Fluent in Floridian is a podcast featuring the Sunshine State’s brightest leaders talking about the issues most important to the people of Florida and its more than 100 million yearly visitors. These issues include health care, economic development, environmental protection, transportation, tourism, politics, taxes, education, energy and more.   

Fluent in Floridian is a new podcast featuring the Sunshine State’s brightest leaders talking about the issues most important to the people of Florida and its more than 100 million yearly visitors. These issues include health care, economic development, environmental protection, transportation, tourism, politics, taxes, education, energy and more.   

Latest

Episode 110

Miami Film Festival Executive Director James Woolley

James Woolley’s love of film has become the blueprint for his career. As executive director of the Miami Film Festival, he brings compelling stories to audiences from around the world while creating a lineup that resonates with Miami’s diverse culture.

With experience managing more than 30 film festivals, Woolley is a dedicated advocate for both the film industry and aspiring filmmakers. From star-studded panels to Oscar nomination buzz, he believes the heart of cinema lies in one thing: getting people into theaters to experience the magic themselves.

In this episode, SalterMitchell PR President and Partner Heidi Otway sits down with James to discuss his vision for the festival’s future and how the industry plays an important role in telling Florida stories. 

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Episode 55
Florida Sports Foundation President Angela Suggs
Sports

The Super Bowl is coming! The Special Olympics are coming! The World Cup is (potentially) coming! Angela Suggs is the Paul Revere of Florida sports.In her role as president of the Florida Sports Foundation, she’s had the privilege of heralding all sorts of good news in Florida’s sports scene. In the latest Fluent in Floridian episode, Angela sits down with SalterMitchell PR President Heidi Otway to discuss Florida’s $57 billion dollar sports economy, the upcoming national and international events slated to be in Florida, and the value that sports provide to the state.

If you enjoyed this episode, you might enjoy our episodes with Heisman Winner Charlie Ward, Film Florida Executive Director, John Lux, and Universal Orlando Resort PR Director Alyson Sologaistoa.

Episode 54
Longtime Republican Operative Mac Stipanovich
Politics

Mac Stipanovich is known throughout Florida as a Republican cognoscente, so when he penned an open letter to his fellow Republicans in 2016 imploring them to vote for Hillary Clinton, it came as somewhat of a shock. Now he’s left the Republican party completely.He explains why in the latest episode of Fluent in Floridian. Mac sits down with SalterMitchell PR President Heidi Otway to discuss the state of political rhetoric in America, his involvement in Florida’s political history and the importance of voting (and knowing how to vote).

If you enjoyed this interview, you might also enjoy our episodes with Longtime Jeb Bush Advisor, Sally Bradshaw, Florida Politics Editor, Peter Schorsch and Orlando Sentinel Columnist, Scott Maxwell.

Episode 53
Former Director of the Office of Medical Marijuana Use Christian Bax
Health

The fastest growing sector in the United States job market isn’t technology or real estate. It’s marijuana.Christian Bax, former director of Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use, sits down with SalterMitchell PR President Heidi Otway. In their conversation, they discuss the growth of Florida’s medical cannabis industry from zero patients to over 250,000 in two years, the takeaways that Florida can learn from other states and the future of the industry in the state.

If you enjoyed this interview, you might enjoy our episode with Devoted Health Market President Dariel Quintana.

Episode 52
Florida A&M President Dr. Larry Robinson
Education

Dr. Larry Robinson has been a steadfast presence at Florida A&M University since joining the faculty as a visiting professor in 1997. A nuclear chemist and researcher by trade, Dr. Robinson went on to serve as interim president at FAMU on three separate occasions. In 2017, he was finally named the 12th president of Florida’s only historically black public university.

The strengthened relationship between FAMU and the global economy is one of the accomplishments Dr. Robinson is most proud of. He is also a proponent of the university’s research and regularly promotes the impact of many high-achieving FAMU graduates.

In his conversation with SalterMitchell PR President (and FAMU grad) Heidi Otway, Dr. Robinson discusses the role of historically black colleges and universities, his vision for the future, and details about a new partnership with tech giant Google.

If you enjoyed this interview, you might enjoy our episodes with FSU President John Thrasher, University of Florida President Kent Fuchs and Chancellor of the State University System, Marshall Criser III.

