Louisiana Children’s Museum welcomes new CEO

Written By Alicia Vial

Situation

A fixture of the New Orleans Warehouse District for 33 years, a new and reimagined Louisiana Children’s Museum (LCM) opened in the heart of New Orleans City Park in August 2019, the stunning result of a decade of planning and a $47.5 million in investment. Six months later, the new museum was temporarily shuttered by COVID-19 with the rest of the world. Pandemic-related staff turnover and the departure of the museum’s longtime executive director in January 2021 complicated LCM’s re-emergence post-pandemic.

The announcement of Charlotte, NC museum administrator Tifferney White as LCM’s new executive director, effective March 1, 2023, marked an important opportunity to tell the story of LCM’s remarkable makeover. LCM is on a mission to positively shape children’s trajectories by giving them access to safe, innovative, educational play experiences while strengthening and supporting families.

Yet, LCM and staff struggled with efforts to strategically introduce Tifferney to the general public. As a result, Gambel Communications partnered with the LCM board to create and implement a 60-day strategic communications campaign to introduce and establish Tifferney as a thought leader in the community.

Strategy

Gambel Communications first met with with Tifferney to discuss her key platforms, which included advancing LCM’s educational framework for early learners and families and increasing access to the museum among the community at large. Gambel Communications then devised an aggressive strategy for a six-week media and community relations blitz to garner increased exposure that allowed Tifferney to remain authentic to her life’s calling and allow attributes of her purpose to shine through the introductory coverage.

The campaign’s success would be measured not just by the quantity of earned media coverage, but the inclusion of Tifferney’s key priorities into each story and the foundation that was being created for future media attention and thought leadership opportunities.

Results

As a direct result of the six-week media and community relations blitz, Gambel Communications secured nine high-profile stories that reached an estimated 4.1 million viewers - a 1,500% increase.

  • Announcements of Tifferney’s new role as CEO on news outlets across the region

  • A profile feature in The Times-Picayune

  • Two broadcast TV interviews on local morning shows

  • An interview with Monica Pierre’s Powerhouse Woman Podcast

  • Radio interview with WWL-AM

  • Published guest perspective with CityBusiness

  • Selected as Biz New Orleans’ New and Notable recipient

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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