Kerry Tuttle, 04/06/26

This week, our chapter was visited by an Ohio University alumna and a past chapter member, Kerry Tuttle (‘15). Kerry graduated from OU with her Bachelor of Science in Journalism with a specialization in PR. Kerry was also involved in imPRessions and held internships at LaunchSquad and Walker Sands during her time at OU. Today, Kerry is the Senior Communications and PR Manager at Wiz, a cloud security company. During her presentation, Kerry walked us through her career path, what a day in her life looks like, industry changes and provided advice for our chapter members. 

Career Path:

Kerry, like many young graduates, started her career in the agency world, starting as an intern at Walker Sands in Chicago after a spontaneous move to the city. At Walker Sands, Kerry discovered her love for cybersecurity, which has greatly shaped her career path. Kerry then moved to Edelman, where she continued working in her tech niche. After three and a half years, Kerry pivoted to working on the corporate side with the company VMWare and Confluent, but returned to a more agency-style space at Wiz. Kerry said she now spends much of her days reading Techmeme, fielding important interview requests and media monitoring.

How Kerry Thinks the PR Industry is Changing:

Kerry noted some key ways that the PR industry is changing, and at a rapid pace. Below are Kerry’s key insights.

• “AI is Everywhere.” – Kerry acknowledged that AI is changing how work gets done in the PR industry and how brands are becoming known to consumers through generative AI chatbots.
• “Go Direct” – Kerry said that many CEOs and thought leaders aren’t relying on traditional media for exposure anymore, they are favoring “friendly” media like podcasts to get information about their brands out.
• “Media Landscape” – Kerry articulated that the media landscape is ever-changing and will always impact how PR and advertising professionals create content to reach their audience. Kerry specifically noted that we are now seeing the rise of the Substacker and popularity for independent forms of media.

Kerry’s Advice

Kerry did not leave us without some helpful tips for working in the PR space. Below are Kerry’s three main points of advice. 

• “Get the Reps In.” – Kerry said that in an age of AI, it’s important to still learn how to honestly do a job and maintain critical thinking skills.
• “Specialize” – Kerry said that if you find an industry that interests you or motivates you, stick with it.
• “Be Likeable” – Kerry emphasized that people want to work with people they like and that being likeable is just as important as being good at your job.

Connect with Kerry on LinkedIn, here.