Tag: Carole Munroe

ADPR presents ‘Driven by Purpose’ virtual series

Posted on by Sarah Freeman

Register now for the first Driven by Purpose webinar Sept. 15.

The Department of Advertising and Public Relations will launch its first-ever virtual series, Driven by Purpose, with a conversation between Brad MacAfee, board president, Global Impact Relations Network, and Catherine Blades, senior vice president, chief ESG and communications officer at Aflac.

The kick-off program, “Driven By Purpose: Aflac,” will be presented by Zoom webinar on Sept. 15, from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. The complimentary registration is open here.

“The Driven by Purpose series has been gratifying for us to develop and plan,” said  Bryan Reber, chair of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations and C. Richard Yarbrough Professor of Crisis Communications Leadership.

“It features remarkable leaders in discussions that illuminate the importance of purpose in these times and going forward for companies, brands and individuals,” said Bryan Reber, chair of the ADPR Department and Richard C. Yarbrough Professor in Crisis Communications Leadership.

“We are honored to present conversations about the power of purpose in this series, which will extend through the 2020-21 academic year, and we’re especially grateful that such exceptional guests have agreed to participate and share their insights and inspiration with students, alumni and others in the professional community. We hope it will be of benefit to all.”

Following the series launch with MacAfee and Blades on Sept. 15 will be a webinar featuring  Delta Air Lines Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Tim Mapes (ABJ ’86) on Oct. 6 and a webinar featuring Carole Munroe (ABJ ’82), Senior Director of  Brand Communications for Hilton Worldwide on Oct. 8.

The programs by Mapes and Munroe will provide centerpiece conversations for the annual AdPR week celebration.

The Driven By Purpose series will continue with a webinar featuring Maxine Clark (ABJ ’71), founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop and Founder/CEO of the Clark-Fox Family Foundation, and Jeff Jowdy (ABJ ’83), founder and president of Lighthouse Counsel on Nov. 11. The November programming will focus on a theme of philanpthropy.

ADPR students will be involved coordinating the series, which will be produced by Missy Hill, program manager for ADPR and Jim Black of Grady Productions. Jody Danneman, president of Atlanta Image Arts and Hearst Foundations Visiting Professional will serve as consulting producer with Parker Middleton serving as executive producer.

The Driven By Purpose series is made possible by support from the Hearst Foundations Visiting Professionals Fund, Lighthouse Counsel and Friends of ADPR.

View the Driven by Purpose website for a full list of webinars.

2019 Grady College Fellowship class, Sanford Circle honoree announced

Posted on by Sarah Freeman

The University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication is pleased to announce its 2019 Fellowship class: Connie Ledoux Book (PhD ’93), Richard Griffiths, Dean Krugman, Carole Munroe (ABJ ’82) and Brian Robinson (ABJ ’97).

Established in 2008, the Grady College Fellowship honors alumni and friends of the college whose accomplishments and service to their industries have made a positive impact.

In addition, Tom Crawford (1950-2018) will be inducted into the Sanford Circle. A posthumous honor, the Sanford Circle recognizes friends of Grady College whose achievement and generosity of spirit remain with the college.

The induction of the Fellows and Sanford Circle honoree, along with recognition of the Grady College Alumni Award winners, takes place at “Grady Salutes: A Celebration of Achievement, Commitment and Leadership” on April 26, 2019, at the Athens Cotton Press, 149 Oneta Street, Athens.

Connie Ledoux Book –Book is president of Elon University. Early in her higher education career, Book spent 16 years at Elon University as a professor and senior leader before leaving for a job as provost and chief academic officer, of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. She returned to Elon University in 2018 to become its ninth president. Book earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Louisiana State University, a Master of Education from Northwestern State University and her Ph.D. in mass communication from Grady College.

Richard Griffiths – Before he retired in March 2017, Griffiths spent twenty years as CNN’s editorial oversight, most recently as vice president and senior editorial director. Currently, he serves as president of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, focusing on government access and free speech issues. Griffiths has been named Distinguished Industry Fellow at the Cox Institute for Journalism Innovation, Management and Leadership and serves on Grady College’s Board of Trust. Griffith’s work has been awarded two Emmys, five Peabody awards and two Investigative Reporters and Editors medals.

Dean Krugman – Krugman is professor emeritus in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Grady College. Prior to his retirement, Krugman served as a department head and senior associate dean and director of graduate studies, playing an instrumental role in the creation of the doctoral program at Grady College. He is a prolific researcher, focusing on audience views of changing media environments and health communication, specifically surrounding anti-tobacco strategies. Krugman served as president of the American Academy of Advertising and was named a Fellow of AAA in 2018.

