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Archive for the 'Laura Benjamin' Tag

Did social media maven say bye-bye to Bach?

September 10th, 2012, 9:55 am by

Has social media maven Laura Benjamin said bye-bye to Mayor Steve Bach?

Benjamin, who volunteered on the mayor’s campaign, was hired in the city’s Communications Office in November, about five months after Bach was sworn in.

But around June, Benjamin went on unpaid administrative leave.

The city wouldn’t comment, saying it was a personnel matter, but a friend of Benjamin’s said the leave was related to a medical issue.

For weeks, the city’s human resources director has said the city expects Benjamin back.

But has Benjamin moved on?

According to a listing in Sunday’s Gazette, Benjamin has incorporated Colorado Communication Training, which she describes as a veteran-owned small business based in Colorado Springs.

“Laura’s firm has improved the lives of half a million people through facilitation, classes, keynotes, coaching and published resources,” according to her website.

“She has spoken professionally on three continents for groups from 20-500. She was the social media and blogging instructor for the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs’ and Pueblo Small Business Development Centers. She also taught Customer Service Help Desk skills, management skills and public speaking courses for Pikes Peak Community College,” the website states.

Benjamin lists her accomplishments on her website.

Noticeably absent is her stint at the city.

The Gazette has requested comment from Cindy Aubrey, who is — or was? — Benjamin’s boss at the city.

 

Posted in: City Administration • City employees • People • • | 13 Comments »

Communications staffer on administrative leave

July 16th, 2012, 11:06 am by

An employee in the city’s Communications Office has been on administrative leave for about the past six weeks.

But since it’s a personnel matter, the city won’t say why Laura Benjamin, who was hired in November, is on leave.

“There’s certainly no pejorative or negative associated with that. She’s just out on a leave,” Human Resources Director Michael Sullivan said Monday.

“She’s an employee, and we expect her to come back,” he said.

Benjamin’s boss, Chief Communications Officer Cindy Aubrey, did not respond to a request for comment.

Benjamin, who volunteered on Mayor Steve Bach’s campaign, is on unpaid leave.

Benjamin used to teach social media but was widely criticized for her social media skills after she joined the city.

Benjamin also described herself as a humorous blogger on her blog, The Cabin Mama.

She had stopped blogging after she joined the city but started it back up July 2.

Click here to read her comeback blog post, which is titled “How I Skinned the Cat.”

Posted in: City employees • • • | 16 Comments »

Quote of the Day

March 20th, 2012, 11:47 am by

Laura Benjamin

The Pikes Peak Region Mayors Caucus, a new group started by Mayor Steve Bach to tackle regional issues, jumped on Interstate 25 on Monday to meet with Gov. John Hickenlooper to talk about transportation issues.

The meeting was at 10:30 a.m. in the governor’s office.

But the city’s Communications Office, which just axed two communications specialists, didn’t send out a press release until 6:44 p.m.

Why was there a delay?

“I overlooked it. In the hustle and bustle, it got by me,” Laura Benjamin, who was hired in November, said Tuesday.

Benjamin, who gets paid $56,000 a year, volunteered on Bach’s mayoral campaign.

Posted in: Uncategorized • • • • | 7 Comments »

Bach hits the road to talk transportation with Hick

March 20th, 2012, 11:26 am by

Members of a new group formed by Mayor Steve Bach met with Gov. John Hickenlooper in Denver on Monday to talk about transportation issues in the Pikes Peak region.

The discussion between the governor and the Pikes Peak Region Mayors Caucus focused on the level of state funding to the region and representation on the State Transportation Commission,” city spokeswoman Laura Benjamin said in a press release.

“The Pikes Peak Region Mayors Caucus believes this lack of funding is partially the result of our low level of representation on the Commission. They also believe a new appropriation of commissioners should be considered to better represent the second largest city and most populous county in the state,” Benjamin wrote in the press release.

Colorado Springs businessman Les Gruen, president of Urban Strategies, Inc., a real estate development and advisory services company, currently represents the region on the transportation commission. He has served on the commission since 2007.

Benjamin said the press release didn’t imply that Gruen wasn’t representing the region well but that the region should have more representation on the commission.

“That we’re not represented enough, not that he’s not doing a good job,” she said.

Gruen was a big supporter of Richard Skorman, Bach’s opponent in the mayoral race.

In addition to Bach, other members of the caucus that met with Hickenlooper in Denver were Fountain Mayor Jeri Howells, Green Mountain Falls Mayor Tyler Stephens, Manitou Springs Mayor Marc Snyder, Monument Mayor Travis Easton and El Paso County Commission Chairwoman Amy Lathen, according to Benjamin’s press release.

