#1: In Conversation with Stacy Brooks Whatley, MarCom Director and Work-Life Boundary Setter

Jun 17, 2022

Stacy Brooks Whatley is director of marketing and communications at the American Physiological Society (APS). As a director since 2019, she oversees media relations, social media, website content strategy, the award-winning I Spy Physiology blog, and overall communications outreach for APS. She is also editor-in-chief of the award-winning The Physiologist Magazine, APS’ member-focused publication that relaunched in 2019.

Stacy devotes much of her time at work helping APS members—primarily biomedical researchers with PhDs—learn how to better communicate their research to the media, the general public and other researchers. 

This podcast host, Melanie Padgett Powers, works with Stacy as managing editor of The Physiologist Magazine. The two have known each other since 2005 when they became communications co-workers—and fast friends—at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

Stacy is also the new president of AM&P Network’s Associations Council (formerly Association Media and Publishing or AM&P), as of June 21, 2022.  

Topics covered:

• Engaging and featuring more than just the super volunteers in your content.
• Using a “Let us get to know you” form.
• Using member photos rather than stock photos.
• Sending birthday emails to members.
• Deciding what to cover and through which vehicle—while not getting distracted by the shiny object.
• Creating a web presence or content hub for a print-first magazine. 
• The life-changing flexibility of working from home since the pandemic started.
• Creating “collective” work-life boundaries as a staff.
• Analyzing what would make your work life better.
• Lessons from Tonya Mosely: “rest as a radical concept for women of color.”
• Lessons from trauma therapist Resmaa Menakem.
• Becoming AM&P Network’s Associations Council new president in June 2022. 
• The community, education and support Stacy has received from AM&P Network over the years. 
• Associations Council’s vibrant freelance community, including the sole proprietor membership category and Freelance Connections Committee. 

Resources:

• www.physiology.org 
• The Physiologist Magazine
• Podcast Truth Be Told with Tonya Mosely
• Resmaa Menakem
• AM&P Network’s AMPLIFY Summit, June 22–23, 2022
• Stacy on LinkedIn
• Stacy’s email address: [e-mail]