As a new member of CR, and the Lifelong Learning team, I was struck by all of the interesting people I’ve met and their compelling backgrounds. My pitch to the LLG group was to further capitalize on our member’s fascinating backgrounds. I used “media” as an example; everyone consumes it and the topic could have a large appeal. Suffice it to say, the group liked the idea.

The vision was to have three panelists, all experts in their respective fields, but come at media from three different directions. And, I thought, that would make an interesting interactive discussion, with questions from the audience.

In late May, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Media” Lifelong Learning event took place with the three Colleton River member panelists being Bruce Zanca, Kristen Shaughnessy, and Joe Hertel.

Joe Hertel (aka Joe Getty) has been a radio personality since 1989. Since 1998 he's

cohosted The Armstrong & Getty Show, heard on 60 radio stations, and downloaded tens

of millions of times per year as a podcast. Joe and his cohost bring perspective and humor to news and politics 5 days a week.

Kristen was a TV and radio anchor and reporter in NY City for 30+ years. She was named to Irish America Magazine's Top 100" list and was chosen as one of the "Top 50 Irish American Power Women and "Top Media 30". Kristen is currently one of the hosts of "The 5 Of Us" Podcast.

Bruce is a master communications strategist and consultant. An expert in public, investor, and media relations and corporate marketing, during his 30+ year career, he has been a C-Suite communications executive at four publicly traded businesses; assisting three companies to complete IPOs. Bruce has been a White House spokesperson and communications advisor for three presidential administrations.

If you missed out on hearing this electrifying and knowledge-filled panel speak, reach out to Bruce Zanca for the recording he took.

Recent examples of LLG programs that have run in 2024 between January-May are as follows:

* The Gullah Kinfolk Theater - employing songs to tell the story of slavery and freedom through the lens of those whose ancestors actually experienced the trauma

* Docent-Lead Tours of Telfair Academy and the Jepson Center in Savannah

* Docent-Lead Tour of the Pat Conroy Literacy Center in Beaufort 

* Gayle Jessup White, author of “Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Decendant’s Search for Her Family’s Lasting Legacy’

* The LPGA’s “Drive On” Campaign, created to celebrate and encourage women in golf, presented by Roberta Bowman, a CR member

* Artificial Intelligence - “The What and the So What” featuring a presentation by David Roscoe

* “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Media”, featuring 3 CR members and media experts: Joe Hertel, Kristen Bush, and Bruce Zanca

As you can see, this is an active group, which arranges frequent programs, as an amenity to the CR community. The founder and head of the LLG for the past 15 years is Jeanne Lane. Her email is: cestchoc@gmail.com. You may want to reach out to Jeanne to get a blurb or quotes, since she’s the pivotal person behind it!