On Friday, July 25, the AEJMC Public Relations Division PF&R Committee hosted the 2025 PRD Community Giveback Event, a virtual roundtable that united public relations scholars with women founders leading mission-driven startups in Northern California. During the event, faculty provided pro bono communication consulting, applying their research and professional insights to real-world challenges faced by innovative entrepreneurs. This year’s event spotlighted three dynamic community partners:
Contact: McCall Brinskele, CEO
Cove has reimagined menstrual health with a cutting-edge collection and shipment kit designed for use by medical labs researching menstrual effluent. Recently emerging from a rebrand, Cove sought guidance on articulating a cohesive brand voice, refining outreach strategies for research labs and investors, and building a stronger digital presence. Areas of collaboration included clarifying message strategy across channels, positioning, timing and platforms for future media outreach, and more.
Contact: Nonye Ekpe
With a goal of addressing metabolic disorders and improving women’s health outcomes globally, Balm Health aims to roll out a comprehensive “Balm Health Kit” for tracking physical and mental wellness. The founder shared an ambitious vision for a pilot program involving 100 women across 10 countries. The roundtable discussion centered on how to shape compelling fundraising narratives and strategizing community engagement and social impact positioning.
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Contacts: Ceudi Gutierrez, Marketing Director; Maria Medrano, CEO
Inspirame provides technology-based tools that help students—particularly first-generation learners—navigate education and career development. With a focus on expanding reach and deepening impact, Inspirame collaborated with consultants on multiple strategic fronts: Storytelling strategies that resonate with various target audiences, leveraging partnerships, and building a communication strategy incorporating social media, donor engagement, and earned media
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Looking Ahead
This year’s Giveback event reflected the best of what our community can offer: applied expertise, meaningful partnerships, and a shared commitment to social impact. The PF&R Committee is committed to the five pillars: free expression, ethics, media criticism and accountability, diversity and inclusion, and public service. The Community Giveback program brought those values to life, offering a direct way to serve the local community and support women entrepreneurs through meaningful, skills-based volunteering. This year, with strong ties to Northern California, the initiative underscored our commitment to regional impact, amplifying our ability to engage with and uplift local innovators tackling issues in health tech, education, and equity. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participating faculty and community partners for making this event a success. We look forward to continuing these collaborations in future initiatives.
Thank you to Cheng Hong, Zifei Fay Chen, and members of the PF&R Committee for establishing relationships with our female founders and facilitating a successful event.