Conchita Ruiz-Topinka
director, public relations
The moment her family landed in rural Kentucky after fleeing Cuba - without a word of English and without a clue about life in the U.S. – Conchita learned to think on her feet and talk her way out of anything with aplomb.
Those skills have served her well through an impressive career in media and public relations in South Florida’s international news market. A straight-shooter, she’s known for offering valuable and honest communication counsel to help executives connect in a meaningful way with internal and external audiences. In times of crisis, she works collaboratively to make sure that messaging best reflects each client. She is intimately familiar with the notion of “herding cats, ” and occasionally, the Secret Service K-9s on presidential details.
She has managed local, national, and international media exposure through Hurricane Andrew, research breakthroughs and high-profile patients. At Jackson Memorial Hospital, she launched the Jackson Health System concept to provide a cohesive identity for the hospital’s growing countywide integrated health network.
Conchita brags that she wore loungewear to work long before it was “in.” Truth be told, it was less a fashion statement, and more that she dragged herself to work at 4 am to broadcast the news on local radio. Her years as a broadcast news producer gave her a better understanding of how best to deal with media from the client side of the equation.