Alumni Spotlight: Allison Lane
Allison Lane, Account Director at Spectrum Science
“Life at PR agencies is not a fit for everyone, but you certainly learn a lot of valuable skills that can help you in your future career. To be successful you need to be able to manage your time well, be proactive, think strategically, and be solutions-oriented.”
What was your graduate experience like?
I completed a master's degree in Public Communication at American University. I went full-time and completed the program in a year and a summer session. I really enjoyed the program and learned a lot from it. American University has an advantage of being in the nation's capital and the professors always did a great job with bringing in practicing local communications professionals in different industries to speak to us. I also participated in PRSSA during the year I was there and attended events held by the group.
Where has your career path led you since graduating?
After graduation, I secured a paid internship working at Ketchum Public Relations in D.C. I worked in their Brand Practice for about three months before I was hired for a full-time permanent position. I really loved my time at Ketchum and stayed there for over six years. Working at a big PR agency was exactly what I wanted and it taught me so much. I got to work with many familiar consumer packaged goods, healthcare, and tech brands during my time there and gained experience in everything from event planning to media monitoring and outreach, materials development, financial management, and strategic planning.
What does your current role entail?
I'm currently an Account Director at Spectrum Science Communications in Washington, D.C. I've been working at Spectrum for about three and a half years now, and in my current role I manage accounts that span both our Consumer Science and BioPharma practices. My teams and I help to communicate the science and benefits behind many common household consumer products and pharmaceutical treatment options, putting together innovative integrated marketing campaigns to best meet our clients' goals.
What's one thing you love about your current job or working in public relations?
Public relations is an exciting field in that my days rarely look the same. I'm always doing something different, whether it's brainstorming solutions to new challenges, developing strategic plans and content for marketing materials, learning about a new industry trend, researching a new topic, or managing something time sensitive for clients. The fact that I usually stay pretty busy and don't get stuck in a pattern of always doing the same thing is what makes the work interesting for me and helps the time pass by quickly. Additionally, the global health crisis we're currently in shines a light even more on how important transparent, timely, science-based health communications is for the good of public health and our society. I'm proud that much of the work I do helps to get us closer to that goal.
I’m lucky to also work for a great company and they've been very attentive to helping employees manage the work-life balance during this remote work situation that many people now find themselves in due to the pandemic. I stay connected with my co-workers with many virtual calls, meetings, and messages as well as a weekly company-wide virtual happy hour that helps us come together for a brief period to laugh, play a game, and stay positive!
How have your experiences with PRSSA supported you in your professional career?
I remember from my experience with PRSSA that the club did a good job of working to keep students informed of relevant industry events such as speaker events, job & internship fairs, and the PRSSA national conference. All of these opportunities are great ways to learn about the industry and to work on your networking skills as you begin your career. I remember really enjoying the PRSSA national conference that I attended and learned a lot from the panels and presentations.
Now as an alumnus, I still stay in touch with AU’s PRSSA chapter and participate in events where I can share my experience with current students. In fact, earlier this year I participated in a networking event hosted by PRSSA that was like speed dating but for professional networking. It was a lot of fun and lead to so many great conversations with students and other professionals.
What advice would you give to current AU PRSSA members to prepare for a career in public relations?
While at AU, take classes in the areas of public relations or communications that interest you most whether it's sports & entertainment, social marketing, healthcare, political science, or others. Try to expose yourself to different subject areas and industries to see what resonates most for you. If you can, learning skills like crisis and conflict management, public speaking, PowerPoint design, video editing, and social media management doesn't hurt either! Then try and complete as many internships as you can while you're in school or during the summers. Getting experience is key, especially if you want to work at an agency. Life at PR agencies is not a fit for everyone, but you certainly learn a lot of valuable skills that can help you in your future career. To be successful you need to be able to manage your time well, be proactive, think strategically, and be solutions-oriented.
Fun fact!
I'm a big fan of live theatre (especially musicals) and it's likely you could bump into me at any one of the many local performing arts venues in D.C. Right before everything shut down in March due to COVID-19, I took a trip to NYC to see two Broadway shows: Hadestown and Moulin Rouge! Both were great! I'm anxiously waiting for a time when going to see live performances is possible once again.
Allison Lane is a seasoned public relations professional with a passion for the theatrical arts and experience developing and implementing communication strategies and programs for a variety of clients targeting consumer, professional and B2B audiences. Allison is currently an Account Director at Spectrum Science, and she received her MA in Public Communications from American University in 2010.
