Recently, GHBA’s longtime contract public relations manager, Terry Swenson, notified us that she was planning to retire. After trying to talk her out of it, of course, I sat down with staff and member leaders to rethink how GHBA handles communications, public relations, and media engagement on behalf of our industry. After many discussions and reviews of recent strategic planning efforts, it became clear that it was time to bring this position in-house and work to create a more holistic communications strategy on behalf of GHBA.
We found the perfect person to shepherd this new position to reality in Morgan Taylor Peters. Morgan’s experience in association, media and public relations made her a great fit for Team GHBA!
As communications director, Morgan will be responsible for implementing association-wide strategies for event promotion, issues advocacy and proactive media relations, while also managing the Benefit Homes Project and LEGO competition programs. She will be handling social media for GHBA and looks forward to improving sponsor recognition and event coverage.
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Recently, I sat down with Morgan to ask her a few questions to help you get to know her better.
Aimee Bertrand (AB): Where did you grow up?
Morgan Peters (MP): I grew up in North Miami Beach, Florida in a little neighborhood called Bay Harbor Islands.
AB: Tell us about your work before GHBA. What projects are you particularly proud of?
MP: Before joining the GHBA, I worked for the Houston Apartment Association as the editor of the magazine, ABODE, and eventually became the organization’s communications manager. I’m very proud to have worked at HAA. From my internal team to all the dedicated members, I was exposed to some of the best leaders I’ve ever had the chance to work alongside.
Most recently, I worked at a PR agency called Public Content and worked with big players in the entertainment and food and beverage spaces. The project I’m most proud of is the successful launch of Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA under the big top here in Houston, which resulted in the world class entertainment group hiring us for all its Texas shows. It was a significant milestone for our local PR agency.
AB: Do you have a favorite memory from childhood?
MP: Some of my favorite childhood memories are the trips we took as a family, such as to Texas to visit family and go hunting, New York during Christmas and so much more. Fun fact: My dad’s side of the family is spread all throughout Texas, so we would fly into Houston and road trip throughout the state. We called it the “Taylor Texas Tour” (my maiden name is Taylor), and I also went to summer camp in the Texas Hill Country.
AB: What made you decide to come to work for GHBA?
MP: I loved working for a PR agency, but I wanted to get back in the real estate industry and I was looking for an in-house public relations position. Aimee Bertrand (GHBA CEO) and I were connected on LinkedIn and I saw she was hiring a communications professional. After reading the job description, it was clear it was the perfect fit for me.
During my time working at HAA, I heard such great things about Aimee. So, I will admit, a big reason why I wanted to come work for the GHBA was for the opportunity to work with Aimee.
AB: What events or projects are you looking forward to working on with Team GHBA and why?
MP: I’m most excited to work on the Benefit Homes Project because it will allow me to tap into my experience in managing and hosting media events while also learning something new. It’s important to me to continue to grow and learn and this project will allow me to do that.
AB: Do you have any pets?
MP: Right now, we do not have any pets. We recently put our sweet dog down. His name was Louie, and he was a Shih Tzu-Maltese mix. He was the best.
AB: What do you do when you are away from the office?
MP: My husband and I recently bought a house, so when we aren’t at work, we are likely working on our house or our yard. We also love to spend time with our family and friends, cook at home, go out to eat, spend time outside and travel when we can. I love yoga and try to get to a yoga studio whenever I can.
AB: What is your go-to restaurant recommendation for guests from out-of-town?
MP: I love this question! If I have out-of-town guests, my favorite thing to do is take them out to eat. Houston’s restaurant scene is the best and it’s so fun showing off all the restaurants Houston has to offer. Of course, BBQ is a must and my go-to BBQ spots are Truth, Feges BBQ (the Spring Branch location specifically) and Blood Bros BBQ. Tex-Mex is another must, and my favorite right now is Candente. I also love taking out-of-town guests to China Town, specifically to Crawfish and Noodles for the best crawfish they will ever experience. Outside of that, I love Kata Robata for sushi, Thein An for Vietnamese food and Nancy’s Hustle for a laidback but elegant dining experience. There are so many new restaurants I haven’t tried yet that are on my list.
AB: Is there anything else you would like to share with our members?
MP: All I would like to say is that I’m happy to be here and I’m excited to work with you all. I’m here to serve you all and the GHBA, so if there is anything I can do to help, please reach out to me. My email address is mpeters@ghba.org.