Katherine Griffiths Renews Accreditation in Public Relations (APR)

Posted by Max Weirauch on December 13, 2023

Principal Katherine Griffiths has officially renewed her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). The APR accreditation program is run by the Universal Accreditation Board, a group of nine professional communication organizations, including the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO), of which Tripepi Smith is a Diamond Sponsor. The purpose of the APR program is to unify and advance the profession by identifying specific people who have demonstrated broad knowledge, experience and professional judgment in their careers.

“Completing and maintaining my APR credential has helped flex my theoretical perspective on researching, planning, implementing and evaluating communication programs,” said Griffiths. “I appreciate the opportunity to give back to others interested in pursuing the curriculum through presentations, service and mentoring.”

Katherine completed a vast array of activities over the past three years to earn her renewal including participating in industry events, completing online classes, performing public services such as serving on the Board of Directors for the Blind Children’s Center, and continuing her education and professional development through CAPIO Academy, Meltwater and more.

Katherine is not the lone holder of the accreditation on the Tripepi Smith team, as Principal Jen Nentwig also currently holds the APR designation. These certifications help to set PR professionals apart as a leader in the competitive public relations field.

“Katherine is a very influential member of our team and her commitment to professional development embodies the ‘Always Be Learning’ culture that is such a big part of who we are here at Tripepi Smith,” said Tripepi Smith President Ryder Todd Smith. “We are grateful to have Katherine as a part of our team, and she consistently demonstrates her skills and understanding of public relations through her work with our Tripepi Smith VIPs”.

Learn more about the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) here.

About Tripepi Smith

Tripepi Smith is a marketing, technology and public affairs firm based in Orange County, CA. Its clients include for-profit, nonprofit and public agencies throughout the state of California. The firm’s unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provides a competitive advantage for organizations seeking to leverage the Internet to achieve their communication goals. Tripepi Smith provides full content creation services, including: ghostwriting, collateral development, photography, video production, search engine optimization, email marketing, crisis communications, social media management and website design and execution. Tripepi Smith clients include: City of Santa Ana, City of Culver City, City of Rolling Hills Estates, City of Tracy, City of Santa Cruz, City of Snoqualmie, City of Cupertino, City of Daly City, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Paramount, City of Huntington Beach, City of El Cerrito, City of Indian Wells, City of Yuba City, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Industry Business Council, NHA Advisors, CalChoice, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Rowland Water District, California Contract Cities Association, California City Management Foundation, League of California Cities, Institute for Local Government, Renne Public Law Group, Inland Empire Utilities Agency and Climatec Energy Services.

The City of Thousand Oaks Taps Tripepi Smith for Districting Process

Posted by Max Weirauch on August 28, 2023

The City of Thousand Oaks concluded its districting process on July 18, 2023, with thesecond reading of the ordinance adopting its first district map. The City began the process of shifting from at-large elections to district elections in March 2023 and Tripepi Smith worked in tandem with National Demographics Corporation to support the effort.

Tripepi Smith Principal Jen Nentwig spearheaded the engagement work, together with Senior Business Analyst Sydni Overly and Junior Business Analyst Madeline Pettit. Team Tripepi Smith collaborated with the City and NDC to listen to the voices of residents and adapt outreach efforts according to feedback and community needs.

“Pursuing district formation is a complex process that requires close collaboration among legal counsel, a demographer and outreach professionals,” said Thousand Oaks Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Director Alexandra South. “Thanks to Tripepi Smith’s expertise in the space, the City was able to carry out a robust outreach strategy and garner community engagement.”

As part of its work, Tripepi Smith developed and maintained a dedicated website sharing up-to-date information and details of the process. Residents who visited the site were able to draw and submit district maps, submit information about their communities of interest and view maps submitted by the public.

Tripepi Smith promoted involvement in the process through community workshops, social media posts, flyers, phone call outreach to community-based organizations, and attending pop-up events to share information and promote the process. These forms of outreach engaged a variety of residents and met them where they were.

“The City exceeded the requirements of outreach for its districting process to ensure transparency and community involvement,” shared Jen.“Tripepi Smith is grateful to have been a part of this collaborative effort and helped guide its success.”

About the City of Thousand Oaks

The City of Thousand Oaks is a premiere community recognized for being one of the most desirable places in all of California to live, work, recreate, and raise a family. Located in between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara in Ventura County, Thousand Oaks is nestled against the Santa Monica Mountains and with over 15,000 acres of natural publicly owned open space located within the City’s boundaries.

About Tripepi Smith

Preparing to Communicate a Coronavirus Case in Your Workforce

Posted by Melanie James on March 25, 2020

It is a deeply concerning scenario for employers and managers today: You receive a phone call with the news that one of your employees has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). Do you have a response plan? Have you considered how you will communicate with your other employees, their families and other stakeholders?

Tripepi Smith has experience assisting in these types of communications, and here are some tips we can pass along:

1) Rely Solely on Official Information.

