We are excited to introduce our newest team member, Jennifer Seabolt. Jenn joined the team in November as a Senior Account Executive and will be supporting Teak clients and telling their stories through strategic media, content, events, and other initiatives.
Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Jenn has lived in Massachusetts since she came to Boston to pursue her undergraduate degree. Jenn comes to Teak from Inkhouse, where she was a member of the agency’s education and B2B tech practices. She earned her BA in Communication Studies at Northeastern University and her MS in Communication from Syracuse University.
Read the below conversation to learn more about Jenn and the work she’ll be doing.
What drew you to this position at Teak?
I was attracted to the mission and its people. From learning about Teak’s work online to meeting members of the team during the interview process, I was excited by the prospect of doing such meaningful work with a kind, intelligent and equally passionate team.
What causes are you passionate about?
I, like so many in the world, have been impacted by cancer, and have lost relatives and friends to many forms of this horrible disease. When I was in college, I was very involved with Relay For Life, a fundraising arm of the American Cancer Society (ACS), and I served on Northeastern’s Event Leadership Team for three years in various roles, including leading the publicity team my senior year. It was, is, and will be among my lifelong passions to raise awareness about the resources the ACS provides to patients and their families, educate the community about different forms of cancer and preventative measures, and raise money in the fight against cancer.
What do you enjoy about media relations?
I love figuring out how to write the most effective pitch and identifying the best journalists to tell a particular story. The media is on 24/7, which makes it harder to break through with a story. I love the challenge of breaking through these barriers to showcase the work my clients are doing. Building media relationships is also very important to me. Journalists are far more than just a byline and PR people are more than email addresses attached to a pitch. When relationships between reporters and publicists are cultivated correctly, both parties can be valuable resources to each other that result in stories that benefit the public.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I haven’t decided if I actually like running yet, but I’ve done two half marathons this past year! Running has been a great way for me to clear my mind and get outside. I’m also an avid reader and beach lover (it’s a perfect day if I can combine the two), I play intramural kickball in the summer, and enjoy spending time with my family and dog, Pugsly.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I spent my junior year of high school living abroad in Zaragoza, Spain, through a program called School Year Abroad. I lived with a host family that I deeply adored, worked on building fluency (four of my six classes were taught fully in Spanish), became ingrained in the culture, traveled to over 20 different cities in the country, and so much more. My year abroad truly shaped who I am as a person today and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity.
