About
We Are Storytellers, Strategists, and Relentless Advocates for Our Clients.
Our Story
RISE Media was built on a simple belief: great communications should do more than generate coverage. It should build trust, educate communities, and move organizations forward.
Founded by Christy Warring and Megan Paul, Rise brings together decades of healthcare communications experience, deep national media relationships, and a team of PR and marketing professionals who are genuinely invested in the work they do. We operate like a newsroom because we were trained in one. We move fast, think strategically, and treat every client's story as if it is our own.
Healthcare is where our roots run deepest — and those roots have grown into something broader. Our clients include children's hospitals, academic medical centers, and health systems. They also include technology innovators, independent schools, hotels, retailers, and nonprofits. What they all share is a story worth telling and a desire to be heard in the places that matter. The reason we can serve all of them well is simple: PR is about relationships. The reporters, producers, and editors we've built trust with over decades cover every beat — and they take our calls.
You've got the experts. We get them heard.
Most of the teams we work with are sitting on genuinely good stories and just don't have the hours, the relationships, or the bandwidth to land them. That's the part we love. We come in alongside your people, learn what makes the work matter, and turn it into coverage that actually translates into more business — without adding to anyone's plate.
We Operate Like a Newsroom
Our approach to researching, developing, and implementing a successful, strategic, and tactical national and local media plan is to think and act like a newsroom. By having a constant pulse on the news and speaking with journalists every day, we have been able to operate swiftly and efficiently for our clients.
Most importantly, our healthcare clients hold the keys to critical information that can educate and inform their target audience. Reputable national journalists have a duty to keep their audience informed of the most trusted healthcare news and innovations.
Through the years of media work, our firm has built solid and two-way relationships with Tier 1 press contacts by bringing them countless stories that get their media outlet noticed.
Meet the Team
Megan Paul | Co-Founder and Partner
Megan Paul is a communications leader and creative strategist with a talent for connecting what organizations want to say with what people actually want to hear, and finding a little magic in between. She leads teams and clients through everything from big-picture brand and communications strategy to the creative ideas that bring a story to life. Megan has spent her career helping organizations across healthcare, hospitality, tourism and entertainment find their voice, earn attention and build meaningful connections that inspire action and create lasting value.
Christy Warring | Co-Founder and Partner
Christy Warring brings more than 25 years of communications experience to RISE Media. Her career spans two PR agencies, Texas Instruments, and a decade at Texas Children's Hospital, where she served as Director of Public Relations and Director of Marketing. She holds a master's degree in mass communications and crisis communications from the University of Houston and a journalism degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. Christy is known for her ability to translate complex clinical and institutional stories into compelling national narratives that resonate with journalists, patients, and communities alike.
Rebekah Epstein
Rebekah Epstein is an Austin-based media relations strategist with 15+ years of experience securing earned media coverage for healthcare organizations and nonprofits. She turns complex stories into high-impact placements in outlets like ABC World News Tonight, Good Morning America, People.com, Modern Healthcare, and HealthLeaders. Her relationships span journalists and editors across national, regional, and local markets as well as trade media in numerous verticals, giving health systems, clinics, and mission-driven nonprofits a distinct edge in building visibility and credibility with the audiences that matter most.
Sarah Blackledge
Sarah Blackledge has 12 years of communications experience across multiple agencies, working with clients in industries ranging from hospitality and tourism to food and beverage and healthcare. She brings a passion for building strong media relationships, strategic thinking, and a keen attention to detail to every project.
Beth Hawkins
Beth Hawkins has always believed in the power of a good story. Her career began in television news, where she spent 13 years as an on-air reporter before helping launch a video/photo production department for her local municipality. She was Arkansas' first recipient for 1st Place Online News Reporting.
For the past 27 years, Beth has also worked as an award-winning photographer and videographer, using visual storytelling to help people and organizations put their best stories forward. Today, she is excited to bring that newsroom and visual storytelling experience into public relations—helping organizations and experts tell their stories and, most importantly, connecting knowledgeable experts with national news writers and journalists.
She enjoys making the right introduction, finding the compelling story, and helping experts become trusted media sources across the country. Beth lists her priorities as the “Three C’s”: Christ, Children and Career. A mother of 3, she is grateful for the opportunity to use her experience, relationships and passion for storytelling as an Account Executive at Rise Reputation Agency.
Ann Urban
Ann Urban is a Central Texas marketing and communications professional with more than 10 years of experience helping businesses and organizations build strong brands, connect with their audiences, and make a lasting impression. Her expertise spans marketing, graphic design, reputation management, event planning, and media research, giving her a well-rounded perspective on how businesses communicate and grow. From developing compelling marketing materials and managing brand reputation to planning successful events and researching media opportunities, Ann combines creativity with strategy to deliver thoughtful, effective solutions.
Michael Reina
Michael joined RISE Media in 2023. He is a highly accomplished marketing and communications leader known for driving impactful results and transforming brands. Throughout his career, he has led successful marketing campaigns and brand expansions for renowned institutions such as Texas Children’s Hospital, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas System, IDEA Public Schools, The Houston Zoo and a multi-state urgent care network. Currently, Michael is an independent marketing and communications consultant, primarily focusing on the healthcare and education sectors. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for Great Kids, an international non-profit.
Trevor Delaney
Trevor Delaney is a Halifax, Nova Scotia-based web and graphic designer with 20 years of experience helping businesses build stronger brands and better websites. Through Hop Creative, he has worked with clients of all sizes—from entrepreneurs and small businesses to universities, government organizations and national brands—both locally and around the globe. Trevor takes a collaborative, straightforward approach to design, combining creative thinking with practical solutions that help clients achieve their goals. He specializes in creating thoughtful, effective websites that look great, work beautifully and are built around the needs of each client.