Jennifer Kelleher
We sat down with Jennifer Kelleher, a 2018 graduate, to chat with her Q&A-style about what it’s like navigating a world after university.
Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about your professional work.
Hi! My name is Jennifer Kelleher. I am a publicist at Rogers & Cowan PMK. I primarily work with music and entertainment clients, as well as some event clients - including the GRAMMY’s, MusiCares, AARP Movies for Grown Ups, and more.
Why did you choose to go to CSUN? What inspired you to pursue a career in PR?
I went to CSUN because, for as long as I could remember, I wanted to pursue broadcast journalism. I knew I wanted to be a storyteller and magnify messages to the masses, particularly in the entertainment space. I grew up singing, dancing and always being around music and I really found my niche in that space. Through my internships and coursework, I quickly discovered that I enjoyed the representation process more than being on the journalism side.
Although I wanted to go away for university, I ended up attending a junior college for two years and then transferred to CSUN. Doing this gave me the opportunity to have internships every semester and to gain experience in so many areas in the industry, which allowed me to figure out what I did and didn’t like. Ultimately, I picked CSUN because I could be in Los Angeles and have internships in the city.
I had the best professors at CSUN and was really glad to have the journalism and PR coursework. Having a full circle experience instilled a really strong foundation to be a good publicist.
What is the most exciting project you have been a part of?
I am working on a project that is, overall, the best thing I have ever gotten to be a part of. I have led the charge from the beginning of the campaign, starting with singles, music videos, etc. and building up to the album launch. It was my first opportunity to really lead an account. I like to say that I manifested my favorite band into a client. The work my team is doing for this band and our entire roster is incredibly rewarding, but this project specifically is something I like to refer to as a case study project for other clients we want to work with. It shows what we can do when all cylinders are firing in the right way at the same time.
Where do you see yourself in the coming years?
I started my career here and am so grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had so far. I am excited to continue growing and taking on amazing new projects. I also look forward to collaborating with new teams and building my own roster.
Is there any advice you would give to your past self?
I’d tell myself to live a little more in the moment. I was always very focused on the future and put a lot of pressure on myself to achieve certain things very quickly. I think if you put certain goal posts and deadlines on your life and career, you begin to lose sight of what you're doing at each moment. Once I learned to let go and started looking at what I was doing every single day, it became clear that I was doing exactly what I wanted to be doing. That was always the goal.
For further insight, feel free to reach out via: