Lisa Merkl Email & Phone Number

Houston, Tx, Us

Houston, Texas

Senior Research Media Relations Editor & PIO, 10/21-present Research Media Relations Editor & PIO, 06/17-09/21 Beats: Research Institute, Academic Institute, Genome Sequencing, Infectious Diseases, RNA Therapeutics, Science & Research• Telling the story -- through writing and publicity -- of the pioneering, transformative research being conducted at the Houston Methodist Research Institute and how it is and will be brought to the bedside at Houston Methodist Hospital. • Oversee media efforts for all of Houston Methodist's priority research areas, collaborating closely with our media relations team members, as well as our Leading Medicine blog and Academic Institute teams.• Working with local and national media to deliver the latest news and expert interviews on Covid-19, its variants, vaccines, treatments, precautions and recommendations from our scientists & physicians on how best the community can navigate the pandemic safely.

Sr. Media Relations Specialist, 9/11-6/17Media Relations Representative, 9/05-8/11Senior Science Writer/Editor, 9/03-8/05Beats: UH Health initiative, College of Optometry, College of Pharmacy, School of Nursing, Department of Psychology, College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Center for Nuclear Receptors & Cell Signaling, Biomedical Engineering and coverage of health sciences in other colleges, centers and divisions, including educational psychology, liberal arts, social sciences, technology, research and honors• Oversee/manage health, science and research news at the university• Manage external communication strategies for health and science beats• Offer strategic PR counsel to clients and triage news to maximize ROI• Write, edit and proof news releases, media advisories, tip sheets, magazine articles, newsletter copy and other special projects• Ability to distill complex and technical information into layman’s terms for a mainstream audience• Proactive and reactive media relations on a local, national and international scale with multiple successful broadcast, print and online placements; manage UH SciNews Listserv• Staff media interviews, media availabilities, press conferences; coach experts for media appearances• Scout story ideas on beat, develop and foster relationships with experts for proactive stories, pitches and media inquiries• Led effort to expand science beat into a team of two, resulting in the creation of a second media relations representative position in 2007 to share the science beat; vetted and interviewed candidates to bring to the hiring committee• Have experience supervising junior staff members and student workers• Have served on six hiring committees, reviewing résumés and interviewing candidates for communication positions in the pharmacy and natural sciences colleges• Served as adjunct professor in public relations in 2005 and continue to give guest lectures in junior- and senior-level public relations courses

Beats: Women’s Services, Neuroscience, Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Wellness, Physician Visibility, Medical Breakthroughs, International Affairs• Proactive and reactive media relations, exceeding placement quotas in broadcast and print media• Wrote/edited/proofed media materials, bylined articles, brochure copy, newsletters and internal publications• Onsite PR rep at hospitals with media for events, medical procedures and as an escort• Back-up photographer for follow-up media placement and internal publications• Planned and implemented events, such as ABC’s Houston Medical reality TV series premiere, arranging for red carpet, limousines, giant-screen TVs, AV/electrical equipment, catering and decorations for 500 guests; filled in as MC for raffle when DJ experienced technical difficulties• Wrote and executed communication plans for events and initiatives• Developed relationships with physicians and other spokespeople for media leads and stories• Offered counsel to team on media relations tactics, press clippings, broadcast monitoring, ProfNets and media lists, resulting in our office budgeting for entering an agreement with Vocus to supplement our media monitoring efforts• Worked closely with marketing directors in implementing communication plans and initiatives• Partnered with other organizations in PR campaigns, such as LifeGift Organ Donation, American Heart Association, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Foley’s, Bali, Macy’s, METRO, Kid’s Wish Network, San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau• Scouted/coordinated ProfNet leads for national coverage

