As we continue our Defining Moments series, it’s inspiring to see how each of our journeys – shaped by experiences as varied as global affairs, public health crises and work within the Texas Capitol – has led us here. These stories remind us that the moments defining our individual paths often intersect in meaningful ways, creating the shared purpose that drives Mach 1 today.
Enjoy Part Two of our Defining Moments series.
Alice Claiborne, Vice President and Director of Earned Media
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the demand for credible voices in healthcare skyrocketed. This marked a significant shift from previous years, but fortunately, we were prepared. In the early days of the pandemic, our team dedicated time to identifying the best spokespeople and uncovering compelling patient stories and advocates. This groundwork allowed us to respond quickly when media outlets came a-knockin’.
A highlight during this time was securing a media interview with CBS’s Sunday Morning for one of our clients. Spending an entire day with the production crew and watching our client’s expertise reach millions was thrilling! That experience has changed the way I approach every client account. Opportunities can arise unexpectedly, but success depends on being ready to take action as soon as they do.”
Shahreen Abedin, Managing Director
“When deadly airstrikes broke out during the July 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta somehow managed to report from Beirut within hours of the first major attacks. Phone lines were compromised, medical supplies were in short supply and bombing victims flooded triage. How was Dr. Gupta able to report the medical news so quickly? Well, I was his producer in New York. Over crackly phone calls in French, I interviewed Lebanese and Israeli hospital personnel and medical officials. I gained exclusive first-hand information by tracking down a Lebanese doctor visiting the U.S. who was in close contact with his hospital colleagues in Beirut. I also used my network to hire a bilingual fixer to meet him on the ground and take him straight to the hospital after landing. It was an exercise in quick thinking and resourcefulness, plus leveraging my language skills to persuade clinicians halfway across the world to give us access to their world, even as they continued to operate under fire. That was a key moment in my career. I realized that the aggregate of my education, life experiences and professional background — though seemingly loosely tied together before — all culminated in my identity as a skilled communicator whom people naturally trust to tell their stories with integrity and thoughtfulness, even under the most precarious of situations.”
Carsyn Collins, Senior Strategist
“During my internship at the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, I saw how policy is never just policy – it’s people. I sat in rooms where advocates weighed which bills to fight for, submitted testimony that carried lived experiences into the Capitol and listened as some of the most courageous people I’ve ever met share personal stories that cut through political noise. Those moments taught me that perspective isn’t just powerful – it can resonate with lawmakers, shift their priorities and make substantial waves across Texas. That was when I knew communications wasn’t just about crafting messages; it was about lifting voices that deserve to be heard, and I forever wanted to be a part of that.”
