B2B communications is evolving faster than ever. New platforms are reshaping how audiences discover information, AI is changing how stories get surfaced and communicators are being asked to think differently about building visibility and credibility.
But even as the landscape shifts, the core qualities of an effective communicator remain the same: strategic thinking, curiosity, sound judgment and the ability to build trust.
That’s why we in the communications space look forward to the PR Club of New England’s 2026 Bell Ringer Awards each year. They recognize this balance in our industry — honoring communications professionals who both embody these fundamental strengths and are helping move our industry forward.
I’m proud to celebrate two Walker Sands teammates this year. Vice President of Strategic Communications, Sam Powers, received the Ringer Award, recognizing communications leaders whose careers have made a lasting impact on clients, colleagues and the profession. Media Relations Manager, Aidan Poole, also received the Striker Award, which honors rising professionals making an exceptional mark on the industry.
I sat down with Sam and Aidan to talk about what these recognitions mean to them, how they approach client work and what they believe professionals must prioritize as the strategic communications craft continues to evolve.
Sam, the Ringer Award recognizes communications leaders who make a lasting impact on their clients, teams and the broader PR community. What does this recognition mean to you after over 15 years in the industry?
This recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects aspects of the profession I care about most: helping clients solve real business challenges, supporting the development of talented people and contributing to our industry’s evolution.
Over the past 16 years, I’ve partnered with organizations ranging from high-growth startups to global technology companies navigating significant changes. While communications metrics like media coverage and engagement are important, I’ve always measured success by our ability to influence business outcomes, whether that’s strengthening market position, building stakeholder trust or helping leaders navigate critical decisions with clarity and confidence.
On a personal level, this recognition is a reflection of the incredible teams I’ve had the privilege to work with. None of us succeed in this industry alone. The most rewarding part of my career has been seeing colleagues I’ve worked alongside and mentored grow into exceptional communications professionals and leaders.
For me, this award recognizes the relationships, teams and clients who have helped shape my career.
You’ve built a strong reputation as both a strategic advisor and mentor. What leadership principles have guided you as you’ve helped clients navigate changes and invested in the growth of the next generation of communications professionals?
The first principle is that communications should always be tied to business outcomes. Whether I’m advising a client through a market disruption, a major milestone or a shift in corporate strategy, I encourage teams to start with the business objective and work backward.
Awareness matters, but that isn’t the end goal. The strongest communications programs help move the business forward.
The second is leading with curiosity. Our industry is constantly changing and I’ve found that the strongest communicators are willing to challenge assumptions, learn continuously and adapt. That mindset is just as important for clients navigating challenges as it is for professionals building their careers.
The third is investing in people. Early in my career, many of my leaders took time to mentor me — I’ve always felt a responsibility to do the same for others. I try to create opportunities for emerging professionals to stretch beyond their comfort zones, contribute strategically and develop the confidence to become trusted advisors themselves.
Great leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating an environment where people can grow, think strategically and do their best work.
Over the past few years, you’ve helped teams adapt to major shifts in communications measurement and AI search. What excites you most about the opportunities these evolutions create for PR professionals and our clients?
For years, communications leaders have been challenged to demonstrate the business impact of our work in ways that resonate with executive stakeholders. What’s exciting about the convergence of advanced measurement and GenAI search is that we’re getting much closer to connecting communications efforts with tangible business outcomes.
As AI shapes how organizations are discovered, evaluated and trusted, earned media, thought leadership and third-party validation have become even more valuable. The qualities PR has always helped build — including authority, credibility and relevance — are now directly influencing visibility in AI-powered search experiences.
What’s particularly exciting is the emergence of generative engine optimization (GEO), which provides a more direct way to measure that impact. Rather than relying solely on traditional awareness metrics, we can increasingly understand whether AI-generated responses are surfacing, citing and recommending brands. This creates a clearer link between communications efforts and business visibility.
What excites me most is that these evolutions elevate communication’s role from generating coverage to shaping the stories that influence how organizations are discovered, trusted and ultimately chosen.
