Expertly Said – Details, episodes & analysis

Why does the same communication approach work in one region and fall flat in another?

Stephanie Roberts is the Chief Communications Officer at Hitachi, where she leads teams responsible for brand, public relations, digital and social media, executive communications, reputation and crisis communications, and internal communications across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific. 

In this episode, Stephanie joins Kristen Sweeney to discuss how her experience living and working in Tokyo over the past four years has shaped her approach to communication.

How do you create messaging that breaks through the noise and actually sticks?

Steve Woodruff, President of Clarity Fuel Inc. and author of Clarity Wins and The Point, has spent decades focused on one core idea: clear communication is the most valuable professional skill. His work spans sales, marketing, consulting, and training, all focused on helping people translate complexity into language others can understand.

In this episode, Steve joins Kristen Sweeney to discuss why less is sometimes more and why distillation is the true art of communication.

If you’re thinking about who the next leaders in your organization might be, Keith Berman—Director of Internal Communications at Vertafore—has a word of advice: Don’t overlook your internal comms pros. 

Keith has spent his career studying how audiences listen, feel, and act. From his early days in radio and journalism to leading internal communications across industries and company sizes, he has seen firsthand how effective communication drives trust, alignment, and momentum. 

In this episode, Keith makes the case that those in internal communications roles are uniquely positioned to lead organizations at the highest level.

What would you do if suddenly, you had to reinvent your business? 

Mary Lou Andre, founder and CEO of Dressing Well, assists leaders in leveraging style as a tool of communication and confidence. An accomplished entrepreneur, speaker, author, stylist, coach, mastermind facilitator, and nonprofit leader, Mary Lou has worked with a wide range of leaders, including corporate CEOs, governors, media personalities, and more. 

In this episode, Mary Lou talks to Kristen about how the COVID-19 pandemic empowered her to elevate her brand in ways she never would have imagined.

What does it really take for people to trust the information that is being communicated to them? 

Babs Crane is a consumer psychologist and design consultant who specializes in bringing human understanding to communication, design, and technology. Drawing on psychology and behavioral science, Babs helps organizations understand not just what people do but why they do it. She’s passionate about projects that help people live healthier, happier lives.

In this episode of Expertly Said, Kristen and Babs explore the role of psychology in messaging and decision-making—and why trust sits at the center of it all.

What would happen if you stopped aiming for perfection in your marketing and communications and focused instead on showing up authentically and consistently?

Eric Crews has spent his career building companies and helping other entrepreneurs do the same. As founder and CEO of Crews & Co., his work draws on decades of scaling organizations, from teaching college students to run summer businesses to leading teams that have driven hundreds of millions in added profit. 

In this episode of Expertly Said, Eric joins Kristen Sweeney to discuss the origins of his thought leadership content and his commitment to getting it into the world.

While digital marketing solutions have made it easier to connect with customers, there is still something to be said for good old-fashioned relationship-building. 

With more than 20 years of experience driving growth across regulated B2B industries, Meredith Dennis brings a philosophy rooted in building strong relationships, devising practical marketing strategies, and delivering meaningful results. She launched Compression Marketing on a principle that guides all her work: connect with people, help them solve problems, and skip the gimmicks.

In this episode of Expertly Said, Meredith joins Kristen to discuss why “the human factor” will always have a place in marketing.

The diagnostics field is changing fast, and Maria Urso is helping it keep its humanity. As Director of Medical

Communications at Exact Sciences, she focuses on communicating complex science to healthcare providers and equipping them to communicate effectively with patients. 

In this episode of Expertly Said, Maria breaks down what it takes to educate these audiences in a world flooded with new tests and large amounts of data.

To what extent does a healthcare provider’s word choice impact patient outcomes? 

In this episode of Expertly Said, physical therapist, yoga teacher, and pelvic floor rehab specialist Kathryn Ahuja of Solstice Physiotherapy joins Kristen to explore the role of language in healing—and how even well-intentioned words can inadvertently cause harm. She explains why “do no harm” begins with mindful communication and how choosing the right words can transform a patient’s experience of care.

What makes executive communication successful? 

Chuck Anderson, Associate Director of Manufacturing, Engineering, and Contracting Communications at AbbVie, has spent more than two decades helping senior leaders communicate with clarity and confidence.

In this episode of Expertly Said, Chuck talks with Kristen Sweeney about what it takes to help leaders connect in ways that truly resonate.