The Ride to Grad School

After four long years of convincing myself that I would absolutely never go to school again, I decided to go to graduate school. And so I'm laying in bed, the night before orientation at American University, thinking about how I got here.

The ride wasn't easy, that's for sure. I was raised in Campton, a small town in northern New Hampshire that's just beyond the hills of civilization. We lived in a camper that Dad parked on "the land." The land was full of miscellaneous items: propane tanks, milk crates, broken fluorescent lights, and old generator parts. My brother and I would play in the junk for hours. Life was pretty good back then. I went to Campton Elementary and remember screaming and holding my breath when mom dropped me off for my first day of school. I hated being left places.

After that, we moved to Concord. I was sad for a little while but now realize that it was best for my academic future. I attended Broken Ground Elementary, Rundlett Middle School, Concord High School, and then moved to Massachusetts to attend Tabor Academy, an elite boarding school right on the water. I worked my way through high school and saved up enough money to move to South Carolina for my undergrad at USC. I took 21 credit hours a semester, worked three jobs and managed an active social life. I studied hard, never skipped a class and graduated Magna Cum Laude. I was the third person ever in my family to graduate college behind my cousin, Cheri, and my brother, Cameron.

I was accepted to American University shortly thereafter, and now I'm in D.C., networking with other political communication specialists and working toward a Master's degree.

Every once in a while I like to look back on the past and remember where I came from. Hopefully I'll be able to get some sleep tonight before orientation tomorrow, and stop this little head from thinking so much. The rise to the top isn't easy, but it's worth it.

Article Published by PR-Diva.com

P-R Diva.com just published Crafting a Campaign without Cash, an article that I wrote about creating an effective public relations campaign with a minimal budget.

To view the full article visit: http://pr-diva.com/2011/08/crafting-a-campaign-without-cash/

Women in Politics

I'm a big fan of going against that grain and doing things that are inconsistent with societal norms. Here are some women in politics who I admire:

thepoliticalgirl.tumblr.com

Nancy Pelosi



visibility911.com/ford/?cat=61

Condoleezza Rice



www.topnews.in/light/people/jackie-kennedy

Jackie Kennedy 



www.people.com/people/michelle_obama

Michelle Obama



www.clevelandleader.com/node/8862

Ruth Ginsburg



www.allcelebrityphotos.tk/2011/08/03/hillary-clinton/

Hillary Clinton

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." M.K. Gandhi

Proving You're a Good Marketer

I have met several people that have extraordinary, yet unrecognized talents. For some, broadcasting these talents doesn't matter, but for others, especially those aspiring to be public relations/marketing professionals, it is essential.

To market myself, I created the Katelyn Chesley PR brand.  Katelyn Chesley PR is an independent public relations consultant based in Boston.

You can find the Katelyn Chesley PR brand on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and of course here, on this blog.

Facebook: facebook.com/katelynchesleypr
Twitter: @katelynchesley
Blog: katelynchesleypr.blogspot.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/katelynchesleypr

Republican Challengers Face Off

The White House race is heating up, and although I’m a Democrat, I still evaluate the chief Republican challengers. Here are my thoughts:

Michele Bachmann, Minnesota Congresswoman

Agree: Spending cuts are necessary.


Disagree: Planned Parenthood should be de-funded, taxation dampens growth and individuals should have the right to bear arms.


Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House

Agree: The United States needs to stop spending beyond its means, and education is the most important factor in our future prosperity and national security.


Disagree: There should be a Federal ban on abortions, we should drill in Alaska and that the gas tax should be eliminated. 

Jon Hunstman, Former U.S. Ambassador to China

Agree: We should cut out losses and withdraw our soldiers from Afghanistan.


Disagree: There should be a cutback on military expenses, there should not be a weapons ban and global warming is a hoax.


Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota

Agree: Capital punishment should be reserved for limited murder cases, including those that happen during or after sexual assault, and background checks should be required to carry firearms. 

Disagree: Runaway spending should be controlled by redefining the funding level for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security recipients. 

Mitt Romney, Governor of Massachusetts

Agree: One of the highest priorities should be making China a partner for stability in the world.

Disagree: Embryonic stem cell research is a bad idea, reaganomics will bring in economic growth, there should be a national standard for marriage, and Planned Parenthood should be de-funded.

So if I had to vote for a Republican, it would probably be Pawlenty. Who would you vote for?

Reflecting Back on My First Marketing Job

The end of summer is almost here and there are only 12 short days left until I leave for D.C. Things have slowed down a little bit at work, leaving time to reflect back on my career at the New Hampshire Lakes Association.

Last year, the president of the New Hampshire Lakes Association hired me as an unpaid Public Relations and Communications intern. I was excited about the opportunity to work at a non-profit organization and to build my public relations portfolio beyond corporate and government sectors. I immersed myself in my work and consistently created new branding opportunities for the association. After two months, the president promoted me to a paid position as the Public Relations and Communications Assistant.

The new title came with new responsibility. I maintained social networking sites, drafted press releases, compiled media kits for projects and events, researched grants, and drafted grant proposals. I came to work early, left late and dedicated all of my time and energy to making the 'New Hampshire Lakes Association' brand better recognized across the state. After four months, the president promoted me to a position as the Public Relations and Communications Coordinator.

I was thrilled about the promotion, but learned soon after that the president was leaving for a new association. All of his PR and communications responsibilities became mine. In addition to all of my other responsibilities, I had to manage our three annual events, including: site selection, contract negotiation, proposal negotiation, promotional material production, and vendor, sponsor, donor, and entertainment coordination. I also had to maintain the company website and figure out a way to expand viewership ratings.

I didn't have much time to sleep, and still don't, but the skills that I have learned along the way are invaluable. So what's the lesson learned? Even if you think your efforts are unnoticed, they're not. Be relentless in pursuit of your dreams and good things will happen.

My First Successful Fundraising Event

I am excited to report that the first fundraising event I have ever coordinated was a huge success! The event exceeded all expectations. While I am still calculating exact attendance numbers and proceeds, feedback from several sources indicate a job well done.

"Great job on LakeFest. Everyone had a great time."-Judy King, Administrative Assistant, NH LAKES


"Great time at LakeFest last night. Congrats on putting together such a successful event."-David Lawton, The Weirs Times


"You've done a great job on this, Katelyn. Thank you."-Dana Bisbee, Chairman, NH LAKES

"You did a great job pulling it all together. Most people have no idea all you did. My wife and I have pulled off a few events in the past and know what it takes to pull it all together and the sleep loss that comes with it. Hope you can breath now." -Joe Martin, Rockin Shots Photography

"Beyond an amazing job with LakeFest."-Cathy Lambie, LakeFest Attendee

"LakeFest was awesome! I can't wait until next year." -Robie Parsons, Programs Coordinator, NH LAKES

I look forward to planning many more events for many more organizations. LakeFest was just the beginning of a long and lucrative career in PR.