Employee Spotlight: Carly Andersen
With more than seven years of public relations and strategic communications experience, Carly is passionate about creating impactful strategies and programs tailored to meet and exceed client goals. Her experience includes building brands at local, regional, and national levels by cultivating media relationships, executing press events, and building influencer campaigns.
Carly has worked with a range of domestic and international food, beverage, CPG, and lifestyle clients including Bonne Maman, Wines from Rioja, Washington State Wine, Constellation Brands, and Colgate-Palmolive. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English & American Literatures from Middlebury College. A West Coast transplant, Carly now resides in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
What inspired you to pursue a career in communications?
I've always enjoyed reading and writing so helping clients craft compelling stories and campaigns seemed like a natural fit for me. After graduating college with a degree in English & American Literature, I was eager to learn more about the often invisible forces behind the brands we know (or will come to know) and love.
What skills do you think you use most to achieve success for your clients?
Writing skills – from drafting a client email to crafting a cohesive press release or engaging social media post – are a given. But, perhaps more important, is knowing when and how to dig deeper. Whether I'm collaborating with colleagues, clients, or community partners, asking considered questions often helps clarify goals, dictate next steps, and create greater understanding for everyone.
What do you think sets J Strategies apart from others in the industry, based on your experience?
The breadth and depth of experience the J Strategies team brings to the table sets us apart as a firm. While J Strategies teammates share the same tenacity and drive to deliver positive results for our clients, our distinct professional and personal backgrounds help us collaborate and overcome new challenges.
What advice would you give someone who is just starting out in the industry?
Read and save everything. Building a library of reference documents and resources will help you tackle future projects.
How do you see the role of communications evolving in the next few years, and what excites you about the future of the industry?
As companies and leaders continue to navigate a turbulent social media and news landscape, crisis management will be more important than ever. It will be interesting to see how communications professionals anticipate and react to potential crises, especially as AI-driven tools and analytics become more prevalent.
