Meet a Member featuring Natasha Mitchell

Title: Multimedia Communications Professional

Why do you love your job? I love to help high performing teams resolve group issues through research and communication as well as effectively manage change. I’ve had a wonderful multifaceted career in the news media, higher education and corporate communications.

How long have you been a member of IABC? Since September 2012.

Have you ever served on an IABC Board? Yes. I am the current VP of Membership for IABC/Tulsa and the incoming chair of the IABC Ethics Committee. The IABC Ethics Committee is responsible for input to the International Executive Board on policy, standards, strategic development, education and monitoring in relation to ethical matters and upholding the IABC Code of Ethics.To serve on both boards is a honor, and I’m excited to continue the conversation regarding the importance of ethics within IABC.

What is the best IABC meeting/conference you have attended? Why? Crisis Communications: When “IT” hits the Fan” with Gerard Braud. I found this session and other professional development sessions on crisis communications to be fascinating. Because I’ve interviewed leaders who faced crises during events such as natural disasters, political scandals and the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City, it’s interesting to see how business communication teams handle such affairs as well as understand how a crisis affects stakeholders within and outside of a company.

How has IABC played a part in your professional development? IABC helped me to understand the importance of internal and external communications as a corporate communicator and bridged what I already knew as a former journalist. Because of prior experience as a committee member who oversaw the implementation and education of media ethics for the National Association of Black Journalists, I was asked to consider serving as vice chair on the IABC Ethics Committee.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? I serve and work as a volunteer on various boards/committees in Bartlesville, travel with my husband and engage in monthly book club discussions.

What’s your favorite vacation spot? Any place with a beach (Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas, Mexico, etc.)

Who is your favorite musical artist? My musical tastes are diverse, but Lisa Stansfield is my muse.

Which website do you visit daily? News media and social media sites. I love to track friends who are doing very well in the business.

What is your favorite restaurant? Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. I miss the availability of authentic Cajun/Creole food. I’m aware of the offerings here, but there’s no comparison to the cuisine in the South.

How will we recognize you at the next IABC function? I’m a tall, graceful African-American woman who wears a green IABC name tag bearing my name.

Complete the following: The future of the field of communications is the use of augmented reality. We already utilize augmented-reality applications through devices such as smartphones or Google glasses to view the world and see real-time digital information about what we view. Communicators must be well-versed in current technologies.

What advice would you give to new communications professionals? Obtain a mentor in your company or if self-employed, seek a community leader to provide advisement and guidance as you embark on your career. Share your knowledge with others who will need mentorship. Giving to others is a powerful gift. At any given moment, you have the power to say, “This is not how my story is going to end.”

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