Member Spotlights
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NAME: Lisa Gail Barnes
CURRENT POSITION ON THE GFW PRSA BOARD: At-Large Director and PR Chair
EDUCATION: B.A. (political science), TCU '00
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Communications Director for Fort Worth Sister Cities International
BEST LESSON LEARNED IN PR: Always proofread everything you write to the point of obsession because the pen truly is mightier than the sword when it comes to tearing apart your professional reputation.
ADVICE TO A NEW PR PROFESSIONAL: When you are new to the field of PR, you are often filled with self-doubt. It is easy to think of other PR professionals as knowing more or being better than you. My advice is to listen to others, seek ways to educate yourself about the field and current trends, but from there it is most important to simply believe and trust in yourself. You landed where you are for a reason and if you make the most of it and always conduct yourself professionally, one day others will look to you as a mentor in the field.
TRADE SECRETS FOR SUCCESS IN PR: Business and social circles are tight. Treat everyone you meet as someone who will be crucial to your future success because they very well may be. Also, as a PR professional, it is necessary to always watch what you say whether you are at a restaurant with your best friend or in the break room at work. I believe the saying is “ loose lips sink ships”, but they can also do quite a bit of damage to careers and reputations.
INTERESTING HOBBIES: I must suffer from spotlight withdrawal because I often need a “stage fix” and karaoke is my drug of choice.
THIS MUCH I KNOW: I know for certain that I will never know everything there is about the field of PR because no two PR jobs are the same. PR is, in many ways, an amorphous profession with a few, very significant, well-defined rules and even more “tricks of the trade”.