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Linda Gardner Masters Her Story by Helping Children

Linda Gardner Launches her Support for Children with Cancer

As we all know, though, everyone wins when cancer loses. Linda Gardner, family attorney and child advocate in Bethlehem, PA steps up to support children with cancer.  We interviewed Linda this week to showcase her efforts to raise awareness about children with cancer through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).  Her efforts will help fund therapies and treatments that are saving lives. Over the years, support from people like Linda has been responsible for the blood cancer advancements that have doubled, tripled, and in some cases quadrupled the survival rate for some children with blood cancers.

Many LLS supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients but are also now used to treat patients with rare forms of stomach and skin cancers and are in clinical trials for patients with lung, brain, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers. And LLS funded drugs like targeted therapies and immunotherapies is now saving thousands of lives every day.

Linda is a member of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; Supreme Court of New Jersey; Eastern and Western District of the Federal District Courts of Pennsylvania; Third, Fourth, and Fifth Federal Circuit Courts, and Supreme Court of the United States. Linda received her BA from Moravian College, her M. Ed. from Lehigh University, and her M.A. from Columbia University.

Linda has decided to get involved with LLS after she was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2019. Her focus now is to help others who are in her situation in any way she can through LLS. Please watch the video and learn more about Linda and her mission to help the children.

 

 

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Authenticity and Storytelling During a Crisis

Authentic storytelling provides a means for you to engage with your audience and ease their minds

by Kim I. Plyler
     Storytelling by its own nature conjures up ideas of fantasy and entertainment but not when its paired with authenticity and a mission. When in a crisis, storytelling provides a means for you to engage with your audience and help convey your message or set their minds at ease.
     As communication professionals, we handle about 27 major crisis issues per year.  Of those issues, 98% never make it to mainstream media.  Why you may ask? It is because we train clients to always focus the issues back to their core story. Training spokespeople and internal staff to echo core messages and to know your core story is critical to surviving during a crisis.
     The recent Covid-19 Crisis hitting the world is a perfect example of the high need for people to know their core story and learn how to present it and lead the media back to it when things stray.  We are always asked, “When should I do my crisis communication planning?”  Our answer is BEFORE you are in a crisis.  A crisis communication plan will always be strong if it is done during routine work time and not in the middle of an emotional crisis.  If you are in crisis there is no time to plan you are what we call in the “Reaction Code Red” mode.   That will be addressed in another blog.
     Everything in a crisis is compressed by time.  Then it comes to fall out reactions, which like a pandemic, can cause serious new crises.  It is always best to plan, practice then implement. Having a great plan is wonderful, but if you do not conduct mock drills to test the plan you’ll more than likely make major mistakes when facing a crisis.
     If you have concerns or need help crafting or testing your plan, we stand by ready to help.  Just reach out to us via this website or the social media platform you may be reading this blog post on.  In the meantime take deep breaths clear your mind of worry and focus on what you can focus on which is your story.
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Stuffed Puffs CEO Shares His Sweet Success

Mike Tierney, CEO Stuffed Puffs, Speaks with Kim Plyler

Taking the country by storm, the new sweet treat, Stuffed Puffs is all the rave for Smores enthusiasts. In the driver’s seat for all this sweet success is Mike Tierney, CEO. His engaging leadership skills truly motivate everyone he comes into contact with. He infuses his outstanding talents into the company’s mission and has successfully launched a multi-million dollar
business here in the Lehigh Valley.

His company, Stuffed Puffs, Inc, is currently bringing jobs into the community. He is also attracting more talent from around the world to be part of his team in the Lehigh Valley.
Nothing says success more than having an economic impact, being an energizing leader and improving a community through jobs. Michael has done all that and more. His impact on the community of Southside Bethlehem has helped students at the Charter High School for Performing Arts experience business and meet a national celebrity. Tune into our podcast today and listen to how he put this all together and all while being part of the 30 and under generation.