Katelynn Dugan serves because the chief communications officer at Educational Partnerships, spearheading the corporate’s methods for each inner and exterior communications, in addition to managing media relations.
Earlier than becoming a member of Educational Partnerships, Dugan navigated the intricate world of politics, serving as a coverage and media staffer within the U.S. Senate. Her skilled journey took her to Bracewell LLP, the place she managed the workplace of former NATO ambassador and U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Now on the helm of AP’s communications, Dugan weaves tales that resonate each internally and externally.
We caught up with Dugan to get her ideas on the way forward for the communications business.
What e-book, podcast or different media do you suggest to different comms professionals?
I lately began listening to Knowledge from the Prime with Man Raz. Though it isn’t solely centered on the communications world, I’ve discovered it to be very insightful. Man Raz interviews leaders throughout totally different industries and discusses the hardships they confronted and the way they managed via tough conditions. There are plenty of real-world classes to be discovered from the experiences of others, particularly in instances of disaster.
I’m additionally in the midst of Managing Transitions – Making the Most of Change by William Bridges, Ph.D. As a communicator, the “end-user” is at all times very prime of thoughts for me. This e-book is a good reminder that change impacts folks and people persons are those who influence groups and in the end the corporate. For anybody who’s working via change or having to speak change, it’s a nice learn.
What’s your favourite device you utilize frequently for work?
Working in a remote-first world has been such a blessing for me. As a mother of two younger kids, it means stepping away from my workplace to have lunch with them some days or having the pliability to provide a hug between conferences, it additionally means not being side-by-side with my crew and my colleagues. This may be onerous when your job is to have a pulse on the heartbeat of the corporate and talk the wants of your workforce. So, for me, Microsoft Groups is a lifeline. It permits for fixed communication with my crew whereas additionally offering a extra informal approach to join versus an e mail. Once I see somewhat inexperienced dot subsequent to somebody’s identify whom I haven’t related with, I usually attain out simply to say “hi there”. As we proceed to work on this new distant world, being able to attach in additional private methods is vital and Microsoft Groups permits me to try this – even throughout packed days!
What excites you most about the way forward for communications?
Final November ChatGPT was publicly launched, and a few are saying it has the potential to alter our world eternally. Over the past a number of years we’ve seen the rise of different new applied sciences which are automating processes, growing effectivity, enhancing engagement, and producing new content material and concepts in actual time.
There’s a actual alternative to embrace this expertise and use it to make us higher communicators. I don’t imagine AI ought to ever exchange the vital position folks play in speaking however, if we will work out how we leverage these instruments to make us sooner, smarter and extra environment friendly – I see plenty of potential.
What communications problem retains you up at night time?
The means by which individuals talk are consistently evolving. Similar to what excites me about the way forward for communications, new applied sciences and the ever-evolving approach by which folks talk, will at all times be the largest problem within the communications world. It appears like there’s a new app or platform to share and digest data day-after-day. As technological capabilities evolve and the variety of channels continues to develop, we should keep forward of the curve. From TikTok to Slack to X, as communicators, we should attain folks the place they’re.
What’s the largest problem you’ve overcome in your profession?
Like many different communications professionals, I didn’t have probably the most direct path to the position I presently play. I’ve labored in politics, enterprise and now greater schooling and have worn many hats within the course of. Once I began at my present firm, it was founder-led and nonetheless within the early progress stage. Over the past eight years, I’ve seen the evolution of the enterprise first-hand and had the chance to evolve alongside the group. I discovered to rapidly adapt and discover the “voice” of our chief in an ever-changing setting. Though initially difficult, it has been probably the most wonderful studying expertise.
What’s the greatest recommendation you’ve ever gotten?
At all times have a “can do” perspective. I labored for a really achieved lady chief early in my profession. She had held positions and sat on the desk as the one lady extra instances than not in her profession and one factor she at all times informed me was to have a “can do” perspective. Through the years, I’ve taken that with me in all the pieces I do. Irrespective of the problem forward, in case you stroll into it with the attitude that you could remedy the difficulty, extra instances than not, you’ll. You higher have plenty of perseverance, too!
Isis Simpson-Mersha is a convention producer/ reporter for Ragan. Observe her on LinkedIn.
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