The governor was quoted as saying that he was supportive of the caucus.

“I believe it’s the right thing to do,” Hickenlooper said.

Even though Monday’s meeting was at 10:30 a.m., Benjamin didn’t issue a press release until 6:44 p.m.

“I overlooked it. In the hustle and bustle, it got by me,” Benjamin said Tuesday.

“I did not get it out sooner, so that rests on my shoulders if you’re looking for the person who is responsible for that,” she added.

Posted in: City Administration • Meetings • Politics • Transportation • • • • • • • • • • | 2 Comments »

City sends two communications workers packing

March 19th, 2012, 4:28 pm by

Cindy Aubrey

Two employees in the city’s Communications Department were shown the door Friday.

John Leavitt, a well-respected city spokesman who routinely handled open-records requests, and Bill Beagle, the go-to guy for all things SpringsTV, were let go “as part of the organization-wide efforts to pursue efficiencies wherever possible,” Chief Communications Officer Cindy Aubrey said Monday in an email.

“I want to stress that these were budgetary, not performance, decisions,” she said.

Aubrey’s explanation raises more questions since the city budget was approved in December and she hired Laura Benjamin, who volunteered on Mayor Steve Bach’s mayoral campaign, at the end of November.

“Laura has a different skill set and knowledge which she brings to the department,” Aubrey wrote in a follow-up email.

Aubrey also said some programming on SpringsTV Channel 18 will be eliminated.

“Springs TV will continue on – with additional replays of City Council and Planning meetings.  We will however, no longer be producing City vignettes about parks, streets etc.” she wrote.

“We will help City Council upon request for any needs they may have,” Aubrey added.

So, who’s left in the Communications Department and what do they do?

Here are the names and titles of who works there now:

Cindy Aubrey – Chief Communications Officer

Mary Scott – Public Communications Specialist I

Julie Smith – Public Communications Specialist II

Laura Benjamin – Public Communications Specialist II

Dee Brown – Public Communications Specialist II

Mary Webb – Communications Admin

Aubrey provided a job description for each employee.

“I am currently rewriting my job description – and will be absorbing some of John’s duties,” she wrote.

Here are their job descriptions:

Laura Benjamin – Communications Specialist

Key Responsibilities:

Produce online communication and news for the City and the Mayor’s Office which includes:

Writing summations for newsfeed, announcements, social media posts, press releases and citizen responses

Act as the primary web content producer as well as web facilities person for communications

Additional Communication Duties:

Daily releases as assigned by CCO

Develop strong, ongoing relationships with media

Respond to media queries with the use of established messaging

Attend events with the Mayor and City personnel, take pictures and update the public with details.

Public speaking on behalf of the City/Mayor

Assist City Council when needed or asked with communication needs

Provide speaker training and media assistance for all staff upon request

Mary Scott – Communications Specialist

Key Responsibilities:

Daily media releases for assigned departments or as assigned by CCO

Assist Donna Nelson with all things Spirit of the Springs

Organize Spirit of the Springs events- including marketing and publicity

Produce employee profiles for Springs TV

Research and present positive media coverage

Oversee E-Town Hall Meetings

Oversee and direct employee communications

Act as liaison between US Pro Cycling Challenge and City

Media Relations

Develop strong, ongoing relationships with media.  This includes quickly responding to journalist requests for stories etc.

Reaching out to beat reporters, assignment editors and news directors to pitch positive City stories

Internal / Employee Communication

Producing content for the Intranet

Answer questions for employees

Determine the best way to proactively communicate information and processes to department and City employees, employee meetings, brown bag lunches.

Julie Smith – Communications Specialist

Key Responsibilities:

Daily releases for assigned departments or as assigned by CCO

Working to find positive stories to tell about City efforts and the community.

Searching the city (media and any outlets available) for Spirit of the Springs’ candidates to celebrate and recognize.

Working with the Sister Cities Board, write all press releases and act as liaison between the City and the SC board.

Greener Corners

Work as a liaison with Nick Kittle to broaden the Greener Corners for the City.

Press Releases

Daily releases for assigned departments or as assigned by CCO

External Marketing

Assist in marketing efforts for the City.

Graphic Design

Assist all in City who request graphic design from Communications

Dee Brown – Communications Specialist

Key Responsibilities:

Operate cameras for all public meeting tapings and broadcasts including, but not limited to all City Council, formal and informal, Planning Commission,

Answer or direct all citizen remarks/complaints that are directed to City Communications

Act as a back- up editor and videographer for Springs TV

Event Planning

Assist in Event Planning & Implementation: Planning and implementing any events, including Spirit of the Springs, Solution Team events, Town Hall meetings or other events managed through the Mayor’s office.

