Louisiana Policy Institute for Children establishes inaugural Early Education Month in the legislature

Written By Alicia Vial

Situation

The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring Louisiana’s children, from birth to age four, are prepared for success in school and in life. The organization also conducts research, publishes policy proposals, and hosts educational activities based on their recommended policy solutions. LPIC works tirelessly to ensure that Louisiana’s youngest children, age birth through four, are prepared for success in school and life, and provided necessary educational opportunities to reach their full potential.

Gambel Communications has worked hand-in-land with LPIC for several years to raise awareness for its work during Early Education Day and Week, and because of the success of these programs LPIC decided to grow its initiative and create the inaugural Louisiana Early Education Month (LA EEM).

February marked an especially important moment-in-time to garner support and attention from key stakeholders. The month of programing was strategically positioned, occurring just after the release of two of LPIC’s research reports that garnered national attention, and just weeks before the start of the Louisiana legislative session where legislators would determine if Governor Jon Bel Edwards’ proposed budget for early care and education was implemented.

Knowing that real changes require businesses and community members to get involved and take action, Gambel Communications worked alongside LPIC and its partners to plan, promote and execute events aimed at key stakeholders, including business leaders, community members, the media, childcare providers and parents/caregivers of young children.

Strategy

As part of its ongoing public relations and communications efforts with LPIC, Gambel Communications executed all media relations efforts, earning extensive coverage in print, online media, television and radio. In addition, the agency consulted on and helped execute the extensive social media strategy, highlighting the events and earned media coverage, engaging with key stakeholders and legislators and sharing thought leadership content.

The team also helped organize and execute several LA EEM-specific events to increase awareness about the importance of early childhood education to as many stakeholders as possible. This included working with LPIC and partners to create and host four virtual, statewide events throughout the month of February, including:

  • Keynote address from world-renowned Dr. Junlei Li, Harvard Graduate School of Education and early childcare expert

  • Social media day of action for #LAEarlyEdMonth to encourage online conversations

  • A parent advocacy training, open to all who want to learn how to best advocate for Louisiana’s youngest learners

  • A business roundtable breakfast event, featuring notable local and national business leaders and advocates that also served as the soft launch for the forthcoming Louisiana Business Workforce Calculator tool

Gambel Communications also consulted, developed materials and helped staff several hybrid events, hosted alongside multiple United Way agencies in Louisiana including regional childcare visits and a legislative breakfast at the state Capitol. To top it off, Governor John Bel Edwards, a continued advocate for early care and education, officially proclaimed February as Early Education Month in Louisiana.

To achieve success, Gambel Communications employed an integrated, cross-channel approach to media and community relations, using social media and earned PR coverage to attracted attendees to each event. Additionally, the team leveraged thought leaders to advocate for LPIC’s cause. Because of the agency’s existing partnerships with community organizations and news publications, the team easily positioned LPIC as a thought leader in the early education space. This outreach led to a high volume of news articles and opinion pieces with publications ranging from Yahoo News to the Plaquemines Post South.

The team also consulted on LPIC’s paid media strategy surrounding LA EEM, including a sponsored advertorial in Louisiana Association of Business & Industry’s 5th and Main Magazine, achieving targeted and controlled reach to key business leaders.

Results

As a direct result of Gambel’s media and community relations efforts as well as social media strategy, LPIC achieved the following results during its inaugural Early Education Month:

  • Total Media Mentions: 56

  • Total Potential Earned Reach: 99.75 million

  • Total Social Engagement: 1,891

  • Total #LAEarlyEdMonth Mentions: 502

 Below is a list of key policy and legislative outcomes that Gambel’s efforts with LPIC have contributed to in Louisiana:

  • Helped direct more than $126M to childcare providers

  • Raised more than $500M for childcare providers affected by Hurricane Ida

  • Created new revenue streams for early childhood education

  • Louisiana was selected as one of five states for the Child Care NEXT Grant

  • Louisiana was selected as one of four states for the Heising Simons New Venture Fund

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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