Many consider Influencers to be the next frontier of public relations. Let’s get practical about working with them. Whether you already work with them daily or don’t even know where to begin, Influencer Marketing is something many PR pros will have to master. So, what’s the best way to harness their power?

We’re sitting down to chat through some practical questions: How does an influencer operate? Is an influencer relationship always pay-to-play, and if so, how should you tackle contracts? How do you measure value and success? When should you bring an influencer in on a project? How do you find the right Influencers, and what are some hands-on tips for working with them? Let’s examine these questions and much more together this March in Practical Tips to Harness the Power of Influencers.

Have a specific question for the panelists? Submit it ahead of time HERE.

Moderator: Sarah Maiellano, Broad Street Communications

Sarah Maiellano runs Broad Street Communications, a public relations agency primarily serving arts and culture institutions as well as non-profits in the Philadelphia area. She is also an Independent Journalist covering restaurants and travel for local and national outlets. Sarah is a former PPRA Board member and founded the Philly PR Pros Facebook group. Follow her @sarahmaiellano.

Panelists:

• Whitney Alese, Digital Creator - “I don’t want to be famous. I want to be impactful.” Whitney Roberts may have a big following, an NAACP honor, and features in Wired Magazine, i-D Magazine, and NBC, but if you ask her, she only ever wanted to be impactful for her community and use her voice for good. Whitney honed that voice running her blog, The Reclaimed and subsequent podcast, The Reclaimed podcast where is, in her words, “just a Black girl out here trying to help everyone do better, including and especially herself.” She is also a writer whose work has been featured in Shondaland, Insider, The Black AIDS Institute, and Parents. Whitney is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She is married to Earl Roberts II and are blessed to be parents of their daughter, Emerie.
• Kory Aversa, Aversa PR & Events - Kory Aversa is an award-winning, seasoned PR pro, event planner, photographer and content creator/influencer with 20+ years of experience. He serves as Founder and CEO for Aversa PR & Events and he has won numerous awards for being a top content creator as Philly Publicist.

• Leo Manning, Center City District - Leo Manning is Director, Strategic Communications at Center City District, a private-sector organization dedicated to making Center City clean, safe, and attractive. In this role, he oversees communications strategy and messaging for social media, email marketing, and more. Previously, he worked as the Director of Client Services for a Philadelphia communications agency, where he managed a broad portfolio of clients across the food & beverage, nonprofit, architecture, and professional services sectors.
• Mimi Wong, Digital Creator - The founder of "What's on Mimi's Mind," your go-to-destination for all things lifestyle, travel, and culinary delights in the vibrant Greater Philadelphia and NJ area. As a content creator with a passion for travel, fashion, beauty, and of course, delectable cuisine, Mimi dives into new experiences, embracing every opportunity that comes her way while taking her followers along for the ride.