The intention of this event is to bring together potential interns from the UCSB Dept of Communication and employers who are potentially seeking interns or would like to explore the possibility.

The Communication Association is a student-run organization that helps prepare students for professional careers. They are the link between the academic theory taught in courses at UCSB and the practical application of these theories in the workplace. The organization helps develop mutually beneficial relationships among students and professionals in Communication-related careers.

If you are interested in speaking on our panel or would like to learn more about our event, please contact  Alexandra Platt via email alexandralplatt@gmail.com or phone (707) 363-7529. RSVP’s are encouraged!

Wednesday, March 7, 5:30-7:30 pm Canary Hotel, COAST Restaurant & Bar

Come socialize and schmooze with your AWC-SB colleagues, and don’t forget your business cards. Bring your friends, too, and introduce them to the opportunities offered by AWC-SB.

No Host Bar & Appetizers
Happy Hour Prices in the bar!

PLEASE NOTE a Public Parking lot with 90 minutes free parking is located nearby. Hotel Parking is only validated if you order food from the restaurant, and valet service is $13.

We hope to see you there!

Questions: awcsb@hotmail.com

The post-holiday period is a time for renewed focus. We are at peak performance as communicators when we feel physically, mentally and emotionally fit. We tend to lose focus when we feel overwhelmed, lack energy, lose sleep or have physical complaints. Our expert panel will discuss steps each of us can take to improve our effectiveness. With their guidance, learn how to improve productivity, reduce stress, achieve better work-life balance and enhance joie de vivre.

The panelists:

Dr. Ellie Corigliano has a private practice in Santa Barbara where she provides consultation to aid in the restoration of well-being by working with each individual’s body chemistry and personal situation. She earned her doctorate in biochemistry at UCSB, and she has a Certificate of Nutrition from the Program of Integrative Medicine through the University of Arizona.

Noemi “Mimi” Doohan, MD, PhD, is an Eisenhower Primary Care 365 Physician at the Eisenhower George and Julia Argryos Health Center in La Quinta. She provides in-patient care at Eisenhower Medical Center, and she maintains a practice in Montecito. She is the founder and former medical director of Doctors Without Walls. She earned her doctorate in molecular biology and biochemistry at UCSB and her medical degree at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Dr. Kathy Gruver, author of The Alternative Medicine Cabinet, maintains a natural health and medical massage practice in Santa Barbara. She earned her doctorate as a traditional naturopath and PhD in natural Health. She has studied mind-body medicine at the famed Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Harvard Medical School and pursued further education at the National Institutes of Health. In addition to her practice, Kathy often contributes as a speaker, commentator, writer and expert witness.

Dr. Lynn K. Jones is a Certified Personal and Executive Coach and President of AWC-SB. She coaches leaders and trains and consults with organizations on leading, managing, communicating and implementing strategic and personal change. On the teaching faculty of the USC School of Social Work Virtual Academic Center, Lynn also trains professionals in organizational management, nonprofit management and leadership.

Moderator:

Karen O’Hara is Managing Editor for UL PureSafety, an international company specializing in workplace health and safety, and AWC-SB Program and Print Media Chair. She is the former senior vice president of RYAN Associates and the National Association of Occupational Health Professionals, based in Santa Barbara. A journalist, she has worked in the field of work-related health care, wellness and prevention for 23 years.

Tickets for the event may be purchased in advance until Monday, January 30 at 3 pm, $10 for students and members, $25 for guests. At the door, $20 for students and members, $35 for guests. Refreshments will be served. No host bar.

AWC-SB Members are invited to bring business cards, flyers and other promotional materials to put out on the new Members’ Table. This is the first in a number of new local membership benefits we will be unrolling in the near future.

PLEASE NOTE a Public Parking lot with 90 minutes free parking is located right behind the hotel, with entrances on Chapala and Canon Perdido streets. Hotel Parking is only validated if you order food from the restaurant, and valet service is $13.

We hope to see you there!

Lois Phillips PhD, Cindy Faith Swain, and Dr. Lynn K. Jones. Photo by Kaylin Sigal of Kaylin Mae Photo

AWC-Santa Barbara started off A BRAND New Year at our annual holiday party on December 7, recognizing the Women’s Fund as the 2011 Nonprofit of the Year and naming Cindy Faith Swain, owner of PlanABrand, as Member of the Year.

Swain, whose company is a full-service branding, marketing and social media company, was honored for her contributions to advance the goals of AWC-SB and her leadership in the field of communications.

“I’m honored to accept this award,” said Swain who has more than 20 years of worldwide licensing and business development experience, including 12 years with Warner Bros.  She gave a short but informative talk on the benefits of branding your business, plus an entertaining look at some of the more successful brands out there. For more tips, visit her Facebook page, and follow her on Twitter.

Women’s Fund member Judy Marline accepted the award for the nonprofit, remarking, “Not only does the Women’s Fund of Northern Santa Barbara county respond to the community’s most urgent needs through substantial grants, but it also educates and inspires women to become leaders in philanthropy.” Women’s Fund members pool their own money and donate their time to make a difference through collective philanthropy.  With the support of the Santa Barbara Foundation, the Orfalea Foundations and the Roy and Ida Eagle Foundation, the Women’s Fund has awarded nearly $500,000 to 20 nonprofits over four years.

Chair of the Women’s Fund of Northern Santa Barbara County, Jennifer Mills gave a heartwarming reception speech. She shared how the driving force behind her giving was her mother. “Growing up, I don’t recall there being much discussion about charitable giving or philanthropy. Instead what I heard was being neighborly, thinking about others,

Karen O’Hara and Jennifer Mills. Photo by Kaylin Sigal of Kaylin Mae Photo

lending a hand and giving of oneself. Those are the words I heard, and more importantly, I was shown from an early age what those phrases meant, and my participation was expected.”

