Giovanni Rodriguez

I'm co-founder and partner of The Conversation Group, a new consultancy devoted to the art, science, and practical application of social engagement. A frequent speaker on the social-media circuit, I've help to instigate an ongoing debate about the future of the PR profession. My prognosis: PR pros will continue to do well in the "post social-media world," because among their peers in marketing they are the only ones who actually "relate" to people for a living. (They will need to unlearn a lot of bad habits, but they'll do OK).

Today, I live and work in the rough-and-tumble of Silicon Valley, but I am the survivor of four environments that are somewhat tougher; the South Bronx (where I was born), Princeton University (where I went to school), the corporate law world (where I worked as a ghost writer), and the even more irrational world of professional theater (where I got to do some really cool stuff with monstrously creative and difficult people). For what it's worth, my work and opinion have been featured in publications such as PRWeek, Brandweek, BusinessWeek, and Forbes, and of course my blog, when I can find time to write.