sacramento Public Relations Association.
Karen is past president of the International Television Association and has served with several other volunteer organizations.
When time allows, she enjoys freelance work such as hosting training videos, doing voice-overs and conducting workshops pertaining to media relations.
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DR. RAY ZEUSCHNER
(805) 756-2553Dr. Zeuschner is a guest lecturer for CSTI. He is a Professor at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's Speech Communications school. He also teaches in many CSTI programs and is a Communications Consultant with Mandel Communications, Soquel, California. He holds an A.B. from UC Berkeley, an M.A. from San Francisco State University and his Ph.D. is from UCLA.
Dr. Zeuschner is the author or co-author of over 50 scholarly papers, articles and presentations on topics related to communication, as well as three textbooks on public speaking and debate.
He is active in local politics (was a Council member and Mayor of Morro Bay), church, educational and professional associations.