Gina Ribaudo
October 22, 2019
Gina Ribaudo (2019)
Throughout her career, Gina has worked in Milan, tutored Italian, and held positions in global and boutique communications agencies where she has led and contributed to projects for highly recognized and admired organizations. Her clients have straddled the public and private sectors, touching industries such as health care, government consulting, retail, and tax policy.
Gina’s experience includes managing high-stakes issues and crises; counseling organizations and the C-suite (the executive-level managers) on how to promote and protect their public profiles; and preparing executives for major moments including financial reporting and top-tier interviews. She believes sophisticated communications can play a commanding role in influencing society. We have the power to transform public policy, improve investor perception of companies, adjust consumer sentiment about a given issue, and more.
What year did you graduate and what was your concentration?
I graduated in 2010 with a concentration in Public Communication. I also earned a minor in Italian Studies, as Italy and all things Italian have always been near and dear to my heart.
What extra-/co-curricular activities did you do?
I was a member of Phi Sigma Pi and am fairly certain that I took on a committee leadership role at some point. I was Vice President of Lambda Pi Eta my senior year and President of Ad & PR Club that same year, and active members of both for the 1-2 years prior. For all four of my years at Truman, I participated in Circolo Italiano, C.I.A.O. (Club for Italian Appreciation and Outreach) and was an Italian language tutor. My senior year, I additionally interned at the Truman Career Center. One of my years, I was also part of the Homecoming Event Planning Team.
Gina during senior year as part of Homecoming Committee (2009).
Did you go to grad school? If so, where? Was it immediately after you left Truman or did you wait? Why?
I went back to school three years after graduating from Truman. I waited because I wasn’t sure that I wanted to get an advanced degree in the Communication field. I started working just a couple months after graduating, and decided that the real work experience was more valuable than a COMM Master’s.
Ultimately I went back to get my Master’s in Public Policy & Administration, and now hold my MPPA from Northwestern University. My only regret is not having done a joint MBA/JD program, instead! But there’s still time …
What was your first job after graduation?
I interned at O’Malley Hansen Communications (Chicago office), which turned into my first full-time job. Surprisingly, my best friend from Truman’s dad was one of the agency’s big clients in the St. Louis office. It was a happy coincidence that I couldn’t have planned if I tried.
What work do you do/What are you doing now?
I am a senior account supervisor at MSL, a global communications consultancy. I counsel my clients on how to talk about themselves to their own employees and to the world at large, and help them get in or stay out of the news.
Gina and her (now) husband in Rome (2017).
How has your Liberal Arts/COMM education helped you?
I think I learned more critical thinking skills through a liberal arts education than I would have in a non-liberal arts environment. I’ve also always appreciated that I was able to pursue such an array of coursework. It provided me the opportunity and skillset to be able to analyze problems/situations across a wide breadth of topics and I firmly believe in the value of knowing how to analyze the situation you’re in, especially when it’s unfamiliar or not in your sweet spot!
Which class did you dislike at the time you took it, but now you’re grateful you took it?
I genuinely do not remember disliking any classes. I love school. Hence wishing I’d done a joint MBA/JD program instead of just a regular Master’s program…
What was your greatest accomplishment at Truman?
Studying for finals and loving school senior year (2010). Part of the reason she waited to go to grad school.
There are the usual answers of making friends, learning about myself, coming into my own, etc., but I actually think my greatest accomplishment was graduating with honors. I worked really hard to achieve that. I’ve continued to change and evolve since Truman, but the thing that will never change – no matter how much I do – is that I graduated Magna Cum Laude (graduating with a cumulative GPA of 3.75-3.89), and also earned honors from COMM Department.
Despite having an overall strong GPA (I was only one “A” short of Summa Cum Laude and it still bothers me), I actually missed the required score on the COMM senior test and had to take it a second time. It was so worth re-taking and I’m always proud to put both of those honors on my resume.
Why is Truman a good place for a student to study?
I think for the same reasons I mentioned with it being a Liberal Arts school. The advantage that Truman can offer over many other schools is the size. I liked that the campus and student population felt manageable, but not so small that I knew everyone I passed. I was also a big fan of the variety of course options I had at my fingertips, again pointing to the benefits of liberal arts.
What would you say a COMM student should absolutely do while at Truman?
If you’re even remotely interested in joining a PR/Communications agency – or, obviously, if you’re taking the journalism path – be sure to take the News Reporting and Writing course. This was one of the most valuable classes I took within the major.
Three jobs and nine years later, to this day, I have been, and still am, consistently the only one in my office who has such an intimate knowledge of AP Style. It’s fully due to that course.
What do you miss most about campus/Kirksville?
Living within walking distance of all my friends!
Gina (R) and a friend at the St. Louis Zoo (2010).
What advice would you give someone who wants to go into the same line of work as you?
When I first joined the industry, I hadn’t realized how many facets there are – public relations, media relations, crisis communications, internal communications, investor relations … the list goes on! An agency is a great way to expose yourself to a variety of those options.
To anyone who does decide to go the agency route, my advice is not to let yourself get pigeon-holed into one area. Do what you can to become a generalist vs. a specialist. Always be wary of job titles and/or job descriptions that seem too specialized. It all matters, and you won’t be good at a specialized role if you don’t understand the big picture.
If you could come back to Truman and teach a class for a semester, what would be its title and what would it be about?
“PR Agency Basics.” We’d cover how to write a press release and when/why it does and doesn’t make sense to use press releases; media relations, including using specialized software programs to research/build media lists, write media pitches and how to pitch media; crisis communication; client service, including what “client-facing” means and how to run client meetings; and other key roles and responsibilities that are frequently assigned to interns.
What did we not ask that you think is important for people to know?
Take lots of diverse classes. If you have the space in your course load, pursue some “just for fun” endeavors. I took ceramics and a few art classes just because I enjoy those things – and I’d encourage others to do the same if able.
Gina and her (now) husband in London (2018).