Autodesk Insider We on the PR team have similar challenges as most people in other positions. We have deadlines that seem to pop up faster and faster all the time. News, especially with social media, is traveling more quickly than before, and news cycles are becoming increasingly short. Patience, "grace under fire," and flexibility are required. How many coworkers are on your team and how do you share the work?
Autodesk has a superb, very tight-knit PR team; and this includes our wonderful agency partners. I love these coworkers. Everyone is so incredibly supportive of one another; we have fun together and have really come to rely on each other. As a team they are responsible for Corporate and Industry PR, including Media & Entertainment, Platform (AutoCAD), Consumer, and the Manufacturing industries. Do you or your team get involved in planning for future releases of the software?
our editors. As for how much time is spent doing the research, it is probably more accurate to say the research never stops.
Yes, we work closely with product teams and industry marketing to prepare product news releases and outreach to media.It’s also fun for people outside of Autodesk to check out what is going on and what may become a product on Autodesk Labs (http://labs. autodesk.com/). So you too can get a glimpse of new technologies that could eventually be productized.
What sort of things do you do for distraction, hobbies, travel?
Do you get to do any planning for Autodesk University or other events?
Autodesk University is a huge event for the PR team. Many of your readers will agree, we took a bold step in delivering a very unique experience this year. In addition to the standard “university classes,” we in the PR team hosted special events for our media. Last month we had almost 100 reporters, editors, bloggers, and analysts from around the world participate. It is special and so enjoyable to meet the media from different geographies. We also participate in numerous conferences in each of our industries. Do you check out the activity of other forums like ours at AUGI? How much time to get to do external research apart from responding to users directly?
My favorite activities outside of work include downhill skiing, hiking in NH’s White Mountains, travel, and reading. What was the last book you read?
I read a lot, and I read multiple books simultaneously. There are more than 1,000 books in my home library and these books range from technology and business, to biographies, philosophy, history, and architecture. In addition to topics such as cities, architecture, and civil engineering, I am fascinated by people and therefore biographies are my favorites. The most recent biographies I finished included Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, Keith Richards' Life, and Eric Metaxas’ Bonhoeffer. If money were no issue, where would you go on vacation?
If I want to go somewhere, I go. Finding the time is more of the restricting variable. Next year my travel plans include Park City, Grand Cayman, and cruising the Mediterranean.
Absolutely while we read the forums, we don’t generally talk directly to the users, except through the publications. The PR team makes it a point to spend time researching what readers are interested in, and what readers are talking about. Trend watching is important so we can stay current and provide a better service to
What would we be most surprised to know about you?
December 2011
That’s an interesting question. Let me see. If the readers don’t know me they probably couldn't care less, and if they do know me they wouldn’t be surprised. Does that make sense?
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