Lesley Bruinton, APR, the Director of Public Relations at Tuscaloosa City Schools and president of the National School Public Relations Association, defines and highlights the vital role that PR and communications professionals play in schools.
Starting her career as a journalist before moving into school public relations, Lesley Bruinton quickly realized that many schools don’t know how to utilize or value their communications and public relations professionals.
So she set out to discover how she could use her skills and experience as a communicator to effect change for students and families in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Recognizing herself as a content specialist, Bruinton incorporates strategic communications into her work, focusing on the four-step process of Research, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. This has helped Bruinton streamline her work and build capacity in others to be effective communicators.
In this episode of SchoolCEO Conversations, Bruinton shares her thoughts on the field of school communications, the role that PR professionals can and should play in schools, and how they can help leaders in times of transition.
To learn more about NSPRA, the National School Public Relations Association, check them out on Twitter @NSPRA or find your local chapter at nspra.org.
Lesley Bruinton, A.P.R. (@lesleybruinton)
Tuscaloosa City Schools ( @TCSBoardofEd)
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