Tell us about your job - what does a typical day look like?

I run the social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – for all 12 of our schools, along with Lincoln Unified School District itself. I look through posts on our schools’ ParentSquare pages to keep track of what is happening at our schools so I can share this information with parents and community members through our social media pages and school websites. I also attend events such as sporting events, concerts, and Back to School Nights to take photos and video showing the best our district has to offer. In the long term, I find success stories from our students and staff that are worth telling, and set up video interviews with administrators, teachers and students so they can share their talents and experiences with their colleagues and classmates.

What do you like most about what you do?

Given my former experience as a print journalist, I feel right at home writing profiles on students and staff at Lincoln Unified schools. I like learning about the ways that our students have found a home with Lincoln Unified – through sports, music, art, or one of the many other communal spaces our schools provide. Seeing parents respond positively to these stories, and sharing their favorite memories of a teacher, student or alum in our comment sections, makes me feel like I am making a positive impact in our district and surrounding community.

What do you find most challenging about what you do?

As the one communication specialist covering all 12 of our campuses, it can be tricky to strike the perfect balance in highlighting all of our schools to a similar degree. Sometimes I will find many great stories and events to cover at one school while struggling to find similar content for another. But I am grateful to have supportive staff at all our campuses who are friendly and supportive as they help me find the stories that are worth sharing.

Tell us about a project you are working on or completed that you are particularly proud of. How did it come about? What impact has it had so far?

I am proud of many student profiles I’ve done, but I have a particular fondness for the articles I wrote about three students who had art on display at Lincoln High School’s AP Art exhibition. These students were all very open about the experiences and emotions that influenced their artwork, and it warmed my heart to see our students showing how introspective and empathetic they can be through their work. I will take any opportunity I get to shine a light on students’ passion projects such as these.

More recently, I interviewed several staff members at our schools for Hispanic Heritage Month. I was proud to promote the services we provide for both English- and Spanish-speaking families at our schools, and the positive impact these staff members have made with their bilingualism was wonderful to share.

How long have you been in the profession and what was your path to school PR?

I started my role as Lincoln Unified’s Media Communication Specialist in November 2021. This is my first job in school PR, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Before joining this industry, I studied print journalism in college, serving as an editor in chief for newspapers at Sacramento City College and Sonoma State University. After graduating from Sonoma State, I worked in TV news as a writer and producer at CBS13 and FOX40 in Sacramento. My news experience taught me how to multitask, adapt to last minute changes, and find the most interesting and relatable part of any story – all of which have prepared me for the variety of situations that arise in my work at Lincoln Unified.

What advice do you have for new PR professionals?

It can be very easy to overwork yourself and take on more projects than you’re capable of finishing in just a week. Just remember: there’s nothing wrong with taking a minute to catch your breath and reflect on what you’ve been working on before jumping right into the next story or post! Many parents, staff and community members appreciate the work you do, and you may often end up being your own biggest critic.

What else would you like to share?

I’m so thankful to have a superintendent, administrators, principals and teachers who voice their appreciation and support for the work I do – the first of its kind in this district. I did not envision myself pursuing a career in school PR, but I feel like I have spread lots of positivity with the stories I share and it is an honor to help families stay connected with their child’s education. Lincoln Unified is a great place to be!

Lincoln Unified School District is located in Stockton, California, with a student population of about 9,000. We have 12 campuses, including a comprehensive high school, a continuation high school, a 7th - 8th grade middle school, a STEM charter school, and several K-6 or K-8 elementary schools. In addition to our core curriculum, Lincoln Unified offers music programs at the majority of our schools, and our high school is known for its sports and clubs, Engineering and Construction Academy, a Dual Enrollment program in partnership with San Joaquin Delta College, and visits from college representatives across the nation.