Two years into the pandemic, and with two back-to-back winter storms under our belts, there is no doubt that communicators need strong crisis plans at the ready. Learn from the professionals who manage communications for San Antonio's essential public service providers and hear what they learned about executing effective communications and community engagement, their best practice tips, and how they're prepared for the next crisis -- and what you need to keep in mind as you prepare for whatever lies ahead.

Panelist: Anne Kenny Hayden, Communications Manager, San Antonio Water System (SAWS)

Anne Kenny Hayden is a communications manager at San Antonio Water System where she has covered public relations and marketing issues for more than twenty years. Before that, she worked for coporations locally including Citibank and The Psychological Corporation (now Pearson). She is a proud graduate of St. Mary's University, Leadership San Antonio and Women's Chamber Bloomberg Business Program. She is also a proud mom of two hardworking Aggies. 

Panelist: Rachel Benavidez, Communications Director, VIA Metropolitan Transit

Rachel Benavidez is the communications director for VIA Metropolitan Transit. She leads internal and external communications efforts for the agency that serves San Antonio and 13 member cities throughout Bexar County. Her work in communications spans over 20 years and many disiplines, including award-winning work in journalism, public relations, corporate communciations and marketing. She has helped shape newsrooms for english and spanish publications as a writer and editor, including the San Antonio Express-News, where she was city editor and government and politics editor, and San Antonio Magazine where she served as editor-in-chief. Rachel is originally from the Rio Grande Valley. She has called San Antonio home for 15 years, where she lives with her fiancee and their four dogs.

Panelist: Melissa Sorola, Vice President, Corporate Communications & Marketing, CPS Energy

Melissa Sorola is vice president, corporate communications & marketing for CPS Energy. She is responsible for leading the teams who strategically work on internal and external communications, marketing, executive brand and stakeholder engagement. She led the team's awareness efforts for CPS Energy's global Flex Power Bundle request for proposal for innovative renewable solutions in addition to leading collaborative initiatives to keep customers informed and engaged about the company's strategic plans while showcasing the commitment of CPS Energy's workforce, innovation, and community and stakeholder partnerships. Melissa has been a member of the CPS Energy team for four years and has more than 20 years of experience in media relations, crisis communications, and strategic communications planning and execution. Prior to joining CPS Energy, Melissa worked for the former Time Warner Cable as Director of Communications for their Texas region. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Texas A&M University.

Moderator: Jonathan Gurwitz, Partner, KGBTexas Communications

Jonathan Gurwitz is a partner with KGBTexas Communications, the largest full-service communications agency in South Texas. He leads the agency's public affairs and crisis communications efforts, among other responsibilities. His office has successfully supported major public and private projects across Texas, incuding the City of San Antonio's 2012 and 2017 bond programs, the Vista Ridge Pipeline project and a variety of projects for the Harris County Flood Control District. Prior to joining KGBTexas, Jonathan was a columnist and member of the Editorial Board of the San Antonio Express-News. He served on the boards of directors of the Association of Opinion Journalists and the Association of Opinion Journalists Foundation and the chairman of AOJ's International Relations Committee. His weekly columns were distributed by the Hearst News Service and the New York Times News Service. He was also a contributor to the Wall Street Journal. Jonathan is a native of San Antonio. He graduated from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service with a degreen concentration in international relations, law, and organization.