Recently, after a series of rainy days here in NYC, I complained about the weather in front of my five-year-old son, “Rain again today?!” “But, Mom!” he quickly interjected. “If it doesn’t rain, we won’t have any flowers when spring comes!” His wise words got me thinking about the current rain cloud that seems fixed [...]
Every industry or organization has them – the two teams or disciplines that are like oil and water. They struggle to collaborate, they’re quick to point fingers, and it’s never their fault. In higher education, traditionally those teams are marketing and admissions. In my role, I’ve seen this stereotype come to life and the impact [...]
Imagine this: It’s 1964, and you’re the head of communications for Hellmann’s Mayo (just stay with me here), which, broadly speaking, means you are in charge of delivering the company's message to the public. You might be drafting a press release that’s slated for distribution on the wire next week announcing you’ve just been picked [...]
“Are galas dead?” This question was asked to me recently by a colleague who leads fundraising for a major NYC nonprofit. A gutsy question from someone whose career has been marked by some incredibly successful galas over the years. And it’s not the first time I’ve heard it since the fundraising world has turned upside-down. [...]
These days, there’s no better signal for a looming crisis than big opinions spouted with little accountability. Sadly, higher ed is no different. Higher ed is facing a significant enrollment cliff that data (and almost every higher ed headline) tells us will hit in 2025. Accelerated by Covid and impacted by ongoing cultural shifts, it’s [...]
Two years ago this month, Town Hall was born. As we’ve approached this milestone, I’ve found myself spouting contradictory cliches. One minute I’ll say something like, “If I only knew then what I know now! I’m so much better prepared!” And the next minute I might say, “Thank goodness I didn’t know that was going [...]
Transformation is happening all around us—in our industries, offices, and roles. Life looks radically different than it did just three years ago, and the way we communicate has fundamentally changed. So, how do we adapt and manage this growth and transformation when our workdays are moving faster than ever? As marketers, we’re tasked with evaluating [...]
As of this week, we’ve hit the three year anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It still feels like yesterday to me. In fact, I had to count the years on my fingers…2020, 2021, 2022, 2023…because I couldn’t believe three years had actually passed. One daily reminder I have of the passage of [...]
Updated 7.16.24 We've all seen the layoff announcements that have dominated the business headlines over the past few months. And almost daily, I receive a text or email from a talented colleague who has been laid off and is on the hunt for their next job. Meanwhile, many of our clients and partners are on [...]
As a young girl, I studied ballet for many years with a wonderful teacher, Judy Coleman, in Midland, Texas. Ms. Coleman was very strict and ran a tight ship in her studio. (Woe to you if you showed up with painted fingernails!) One day in class while attempting a challenging turn, I fell. As soon [...]