Red Lorry Yellow Lorry was a Bronze winner in Bulldog’s 2019 PR Awards for “Best Healthcare Campaign”
Length of PR career (so far): 9 years. I got my start in nonprofit PR before making the jump to B2B tech.
Most poignant professional moment: Back when I was a bright-eyed and bushy tailed Account Executive, I came up with a proactive pitch idea and secured a feature in The Atlantic. Not only was it the first time I carried an idea through from start to finish, but it was my first big top-tier coverage placement. The client, a regional historic preservation organization, was also thrilled. That high is what got me addicted to PR!
Number of 2 a.m. calls from a client this month: Fortunately, none! But, fingers crossed I didn’t just jinx myself…
Biggest complaint about social media: That it’s become a vehicle for the spreading of misinformation and divisive rhetoric. Hopefully, the recent policy changes by the likes of Facebook and Twitter will rectify at least some, if not most, of that.
Taking the dogs for a hike at our favorite local spot
Best thing about working at your agency: We give people the opportunity to try new things, be creative, find their unique voice as a PR professional and have it be heard no matter what professional level they’re at.
Most misunderstood thing about PR: That PR isn’t an independent function you can just turn on and off when you think you need it. The best PR programs are ones that are ongoing, integrated and support all facets of the business—from internal and external comms to social media to delivering sales leads, and more.
Most interesting thing about your job: It’s constantly evolving. The PR industry has changed so much over the past 10 years. For instance, social media wasn’t even on the PR radar when I was in school, and now it’s one of the most popular channels for engaging with audiences we want to influence. Every year there seems to be a new digital channel to explore for client opportunities, and it’s really exciting to try and figure out what’s going to be the next big medium.
Our incredible U.S. lorry team at our most recent company holiday party
Your nightmare client in 3 words: Lack of trust
Best advice to a PR student: Be an example of what “good PR” looks like. This industry tends to get a bad rap—especially from some reporters who have no qualms about calling out examples of bad PR on social media. That’s not a spotlight you want to be under. You’re not just representing your clients when you’re engaging with reporters, you’re representing the PR industry, as well.
What do you read daily? The Washington Post and Vox for my news. LinkedIn to check in on what my network is talking about. A few tech newsletters for industry intel. And A.V. Club for my snarky pop culture fix.
Favorite way to de-stress: Taking my three dogs on a hike or binging a new series.
The moment you realized PR is more fun than you thought it would be: My first work trip was to visit a client with my team for a messaging development session. I had no idea what to expect, but being in a room full of very talented people trying to figure out the best way to articulate the brand’s purpose and unique selling points was creatively inspiring and just a lot of fun in general.
Testing out some cool VR tech at Mobile World Congress
Worst PR crisis in the news this year so far: The interview Prince Andrew gave to the BBC defending himself against sexual assault accusations and his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein is one of the biggest slow-motion train-wrecks I’ve seen in a long time. The “almost impossible for me to sweat” defense will be taught in PR courses for years to come as an example of how to make an existing crisis immensely worse.
Brand most in need of better PR: Facebook. They’ve become the poster child for the “evil tech conglomerate” following several missteps that have left its reputation in tatters.
Favorite non-work hobby: Skiing
Favorite movie this year: Parasite. And that’s all I’m going to say about that!
Childhood “dream job”: Professional actor
Your next big adventure: London for our annual lorry holiday party, which is always a closely held secret until we arrive at our destination. Plus, a detour to Edinburgh.
Your ideal Saturday: Going on an adventure with the dogs!