Mary Webb – Administrative Assistant

Key Responsibilities:

Answer phones

Answer phone in department and forward all media calls to appropriate person.

Communications Budget / Contract Manager

Cindy & Dept Scheduler

Event Planning & Implementation: Assist in planning and implementing any events, including Spirit of the Springs, Solution Team events, Town Hall meetings or other events managed through the Mayor’s office.

Media Relations

Writing External & Internal Communication: Writing thank you notes, letters,

e-mails; responding to citizen and employee queries or complaints, etc.; and ensuring all written communication is on message.

Posted in: Budget • City Administration • City employees • Colorado Open Records Act • • • • • | 14 Comments »

Twitter not so tweet after all, city says

February 23rd, 2012, 5:55 pm by

Mayor Steve Bach has made a big deal out of using social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, to communicate with Colorado Springs residents.

When he announced a town hall meeting for Wednesday night, Springs resident Justin Burns went on the mayor’s Facebook page and suggested that Twitter would be “a great Q & A tool” to use for the event.

At least 200 million people actively use Twitter.

“Thank you Justin, that’s a great idea,” was the response.

But the mayor’s Communications Office didn’t chirp a single tweet.

The Gazette asked Chief Communications Officer Cindy Aubrey how many of her employees were at the town hall meeting and why no one — including a recent addition with supposed social media expertise — didn’t tweet from the event.

Here’s her response:

For the Town Hall meeting, we had John Leavitt, Mary Scott, Laura Benjamin, Julie Smith, Bill Beagle and myself.

John – Front door greeter and usher – helped with set up.

Julie  – Videographer – helped with set up.

Bill – Videographer

Laura – Collected questions, took pictures and co-emceed with Steve Cox – also helped with set up

Mary – Took notes to write a summary for Q & A – to get something posted today for those who were unable to attend

Cindy – Event producer

Given the hour and the event, was not sure how large of an audience we would have on Twitter.  I have to think about return on investment.  I have included an article about Twitter time – and listened to panel of three Twitter uber users today – they all concur that 8-5 is prime time.  We will discuss and even post a poll to determine if we should have someone tweeting at all events – or if resources should be allocated differently.  This was our first Town Hall, so we learned from it.  Our goal is to provide excellent customer service always.  If enough of our citizens would like to get tweets, we will provide.   http://pinterest.com/pin/270286415106330645/

Cindy

Posted in: City Administration • City employees • Meetings • • • • • • • | 8 Comments »

Laura Benjamin joins Bach administration

November 29th, 2011, 11:50 am by

A communications maven has joined Mayor Steve Bach’s administration.

Laura Benjamin, president of Laura Benjamin Communications, a Colorado Springs-based training and coaching company, was hired Nov. 9 to work in the mayor’s Communications Office. Benjamin is being paid $56,000 a year.

“I think why the position was a great fit, according to what everybody has said, is that my background has been focused on communications for a very long time for a wide variety of platforms,” Benjamin said Tuesday.

“I’ve taught social media at the Small Business Development Center and taught classes and clinics on it,” she said.

“Having that broad background as well as more of a strategic understanding of how social media can be used after having taught it for so many years, I think that that’s where I see a lot of value, being able to bring that broad exposure.”

Cindy Aubrey, the mayor’s chief communications officer, said Benjamin will produce and oversee the city’s online marketing and communication functions, including its websites, social media and online press releases. Aubrey said Benjamin also will oversee bachsoffice.com, the mayor’s new website, and assist in the mayor’s social media efforts.

Bach, who promised during the mayoral campaign to embrace social media to communicate with residents, has upped his profile on Facebook and Twitter in recent weeks. The Communications Office set up a YouTube account for the mayor Nov. 15.

“With the need to ramp up communications internally, externally and with the Mayor’s office, Laura’s skills will be a tremendous asset,” Aubrey said in an email.

“She is well qualified for the position and will do a great job. Her background includes communications, marketing, social media, writing, career coaching and more. She is creative, enthusiastic and works well with teams,” she added.

Benjamin, who volunteered on Bach’s mayoral campaign, will continue to operate her communications company.

Aubrey said Benjamin, who will coach and teach social media classes on weekends, has “only a few” outstanding commitments left to fulfill with her communications company.

Benjamin’s website includes a long list of clients that Benjamin called a “partial list.”

“When I took this job, I had commitments that I had made, so certainly no one in the city wants me to compromise or break those commitments,” she said.

Benjamin is well respected in the community. Her sister is Lisa Bachmann, who runs her own public relations firm.

Posted in: City Administration • City employees • • • • • • | 3 Comments »