Bridget Fornaro
Bridget Fornaro is a California State University, Northridge graduate. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations and a double minor in Digital Marketing and Pop Culture, in 2019. Prior to that, Fornaro received her Associate’s degree in Journalism Print Media in 2016.
After graduating in May 2019, Fornaro was able to secure a position at Carol Marshall Public Relations as a Public Relations Assistant. She was promoted to Public Relations Coordinator in July 2020. After roughly two years at Carol Marshall Public Relations, Fornaro decided it was time to move on and accepted a position as an Assistant Account Executive at Porter Novelli.
At the full service creative communications agency that is Porter Novelli, the roster of clients ranges from areas of technology to healthcare and food and reputation management, and Fornaro works on the healthcare portfolio. It is her responsibility to monitor media and update media lists, which means finding mentions and news articles about clients. She also ensures that overall, everything is running smoothly and all teams are meeting deadlines.
Continue reading to hear what Fornaro has to say about a day in the life as a PR practitioner!
What is the most enjoyable part of working at Porter Novelli?
The most enjoyable aspect of working at Porter Novelli is being able to work with the people at the company and having the opportunity to meet a variety of individuals. Porter Novelli represents many different clients, which gives me the opportunity to explore other parts of the industry. I also like that there is a lot of adaptability and growth possible and the perks (parties, workshops, and panels) are nice too!
What is the toughest part of your job?
Translating people’s meaning and figuring out what each team needs can be a challenge. Especially considering my main accounts are healthcare clients, I have to find a way to simplify the scientific jargon used and make communication across teams as simple as possible.
What do you wish you knew before getting into this industry?
The industry is incredibly unpredictable and there is no normal set day. It is important to be adaptable, flexible and have the ability to stretch around to allow for different things to happen. Additionally, it is important to realize that not everyone might understand your point of view, so you will have to explain your meaning/idea in depth.
What is one word to describe your typical day?
Unpredictable.
What advice do you have for students graduating university this year?
Do not take the first job that is offered to you. Weigh your options and look at everything. Ask for advice and take some time to think about the offer, especially if it’s in an industry you don’t want to be in. Really consider if you’ll be happy at this role.
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