Jessica A. Koth is a seasoned public relations leader and trusted voice serving as the director of public relations for the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). With nearly two decades at NFDA and more than 27 years in the public relations field, she leads the association’s comprehensive communications strategy, championing initiatives that strengthen NFDA’s reputation, support funeral service professionals and increase public understanding of meaningful memorialization.

Jessica oversees national media relations, crisis communication, brand storytelling and thought-leadership development for NFDA. She serves as editor of the “NFDA Bulletin,” manages the Pursuit of Excellence program, and develops high-impact content across NFDA platforms, including a monthly column for “The Director” magazine. She also established and managed NFDA’s social media presence for 14 years, significantly expanding the association’s digital reach.

Before joining NFDA, Jessica worked in agency public relations supporting nonprofit, healthcare and hospitality organizations across the country. She is a graduate of Marquette University with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism.

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Empathy in the Workplace, Center for Creative Leadership White Paper: https://www.ccl.org/insights-research/research/?research=empathy-in-the-workplace-a-tool-for-effective-leadership

Why Emotional Intelligence Matters More Than Technical Skills In The AI Age, Forbes Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/aytekintank/2026/06/30/what-are-power-skills-and-how-can-leaders-reinforce-them-in-2026/

How to Ask Better Questions: https://podcasts.apple.com/ru/podcast/how-to-ask-better-questions/id1567769910?i=1000660342169

The Art of Asking Smarter Questions, Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2024/05/the-art-of-asking-smarter-questions

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Thank you for listening to "Can You Hear Me?". If you enjoyed our show, please consider subscribing and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform.

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James is an entrepreneur and commercial leader with over 20 years of experience building and scaling businesses. He has founded companies from the ground up, helped grow private equity-backed businesses, and now leads the growth of a media and communications group through mergers and acquisitions. He also co-owns a podcast production business and a creative communications agency.

Inflectiv Group

Connect with James: james@inflectivegroup.com.

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Thank you for listening to "Can You Hear Me?". If you enjoyed our show, please consider subscribing and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform.

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Dr. Debbie Qaqish is a pioneering marketing strategist, leadership expert, and the creator of The Growth Factor MethodTM , a leadership approach that blends the science of positive psychology with decades of real-world marketing experience. Her work addresses a critical but often overlooked challenge: modern marketing operates under relentless pressure, yet most organizations have never redesigned how people think, decide, and lead in that environment.

Known as the OG of Revenue MarketingTM, a term and concept she created in 2011, Debbie redefined marketing’s role from a support function to a measurable driver of business growth. Over more than 35 years, she has worked directly with CMOs and B2B marketing teams to align strategy with revenue and growth outcomes.

A Certified Positive Psychology Practitioner, Debbie applies evidence-based insights to help marketers and leaders move out of survival mode, improve decision-making under pressure, and lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Her work equips professionals not just to perform, but to thrive amid constant change.

Debbie is a dynamic keynote speaker, award-winning author of Rise of the Revenue Marketer and From Backroom to Boardroom, and a respected thought leader featured in Forbes, MarTech Today, and other top publications. She has taught Revenue Marketing to

MBA students at The College of William & Mary for over a decade, continuing her mission to elevate both marketing performance and leadership effectiveness. She is also the host of the popular weekly LinkedIn Live show Revenue Marketing Raw which showcases her no-nonsense unfiltered takes on marketing teams.

Dr. Debbie's Website: https://www.growthfactor.us/

Dr. Debbie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbieqaqish/

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Thank you for listening to "Can You Hear Me?". If you enjoyed our show, please consider subscribing and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform.

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Resources: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cmo/2026/06/03/gaining-visibility-in-the-ai-search-era/

https://www.prweek.com/article/1960195/reputation-age-ai-why-pr-own-ai-visibility

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Thank you for listening to "Can You Hear Me?". If you enjoyed our show, please consider subscribing and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Stay connected with us:

• Follow us on LinkedIn!
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