Ashley Papagni has held the position of Public Information Manager for the City of Orlando Fire Department now for six years, with the largest response to the Pulse Tragedy. Papagni has an illustrious background in journalism, specializing in news reporting, video production, public relations, and social media. Papagni has worked for NBC/ABC stations in Orlando and Fort Myers. She has also worked in public affairs for the Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. She graduated with a Broadcast Journalism B.A. from the University of Central Florida, an M.S. from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York City and is now a Ph.D. candidate in Crisis and Risk Communication at UCF focusing on social capital and recruitment in public safety.
8:45 a.m.–9:30 a.m. PT — Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Connection, Compassion, and Creativity.
At times, the question gets presented: "Why do fire departments need a PR team?" While true that this profession is well-perceived, it also requires consistent positive interaction with its community. Specifically, the three C's. Your team should be connected by representing a diverse and inclusive staff that requires your municipality's support. Second, the team should demonstrate compassion, as all parts of the department should understand that public safety is in the business of people and public service. Lastly, creativity is essential to making programs feel fresh and increasing engagement among new residents. Ashley Papagni is excited to show how her social accounts went from zero followers to more than 70,000 and how to grow those audiences.
Key takeaways:
- How to expand your team through other resources
- Determine what content aligns with your organization
- Identifying stories that pull at heartstrings
