The Nanny Nine: Dennis Powell, Senior Producer ABC News and AARP Inside E Street

 

Dennis Powell

Dennis Powell

Dennis Powell didn’t plan on being a television producer.  He likens it to “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”.  After studying theatre in school, he became a clerk in the ABC business office, moved on to Video Tape Editor at ABC News, and then advanced to Producer.  Over thirty years years later he is still in the journalism field.  During that time frame, Dennis was a Senior Producer for ABC’s World News, covering events surrounding the President, legislation on Capitol Hill, Department of Transportation & Department of Homeland Security.  Most recently he worked on ABC News ‘This Week with George Stephanopoulos’.  Dennis is currently the Senior Editorial Producer for Inside E Street, a public affairs show produced by AARP, airing on most PBS stations. [Read more...]

The Nanny Nine: Wellstone-Barlow Mental Health Initiative

Wellstone Barlow logo

If you think Mental Illness doesn’t affect you, think again.  I would bet that each of you knows someone with a Mental Health Condition…and you maybe don’t even realize it.  This week we are tragically reminded of how Mental Health plays a part in every day lives, with the loss of Mindy McCready to suicide.  Her struggles were well publicized, but she was ashamed of the stigma.  For many people their conditions are not known, sometimes not even to themselves. [Read more...]

The Nanny Nine: Minnesota Baby

(photo credit – Teresa Hermes Photography)

It’s obvious when talking to Melissa Saigh that she absolutely loves being a Mom!  Her love for Linna also pours into her Minnesota Baby blog, and her social media sites. Writing has been a passion for Melissa since High School, at the college newspaper, and with her first blog, Missi Made.  On Missi Made she talked about fashion and then everything-wedding when she was planning her own.  She knew she had hit on something great when an Oprah producer contacted her for a referral on a stylist, after seeing her wedding day hair pics on Missi Made! [Read more...]

Keep Your Social Media Badges Above the Fold

As I was researching items for a new client, I was getting quite frustrated at how many organizations have their Social Media icons “below the fold”, and at the bottom of their main website pages.  Some don’t have them on their landing page at all, but on another page.  Almost all of these situations make it seem like the business is saying “We know we have to have these on here, but they really aren’t that important.”

On the contrary, I think they are very important to not only be (at minimal) on the main page, but they also need to be “above the fold”, and easily found.

It was very frustrating, as well as time consuming to scroll down, down, down to find some of them.  Or I had to go thru other pages on their site to try and find them.  Remember…frustration leads to EXITS!

My suggestions for Social Media icons/badges: [Read more...]

The Nanny Nine: Home To Homestead with Elizabeth Ries

Elizabeth Ries, host of Twin Cities Live, has piqued the interest of many fans, friends and family members with her passion for Urban Farming.  Twin Cities Live viewers often get updates on her passion, but so do followers to her Home to Homestead blog and Facebook page.  The topics vary, including gardening, recipes and her three chickens…Roz, Suzie Q and MaryAnne.  Note that their names were carefully chosen:  Roz for her boyfriend Jay’s Mom; Suzie Q for her own Mom; and MaryAnne for her two sisters, their middle names. [Read more...]