#PRogressSU Gives Newhouse Students The Chance To Learn From Four Excellent Women in Public Relation
- Feb 27, 2018
- 3 min read
Photo obtained from Newhouse Website
Yesterday evening a room packed full of students came together to hear four female public relations professionals give their insights on diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The event, moderated by graduate students at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, was an opportunity to hear from ethnically diverse women as they answered questions about their experiences in a field dominated by women, but with C-suites filled with men. The panelists were Master Sgt. L. Angel Ford, who is responsible for communications for the New York Air National Guard; Anneliese Cassalia, Public Relations Coordinator for Eric Mower and Associates; Dara Royer, Chief Communications Officer for Syracuse University; and Eboni Britt, PR and Communications Manager at Eastman Kodak Company.
Each woman came prepared with information about working through challenging professional situations based upon their gender and racial identities, and offered insights to the burgeoning professionals in the room, such as myself, on how to enter the workforce as prepared and empowered practitioners.
The evening opened with a question asking the panelists how the topic of diversity and inclusion impacted their experiences in each of their fields. Ford began the discussion with her unique military perspective. She explained that in her field, employees don't experience gendered bias on the basis of pay, which is what many think of when talking about inequality in the workplace, but instead on the disparity in opportunities for gaining positions of authority. She then went on to explain that her unique position as a public relations person allows her to capitalize on those stories that do demonstrate instances of exceptional diversity and inclusion, and make those visible to the public.
Royer took the opportunity to talk about her experience switching fields within nonprofit PR, and how she views her roll as a newcomer in the C-suite. She explained that those upper-level positions are often filled with individuals who grew up within the organizations they now run, and can become echo chambers of old ways of thinking. She shared that she views a large part of her job as a newcomer to be introducing new ideas, but recognized that as a woman it can be particularly difficult to field how and when it is most appropriate or effective to challenge the status quo. Her advice, words from one of her professor's favorite professors on getting past that tension: remembering that "change rarely happens without diversity and conflict."
Later in the panel, Britt gave some insight on how she navigates earning respect and gaining success within an new organization. As a black woman, she admits that "sometimes you need to be strategic in getting your voice heard." Her strategy, she shared, is going for inter-personal communication and building relationships with those in her work environment that have the clout to elevate her voice with their agreement.
"Your work ethic is going to take you far," Britt remarked. But she insisted that it is your personality and your ability to relate to your coworkers and make them like you that will galvanize them to "go to bat for you and take you far."
When asked about how she screened a new work environment for a culture that supports women, Cassalia took a minute to remind the room that "there's always going to be that period of time when you feel like a new person." She then went on to assert that feeling of "newness" should never cross over into a feeling that you are unable to give your opinion. As all the panelists agreed, knowing your worth and promoting that work is key to being a successful woman in the field.
After attending and live-tweeting the event, I felt empowered and excited. My three biggest take aways? Women need to be empowering each other in the workplace, know your own worth and your brand, always be working on your network and including girl-bosses in it!
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