People of St. Pete Malynda Washington

By Tina Stewart Brakebill

St. Pete is celebrated for its fabulous weather, beautiful vistas, worldclass food scene, and thriving cultural atmosphere but the people of St. Pete truly make this city something special. In appreciation, each month Green Bench Monthly shines a light on one of the many people who make St. Pete unique.

As community engagement manager for the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art and a public relations expert, Malynda Washington is an authority on putting others at center stage, but this month we’re putting the spotlight on her.

The Stage is Set

Born in New York City, Washington dreamed of a career on the Broadway stage and the silver screen. She attended Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School, obtained an agent, booked commercials, and did some modeling before heading to Hampton University as a theater arts major. Although she still loved the stage, her experience at this prestigious historically Black university expanded her perspective and led her to rethink her future. She soon realized that public relations was a perfect match for her skill set and personality. She excelled in this program, and soon after graduating she was hired by Time, Inc., to do public relations for publications like Time and Essence before becoming the diversity relations senior coordinator for the print division of Fox News Corp. Then “The Garden” called.

From the City to the Burg

As a native New Yorker, getting a call from Madison Square Garden was a dream. For nearly five years, Washington was a communications manager for the Garden, primarily working with the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Her time at “one of the greatest arenas in the world” was, in one word, “amazing.” Like a basketball, however, life sometimes takes an unexpected bounce. When family commitments called her to a new court, Washington took the shot. Obtaining a position as an internal communications manager with Raymond James Financial, she arrived in sunny St. Pete in 2018, just as the Burg’s renaissance was shifting into full throttle. She quickly fell in love with her new home, especially the myriad opportunities to experience the diverse arts and culture scene. In early 2019, she left the financial industry to join the James Museum.

Cultivating a Fulfilling Life in the Burg

As Washington realized she wanted to make this community her new home, she consciously cultivated a fulfilling life. Taking the position at the James brought her back to the arts and external public relations. She’s also been able to launch her own boutique PR firm, Lynda Elle Public Relations. Taking only clients and projects she feels “authentically passionate about” allows her to focus on promoting health and beauty products, especially those owned by and focus -on minority communities. In addition, she is the current Connect chair for the Greater St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce’s young professionals and a member of the steering committee for Equality Florida. She always finds time to watch her beloved Liberty, and she continues to immerse herself in the many thriving cultural and social opportunities St. Petersburg has to offer.