Fellowship Profile: Maureen Clayton (ABJ ’80, MA ’84)

Maureen Clayton (ABJ ’80, MA ’84), a public relations and financial entrepreneur and co-chair of the AdPR Executive Advisory Board, will be inducted into the Grady College Fellowship at Grady Salutes on March 27.

Clayton is the president and founder of Insight Strategic Communications, a firm specializing in strategy, thought leadership and employment branding. She is also the founder of Nest Egg Communications, a financial education business. Insight Strategic Communications was recognized four consecutive years by the University of Georgia’s Bulldog 100, a ranking of the fastest growing UGA alumni-owned businesses. In 2017, Clayton was a recipient of the UGA Graduate School Alumni of Distinction Award. She has previously served on the UGA Alumni Board, the Entrepreneurship Program Board and the University Library Board of Visitors.

The following are excerpts from an interview with Clayton.

How has mentorship helped you through your career?

When I graduated, there were no formal mentorship programs at Grady.  Zero.  Early in my career, a leader I worked for encouraged me.  That gave me so much confidence.  When I’ve been successful, it’s because I learned from trusted advisors —mentors, colleagues and clients—who offered insight, counsel and sometimes a bit of tough love.  I’ve paid it forward by being a mentor at UGA for nearly 20 years. It is thrilling to see students grow and achieve their career goals.

Which Grady College Professors shaped who are are today?

There are two professors who meant so much to me.  Lee Wenthe was the only woman on the AdPR faculty when I was in school.  That alone was inspiring! She was a young professor and very approachable since several of my professors were quite scary. I will always be grateful to Dr. Al Hester who was my master’s thesis professor.  He was a former city editor at the Dallas Times-Herald. He guided me through the master’s process and taught me to tighten my writing skills.

What are the most important skills communicators should master?

Listening. It’s easier to develop a strategy or solution if you listen patiently, be curious, and give clients/partners/team members space to tell their stories.

Brevity. We live in a short attention span world. Keep it simple, no matter the concept or channel.

Collaboration. No one can be successful alone. Learn the value of working in partnership, even when that requires compromise.

If you had college to do over again, what would you do differently?

Truthfully, I would take more business courses. Business fluency is the key to effectiveness for communicators. Although I was well prepared in foundational communication skills, I hadn’t a clue on how to analyze a balance sheet or explain EBITDA.  I needed that understanding in my corporate communication roles.  I always recommend a finance for non-financial professionals course.

What skills and/or values do your attribute to your success?

My parents instilled in me a strong work ethic. You need that as an entrepreneur.  Being successful is part work, part luck.  You can’t manufacture luck, but you can be prepared when opportunities arise. Resilience is a muscle that takes time to develop.  We all face challenges in our careers but how you respond to difficulties frames your story.

Are there any books or podcasts that you would recommend to students?

These are always on my playlist: 

The Rewatchables. A movie podcast about those films you’ve watched a million times but still draw you in for another viewing.

NYT The Daily for news

How I Built This. Being an entrepreneur is grinding. Listening to the ups and downs of other company founders encourages me.

The 2026 Fellowship Inductees will be recognized along with the 2026 Alumni Award recipients during the annual Grady Salutes event. This year’s Grady Salutes will be a luncheon on Friday, March 27. Visit the Grady Salutes webpage for reservations.

Editor: Sarah Freeman, freemans@uga.edu