Shaping Positive Relationships Shana Bristow
1992 Graduate of McMurry University with a B.A. in Business Even though 15 years separates Shana Norman Bristow from her college days at McMurry, she still draws daily from her college experiences in learning to succeed in the fast-paced world of international corporate public relations. A 1992 McMurry graduate, Bristow currently serves as senior vice president for Fleishman-Hillard International Communications. Her agency work has focused primarily on corporate clients. Though she has worked with many industries, her main focus is on healthcare. She is currently working with an oncology group, and much of her efforts for them focus on cancer prevention and early detection. Regarding her job responsibilities, Shana states, “I do media relations. When a reporter wants to talk to one of my clients, I help arrange that interview and prepare the spokesperson.” Her duties at Fleishman-Hillard also include making company announcements, suggesting stories to the media to educate them about clients, and conducting internal communications for companies. Shana admits that she wasn't sure she would like working in an agency because it was so different from previous work experiences, but she realized “there are great opportunities and sometimes you have to weather the learning curves and challenging times to achieve success, and then be able to use the lessons learned to help others." Shana’s career journey has convinced her that each career position a person holds helps set the stage 14
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for subsequent job opportunities. “For me, it's easy to trace my path back to McMurry,” she states. A year after graduating, she spent five years in various capacities at McMurry. That experience helped her land a job at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in Washington, D.C. She explains, “The combination of these two experiences positioned me well for my current position.” Shana credits her college experience as an important factor in her career success, stating that "going to a small university gave me the opportunity to hold leadership positions in a variety of organizations. That hands-on experience working with diverse personalities and learning the fine art of multi-tasking has proved invaluable.” Her multi-tasking skills are also valuable as she balances work and family. She explains, "Like every
