Conversations with Hilary kicks off with the first installation featuring her best friend and well-known San Francisco PR maven, Lori Puccinelli Stern, also known as “The Pooch.” Lori is a fifth-generation San Franciscan who has successfully navigated PR, events and marketing in San Francisco and beyond for more than 20 years. She now works with GlodowNead Public Relations specializing in keeping her clients happy – because when Lori is running the show, “It’s All Good.”

HN: What do you believe to be your greatest accomplishment?

LP: Marrying my husband Peter Aiken Stern – AKA: Peaches (“Petey Peaches” was Peter’s nickname as a child because of his love of peaches). When his former and fellow CAL Berkeley and USA Water Polo teammates found out during his college years – let’s just say…it stuck and to this day, most everyone calls my husband “Peaches” or some variation of it.

HN: Do you have a prized possession? What?

LP: My babies, Logan and Bailey

HN: What do you love about yourself?

LP: My life

HN: What do you think others love about you?

LP: My positive nature

HN: If you could be anything other than what you currently are, what would it be?

LP: A professional athlete

HN: What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

LP: Kiss my family and brush my teeth (not necessarily in that order…much to their dismay)

HN: What’s your favorite thing to do on a Friday night?

LP: Have fabulous dinner parties with my fabulous friends

HN: What do you like most about what you do for a living/career?

LP: The people I get to meet and the places I get to go. Yet, I think most of my friends would say “All the free sh*t she gets”.

HN: What were you passionate about when you were…a kid, a teenager, an 8 year old, etc?

LP: Volleyball and friends

HN: What are you passionate about now?

LP: My family and my friends

HN: What’s your favorite season? Why?

LP: Summer in Tahoe. That was/is/and always will be my answer. There is nothing better than being on a boat or in the water in the middle of Lake Tahoe on a beautiful sunny day with the people you love. It’s my happy place. Always has been, always will be.

HN: If you were a cocktail or drink what would it be?

LP: Dirty Martini with an olive AND onion

HN: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you want to have with you?

Lori with Peaches at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn

LP: Peaches (her husband), Bailey and Logan (her daughters)

HN: If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?

LP: I would be in my clients’ office listening to them talk about their PR – or- perhaps at my kid’s school to see if they really are as “good” as they tell me they are!

HN: What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod?

LP: Madness, by Muse

HN: If you could have lunch with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

LP: Oprah or my Nonna Lucille Puccinelli, my dad’s mom. She died when my dad and mom were engaged a few years before I was born.

HN: If your life was made into a movie, what would it be called?

LP: Happy Happy Joy Joy

HN: Do you have any regrets?

LP: Two regrets actually – Very early in my career, I started my own business and took on a client (for the money which is so pathetic on my part) even though I knew I could not get the best results for them or their product. I still feel guilty about it and have never made the same mistake. The second was when I was also younger and knew I was leaving my job (where I was a top performer) for another – once in a life time – job opportunity. The shiny new job’s start date was months later, so I remained at the current company for the gray period, but slacked off big time and left on the lowest of low notes. I still cringe when I think of it. Moral of the story: The older you get – the wiser you get. At least one can hope…

HN: Define Freedom.

LP: Being able to make choices and answer to no one but myself

HN: What are your personal core values?

LP: Optimism

If you could ask Lori a question what would it be? Feel free to leave in the comments below and we’ll post.