#WeLeadComms: Tierney Tinnin

US-based educational communication leader Tierney Tinnin is today’s #WeLeadComms honoree.

She shares her story here.

“I graduated in 2001 with a degree in broadcast journalism and a passion for storytelling.

“Like many reporters, I paid my dues. I lugged a television camera through Texas summers in high heels, covered wall-to-wall severe weather in Oklahoma, and dragged myself out of bed at 2:45 a.m. to deliver the morning news to viewers before sunrise.

“But in many ways, I only did that so I could do THIS!

“When I first learned about school public relations, I didn’t even know it was a real profession. The promise of having spring break, Thanksgiving, and Christmas off certainly caught my attention. What I didn’t realize was that I was about to discover my life’s work.

“Nearly 20 years later, I have served urban school districts across Texas and Oklahoma, helping tell the stories of students, educators, and families.

“Along the way, I learned that educational communications is about much more than responding to media inquiries or managing public perception. It is about giving education a new narrative. It is about creating opportunities for parents to engage, empowering communities with information, and providing students with a platform to celebrate their achievements. Communicating in public education is not easy.

“Every story, challenge, and decision involves two things people care deeply about: their children and their tax dollars. The work is often complex, highly visible, and sometimes political. Yet those realities have also given me a deeper understanding of the huge impact education has on communities.

“Whenever the challenges adults create begin to overshadow the mission, I visit a classroom. There, I am reminded why this work matters. The laughter of students, the excitement of learning, the sticky Cheeto fingers, and the joyful squeals of a Pre-K classroom will always outweigh the 2:45 am alarm ding. Those moments remind me that every story worth telling starts with a child.”

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