THP 30: Shawna Blair

Program: Public Relations & Corporate Communications
Current Position: Assistant Director, U.S. Senate Periodical Press Gallery
Hometown: Little Rock, AR
LinkedIn: Shawna Blair

How will education in your field will change over the next decade?
I believe that advanced education in public relations is incredibly important in our competitive field, and I see more top-notch graduate programs emerging over the next 10 years. With that, programs will continue to hire instructors that are currently practicing in the field. Technology will also be an important factor in educational growth, and programs will need to continue to be on the forefront of technological trends, both in curriculum and in classroom material.

What has been your most unique learning experience?
I have a background and experience in emergency preparedness and crisis communications, and I believe that no matter how much training you have, hands-on experience is key to having a full grasp of a situation. One example was during the D.C. earthquake a few years ago. My training enabled me to successfully lead that day, but this incident gave me a unique perspective into how to react next time.