Her Story
About Katie
Katie Barrow has been working in public relations and marketing since 2006. She attended Syracuse University with an initial goal of broadcast journalism but switched to PR after receiving candid advice from the dean of her Communications 101 class. Her early career included a role at a high-tech PR agency in San Francisco, which she described as a boot camp that built her technical skills, followed by approximately 10 years at Fair Trade Certified where she applied those skills to a cause she cared deeply about. After having twins, Katie took seven years away from the workforce to focus on her family. She later returned through substitute teaching for six months before joining The Tech Interactive Museum, a science museum, three years ago. In her current role, she focuses on marketing efforts to rebuild attendance post-pandemic, drawing on her experience as a parent and her passion for the museum's mission. Katie attributes her success to having a strong manager and building positive relationships with coworkers. She values community and partnership, emphasizing the importance of mutual support in both professional and personal spheres. Her advice to young women entering the field highlights the value of gaining skills even in roles that may not initially spark passion, while underscoring the need, especially for those with neurodiversity, to ultimately find work they love.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Katie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think having a really good manager is important. And making good relationships with your coworkers, you do end up spending a huge percentage of your life with them, and sometimes as much as your own family, and so it's important to find people that you enjoy seeing at work, and that can make your day a lot more fulfilling.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Getting started in your career, it's okay to take a position that you're not super passionate about if it's giving you the skills that you need to grow. Understanding that it's not the end-all, be-all, and it might just be a starting off point. But also, it can be really hard to market a product that you're not passionate about. Especially for those of us with neurodiversity, it's so important to find something that you love. And then it feels a lot less like work, even if that means taking less pay.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think community and partnership have been core values of mine throughout my career. Building connections with people who can support you while you support them has been one of the most meaningful and successful parts of what I do.
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