Did you know that women make up about two-thirds of the U.S. public relations workforce, yet hold only a third of senior leadership roles? Pay gaps and gender bias persist, highlighting the work still to be done.
This National Women’s History Month, we celebrate the mentors, colleagues, and leaders who have shaped our journeys in PR. Their guidance influences not just our careers, but how we tell stories, collaborate, and lead with purpose every day at Teak Media.
Jackie Russell first met Sally Jackson, of Jackson and Company, just after Jackson sold the business. She’d been called in by a nonprofit’s executive director to oversee the work Teak Media was doing for his very prominent organization. Russell was eager to meet Jackson; she saw it as an opportunity to learn from the best. Jackson praised Teak’s work and that initial meeting led to nearly 20 years of dinners, friendship and mentorship. Russell learned more about PR from Jackson than from anyone else in the business. Just hearing how Jackson had managed difficult clients or employees, what she did when finances were tight, and the like, gave Russell a roadmap. More importantly, knowing Jackson was there to listen and provide a gut check was an unending source of comfort and confidence for Russell. She remains grateful to this day.
Early in her career, Deb Colbert learned a lesson that still guides her work today. Her journalism professor, Pat Dean, at Northwestern University had a simple but powerful mantra: Make Me Care. The phrase became a class motto. Classmates even printed it on a T-shirt for Professor Dean at the end of the term. Today, when developing or evaluating story ideas for Teak Media clients, Colbert still returns to that principle. The strongest stories aren’t just aligned with an organization’s goals, they resonate with real people. By asking whether a story is interesting, important, timely, and meaningful, Colbert carries forward one of the most valuable lessons she learned early in her career.
For Cresonia Wong, mentorship came from within the Teak Media community. Her former colleague Hannah left a lasting impact on how she approaches both work and leadership. Hannah had a gift for making people feel seen and supported, encouraging Wong to approach every interaction, from reporters to clients, authentically. She also modeled courage, standing firmly by her values and inspiring those around her to dream bigger, rather than operate from a place of scarcity. Wong asked herself, “What would Hannah do?” so often that Hannah eventually made her a “WWHD?” bracelet. Though they’re no longer daily coworkers, Hannah’s influence still shapes Wong’s leadership and decision-making.
Jenn Seabolt’s mentorship experience has been shaped less by one individual and more by a pattern: throughout her career, she has reported exclusively to female managers. In industries like tech and communications, where leadership hasn’t always reflected that balance, that experience has been quietly powerful. These women showed that strong leadership can also be deeply human, encouraging open communication, authenticity, and empathy. Watching her mentors lead high-performing teams while keeping people at the center shaped how Seabolt approaches collaboration and leadership today at Teak Media, which is a woman-owned, women-run company.
Sarah Zhitnik’s earliest mentor has always been close to home: her mom. She built a career rooted in public service, spending years working at nonprofits and with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, showing Zhitnik that meaningful work and a fulfilling career can go hand in hand. Zhitnik brings that same mindset to Teak Media every day, staying steady under pressure and focused on what truly matters. Some of her mother’s most lasting advice has been refreshingly simple. Before a fifth-grade MCAS test, her mom wrote her a note that read, “It’ll be quick and then it’ll be over.” Practical and reassuring, it’s a reminder Zhitnik still returns to today to stay calm, focus, and don’t sweat the small stuff.
For Diana McCloy, inspiration took root during her time studying journalism at Boston University, where one professor stood out above all others: Nancy Day. An accomplished journalist who had worked at outlets like the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, the Associated Press, and the San Francisco Examiner, Nancy embodied the kind of career McCloy aspired to. McCloy hung on her every word in lectures and often stayed after class to ask more questions. Nancy’s passion for journalism, and the working reporters she brought in to speak (celebrities in Diana’s eyes), helped spark the love of storytelling that still drives McCloy’s work today.
Hayley McManus’ mentorship story began during undergrad at Endicott College, where she studied under Melissa Yang, Ph.D., Professor and Faculty Lead of Communication. After teaching McManus in a Research Methods course, Dr. Yang became her thesis advisor, guiding her through a year-long project on the success of fashion influencers. At a time when little academic research existed on the topic, Dr. Yang encouraged McManus to pursue the idea, making her the first student at Endicott to write a thesis on influencer culture. Through their close work together, McManus developed the research and critical thinking skills she relies on today at Teak Media to analyze trends, evaluate media credibility, and think strategically. Years later, the two still stay in touch to discuss industry trends.
My own mentorship story began under the stage lights. When my eighth-grade dance teacher Annette joined my hometown studio, I wasn’t thrilled about the change. Over time, though, Annette earned my trust and became more than an instructor — she became a mentor and friend. Through dance, I learned discipline, poise, timing, how to ignore the critics, and how to tell a story through movement. Those lessons carried far beyond the dance floor and into my work at Teak Media, where crafting narratives and communicating with confidence are key. Today, I still return each year to help at Annette’s dance recitals — a full-circle moment in a mentorship that has lasted decades.
This National Women’s History Month, we’re grateful for the mentors who helped shape our paths. Their lessons — about storytelling, authenticity, courage, empathy, and making people care — continue to guide the work we do every day.
