What led you to a career in the deal-making industry?
Early in my public relations career, I worked at one of the only PR firms working on transactional communications. After working on my first deal, I was hooked. Watching the deal come together and supporting the transaction through communications is interesting and rewarding.
How does diversity add value in the deal-making process?
Through the ideas of and experiences of a diverse group, empathetic learning can take place. Bringing in different ideas and perspectives leads to better problem-solving. Working in diverse teams opens dialogue and promotes creativity.
The most memorable deal I worked on....
In 2020, I led the strategic communications for Bumble Bee Foods, a producer of canned fish and meat that was successfully sold for close to $1 billion through chapter 11 in January 2020.
Tell us about your experience during Covid-19, any lessons?
Since March 2020, I have authored a crisis communications case study for the PR News Guidebook and was featured in an interview by PR News Online, the go-to source for advanced best practices in the PR industry. I also wrote an article for TMA (Turnaround Management Association) Journal of Corporate Renewal sharing my expertise in crisis communications in the retail sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advice for achieving success in the industry....
Listen, always be willing to learn, do not be afraid to be assertive but remember to be humble.
Profile:
Jennifer leads the Paladin Strategic Communications group and has more than 20 years of experience providing strategic communications counsel to companies large and small. She works closely with internal teams and company advisors expertly creating internal and external communication strategies around important initiatives including restructurings and transactions, mergers and acquisitions, litigation support, and crisis management, to strengthen brands and manage reputation.
Jennifer sits on the board of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) Southern California Chapter as the Communications Chair, is a board member of CARE (Credit Abuse Resistance Education), and is an active member of the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). She is a published author and frequent speaker on topics related to organizational change and crisis management.
Education: B.A from University of California, San Diego.
Location: Paladin, Los Angeles, California.
