Mary Tan - Chief Storyteller of Whisker Media - Is a True Champion for Cats and Dogs
This former TV journalist feels comfortable in front of the camera as well as behind the scenes as she works with shelters, pet-related businesses and nonprofit groups to find homes for hard-to-adopt pets. She also happily shares her home with a rescue dog named Josie and a social media feline star named Farley Waddlesworth. Tune in as she also shares her 'scoop' on former boxing champ Evander Holyfield.
BIO:
Mary Tan is the owner and chief storyteller of Whisker Media, a boutique strategic communications agency where she focuses on marketing and public relations for pet related businesses and animal welfare nonprofits. When not working on client accounts, she is busy promoting animal adoption and programs through her work as the public relations manager for Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley, Minn., one of the largest open admission animal shelters in the United States.
Before her time in animal PR, Mary worked in government communications where she led the public relations efforts for the City of Brooklyn Park and the Brooklyn Park Police and Fire Departments in Minnesota.
Prior to that, she was a former award-winning television journalist who worked as a reporter and anchor in Las Vegas, Atlanta and Minneapolis. During her time in television, she also appeared on CNN, NBC News and Fox News. She primarily covered breaking news, crime and court cases. She was the first journalist in the country to interview boxer Evander Holyfield right after his infamous ear biting incident with challenger Mike Tyson, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The underlying mission of all her work is to change society’s views of cats. She is bothered by the fact that cats are considered disposable and second rate to dogs. She also is not a fan of the crazy cat lady image, which is not only discriminatory to cats, but to women and those with mental health issues.
When not working, the Wisconsin native likes to shop for things she doesn’t need and buy clothes for her pets that they hate. She has a tendency to adopt “broken” animals. Her rescue dog Josie from Texas was abused and now has fear issues, especially when it comes to riding in a car and hearing fireworks. She also adopted Farley Waddlesworth, a former bottle baby kitten who is behaviorally challenged and takes a Prozac pill every day. Together, they have a happy home and wouldn’t want it any other way.
You can find Mary on Facebook and Twitter at @WhiskerMedia or Instagram at @WhiskerFabulous. You can also email her at mary@whiskermedia.com.