Inspiring Career Advice for the Next Generation of Women Leaders in PR
On International Women’s Day, we want to recognize and celebrate Gregory FCA’s incredible women leaders and share their best advice for women growing their careers.
At Gregory FCA, we’re proud to be a predominantly woman-led agency. With 63% of our total staff and 60% of our leadership roles held by women, female voices and perspectives shape the work we do each day on behalf of our clients.
We asked a few of our female leaders to share how they support other women at work, as well as their advice for young women just starting out in PR and communications. Here’s what they said:
As a leader, how do you actively support and empower other women in our agency?
Brittany Bevacqua, Managing Director, New York: I’ve had the good fortune of having wonderful mentors throughout my career. Every day, I do my best to honor what they’ve taught me and apply those lessons in my work with the incredible women I manage and mentor at the firm.
At the heart of it, it’s all about creating opportunities that align with their unique goals, building trust and shared sense of community, and creating awareness — particularly where I sit at the executive level — for the many ideas, contributions and successes each brings to the table every day.
Katie Kennedy, Senior Vice President: There’s nothing more important to me than starting from a place of empathy, understanding, and support in working with my team. In a hybrid working environment, that is even more needed as you never know what someone may be juggling.
My team knows that my favorite part of my job is working with each of them — talking through challenges, breaking down successes, and empowering them to feel more confident in themselves.
It’s an honor to lead the team of women I work with and I’m truly proud of the stories we tell each day. To have the opportunity to work with and mentor them is hands down the best part of my day.
What advice would you give to young women who are starting their careers in communications and PR?
Brittany Bevacqua, Managing Director, New York: I have two pieces of advice: 1) question everything and 2) contribute in every meeting.
When I say “question everything,” it’s not about asking questions about your projects or assignments. Rather, it’s about seeking understanding for why things are done the way they are. This also creates an opportunity for you to improve the process and the outcome. Why do we do it this way? Does it have to be done this way? Is there a more streamlined or efficient way to get to the end result? As fast-moving as the PR field is, there is still so much to be disrupted. Don’t be afraid to do things differently.
As for contributing in every meeting, it’s about making your presence and your voice undeniably known. Whether it’s a client meeting, an internal team meeting, or an executive meeting, your opinion matters and deserves to be heard. Understandably this may seem daunting to young women just starting out, but start small. Own your status update. Share a relevant story you saw in the news that relates to the topic of discussion. Listen intently and ask informed questions. Give advice based on your experience. Your voice is your ticket to getting a seat at the table.
Katie Kennedy, Senior Vice President: Study the media. Consume lots of different content, types of media, and have a hunger for understanding it. As a little girl, I was always fascinated with morning shows and every morning, I was glued to the TV absorbing them before school. It came as no surprise when I went into a career that is incredibly fast paced and allows me to work with (and mentor others) to collaborate with producers and reporters every day.
I’d also say, work hard. I learned long ago that one thing you can control is how hard you work and the way you set yourself up to be successful — managing your day in a way that works well for you and allows you to be an asset to your team, your manager, and your clients.
Finally, have grace with yourself. It’s a long road and PR is changing rapidly. Be eager to learn, whether about a reporter’s beat, a client’s company, a particular vertical, or just about a new news outlet you know your client could add value to. Challenge yourself to be a student of the media and learn as much as possible but make sure that is balanced with grace and awareness of when you are at capacity. Especially, if you’re a young mom juggling kids at home as well. You can only pour out whatever is already in your cup, so give yourself grace to reset so you can be your best when the opportunity arises.
Britni Ackrivo, Senior Vice President: Be a sponge and soak in all there is to learn around you. This is more difficult in a hybrid work environment, so seize every opportunity to shadow your mentors in person. And step outside your comfort zone, always. The biggest growth experiences in your career will come from doing the things that make you most uncomfortable.
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As an agency and an industry, we would not be where we are today without the contributions of so many talented, driven women. Today and every day, we see you, we appreciate you, and we celebrate you. Happy International Women’s Day!