EVC Group

It’s an obvious question, but why PR as a career?

I grew up in a family of journalists. My grandfather was a publisher of several large community newspapers and my father, uncles and cousins were all in the family business. My parents met in the newspaper office, so you could say that newspaper ink is in my blood.

Growing up in that environment taught me the power of effective communication, and not just on the local level. My grandfather had a wanderlust that was only sated with exotic trips for the newspaper. Whether it was visiting tribes in the rain forest of Brazil or having tea with journalists in what was once a free Burma, I learned from him and the rest of my family that communication is paramount to all things at both the local and global levels- it’s the undercurrent to business, community and politics.

I began my career in public affairs in Washington DC, and decided a move to NY would be an interesting path and since switching to financial and corporate communications I’ve never looked back. Using my communications skills and my international and business backgrounds, I believe I can effectively help clients convey their messages to the right audience. I enjoy helping them overcome cultural and communication barriers when dealing with foreign markets. It’s always an evolving process and each scenario is unique, but very rewarding.

Why is international work your specialty?

Travel and international relations were always priorities for me. From the beginning of my career, any opportunity to work with a client with international needs was of utmost interest to me. I believe that when you’re passionate about something, you can’t help but do your best at it.

Believing that too few Americans live and work abroad, I chose to go to graduate school at the Smurfit School of Business in Dublin, Ireland in 2000. While what I learned academically was valuable, what I learned on an experiential basis was priceless in developing a business perspective on America’s place in the world. I ended up staying in Ireland the better part of six years and built pan-European PR programs for clients that were an incredible experience.

What was your most interesting position?

Certainly my most unique position-one that can NEVER be replicated-was when I was a volunteer in the West Wing during the Clinton Administration and assigned to sort and answer Socks the Cat’s mail. You’d be surprised at how many letters had to be forwarded to the secret service-there were quite a few threats to the first feline.

So with your long history in traditional journalism, what’s your view of the evolving digital media?

I would love to know what my grandfather would think of the growing pervasiveness of the Internet. I’d like to think that as he was with community journalism he would be a pioneer in digital communications, which is why that has been a priority and an area where I try to remain at the forefront. Whether it’s social networking, blogger relations or understanding how to communicate with target audiences digitally, we’ve entered a new area of communications and learning how to harness the power of the medium is at the heart of my day-to-day work. It dovetails nicely into the international work as the Internet opens up the world to a level never seen before.

Despite all this, the smell of newspaper ink makes me very nostalgic and brings me directly back to my childhood.

More questions for Suzanne? Contact us.