CAPIO Chirp CAPIO

For this CAPIO Chirp, we are excited to interview Thomas Christensen, CAPIO's incoming president, about all things conference! Enjoy a sneak preview of what is in store for attendees at our May 13 - 16, 2024 event being held in Indian Wells – it's where the desert landscape becomes the backdrop for your professional recharge. 

In this episode, Scotty and Paul talk with two outstanding communicators, DeDe Cordell, Communications Manager for Yuba Water Agency, and Dan Fenstermaker, Media Services Specialist at the City of Brea. They share some awesome ways to give love and show support to their staff and creatively highlight the dedicated people and roles of their government agencies.



00:00 – 00:50 Intro, featuring a message from sponsor Tripepi Smith 

00:50 – 15:55 DeDe Cordell reveals how her communications team helps to humanize their government agency by pulling back the curtain and shining a spotlight on their employees. She shares how highlighting the personal side of people connects with internal and external audiences. By hitting the streets to showcase their staff and using high-quality photos and videos, they are able to strategically gain the attention of their audiences while making their employees feel valued. Yuba Water Instagram

15:55 – 37:00 Dan Fenstermaker shares how the City of Brea’s comms team developed a podcast to recognize staff’s contributions to their organization and the community. They even created a radio station to inspire unity and good vibes within their teams. This Friday station developed through Microsoft Teams has become a big morale booster for staff. City of Brea Podcast

37:00 – 37:23 Closing Remarks

So what does it take to become Communicator of the Year? We find out from ⁠Wendy Aguilar⁠ with the Sacramento Fire Department, who received one of CAPIO’s highest honors at the recent conference in Monterey.

Hint: be open to crazy ideas

Link: Sacramento Fire Department TikTok


In this episode, you’ll hear:

A snippet of Wendy’s acceptance speech (1:14)

Who is Wendy Aguilar? (2:27)

Where did she put her award? (3:40)

What is Wendy passionate about? (4:24)

How did she come up with the idea for her award-winning
video series? (5:04)

Why, as storytellers, we should “go for it” (7:20)

How to get people to resonate with your story (8:42)

How to make your stories connect with your community (11:15)

What does Wendy’s job entail? (14:38)

What is it like to work for a fire department? (15:50)

What’s the difference between a fire engine and a fire
truck? Learning new lingo (18:50)

Why did she choose a career as a PIO? (19:50)

How does she balance “putting out fires” vs. planning
communications? (22:00)

Lessons Wendy has learned at Sac Fire (23:00)

How has CAPIO benefited Wendy’s career? (24:18)

In this episode we delve into the fascinating intersection of artificial intelligence and public information: is AI a friend or is it a foe? This episode features three interviews with experts in the field who will share their insights on various aspects of this topic. Host Paul is joined by guest co-host Ericka Diaz, Media Analyst for the City of Agoura Hills, for this fascinating discussion on all things AI. 

You’ll hear from CNET technology expert Brian Cooley for an explanation about AI. Then communications expert Tim O’Brien with O’Brien Communications will discuss the ethical concerns surrounding AI. And lastly, we’ll hear how the City of Santa Clarita’s public information office is putting AI into use, with Carrie Lujan, Communications Manager for the city. 

Get ready for a fascinating and robust discussion on AI.



Show Notes

0:00 – Introduction, written and voiced by AI.

1:50 –Brian Cooley provides an overview of generative artificial intelligence and its implications for professional communicators. He discusses examples of how it’s being applied, how it can be used to amplify messaging and incorporated into routine practices, and some potential advantages, limitations, and side-effects to consider when generating and using AI content in daily practice. He also touches on how to incorporate AI to take out the grunt work of some tasks and the future of AI. 



17:02 –Tim O’Brien explores the ethical considerations surrounding AI and how it’s being used in government public relations. With AI becoming increasingly prevalent in our daily lives, it’s crucial that we have discussions about how it should be regulated and utilized in a responsible manner.

He addresses questions such as who’s accountable for AI-generated content when something goes wrong? What impacts could AI have on existing jobs and entry-level positions? Is AI bias? How should communicators approach AI/ChatGPT?



32:32 – Carrie Lujan discusses how their public information office is using AI in their operations and the benefits it’s bringing to their work. She talks about how they got their leadership team on-board with using AI as a tool for creating content. She also impresses the importance of fact-checking, quality control, and branding standards before putting AI-generated content out to the public. They go into the good and evil uses of AI on photos and videos and what to be aware of. 

Did you know that podcast listening has grown by almost 30 percent in the past three years?

And with that growth comes an opportunity for public agencies to better engage with their communities.

But what does it take to develop a government podcast and how do you attract listeners?

In this episode of CAPIO Chirp, we talk with the City of Agoura Hills and the Cucamonga Valley Water District about what it takes to launch a successful podcast.

It’s a podcast about podcasting!

Learn the newest tips on how best to use Facebook, Instagram and WhatsAp in emergencies and the next election.