Welcome Julie B. Fix, APR, Fellow PRSA, to PRactically Speaking Houston – the official podcast of the Houston PRSA Chapter.

Julie has a BA, Journalism from University of Houston. She is a former PRSA Houston board secretary, treasurer and Assembly Delegate. She was former leadership in the Texas Public Relations Association, including chair. She was a former board member and chair of the Public Relations Foundation of Texas. She was elected to the PRSA College of Fellows in 2010, served as 2017 Chair, Retired August 2021 after 20+ years teaching at UH.

Connect with Julie B. Fix, APR, Fellow PRSA at:
https://www.linkedin.com/.../julie-b-fix-apr-fellow-prsa.../

Connect with Veronica V. Sopher at:
Website: https://www.veronicavsopher.com/
Social:@VeronicaVSopher

Learn more about the PRSA Houston Chapter, our events and opportunities at www.prsahouston.org.

PRactically Speaking Houston is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher, Public Relations.

Welcome Mike O’Neill, to PRactically Speaking Houston – the official podcast of the Houston PRSA Chapter.

Mike O’Neill is a corporate communications and public relations leader who blends nearly a decade of strategic messaging experience with a 25-year foundation in broadcast journalism. He combines the instincts of a newsroom veteran with the discipline of a corporate communicator, crafting stories that inform, influence, and build trust.

Mike began his career in 1993 as a news photographer in Great Falls, Montana, before moving to Colorado Springs, Austin, and Houston. In Houston, he served as a producer at KTRK and later as Executive Producer at KHOU, leading newsroom teams and overseeing major market coverage.

He later transitioned into corporate communications at MetroNational, the real estate company that owns and operates all of Memorial City, before joining TDECU in 2022 to lead its external communications and media relations efforts. Mike is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Strategic Communication and Innovation at Texas Tech University and serves as Treasurer for PRSA Houston.

Connect with Mike O'Neill at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeoneill2348/

Connect with Veronica V. Sopher at:
Website: https://www.veronicavsopher.com/
Social:@VeronicaVSopher

Learn more about the PRSA Houston Chapter, our events and opportunities at www.prsahouston.org.

PRactically Speaking Houston is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher, Public Relations.

Welcome Laura Frnka-Davis, APR, to PRactically Speaking Houston – the official podcast of the Houston PRSA Chapter.

Before founding LFD Communications, Laura honed her expertise at some of Houston’s well-known nonprofits and businesses, including Texas Children’s Hospital, Pierpont Communications, and LifeGift. Her comprehensive understanding of multiple communications disciplines, from media relations to PR writing to internal and external communications, including crisis communications, instills confidence in her clients and collaborators.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field, Laura was named the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Houston Chapter Solo Practitioner of the Year in 2020. Her continued success was marked by silver Excalibur awards in integrated communications for campaigns associated with the Houston Botanic Garden in 2021 and 2022 and a bronze PRSA Houston Excalibur award in 2023 for her work with Teach For America Houston. In 2024, LFD Communications further solidified its reputation, bringing home two awards from PRSA Houston and one from the International Association of Business Communications (IABC) Houston. In 2025, she received a silver Excalibur Award in the integrated communications campaign category for her work on the Sugar Land Arts & Music Fest.

Laura is an instructor in the Leadership Institute for Nonprofit Executives in the Susan Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.

Connect with Laura Frnka-Davis, APR at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurafrnka-davis/

Connect with Veronica V. Sopher at:
Website: https://www.veronicavsopher.com/
Social:@VeronicaVSopher

Learn more about the PRSA Houston Chapter, our events and opportunities at www.prsahouston.org.

PRactically Speaking Houston is brought to you by Veronica V. Sopher, Public Relations.