The PIO Podcast
The PIO Podcast is a platform for Public Information Officers (PIO's) and Public Affairs Officers (PAO's) in public sector organizations, including Police, Fire, EMS, FEMA, state, local, and federal government organizations. The podcast aims to facilitate learning, growth, and discussion of issues that PIO's/PAO's may encounter within their profession. If you would like to support the podcast and connect with other PIO's/PAO's, please email us at thepiopodcast@gmail.com.
The PIO Podcast
S5- E5: Victorian Simmons - Public Information Officer, City of Apex, Apex NC
Victorian Simmons currently works as the Public Information Officer for the Town of Apex. Prior to her position with Apex, she was the Community Engagement Specialist for the Greensboro Fire Department. Victorian has been published in Firehouse Magazine and was a featured speaker at the 2024 NFPA Conference and the North Carolina Fire Educators Conference. She is the 2023 Greensboro Mosi Award recipient for reaching non-English speaking communities with fire safety video messages and the 2024 Greensboro Employee Innovation Award recipient for designing and developing a booklet to help community members after they have been affected by fires. She was just selected as the 2024 International Rising Star by Women in Fire Safety. She has been recognized multiple times and has received awards from her community for using creative strategies to effectively reach specific audiences with life saving information. She is locally known for her small business Fire & Oak where she teaches smaller departments how to effectively use digital communications like social media, website design, and photography/videography. She is an adjunct Professor for GTCC Fire Academy where she teaches Public Safety Communications courses to students in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina. Though she has a quickly growing career in the fire industry, she has an extensive background in marketing and communications. Simmons has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Keuka College, a Master’s degree in Business Management from Elmira College, and is currently working on her Ph.D. in Strategic Communication from Liberty University. She has spent the last 9 years in managerial roles focused on strategic communications, marketing, writing, photography, social media, and design.
Victorian's LinkedIn
Eye-Opening Moments are stories of adversity, encounters, and perspectives. They are...
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