PUBLIC RELATIONS and COMMUNICATIONS – This spotlight series features T. Howard Foundation (THF) alumnae working in Public Relations and Communications.
Ryan Jordan (THF ‘17)
Manager – Advertising & Media, FX Networks.
What do you enjoy most about your company?
Working at FX is great because it is now a part of the wide Walt Disney family. It’s great to work for a brand with so much great content and that is always evolving. The Walt Disney company has been a staple in the entertainment industry for almost a century (100th anniversary is in 2023). It is really cool to be able to see how the company continues to grow and be a leader in this space by finding new and exciting ways to reach audiences.
In what way did this type of work interest you and how did you get started?
English and Language Arts were my favorite subjects in school growing up. When I got to college I first wanted to major in Psychology because I have always been fascinated to understand the way people think and why they think and do the things they do. To marry those two interests, I majored in Strategic Communications (Advertising, PR, and Journalism mix) and minored in Psychology. My interest in communicating to an audience and also finding the best way to do so made this industry the perfect fit for me. While in undergrad and graduate school I was able to secure several internship experiences where I sharpened my skills. After I graduated with my Masters and thru the T. Howard internship program, I secured a summer internship with ESPN in Los Angeles where I had wanted to live my entire life. I was able to find a full-time job in Los Angeles shortly after and decided while living in this city it only makes sense to work within the industry this city is known for – entertainment.
Has your career path been linear or non-linear?
Yes and no. I started my current position in January of 2022. It was a great opportunity for me to gain experience on the client side of the media landscape. I started my career working at the media agency where FX was my client. In that role I was on the team that strategized, budgeted, and executed advertising campaigns for FX shows to reach audiences across Social, Search, TV, Radio, Billboards, Digital and more. After that I went over to the publisher side where I worked with agencies and clients like FX to get brand’s advertising out to consumers. My longest career experience thus far was on the publisher side, where I had the opportunity to continue to hone my media strategy, planning and execution skills. After over a year in that role, I transitioned to a different team within the same company but was able to gain experience creating branded content as well as improve my project management skills. Now that I work on client side at FX, my focus is on how and where to reach the audience to watch new or returning shows. Another big focus of my current role is the creation and messaging used on FX advertisements.
How has your affiliation with the T. Howard Foundation influenced your career?
I have enjoyed participating as a mentor for current T. Howard undergraduate students. It has been great to hear where they are in their journey and to be able to share my experience in hopes that it will help on their own.
What personal attributes have been essential to your career success?
I always say that being a collegiate athlete ensured that I mastered time management. That attribute has truly helped me in my career to prioritize projects while also still producing great work. Another big hurdle that others have to get over once entering the workforce is being on team and working with others, which playing sports also helped me with early on.
Are you extroverted or introverted? How does this show up in your professional life and how has this trait benefited you professionally?
I have been lucky to find work environments where I feel comfortable being my authentic self. I am introverted by nature, but there are times when it helps to turn on more extraverted traits. Being more extroverted helps when it is time to network, meet new people. or even when starting a new job.
Ryan’s Piece of Advice:
Be your authentic self, advocate for yourself, and be kind to yourself.