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And then there was one: Merging Brands and Converging Cultures

Group of people dressed formally in a board room in front of cut out letters that reads "Your SCV Water"

Article by Kathie Martin, public information officer, Santa Clarita Valley Water

In 2015, water leaders at Newhall County Water District and Castaic Lake Water Agency proposed a new model of water management for the Santa Clarita Valley. Their idea: dissolve the independent districts and join together to form a new public water agency. Along for the process was also Santa Clarita Water Division and Valencia Water Company. The merger took effect January 1, 2018. It sounded a little like the set up for a bad joke! “An agency, district, division and company walk into a bar…”

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CAPIO Announces 2018-2019 Board of Directors

Sacramento, Calif., – The California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO), the state’s premier government communications association, named its 2018 – 2019 Board of Directors during the 2018 CAPIO Annual Conference held in Santa Rosa April 11, 2018.

News

Community Connects in New Pollinator Patch

Families under blue tents on asphalt working on crafts projects.

Feature article by Desert Water Agency 

Desert Water Agency, Palm Springs’ water provider, recently collaborated with the local high school’s art department and Sustainable Garden Club, along with local businesses to install an eco-friendly pollinator garden outside its office building. Students and community members planted the garden, donated materials and painted a colorful forty-foot mural to accentuate the landscape. The donated garden design incorporated native and water efficient plants, including a Monarch and Queen butterfly host plant, rush milkweed. 

News

Can’t Add Staff? Add an Intern!

Feature article by Linda K. Tucker, APR, media and communications officer, City of Sacramento

 Who among us wouldn’t appreciate delegating research, web edits, social media sharing, and picture taking because frankly, there’s not enough of you or your team to go around? If adding a permanent position can’t be justified, often times an intern can. Make the case with your boss for an intern! The ROI for 20 hours a week is invaluable.

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Immersive Experiences: Creating a Heightened Level of Engagement

Feature article by Cassandra Popli, vice president, Agency ETA

When storytelling comes to life, an immersive experience is created. When done right, immersive marketing transforms an ordinary event into an unforgettable experience and makes engaging with a brand feel natural. This type of outreach has recently gained popularity because of its strong appeal to the younger generation, especially coveted millennials who have been raised to expect interconnectivity everywhere they look. However, immersive also relates to a much wider audience; it can capture and transport attendees into an entire world centered around your overall vision whether that be a showcase, education goal or sharing of information.

News

April is APR Month!
Celebrating the Profession, Ethics, Education and Expertise

This April marks CAPIO’s first year offering our members the internationally recognized APR, which highlights ethics, education and expertise in the fields of communication and public relations.

CAPIO realizes that ongoing learning and development is key to you – our members – and we are happy to report that in our first year offering the APR, several members have already applied and are moving forward with the Panel Presentation and Computer-based Exam.

News

Communicator of the Year Francie Palmer Retires

Francie Palmer holding award, surrounded by a group of people in a board room with a Rancho Cucamonga backdrop and flags.

This March, Francie Palmer, CAPIO’s 2017 Communicator of the Year, retires after more nearly two decades in public service.

Francie has been at the helm of the City of Rancho Cucamonga’s communication efforts during this time, starting in the Community Services Department and then moving into her current role as the city’s first-ever communications manager.

News

Six Inspiring Examples of Citizen Engagement Initiatives for Smart Cities

We all want to love where we live. We want our community to feel like home, to be a place that gives us a sense of pride, and the type of place we want to work hard to protect and maintain. We are often inspired by the creative ways that communities connect to their residents in meaningful ways, which is why we have compiled the list below of six inspiring examples of citizen engagement initiatives for smart cities like yours from across the nation.

News Member Spotlight

February is Membership Month!
We Heart CAPIO

You are CAPIO. We are CAPIO. And, together, we are a mighty group of government communicators charged with working on behalf of our public to inform, educate and engage.

We are 500 strong and growing, and we thank you for supporting the California Association of Public Information Officials.

February is membership month. Not only do we want to celebrate the hundreds of men and women that make up this great association, but also want people to know who we are, too. Recruit a colleague or another government communicator to join this organization!

News

CAPIO Unveils Strategic Plan

CAPIO has had a long and respected 40+ year history serving California’s government public relations professionals, and has experienced tremendous growth in the last five years.  With 500 members strong, CAPIO is California’s go-to association for government communicators.

Now, the board is asking… What’s next? What can CAPIO do over the next five years to further its mission?  And how can we best serve our members with the training, tools, resources and networking opportunities to develop and advance?

News Education

Inclusive Communication
Communicating Effectively: Think Inclusive, Not Diverse

by Lana Haddad, Director of Government and Public Affairs and Kaylee Weatherly, Public Information Officer, Long Beach Water

Public agencies exist to provide essential services to our communities, and CAPIO professionals serve a critical role for our agencies in communicating about the good work we do. Recognizing diversity in our service areas, however, is not enough to communicate effectively. In order to best serve the public, it is vital that our communications understand, reflect and serve the interests and needs of all of our neighbors.

News

CAPIO 2018 Conference
#SonomaCountyStrong

Hot air balloon flying over vineyards on a sunny day

Sonoma County is bouncing back! With determination and motivation, Sonoma County is returning to an area known for its beauty and booming economy, and CAPIO will be right by their side! Our strong support will be present April 9 -12 as hundreds of communications professionals journey to Santa Rosa for the annual CAPIO conference. Whether you are staying at a hotel or simply driving in, the smallest action means you’re contributing to their economic recovery. CAPIO looks forward to being there in person to support the area and the businesses to keep #SonomaCountyStrong!

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Keeping Up with the Trends: Shifting Reality – Sponsored Article by ETA Agency

A trend is something that is popular at a certain point in time. Fortunately, and unfortunately, there will always be a new trend coming along to replace the old in what seems like a short time span. It can sometimes feel like a full-time job keeping up with the new applications or technologies that claim to revolutionize the world of brand experiences. The ultimate digital communications strategy is to engage with your community in new and innovative ways while also ensuring you aren’t wasting your budget and time resources on a fleeting “trendy” technology or communication tool.

News Member Spotlight

We Are CAPIO – now 500 strong and growing!

View of the back of heads looking toward a screen that says "CAPIO: 500 and Counting"

This week CAPIO celebrated a milestone as our 500th member just rolled in! In just five short years, CAPIO’s membership has tripled in size. This is testimony to an increased demand for well-trained professional government communicators and CAPIO’s relevance in providing an avenue for professionals to learn, grow and thrive in this dynamic field. 

CAPIO’s growing membership enables us to continue expanding our educational, professional development and accreditation programs to our members.

News

Francie Palmer named 2017 Communicator of the Year

SAN DIEGO, CALIF., –  Francie Palmer, a seasoned government communications professional who serves as the City of Rancho Cucamonga’s communications manager, was recognized by the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) as the state’s 2017 Communicator of the Year.

News

Jenny Windle named the 2017 Paul B. Clark Recipient

SAN DIEGO, Calif., – The California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) honored seasoned government communications professional Jenny Windle with its 2017 Paul B. Clark lifetime achievement award, recognizing her exceptional leadership in the profession. The award was presented at CAPIO’s annual conference in San Diego on April 5.

News

April was APR Month, but what is the APR?

April was not only the month of our annual CAPIO Conference, but it was also APR month – recognizing that not everyone can do what we do as government communicators.  You may have seen our social media posts or heard the buzz about CAPIO now offering the APR, but what is it?