Oh, hi!
Every so often, life reminds you just how circular it can be. Tonight, my daughter Mason came home from the movies after seeing Allison Williams on the big screen in, “Regretting You,” and I got to tell her one of my favorite stories from my early news days.
Back in the early 2000s, I worked in New York City for two of journalism’s biggest names, Andrea Mitchell and Brian Williams. I was a writer and producer in a newsroom that moved at lightning speed. Every word mattered. Every deadline was do-or-die. It was exhilarating and humbling to work alongside some of the best communicators in the business.
When Mason was born in 2010, Brian looked down at this tiny baby and joked, “You’ll get older and think you want to be an actress, and you’ll want to go to Yale, and you’ll think you know everything and can make it in this business…”
Fast-forward 15 years and there was Mason, watching his daughter on the big screen. And, of course, now she wants to follow in her footsteps.
Three Things You Should Know:
1️⃣ The best mentors don’t just teach you skills, they shape how you see people and stories.
2️⃣ Every medium (newsroom, city hall, social media feed) still depends on trust.
3️⃣ The communication tools change but the responsibility to connect never does.
This part really matters: the core of every profession that serves the public—journalism, government, education—isn’t information. It’s trust. That’s what keeps people tuning in, showing up, and believing the work matters.
💡 What You Can Do:
Reflect on who shaped your communication style and thank them. Mentorship creates momentum.
Audit your city or organization’s storytelling. Does it build trust or just broadcast?
Ask your team: “Are we meeting people where they are or where we wish they were?”
✅ TRY THIS:
Next team meeting, start with this prompt: “What’s a full-circle moment in your career and what did it teach you about leadership?” You’ll be surprised how many lessons are hiding in your own story.
Love how life works.
—Dana
Sponsored by Orlo
This month, we’re proud to be supported by Orlo, the digital engagement platform built for the public sector.
From social media management and archiving to AI insights and customer service management, Orlo helps teams streamline communications, stay responsive, and build public trust—whether it’s crisis comms or everyday updates.