In the scenario described above, your response depends entirely on who that phone call was from. Did you receive the news directly from the sick individual or a family member, or was it from your official local health agency? Only act based upon information that is received from or verified by an official, trusted source. If in doubt, verify any information with your official local health agency leading your jurisdiction’s COVID-19 response.

2) Remember HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

Before communicating any information, remember that HIPAA requires the protection and confidential handling of protected health information. As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, public health agencies appear to be interpreting HIPAA requirements in different ways and sharing various degrees of detail. The Federal Government is also evolving HIPAA disclosure policies to allow more flexibility for public health professionals to notify and promote isolation action. Check with your official local health agency and agency attorney for guidance on what you can and cannot divulge about your situation.

3) Synchronize Communications with Lead Agencies.

Is your official local health agency going to be publishing the news about your organization’s case? And if so, do you know the date and time of their release, and exactly what information they plan to share? Ensure you are aware of their information and timing, and align your communications accordingly. If your organization will be identified in the communications, plan to synchronize your release of information as closely as possible and be prepared for stakeholder questions to start coming in.

4) Stay In Your Lane.

Communication is key to effectively leading and managing during times of crisis. However, it is important to remember to “stay in your lane.” Think about what information you are responsible for sharing with your key stakeholders, versus what topics are best to defer to subject matter experts (such as your official local health agency). The information in your purview is your “lane.” Know it and stick to it, and refer requests for other types of information to the respective subject matter experts.

5) Rally Your Leadership Team.

Identify the leaders and experts on your team that you need dialed into the situation. Establish clear roles and, if necessary, develop a rotating schedule for who will be responsible at various times. Depending on the scope of your situation, you may need to anticipate being responsive outside normal business hours. Divvying out roles and responsibilities early-on will help your team avoid burnout.

6) Communicate, Communicate, Communicate.

Once you’ve confirmed your communication parameters with your official local health agency (in compliance with HIPAA) and you’ve identified your “lane,” communicate the information you can share with the stakeholders with whom you can. Use every tool in your communication toolkit, such as a dedicated webpage, FAQs, press releases, direct emails and social media. While communicating this news may not seem intuitive, it is best for your stakeholders to see your organization as leading, being transparent and addressing concerns –rather than being passive and reactive.

7) Remind Employees How to Respond In Case of Media Contacts.

If your organization has an employee test positive for COVID-19, you can bet that members of the media will begin contacting you, your employees and their families. Refresh your employees about any policies you may have regarding being contacted by the media. If your organization has a Public Information Officer or similar function, you may wish to encourage employees to refer all media to the Public Information Officer or other designated point of contact.

8) Avoid Speculation.

This is a rapidly evolving situation. In a scenario where an employee tests positive for COVID-19, you may hear that the person’s health is trending better or worse, or you may hear that it looks like there is no community spread, but only share current facts! You may think you know what tomorrow may bring, but avoid communicating projections or speculations to avoid having to backtrack or correct the record later.

9) Remember Empathy.

At the core of your communications, remember empathy. You may not be a subject matter expert on infectious disease or public health, but your leadership and communication are important to your employees. Be clear, be strong, be supportive and remember: We’re all in this together.

Written by Tripepi Smith Director Jennifer Nentwig. Reach Jen at jennifer@tripepismith.com.

Tripepi Smith Adds Staff, Expands Footprint

Posted by civicbusjourna on September 9, 2019

The team at Tripepi Smith has officially added three new full time employees, effective August 28, 2019. The Orange County-based marketing, technology, and public affairs firm now boasts 18 employees with a wide array of skills and strengths. The addition will help service the company’s growing client demand across the public and private sector. The new hires include Senior Business Analyst Jen Nentwig, Junior Business Analyst Bryn Miller, and Junior Business Analyst Blair Welch.

“Please join us in welcoming Tripepi Smith’s three newest #TeamTS members: Bryn Miller, Jennifer Nentwig and Blair Welch!” The company’s LinkedIn page said of the new additions. “We are adding capacity (now 18 strong) to meet the needs of our clients and expand services on all fronts. It is exciting, and we thank every client who has entrusted us as their partner and made our growth possible.”

You can learn more about what the addition of Jen Nentwig, Bryn Miller, and Blair Welch means for Team TS on the company website.

About Tripepi Smith

Tripepi Smith is a marketing, technology and public affairs firm located in Orange County, CA. Its clients include for-profit, nonprofit and public agencies throughout the state of California. Its unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provide a competitive advantage for organizations seeking to leverage the Internet to achieve their communication goals. The firm also provides full content creation services, including: ghost writing, collateral development, photography, video production, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, email marketing campaigns and website design and execution. Tripepi Smith clients include: City of Culver City, City of Rolling Hills Estates, City of Tracy, City of Cupertino, City of Duarte, City of Daly City, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Santa Ana, City of Paramount, City of Huntington Beach, City of El Cerrito, City of Indian Wells, City of Yuba City, Industry Business Council, NHA Advisors, Cal Choice, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Rowland Water District, Valley Water Company, California Contract Cities Association, California City Management Foundation, League of California Cities, Institute for Local Government, Renne Public Law Group, Inland Empire Utilities Agency and Climatec Energy Services.