SBS Comms

The New York Times Hard Fork on OpenResearch's unconditional cash study with Elizabeth Rhodes. Learn more about the study and findings at openresearchlab.org

We’re proud of our ongoing fellowship program that provides a mix of college grads and folks looking for a career change hands-on experience in communications and PR. In six short months, our fellows become strategic communicators and real assets to some of the most interesting companies in technology. 🧠 Olivia Garcia recently wrapped up her fellowship, and this is what she had to share: “My fellowship at SBS was an incredible experience. I had very limited knowledge and experience with PR agencies before joining SBS, and I remember being so awestruck watching my colleagues secure hit after hit in top publications while gracefully balancing dozens of other projects. Six months later, I can conclude I’ve learned so much and am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to take on tasks that helped me grow – from writing pitches to coordinating speaking opportunities for clients to presenting in front of the company. I’m thrilled to continue working alongside such an encouraging and brilliant crew of PR specialists.” We are beyond excited to welcome Olive to the crew full time as an account coordinator. We can’t wait to see what she does next! 👏

"Over the past several years, the idea of direct cash transfers to low-income Americans has gained fast traction, with more than 150 local pilots in 35 US states testing the idea of “basic income.” The largest of those pilots didn't come from a city or county but from OpenResearch, a project backed by OpenAI Chief Executive Officer and Founder Sam Altman. After three years of distributing $1,000 monthly to beneficiaries in Illinois and Texas, the organization has released a trio of research papers on its findings. Like many of the other studies released before it, OpenResearch finds that recipients spend more to meet their basic needs and assist others, and don't drop out of the workforce — although they work slightly fewer hours. But the researchers’ biggest takeaway is that cash provides flexibility." https://lnkd.in/gZ5paJj4

Next week is a milestone for the OpenResearch team, with publication of initial findings from the country's most comprehensive study of basic income. Academics and policy makers (not to mention journalists) will be pouring over this data for weeks/months/years to come! https://lnkd.in/e-bWuMzp

OpenResearch is a nonprofit research organization with a startup mentality.  Drawing on the strengths of traditional academic research and the creativity and problem-solving characteristics of startups, we ask big, open-ended questions and gather comprehensive data to fill pivotal knowledge gaps. Gratitude shoutout to SBS Comms for their collaboration and support on our initial release of findings.

Over Thai food last fall, we met the OpenResearch team for the first time to start plotting the release of results from their 3-year-long unconditional cash study – the largest of its kind in the US. Today, that study was released into the world. It’s been an absolute joy to help Elizabeth Rhodes and Karina Dotson, Ph.D., along with the rest of their team, unveil their work – and there is still so much to come! My favorite piece is from The 19th, a nonprofit newsroom I’ve been a big big fan of since it launched in 2020: https://lnkd.in/gvnbUiKC Dropping a couple more pieces in the comments from our crack SBS Comms team.

Double the anniversaries means double the celebrations. Today, we’re celebrating a fabulous four years with Vice President, Kelsey Rondenet, and Director, Brittany Catucci! Whether running accounts, leading our People function, mentoring our staff, or lending her keen eye for detail to our annual retreat planning, Kelsey exemplifies the pinnacle of professionalism in PR, radiating grace and thoughtfulness in every project or task she touches. Brittany wears many hats at SBS - always impressing us with her creative storytelling chops, unwavering organization, and empathetic leadership. Her clients and teams are constantly in awe of her tenacity, diligence and sense of humor. Join us in wishing Kelsey and Britt a very happy anniversary!

Summer slow down? We’ve never heard of it. ☀️ We’re excited to announce three new members of the team at SBS Comms: Megan Day joining us as a Senior Account Manager, Haley E. joining as an Account Manager, and Brady Lauer joining us as an Account Executive. 💥 Megan joins SBS Comms from San Francisco. With 5 years of experience in the world of tech PR, she has worked with companies across a variety of industries, from enterprise software to the future of work. Outside of the office, you’ll find Megan at Crissy Field Beach with her golden retriever Bodie, reading a good book, and eating frozen yogurt year round. Hailing from Chicago (but a Bay Area girl at heart!), Haley has helped manage clients across a wide variety of industries including insurance, health, wellness, and sports. She brings unique experience centered around media relations, social media management, strategy development and thoughtful face-to-face client relations. Previous clients include AON Insurance, First Midwest Bank, The Coca-Cola Company, The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and more. When she's not at her desk, Haley probably has ESPN on in the background while she's working out or relaxing on the couch with a strong cappuccino in-hand. Also in the San Francisco crew, Brady joins after spending the past three years supporting some of the biggest and most innovative companies in the country within the consumer technology and fintech industries, including Amazon, TurboTax, and Notion. When he's not working, you can find him catching up on all things Bravo, exercising, enjoying a glass of wine with his friends, and finding any excuse to be outside.

"What do my childhood Candy Land games have to do with startups and venture capital? Well, power outages are still a problem (perhaps more so as warming oceans fuel more hurricanes), and solutions to problems are what the startup game is all about. Dan Wright, the cofounder and CEO of Armada, believes that extreme situations like hurricanes reinforce the need for “edge” computing, the practice of processing data locally rather than sending it back to the cloud. “Lots of oil and gas companies are really very concerned about these types of disasters,” Wright says. “You can’t have any latency. You have to be able to respond in real time.” https://lnkd.in/g6_R4Atn

This July, our SBS for Good donation goes to The Glenn Garcelon Foundation behalf of Kristina Bannan, Director on our OnBoard team. “My husband had multiple surgeries to remove 98% of a benign brain tumor. Even with the best medical staff and support system, juggling recovery, life, and work is incredibly daunting,” Kristy shares. “The GGF, in partnership with the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) provides grants to support brain tumor patients and families—everything from rehab to groceries. Thank you for supporting SBS!” The Glenn Garcelon Foundation exists to improve the quality of life of brain tumor survivors, caregivers and their families by providing emotional and financial support. Grants have been used to cover the cost of mortgage payments, rent, insurance, co-pays, deductibles, groceries, utilities, specialized equipment, treatment related travel and lodging expenses, and more – all things that most of us take for granted every day.