Clients: Furmanite Worldwide, Houston Museum of Natural Science IMAX Films, Pennzoil-Quaker State, ServiceMagic.com, InterFit Health, Americaid, Aspect Resources, Rhodia, Round Top Arts Festival, Jiffy Lube International, Encounter 2001, Houston Symphony, Air Liquide, Orillion, Norwood Promotional Products, Travelocity.com, Muse Stancil• Handled both consumer and business-to-business clients and PR initiatives• Wrote/edited/proofed media materials (press releases, fact sheets, backgrounders, media alerts, pitch letters, technical and feature bylined articles), collateral (newsletter, brochure, website, advertising copy) and other documents (speeches, sponsorship proposals, communications plans/strategies)• Maintained accounts as client contact, creating timelines, compiling status reports, reviewing billing reports to remain within budget, preparing agendas and meeting with clients• Performed trade and consumer media relations, including securing placement, media list building, “media drops,” media monitoring for story leads, trends and coverage, media backgrounding sessions and interviews, media remotes, publicity recap reports, special events, trade shows• Supervised assistant account executives, account coordinators and interns; cross-trained peers• Other duties included gauging analyst perceptions, developing/soliciting national sponsorships, working with marcom department and designers on collateral pieces, acting as liaison with advertising agencies and design firms

Clients: Emerald Homes, Dietz-Crane Homes, US Home, Espree Homes, Waterford Harbor, Bentwater, Shadow Creek Ranch, Bay Area Ford, Round Top Arts Festival, Sterling McCall Old Car Museum, Abrahams Oriental Rugs• Hired to start up and manage stand-alone PR department within an ad agency environment• Wrote/edited/proofed press releases, backgrounders, PSAs, pitch letters, advertorial copy, sales displays, newsletter copy, brochures, marketing proposals and other client support materials• Weekly publication of real estate advertorials in Houston Chronicle’s Homeline section• Generated and implemented public relations angles and ideas for stories, campaigns and events• Media relations, including media list building, creating press kits and securing media placement• Implemented monthly PR schedules and managed distribution/completion• Worked with freelance writers on run-off of high volume of real estate advertorials• Supervised assistant account executive, account coordinator and intern

Clients: TeleCheck, Texaco, GTE Mobilnet, Houston Children’s Museum, Serve Houston Youth Corps, Southwestern Bell, Villas of Huntington Park, Jefferson Davis Hispanic Alumni Association, Schlumberger, Jackson Walker, Post Properties, LTB/Ward• Contracted with Bates/Southwest Advertising & Public Relations, Booker/Hancock & Associates, Image Public Relations• Wrote/edited/proofed press releases, PSAs, media alerts, letters, advertising copy and other materials• Performed media relations, including pitching stories, coordinating media interviews, building/updating media lists, clipping/categorizing/compiling media clips, coordinating events, compiling recap reports• Generated ideas for events/campaigns through brainstorming, in-house research and field work• Researched and maintained files on influential citizens, organizations and clients; developed special target lists

• Solicited interviews from national recording companies and artists for local Houston and Dallas publications• Wrote feature stories published in the Houston Chronicle This Week, KRBE radio’s The 104 Zone, JAM Magazine, Rivethead, Music News, Public News and The Daily Cougar

Sugar Land & Missouri City

Taught private flute lessons at area high schools and in my home studio.

Sugar Land & Missouri City

Substituted at area high schools for one school year while in grad school to see if I wanted to go into teaching full time and until I found steady work in my first choice career field of PR.

Houston, Texas, United States

Taught stand-alone public speaking classes to approximately 60 students per semester for two years, and worked as a grader for a film class during my final semester as a TA.

Houston, Texas, United States

Wrote press releases on upcoming concerts, handled print media relations, obtained point-of-purchase materials for venues and press kits on artists coming to town, built media lists, corresponded with record companies to arrange details for PR on artists and bands coming into town.

Master Of Arts - Ma, Public Relations Studies & Communication

Activities and Societies: Taught public speaking as a graduate teaching assistant for 2.5 years Master's Thesis - "Exploring the Use.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Journalism With Pr Emphasis

Activities and Societies: Eddie Green's Wind Ensemble, Golden Key National Honor Society, Delphian Scholar, Publicity Intern for Pace.

High School Diploma

Activities and Societies: Band - Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, Pit Orchestra, Pep Band (flute/piccolo), National Honor Society, Mu Alpha.