Carole Jackson Munroe – Munroe is a senior director of brand communications for portfolio, loyalty and content for Hilton Worldwide. Prior to Hilton, Munroe served as the director of public relations and content relations for Disney Parks. Her work has been recognized with PRSA and Telly Awards, and several first place awards from the Associated Press early in her journalism career. While she was a journalism student at UGA, Munroe was chosen as the first student selected for a full-time internship with the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta, where she served as a special assistant to Coretta Scott King. She continues to impact Grady College by serving two terms on the Grady Alumni Board and mentoring Grady’s PRSSA and NABJ chapters, as well as individual students.

Brian Robinson – As an owner of Robinson Republic, a communications consulting firm specializing in public affairs messaging, Robinson works with clients to develop media relations and manage crises. Prior to starting his own business, Robinson served as deputy chief of staff for communications during Gov. Nathan Deal’s campaign in 2010 and 2014. In 2012, he was named UGA’s 40 under 40 class and is an alumnus of Georgia’s 2015 Leadership class. He was also an adjunct professor teaching public affairs communications at Grady College in 2016 and is a member of the Grady College Board of Trust.

By receiving the John Holliman Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award, Chris Holcomb, chief meteorologist for WXIA/WATL-TV, will also be inducted into the Grady Fellowship.

Tom Crawford will be inducted into the Sanford Circle (photo: Jennifer Stalcup)

The Sanford Circle honoree, Tom Crawford (ABJ ’72), was the voice of Georgia politics, serving as the founder and editor of “The Georgia Report” (known early on as “Capitol Impact”) for more than 18 years.  He penned a weekly newspaper column that was published in nearly 30 Georgia newspapers, delivering political conversation beyond the capitol to towns and rural communities throughout the state. He was also an early adopter web-based journalism, sharing his political news via an online subscription and through blog posts. Crawford, a former editor of the Red & Black, studied journalism at Grady College and went on to write for the Marietta Daily Journal, the Montgomery Advertiser and The Atlanta Journal. His papers are archived in the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries.

Visit the Grady Salutes ticket website for reservations to the awards dinner.

Carole Munroe: Think about all women, not just those who may look like you

Posted on by Don McClain

In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, this is one of a series of profiles highlighting just a few of the impressive accomplishments alumnae of Grady College are making in their respective industries. For other profiles, please visit any of those listed below:

            Maureen Clayton

            Becca Hannan

Carole Munroe is a Senior Director of Brand Communications at Hilton Worldwide. Before that, Munroe worked at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts as a Director of Content Relations. She collaborated with LucasFilm on the reintroduction of the Star Wars movie franchise in Disney Parks and leading up to and the opening of Star Wars Land and with James Cameron and Jon Landau on the premiere of Pandora, which is The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Currently, Monroe serves on the Grady Society Alumni Board. Among her accolades, Munroe was awarded the 2015 Pat Tobin Media Professional Award which is the NABJ’s highest award to a public relations professional.

Grady College: How has your Grady education helped you in your career?

Carole Munroe: My Grady education has been an ongoing part of my success as a journalist, publicist and marketing professional. These professions converge around capabilities of storytelling, information distribution and strategic thinking, all of which I learned at Grady and continue to excel as a result of having such a strong foundation.

GC: What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned as a female leader?

CM: “To thine own self be true.” I’ve learned to be comfortable in my own skin. Remember, ‘there will never be another you’ and that’s for a reason — because each of us has our own unique gifts to contribute. I’ve also learned the power of team work and diversity.  Team work is about everyone having a key role based on their strengths. It’s better to let others thrive by their strengths rather than dilute the results by trying to do it all oneself. I have been more successful developing and working with cohesive teams than individually.

“Team work is about everyone having a key role based on their strengths. It’s better to let others thrive by their strengths rather than dilute the results by trying to do it all oneself.”

–Carole Munroe

GC: Have there been any challenges to being a female leader in your field? How do you overcome those challenges?

CM: Yes, there have been lots of challenges! As a female leader who is also African American, I’ve had the challenge of having people judge me before seeing me or getting to know me. This can happen while even applying for a job, and it can be very subtle! Women and men have to be on the lookout for this kind of shortsightedness and subtle bigotry, because people like that do not make good leaders and, in the long run, have limited success.

GC: Any advice for Grady students who aspire to be in a leadership position?

CM: When you are in a leadership role, remember it is a servant’s role. You are there to serve, to inspire, and to help your people grow. If you do these things your team will work hard and will help you succeed because they believe in you.

GC: Are there any other comments you care to share about Grady College or women in leadership?

CM: On International Women’s Day, I want to encourage all women to think about ALL women, not just those who may look like you.  Think “Sisters in Leadership.” As women, no matter our color, we have great things in common. However, I think we also have biases that keep us from experiencing all the strength that women in leadership can bring to bear. So, be a sister to the woman who might be having a harder time than you because she’s also dealing with race, size, sexual or male chauvinist bigotry, or she just might be really shy or socially awkward. She just might be the smartest person in the room, so don’t count her out and be sure to include her.