What is your position at Piper Communications and describe your role?

I am the Senior Media Relations Specialist at Piper Communications. My main responsibilities include media relations, including pitching and crafting pitches, news releases and media advisories, coordinating media interviews and tracking media coverage. Essentially I am responsible for securing media coverage for our clients and building relationships with reporters. I also assist with special events, including speaker prep and on-site event support for both speakers and media.

What’s your favorite part about working at Piper Communications?

Pitching to the media is my favorite part of my job! I enjoy the “thrill of the bite” from the media, and seeing what begins as a simple pitch to the media sometimes turns into articles that shine light on why our clients are making a difference in their industries.  Luckily, our clients all have remarkable stories to share, which makes my job much more fulfilling. 

Who or what inspires you in your work and why?

Being successful in delivering results for our clients inspires me. Knowing that we are making a difference in the day-to-day experience for our clients is something I find extremely fulfilling. Whether it’s getting their name out there with a community organization, achieving coverage in local or national media or creating meaningful connections, I am inspired by knowing that the work I’m putting in has the potential to really make a difference in our clients’ success. 

What unique skills or perspectives do you bring to your role?

I’ve worked in media relations for a long time. Not only do I enjoy working with and building relationships with journalists, but I also feel that I have a good balance of persistence and respect when working with them. I know what will interest them, how to pitch to them and most importantly, how to respect their time. I feel that I know how to approach each journalist I work with, and also how to “read the room” so to speak when either working on a story together or when a reporter declines.

In your opinion, what makes the culture at Piper Communications stand out?

I consider our work environment to be very progressive. Cortney really puts a lot of time and energy into creating a healthy and safe environment for each of the employees to work how they need to. Working for a communications firm is not a “one size fits all” model – everyone does things a little differently and we need space and room to get our work done – and that looks a little different for everyone. I truly feel that we have flexibility to get our jobs done and still maintain a healthy work/life balance. 

Finally, my colleagues are all extremely supportive of one another. We truly want to see each other succeed. We all have our own strengths and we each shine in our own way. I cannot say enough good things about my colleagues – they inspire me every day!