Mills’ mother would visit an elderly neighbor who had no relatives nearby, she took in a troubled youth, and reached out to single parents who were recently divorced. She said the Women’s Fund tries to extend the same compassion to women, children and their families. “I heard how (fellow members) were sharing in the creation of their dream to respond thoughtfully to the most critical needs in our community in a powerful and relevant manner,” Mills said. “It was inspiring.”

Author and commentator, Kathleen Hall Jamieson discusses the new and growing influence of the Web on political communication, and the challenges of policing deceptions in the 2012 political campaigns. Jamieson will also discuss the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s new FlackCheck.org, a companion site to Factcheck.org that will use parody and humor to debunk false political advertising in the 2012 campaign.

Jamieson has authored or co-authored 15 books including: The Obama Victory: How Media, Money, and Messages Shaped the 2008 Election, Dr. Jamieson is the Elizabeth Ware Packard Professor of Communication at the Annenberg School for Communication and Walter and Leonore Annenberg Director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Political and Social Science, and the International Communication Association.

Sponsored by the Carsey-Wolf Center; UC Santa Barbara Department of Communication; Center for Information, Technology & Society; and Department of Political Science. For reservations: http://www.carseywolf.ucsb.edu/events/new-media-campaigns-and-elections

Educational psychologist Loretta Redd, PhD, owner and CEO of Crisis Navigation Executive Coaching, Santa Barbara, spoke at our November 2 meeting on Speaking with Sense, Sex and Soul. Dr. Redd offered her wisdom on overcoming communication difficulties in the digital age, as well as when talking with the opposite sex and doing effective public speaking.

Dr. Redd opened her talk with a personal antidote about attending her family’s Thanksgiving dinners when growing up, humorously recalling the various communication styles around the table. She commented how we have entered a fast-paced technology age in which people are unable to present their ideas in speech or writing as effectively as they once did. Helpful tips for communicating in the digital age include never e-mailing when upset or sad, thinking twice before sending a message involving private matters, reducing the “volume” by omitting unnecessary exclamations and bolded or capitalized words, and being careful to write short, concise messages. Also, Dr. Redd explained that there is a huge difference between communicating across a computer screen and communicating in person. She recommended that for every two hours we spend in front of the computer, we should engage in ten minutes of actual face-to-face communication.

Dr. Redd also covered what to say and how to say it when communicating with the opposite sex. Providing a logical explanation for why males and females interact and communicate differently, she described how male brains are linear, while female brains act more like pinball machines, bouncing back, forth, and around an idea. Men, she remarked, often speak in order to get something done, while women linger on a subject until the conversation has reached a satisfying conclusion for them. Men deem “yes” and “no” as acceptable answers to any questions, and do not require nor ask for additional input from others when resolving an issue. Women, on the other hand, don’t quite know when to stop in seeking and offering opinions. In these ways and more, Dr. Redd proposed that men are from Twitter, using short and sweet phrases to get the job done, and women are from blog, providing long explanations and posing many questions in order make their point.

Touching on the topic of public speaking, Dr. Redd suggested that fears stem from elementary school—the first time we answered the teacher’s question incorrectly in front of the entire class. That initial embarrassment, she believes, is the root of the anxiety that occurs when we go to express our own or an opposing opinion in front of a crowd. Women, it seems, have more trouble than men when voicing their views in an articulate manner.

Dr. Redd summarized by giving us the three steps of effective and empowered communication: preparation, direction, and conviction. Prepare for public speeches by knowing your topic inside and out, practicing relentlessly. Have an obvious direction in your talk that an audience can easily follow. And finally, always speak with conviction on a subject that you are passionate about.

We are so appreciative of our growing cadre of members and the diverse community of “tweeps and peeps” that enrich the Association for Women in Communication in so many ways.

As members of AWC-SB we feel lucky to be part of a robust national organization with all of its member benefits—a privilege that feels more valuable as we become more virtual and global.  This year our national organization offered our Santa Barbara area members the opportunity of participating in webinars and tweet chats on subjects important to all of us as we position ourselves to be the best communicators we can be. These events are an opportunity to network with and learn from other women who are breaking ground in their diverse roles across the country. We also can contribute to the national newsletter, which is always an excellent platform for our members on a national stage. And finally, as members we can both access and post on the national job board.
Kathleen and I are so grateful for the creative and ambitious board of directors that has led the way on so many new initiatives, including our LinkedIn group, our Facebook page, Twitter presence and a greatly enhanced website. Our board has planned our exciting and well-received programs. We also have launched free BeTweener networking events. Please make a note of upcoming programs and BeTweener events in this newsletter. We hope to see you there!

We are honored Dr. Kathleen Gruver has agreed to join us as our latest board member.  Please be sure to read about Dr. Gruver’s background (kathygruver.com). I’m sure you’ll agree she brings a lot of expertise to the leadership of our organization.

Finally, we are so appreciative of our sponsor Lynda.com. This sponsorship has supported us in all of the accomplishments mentioned above. We look forward to our continued partnership with Lynda.com and are sure many more synergies will result from it. Don’t forget to take advantage of the month’s subscription to Lynda.com that comes with membership to AWC-SB!

Kathleen and I would love to hear from you! Let us know what you need from the AWC-SB.  Feel free to comment below.

And let’s connect on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter!

Happy New Year!

Dr. Lynn K. Jones, Co-President

Dr. Kathleen Barry, Co-President