Member Spotlight

MEET PRSA AUSTIN CHAPTER MEMBER: Patti Kelly

CURRENT LIVELIHOOD: Currently, I serve as a company spokeswoman and Media Specialist for State Farm, overseeing the state of Texas. My role is to manage and protect State Farm’s brand in Texas, and all that I do revolves around that. I create and implement communication strategy on everything from new product rollouts, to our charitable giving, to safety campaigns, to crises that inevitably come up. I’m always working to develop strong relationships with reporters and serve as a trusted resource for them. A portion of nearly every work day is spent strategizing on how I can best tell the ‘State Farm story’ and then acting on it by pitching story ideas, writing, and responding to inquiries. I’m fortunate to get to collaborate with a dynamite team of colleagues on nearly every project, and can tap into their collective ideas, experience, and expertise. I also conduct media training for employees who may interact with the media.

Insurance is a state-regulated industry, so I work closely with our Government Affairs team on regulatory issues, particularly when the Texas Legislature is in session. One of my favorite aspects of this job is handling media following a severe weather event, because in those situations we are helping people recover from the unexpected – that is what insurance is designed to do. I traveled to the Northeast to assist with media during and after Superstorm Sandy, and have worked in the aftermath of many natural disasters all over Texas and California.  It’s always a humbling and rewarding experience.

Previously, I’ve held positions at a PR agency, a non-profit trade association, and two Fortune 500 companies. Every day is different, fast-paced, and challenging, which is exactly why I love working in PR.

CHILDHOOD AMBITION: I think the better question is what didn’t I want to be? I was an imaginative kid. I always had my nose stuck in a book, so I learned about many different career possibilities based on all the books I read. I wanted to be everything from a Broadway actress, a veterinarian, a psychiatrist, a musician, a journalist, and an author. Working in PR has allowed me to blend some of my childhood dreams and personal strengths into a fulfilling career. Growing up, I was always getting in trouble for talking in class, and now I joke with my family that I’m getting paid to do what used to get me into trouble!

DRAW TO THE COMMUNICATIONS FIELD: After enrolling at Texas State University, I was indecisive on what I wanted to pursue as my major. I knew that I loved meeting new people and discovering what makes them tick. I had a passion for telling stories – either verbally or in writing – with the goal of stirring the emotions of my audience and causing them to consider new perspectives and ideas. I initially chose Psychology as my major, but after taking a few communications classes taught by some outstanding professors within the School of Mass Communications, I knew that was the field I belonged in. I switched my major to Mass Comm and never looked back. Psychology became my minor, and those learnings have complemented my career as well.

I completed three internships before I graduated – one with a music promotion company, one with a boutique PR agency, and another one with a sports-focused TV show. I fell in love with the field even more once I got some hands-on experience. Through those internships, and in every job since, I’ve learned three main things that I love about this field: 

1. Problem solving - an issue, challenge, or goal is presented, and therefore a strategy must be created to resolve that issue or attain that goal.  Whatever your metrics of success may be, if you attain them, it’s the best feeling in the world.
2. Creative outlet - there can be many ways to approach a PR campaign, which allows the practitioner to tap into their own creativity.  
3. Media relations - reporters can be your friend or foe on any given day, and their reporting can sometimes be unpredictable, which keeps me on my toes. Conversations, and messaging, can feel like a delicate dance at times. This is why preparation and staying on message are essential in working with the media.

ALMA MATER: Texas State University in San Marcos. I graduated in 2004 with a B.A. in Mass Communications and a minor in Psychology.

HOMETOWN: I was born in Houston and lived there for a few years, then my family moved to Kerrville, TX, then Austin, where I graduated from high school. After college I moved to Northern California for five years, based in Sacramento. I moved back to Austin in 2009, and I’ve been here ever since. It’s amazing how much this city has grown and changed since I was in high school.

MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AS A COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONAL: Planning the dedication of a State Farm-sponsored Boys & Girls Club playground in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas. The event coincided with NBA All-Star Weekend in Dallas that year. LeBron James, who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers at the time, and Minnesota Vikings Running back Adrian Peterson were in attendance for the dedication, and it was a media frenzy. That same day, Dallas had record snowfall and we had to move the entire dedication inside the Boys & Girls Club gymnasium because the new playground was blanketed in about six inches of snow. There were about 50 kids from the neighborhood who were there for the event, and the look on their faces when LeBron and Adrian walked in was absolutely priceless. It was a fun, rewarding day where we had to adapt to some good ol’ unpredictable Texas weather.

RECOMMENDED READS: I love my daily email from Ragan’s PR Daily Newsfeed (go to www.prdaily.com to sign up). The email has a quick-hit list of links to helpful articles centered on PR-related topics. I like that they take the news of the day and weigh in on the PR strategy connected to it. I’m currently reading “Trust Me I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator” by Ryan Holiday. It’s a fascinating look into Holiday’s career working as a media strategist for such clients as authors Tucker Max and Robert Greene, as well as American Apparel founder Dov Charney. Holiday uses unorthodox methods to gain publicity for his clients, and uncovers some shocking things about the media as we know it today.

FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT AUSTIN AND FAVORITE AUSTIN RESTAURANTS: You can usually find me wake surfing on Lake Austin, running around Town Lake, or having a glass of wine on the patio of Blue Dahlia. Salty Sow, Ranch 616, and Apothecary are among a few of my favorite eateries, and if I’m in the mood to dance I’ll head to the rooftop at Summit. I’m lucky that my family lives in the Austin area, and we get together all the time. I’m also planning my wedding with my amazing fiancé, David.