Purpose “the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.” (Oxford Languages and Google) When you think about purpose, do you feel inspired and buoyed by possibility and opportunity?  Or weighed down by doubt? If how you feel depends on the day, you may be out of sync with one of your core values at work. Our values are our beliefs in what’s important and what we do to reflect them. Values may be instrumental or terminal; instrumental values are our means to the end. They are how we want to feel as we go about our work and live our life. Terminal values r ..read more

Gladys Hearst, Pam and Gene Waugh at Banner Brunch in 1991. As many long-time members may know, Pamela Baggett-Wallis passed away in December after battling cancer. She was a two-time president of WCA, supporting the organization through thick and thin. A fierce advocate of women in the industry, Pam served with some of our legacy members, such as Jo Caldwell Meyer, Anne Durrum Robinson and Gene Barnwell Waugh. Pam received the organization’s Outstanding Member award in 1982, Outstanding Austin Communicator Banner Award in 1984, the Leadership Award in 1997 and the Gene Barnwell Waugh Mento ..read more

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Help WCA Help You & Fellow Communicators You are invited to participate in an important compensation survey. This survey is designed to gather input from Austin-area communications professionals about how individuals are compensated for their work. The results will be shared with WCA members and form the basis of a WCA program in early 2024. Your answers will be kept strictly confidential and will only be viewed in the aggregate by WCA’s Board of Directors. Why Participate in a Compensation Survey? Compensation surveys can give individuals important intel about trends in their specifi ..read more

Every time you scroll the headlines or flip on the news, it seems someone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI). It is literally everywhere. On May 4, it was the hot topic at the very well-attended “What’s the Deal with AI?” WCA Lunch. Four great panelists shared their experience with and thoughts on how AI is currently affecting the comms world and also how it can be used effectively. The information shared and questions asked and answered showed how this rapidly changing field can be used by writers, editors and designers as a boon rather than a burden. Our panelists were: Sher Down ..read more

Heading up a firm that has won numerous awards and honors for its campaign accomplishments, Mae Daniller is herself recognized as one of the nation’s top consultants in membership building and fund development. During Women Communicators of Austin’s WCA@Lunch program in February, Daniller talked about the  “Keys to Keeping Clients Content” and the insights she has gained in working with a client roster that reads like a who’s who list of visitor-based museums, science centers, gardens and arts-related nonprofits. In 1999, Daniller launched Daniller + Company as a spin off of the nationa ..read more

Taking time out from her busy schedule, Abby Johnston, editorial director of The 19th, provided WCA members with invaluable insights into “Covering Gender in the Media.”  During this special WCA@Lunch on January 18, Johnston  talked about how women’s and LGBTQ+ lenses are applied in selecting and researching stories and the role that this approach takes in offering an important perspective in the news world. The concept behind The 19th evolved from when, while on maternity leave, co-founder Emily Renshaw was watching  the reporting on the 2016 presidential election and began co ..read more

Sharing insights gained from nearly 25 years as a serial entrepreneur, Catherine Jewell, The Career Passion® Coach, offered a wealth of tidbits and great advice during Freelance Austin’s recent lunchtime program held via Zoom on Wednesday, January 11.  A Journalism major, Jewell landed her first job as a magazine editor and then went on to work for 13 years with an advertising agency. At the age of 45, she shifted her career focus and took a position as a training manager. In 1997, she relocated to Austin and used her training skills as a public speaker and presentation coach. Today, she ..read more

Women Communicators of Austin (WCA) is thrilled to announce a new need-based student scholarship in honor of longtime WCA member, supporter, and past president, Julie Tereshchuk.  Julie passed away in May 2022 after a two-year battle with lung cancer. Her devoted husband, Trevor Richards, often seen at her side at WCA’s signature Banner Brunch awards, has generously chosen to create an ongoing $5,000 scholarship on behalf of Julie, expanding WCA’s current student scholarship program (Jo Caldwell Meyer Scholarship). An active member of WCA, Julie was well known for inviting professional w ..read more

Program Recap WCA and Freelance Austin jointly kicked off their fall programming on September 20th by hosting a lunchtime presentation by Stephanie Fritts, founder of Exec Wranglers. Fritts spoke to a dozen members over Zoom on “Creating Harmony Through Delegation.” To begin, Fritts asked attendees to take a deep breath and visualize “how it would feel to have everything in your life wrangled.” This brought out positive responses. Next, Fritts asked how attendees felt about the idea of delegating work to others. Answers included being nervous or worried about whether the person delegated to w ..read more