Her Story
About Carrie
Carrie Lujan serves as Communications Manager for the City of Santa Clarita. She brings 12 years of experience in government communications, including a decade with Santa Clarita following prior work at the City of Santa Monica. Her expertise encompasses crisis communications, social media, content creation, writing, and executive communications. Lujan earned a Bachelor's of Art in Speech Communication from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1999 and holds certifications through FEMA and the California Specialized Training Institute focused on crisis communication response. She maintains active memberships in the California Association of Public Information Officers and 3CMA, also known as the City County Communications and Marketing Association, and serves on the board of 3CMA. Lujan attributes her success to resilience and a determined work ethic, values honesty and kindness in leadership, and advises others to believe in themselves and bloom where they are planted. She is engaged with local causes as a board member for Bridge to Home, the Salvation Army Santa Clarita Valley Corps, and SCBTV.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Carrie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think my resilience. I'm very determined when I set my mind to something and willing to work extra hard and put in the extra time and effort it takes to achieve that.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Bloom where you're planted. Whatever situation you're in, make the most of it, and give it all you've got to be successful in that role.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Believe in yourself. It's very hard as women to sometimes step into their power, and sometimes we maybe aren't encouraged to, so don't be scared to do that, and show off everything that you bring to the table.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Technology and trends are changing quickly, especially social media which has become a huge part of government communications. It's an opportunity but also a challenge to constantly produce quality content. We've been using artificial intelligence a lot, which will change the way we work. The opportunity is harnessing AI to create additional content and streamline work while maintaining quality.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value honesty and kindness, especially as a leader. I've worked for several people who haven't been able to incorporate kindness into their leadership style. So I always try and make sure that I'm honest and encouraging and leading with kindness when working with my staff.
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