Sounia Johnson
Sounia Johnson
Freelance Communication Consultant
Los Angeles, CA
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I wear many hats. ”
Chief among them is that of Communication Researcher. A researcher by training, I draw upon various research methodologies and partner with organizations, brands, start-ups, and nonprofits to solve complex communication challenges. My background is in behavioral communication so the research expertise I possess is of great value to any organization looking to make an impact. Whether it is to elicit action through impactful messaging, conduct in-depth media analyses, or dismantle implicit bias, my approach is always anchored in research, formulating hypotheses, asking various questions, conducting scientific literature review and synthesizing my research findings to formulate a set of recommendations (the communication brief) to organizations who can, in turn, use my findings to implement change management or partner with me to further help them.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
I initially had a background in Public Affairs but decided to attend grad school and pursue a Master's Degree in Strategic Communication from Johns Hopkins University. The gleanings from grad school transformed the way I practice communication. For example, I didn't realize just how scientific communication really was and how much of it requires an understanding of data. The prevailing perception is that this field is really about messaging or writing, which is a limited belief. Research lies at the heart of sound communication practice, especially research methods which are the foundation of strategic communication.
How do you stand out in your field?
At the risk of sounding redundant, my research expertise is a tremendous asset in this field. There are a lot of communication professionals in this landscape, but very few are trained, communication researchers.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
Getting new clients. I just launched my website, and my goal is to partner with projects that excite me, anything requiring me to put on my research hat gets my creative juices going.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
My approach to communication muses on creative ways to blend scientific rigor with humanistic sensibility. I spend a lot of time understanding the core audience which ultimately dictates the tone of a campaign i.e. formal vs. informal, but irrespective of the tone, everything I do is heavily-research driven.
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
Legal skills for corporate communication, especially in transactional communication. Having this skillset could help me help my clients navigate complex organizational changes. As a social behaviorist, I implement change management, conduct complex research, but gaining the legal insight/perspective to foresee serious implications or pitfalls could strengthen my practice.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
The most frustrating aspect of my career is dealing with people/organizations who think the communication field is limited to writing pretty worded press releases or that we are graphic artists specializing in marketing collaterals via adobe creative suites. I wish I had these skills, but in all seriousness, I don't mind educating people on how complex strategic communication really is. For example, while at Hopkins, I collaborated with global research teams, conducting advanced qualitative and quantitative research, worked on political polling in political primaries, and public health challenges to remove attitudinal barriers, all of which are heavily anchored in science and evidence-based research. Writing comes with the territory (it's a giving in this field), but communication research is a very scientific field at its core.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
A social media person to help me grow my media channels. I'm terrible at it.
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
Be proud of who you are and don't let anyone box you in. I would also go back to grad school and tell myself to believe that I'm an all-around badass! Unfortunately, I struggled with imposter syndrome for a while, and I'm slowly coming out of that phase! I'm also introverted and hate public speaking, which surprises many people I work with given the field I'm in!
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
I'd love to pick the brain of an attorney/jurist. There's a great amount of dichotomy between law and strategic communication practitioners. Lawyers are not trained, social behaviorists. They approach a crisis through legal lenses. This is a sound approach, but can also be restrictive as it can hinder public perception. However, there is latitude for a middle ground by extrapolating legal insights and formulating a response to a crisis that satisfies public scrutiny and instill public confidence. When facing a major crisis, the worst thing an organization can do is to hide behind a "no comment" response.
Organizations have to be fully transparent, especially when dealing with external stakeholders and the media. The public deserves transparency and hiding behind a no comment answer is a great disservice and a sure way to erode public confidence.
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I'd love to work with an organization facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Whether it is to help an organization strengthen its internal messaging, restore the trust of employees, foster public confidence, or Shepherding a company through an internal restructuring, I'm always up for a challenge!
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
I'd love to collaborate with multinational organizations. I grew up in Paris France, so I bring a diverse perspective, not to mention multicultural and linguistic skills which are detrimental when navigating a global landscape. We are interconnected. This is further amplified with COVID-19 with physical barriers that are now eroded. This lends for virtual collaborations on a global scale since we are not restricted by physical boundaries. It's like making lemons out of lemonade. We're stuck in a global health crisis; might as well make the best of it.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
Email: souniajohnson@gmail.com
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Cooking, poetry, non fiction, fiction literature.
This member profile was originally published in September 2020.