Alumni Profile: Meet Stacey Simon, Account Supervisor, Havas PR Pittsburgh Alumni Profile
Meet Stacey Simon
- Job Title & Employer
- Account Supervisor, Havas PR Pittsburgh
- Major/Program
- Public Relations, Advertising & Social Media
- Graduation
- May 2007
- Hometown
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- High School
- Woodland Hills High School
"Stacey is extremely detail oriented and focused on delivery of quality products and programs that consistently exceed expectations. Her experience at Point Park prepared her well — she is one of our finest."
"Having now experienced a range of industries and roles in the communications field, I can genuinely say that I’m still thankful for my Point Park education to this day. There will be a learning curve and unique challenges with every career move, but understanding the core principles of public relations can always be put to good use."
Tell us about your career path since graduating from Point Park University.
My career began at UPMC, where I was hired as a media coordinator after interning there my senior year. (Fun fact: Point Park’s Helen Fallon helped me get my foot in the door!)
My traditional media relations role gradually expanded to digital and social media. It started with managing the online newsroom and tweeting press releases from my personal Twitter account, which led to launching the brand’s first official channels on Twitter and Facebook.
Social media management quickly turned into a full-time job, and I ultimately transitioned out of media relations to digital marketing as UPMC’s first manager of social media. During my time there, I was able to establish the social media strategy and help grow the brand’s presence to 10+ different channels with one million combined followers.
After eight years at UPMC, I was hired at United Concordia Dental (part of Highmark Health) to formalize its social media program. Throughout my three years there, I also had the opportunity to expand my skill set in other areas of marketing, corporate wellness and customer experience.
Now, I’m at Havas PR Pittsburgh — my first agency gig! This job allowed me to get back to my first love of public relations, while still having involvement in social media. I get to work with a variety of healthcare clients, from pharma and medical device companies to nonprofits. The team and leaders here are top-notch! Since joining last fall, there have been so many opportunities to step out of my comfort zone and grow as a professional already.
What is it like having the opportunity to work with a Point Park alumna Kariann Mano?
Kariann is a rising star! It’s always a pleasure working with her at Havas and, fortunately, I’ve also been able to work with several other Point Park alumni over the years. It’s nice to know we share a similar foundation and it’s fun to be able to talk about our mutual experiences and professors (we all love Bob O’Gara!).
What are your favorite Point Park memories?
Some of my fondest memories are from the trips we took every spring to Washington, D.C. as part of the communications program. It was fun to bond as a group outside of the classroom, while also getting a taste of what might be ahead of us in our careers. Thanks to our well-connected professors, we were able to meet tons of accomplished professionals in the communications field — from big-agency PR professionals to government employees like the communications team at the FBI.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Having now experienced a range of industries and roles in the communications field, I can genuinely say that I’m still thankful for my Point Park education to this day. There will be a learning curve and unique challenges with every career move, but understanding the core principles of public relations can always be put to good use.
Photo by Nick Koehler, sophomore photojournalism major
Connect with Stacey Simon
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