Meet the Team – MAC’s first six months at a PR agency
By Mary Anne Connolly, Senior Account Supervisor
My first six months at PR agency, Touchdown PR have been both action-packed and exciting, professionally and personally transformative, and quite frankly, filled with lots of laughs, camaraderie, and fun at work with a team that also manages to achieve remarkable results for our clients.
Observing and learning from this tight-knit, intergenerational, and diverse team of global PR professionals who operate at their highest capacity, day-after-day, has been inspirational. The daily “grind” at any technology-focused B2B PR agency is never dull, and on some days, the pace rivals that of a national network newsroom or the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, but that’s exactly what gets me up and going every day!
Me before Touchdown
My life and career have been full of “full-circle” moments. I became Editor-in-Chief of a popular regional magazine, Austin Woman, in my university hometown nearly 20 years after writing my first weekend cover story for The Daily Texan while studying magazine journalism at The University of Texas.
So, after running my own small content and PR shop in Austin, joining a global tech PR agency has given me the opportunity to learn new skills, share my experience, and reinvent myself and my career all over again. Touchdown not only serves its clients in ways that impact both their bottom line and increase brand awareness and reputation, but we also help them lead and spark meaningful business and societal conversations with myriad pitch ideas and compelling content that go far beyond the typical funding news or product announcement, in transformational verticals ranging from cybersecurity to cloud computing and storage to commerce and transportation, LMS and HR.
Working at a leading tech PR agency
As both a former journalist and a PR practitioner, the combination of creating compelling content, learning new technologies, and finding meaningful purpose is critical to motivating me every day. In my first six months at Touchdown, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with clients who are excited about contributing to larger stories, and it’s inspiring to have the opportunity to consistently brainstorm around a variety of timely topics.
On any given day, we’ll discuss ideas related to the intersection of technology and the future of work; how to recruit, find, and hire the best talent globally, diversity and inclusion, women in the workplace, how organizations can lead with purpose, or how to navigate the new world of hybrid and remote experiences in our workplaces and schools, just to name a few.
I’m also excited to be leading our plan to provide continuing internal content and media training programs to expand and refresh skills in writing, editing, pitching, and media relationships.
Finally, I’ve been blessed to do work that I seriously enjoy and find motivating, but honestly, I never expected to be surrounded by such a dynamic, motivated, brilliant, entertaining, and engaging group at this juncture in my career. The people and relationships, both with clients and colleagues, are what make Touchdown successful and fun.
I feel fortunate to have joined such a remarkable team for a company experiencing rapid growth during such a pivotal time in our post-pandemic world. The timing of this experience has made it more rewarding than I ever thought possible.
Experiencing full-circle moments and client wins, Touchdown’s fast pace rivals my network newsroom days in NYC 20+ years ago, as I work with some of the smartest, worldliest, wittiest, and most talented colleagues who deliver multiple top-tier and industry results daily.
Team social and community service
Twisted Texas Bus Tour holiday party in December
Curling lessons and Trudy’s in March
Snack bags for Caritas, Lake Travis boat party and Oz Draft House Lunch in June
Weekly pop-culture trivia games and monthly happy hours
Training and professional development
Media list creation refresh in December
Tech trends and how to pitch to the media with Omar Gallaga in March
Mental health awareness and stress training with Karen Ranus in June
I recently dug out my dad’s 1964 master’s thesis in PR from Boston University entitled, “The Air Force Information Officer Overseas.” I arrived shortly thereafter as a miracle baby to my 40-something parents, who had tried to start a family for 10 years. My dad would have turned 100 this year. He started his career in journalism after serving in WWII, then moved into PR for the USAF during the Vietnam War, while we lived in Hawaii, my home state during my younger years, so I basically grew-up in the business.
I can’t help but think he’s proud of my decision to work for a global PR agency that specializes in cutting-edge technology, cybersecurity, and more – with offices and clients in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
Truly, full-circle!
Touchdown PR is always looking for new talent if you want to work for a successful, progressive PR agency! Check out our current vacancies.