Aidan, your journalism background is frequently cited as one of your greatest strengths — and the Striker Award is proof of that. How does thinking like a reporter influence your media relations approach and help uncover stories that resonate with journalists?
Thinking like a reporter is exactly the name of the game. Before I send a pitch, I always ask myself: Why does this matter? If I can’t answer that question clearly, I’m not ready to hit send.
Especially in B2B tech, it’s easy to get caught up in minutiae and industry jargon. But good journalism takes complex topics and grounds them in reality so audiences can understand why they matter. Whether it’s AI, cybersecurity or cloud infrastructure, my job is to find the story underneath the tech and explain it in a way that’s digestible and relevant.
The other piece is empathy. There’s a real person on the other side of the screen. Reporters are juggling deadlines, editors, inboxes full of pitches and everything else going on in their lives. I try to think about what would actually be helpful to them, whether that’s a timely idea, a knowledgeable source or a different perspective on a story they’re already covering.
Impactful media relationships come from treating reporters like people, not content-generating machines or a means for reaching a KPI.
You’ve become a go-to resource for complex sectors like cybersecurity, AI and data center infrastructure. What’s your approach to finding compelling narratives in highly technical or niche industries?
One thing I’ve learned is that anything can seem technical when you’re deep enough in the weeds — even simple things. The challenge is remembering that behind every technical topic is a human story with tangible impact on real people.
Cybersecurity is a great example. A technical article about vulnerabilities, regulations or cyber policy can look like alphabet soup to the average reader. But underneath that are stories about ransomware shutting down schools and hospitals, nation-state attackers targeting U.S. infrastructure or scammers trying to convince someone’s grandmother to hand over her bank account information. Everyone can relate to those stories. They matter.
I try to approach each technical topic like this. Instead of focusing only on the technology itself, I think about the people affected by it and the real-world consequences. That’s usually where the most compelling story lives.
Colleagues often point to your thoughtful counsel and collaborative approach. As you grow in your career, what have you learned about building trust with clients, teammates and reporters?
I’ve learned that trust comes from honesty, not from always having the answer. It’s okay to tell a client you don’t think a pitch is strong enough yet, and it’s okay to tell a reporter you don’t have what they’re looking for, but you’ll find it. I find people trust you more when you’re transparent than when you overpromise.
Clients hire us to be advisors, not “yes” people. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can do is push back, explain your thinking and ground your advice in experience, even if it’s not what someone hoped to hear.
Consistency matters, too. With teammates, trust is built by showing up every day, working hard and being someone people can rely on.
With reporters, I’ve learned that relationships are more valuable than transactions. The goal isn’t to land one story, but to become someone a reporter knows they can trust for thoughtful ideas and reliable sources over time.
Looking back on the past year, what’s one placement or story you’ve helped secure that stands out as a favorite, and what made it especially rewarding?
One opportunity that stands out was helping a client make a splash when announcing its Series F funding round in early June. My team secured a feature and CEO interview with TechCrunch, which was especially rewarding because it wasn’t just the result of a good headline.
We spent time researching the reporter, tailoring the pitch specifically to his India business beat and offering a narrative that aligned with what he was currently covering — and our client’s business goals. When the reporter expressed interest, we followed through quickly with an initial CEO interview and additional information via follow-ups.
The feature was a great win for the client. It was also a good reminder that effective media relations rarely comes down to luck. They come from preparation, an understanding of what reporters are looking for and collaborating as a team. I definitely won’t take all the credit here. It was a team effort, which is something I’ve really appreciated throughout my time at Walker Sands.
Looking ahead
Sam and Aidan’s wins reflect individual career milestones that we hope they’re proud of — and we’re excited to help celebrate.
They also highlight the qualities we work to cultivate across all Walker Sandsians: curiosity, strategic thinking, innovation, trusted counsel and a clear connection between our services and business outcomes.
Congratulations to Sam Powers and Aidan Poole on their well-deserved recognitions from the PR Club of New England!
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