Episode 51
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida Larry Keefe
Politics

One of three U.S. Attorneys for the state of Florida, Larry Keefe has spent his life setting and achieving his goals as the result of hard work and great mentorship.On the newest episode of Fluent in Floridian, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida Larry Keefe talks to SalterMitchell PR CEO April Salter about his career, his mentors, and how he progressed from the Levin College of Law to the highest federal law enforcement position in North Florida.

Episode 50
Miami-Dade County Chief Resilience Officer Jim Murley
Environment

“The future 100 years of Southeast Florida will be about managing the water relevant to the land, building vertically, and connecting them with elevated transportation systems.”This week on Fluent in Floridian, SalterMitchell PR President, Heidi Otway, sits down with Jim Murley, the Chief Resilience Officer for Miami-Dade County to talk about the ways Southeast Florida is going to have to adapt to #SeaLevelRise.

In their conversation, they discuss Jim’s history serving under multiple Governors, his time spent researching with the Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions at FAU and what exactly is in store for Florida and the planet.

If you enjoyed this interview, you might enjoy our episodes with CEO of the Everglades Foundation, Eric Eikenberg, Executive Director of the Florida Conservation Voters, Aliki Moncrief and Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.

Episode 49
Tampa Bay Times Editor of Editorials Tim Nickens
Media

Since he was in the eighth grade, Tim Nickens knew he would be a journalist. What began as a dream to become a sports writer turned into a 35-year career reporting for two of Florida’s top newspapers and winning a Pulitzer Prize.

Nickens is Fluent in Floridian. Over the course of his impressive career, he has reported on many of the cultural events that have defined the 21st century, including 9/11, Hurricane Charlie and both election recounts in Florida.

On this episode of Fluent in Floridian, Nickens discusses his career in journalism, the way the industry has changed, his thoughts on today’s young voters, and his new role as Editor of Editorials at Florida’s largest newspaper, the Tampa Bay Times.

If you enjoyed this interview, you might enjoy our episodes with Orlando Sentinel Columnist Scott Maxwell, Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Lucy morgan and Miami Herald Capital Bureau Chief Mary Ellen Klas.

Episode 48
Florida Conservation Voters Executive Director Aliki Moncrief
Environment

Sea level rise. Unprecedented super storms. Toxic algae blooms.The effects of climate change on Florida’s environment have become increasingly overt in the last decade. However, activists like Aliki Moncrief are reminding us that while global warming is a human-made phenomenon, it can also be solved by people working together. As the executive director of Florida Conservation Voters, her mission is to keep citizens informed of the threats of climate change.

Moncrief is Fluent in Floridian. Born in Greece, she grew up in South Miami before attending Emory University for undergrad and Harvard Law for her J.D. She has used her legal education to fight for the environment through the Department of Environmental Protection Enforcement Division and by spearheading The Florida Water and Land Conservation Initiative in 2014.

In this episode of Fluent In Floridian, Moncrief sits down with us to discuss her career path, the impact Florida Conservation Voters has had on voter awareness, and what she expects from the new administration in Florida.

If you enjoyed this interview, you might enjoy our episodes with CEO of the Everglades Foundation, Eric Eikenberg, Former Director of the Florida Audubon Society, Eric Draper and Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.

Episode 47
Film Florida Executive Director John Lux
Media

John Lux got his start in Florida working for Walt Disney World, but after leaving the mouse’s house, he was drawn to a career in film production. Since becoming involved with Film Florida, Lux progressed from volunteer to treasurer before being named the full-time executive director in 2016.

Lux is Fluent in Floridian. As an advocate for the film, TV, and digital media industries, he is aware of the natural benefits our state offers to digital creators, but also of the incentives that can help to move filming away from Hollywood studios, and bring that money to smaller communities. Lux speaks to the influx of money and notoriety seen by the city of Clearwater after it was featured in the hit film Dolphin Tale.

On this episode of Fluent in Floridian, John Lux discusses how the Sunshine State’s industry growth stacks up to our coastal neighbors across the South East. He also talks about some of the many memorable shows that were shot in Florida, as well as the engagement of companies like EA who help to expand the video game industry in the state.