247. Caroline Sánchez-Avakian, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, on Elections and Storytelling

What happens when you combine storytelling, strategy, and high-stakes advocacy? You get a communicator who understands not just how to craft a message—but how to make it matter.

This week on The PR Podcast, we sit down with Caroline Sánchez-Avakian, Strategic Communications Director at the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, to talk about the intersection of policy, narrative, and real-world impact. From leading national advocacy campaigns to her work as a playwright and Emmy-nominated host, Caroline brings a unique perspective on how stories shape public opinion and influence outcomes.

We get into what PR professionals can learn from advocacy communications, how to sharpen messaging in high-pressure environments, and why the most effective communicators understand both the facts and the human story behind them.If you want to think differently about influence, messaging, and the role of PR in shaping the world around us—this episode is for you.

The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals.

Ballot Initiative Strategy Center

Website: www.ballot.org

Socials: @ballotstrategy

Podcast page: https://ballot.org/podcast

Caroline Sánchez-Avakian

website: www.carolineavakian.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carolineavakian

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