Tara Goodwin is a nationally recognized crisis communications and PR expert with over 30 years of experience helping leaders navigate high-stakes situations with clarity, integrity, and impact. She is the founder of Goodwin Consulting where she advises CEOs, nonprofits, startups, Fortune 500 companies, professional athletes, coaches, and celebrities.

A trusted strategist, Tara is known for her direct counsel, deep expertise in crisis and media relations, and a talent for turning pressure into performance. Her career highlights include leading the Massachusetts Education Reform (MCAS) campaign, winning a Silver SABRE for retail marketing, and serving as VP at Edelman Boston. She’s been named one of Boston’s Top 10 PR Specialists by Women’s Business Boston, and her firm has received multiple industry awards and recognitions including one of Boston’s Top PR Firms 8 years in a row by Expertise.com. Her firm is the only Boston PR agency that has represented both Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

Her first book, Manage the Message, Change the Outcome: An Executive’s Guide to Crisis Management, was recently released by Routledge, a Taylor & Francis imprint.
Earlier in her career, Tara served as Chief of Staff at the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, managing a $450 million budget and 250-person team. Her lifelong commitment to strategic communication and public service continues to drive measurable change in the organizations and individuals she supports. She resides in Massachusetts’ Blackstone Valley with her fiancé, Tony and is the mother of two fabulous adult sons, T.J. and Will. In her spare time she can be found on the golf course working on her game.

During this episode, we discuss:

• Tara’s nearly 30 years running a PR agency in Massachusetts, working with clients ranging from professional athletes to nonprofits to manufacturers
• Why building a PR strategy starts with identifying your primary audiences and how they consume news
• How to “newsjack” existing news stories to get coverage
• Why every business should have a basic crisis communications plan
• Why having diverse voices in the room can prevent PR disasters
• The foundational materials every business should have ready before starting media relations
• Tara’s advice for getting comfortable in the media spotlight
• Why planning PR activity around Q4 and the new year should start early
• Why hiring interns can be a cost-effective way for small businesses to build their PR and social media presence
• Tara’s advice for newer PR agency owners

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things PR!

Watch the episode on YouTube here.

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