Public Relations and Advertising Alumna Nicole Paladin is a Digital Marketing Manager at UPMC Alumni Profile

Tell us about your career path since graduating from Point Park University.

Immediately after graduating in 2012, I began a paid internship at Ketchum, where I worked on consumer goods brand accounts and other internal communications projects like creating and distributing a frequent global network social media industry newsletter.

At the end of the program, one of their social media and influencer marketing agencies, The Motherhood, was hiring. I immediately began as assistant account executive and social media manager. Working at a boutique agency gave me hands-on experience in a time when social media marketing was changing significantly. I really enjoyed the freedom to learn and grow along with the changing industry. In my seven years with The Motherhood, I helped grow the agency's social following by more than 125 percent, performed campaign research and reporting and eventually led and managed campaigns. I worked with a broad variety of brands (beauty, food, travel) from both local and national organizations.

I had done some freelancing on the side, where I learned more about email marketing, paid search and Google Analytics. I became Google Ads Certified and went through a few Facebook Blueprint courses out of interest. All of this made me realize that I wanted my next position to work in channels that extended beyond (but not excluding) social media.

In 2020, an interesting time for the health care industry due to the new stress of a global pandemic, I joined the UPMC digital marketing team. I was excited for the opportunity to move to the brand side of managing campaigns (versus agency) and to start working on a broader scale of channels.

What are your responsibilities as a digital marketing manager at UPMC?

I am assigned to specific services, for which I manage and oversee digital marketing efforts. Some of these services I focus on include Magee-Womens/Women's Health, Western Psychiatric/Behavioral Health and COVID-19 communications.

When campaigns arise, I lead the planning for the digital marketing team and work with a media buying agency to make sure the right channels are being used and everything is being tracked and reported properly. There are a lot of teams and moving parts in a company as large as UPMC, so I help keep everyone — from the web team to the email team to the clinical team — on the same page and in the right direction. It's my job to recommend and implement a smart, consumer-first strategy into every process and tactic that is rolled out.

How did Point Park’s coursework and faculty prepare you for your career?

I really appreciated the push from Point Park faculty to gain real-world experience while in school. The classes frequently set up events, even outside of the campus, where the class had to create and pitch products along with an advertising plan. My syllabus also required a certain amount of internship credits to graduate, which really helped to build my resume and professional experience.

What are your favorite memories as a student at Point Park?

I participated in Point Park's study abroad program in London along with three other students. If this is an option for anyone, I highly recommend it! I grew up and went to school in Pittsburgh, and while I loved being in the city, it was amazing to study and explore in a new place for a semester.

What advice do you have for prospective School of Communication students?

I definitely recommend taking advantage of the internship/work experiences and networking opportunities that are available right in the city while you're studying!

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