Meet Jennifer Sarver: Mentor Award Winner

By Andrea K. Citrin Gardner

At the annual Women Communicators of Austin (WCA) Banner Brunch on April 20, Jenifer Sarver, director in Burson-Marsteller’s public affairs practice, will be honored with the Mentor Award. The Mentor award recognizes Austin-area communicators who have demonstrated a commitment to mentorship, positively impacting other communicators and the field of communication.

In addition to her director duties Jenifer serves as the general manager of Burson’s Austin office, as well as providing crisis and strategic communications counsel and tactical support to a range of clients from non-profits to Fortune 500 companies. She also serves as a media and presentation skills trainer in addition to supporting worldwide vice chair, Ambassador Karen Hughes, in new business development, client support and community outreach.

WCA: You’ve been a spotlighted member and now the winner of the Mentor award. What is it about our Communications organization that has been the most helpful to you and why would you recommend joining and participating to others in the field of communications?

JS: The opportunity WCA offers to learn from and network with a wide variety of communicators is unmatched. Engaging with WCA’s women entrepreneurs and leaders of top communications organizations has helped sharpen my professional skills and my rolodex of good collaborators, vendors and potential clients. When someone moves into Austin and is in the field of communications, WCA is atop my list of recommendations – the opportunities for social and professional interactions for communicators are well worth the investment.

 

WCA: I hear that mentoring is second nature to you. What is it about helping someone out that is attractive to you and why does being a mentor matter to you?

JS: I was raised in a family in which giving back was second nature. We were always taught to put others before self, share our resources and lend a hand. That value has been something I have always held dear, and I have much appreciated the many people who have poured into my life both personally and professionally. That’s why I place a high value on contributing to the success of others – sharing words of wisdom, offering counsel and advice, reviewing resumes and cover letters, providing introductions, sharing job prospects – all of these efforts are simple, yet can make a tremendous impact on someone, especially if they are just starting out in their career. If I can give back even a fraction of what has been given to me, I will be grateful for the opportunity. My life mentor and hero, my late mother, had a life motto – “blessed to be a blessing.” I try to keep that perspective in mind each day.

 

WCA: With your very full schedule how do you find time to balance your work, your personal life and helping/mentoring others?

JS: It has become a part of my schedule and a part of my routine. I always like to make time for young people, especially young women, who have the gumption and networking skills to seek me out and ask for advice and a few minutes of my time. I consume copious amounts of coffee; it’s easy to share a conversation over a cup with someone for 15 minutes.

 

WCA: I hear you meet with women in the communications field on a regular basis to help them and answer their questions. If someone doesn’t work with you, how do you best help them? What kind of advice would you give them to help them find a mentoring relationship of their own?

JS: Mentoring relationships are organic; they can’t be manufactured and they take time to cultivate. But there are many people from whom you can seek advice. Taken together those bits and pieces of advice from various corners combine to form a fuller tapestry of wisdom that can be invaluable to ones’ life and career. So, even if you don’t have the opportunity to work under someone who can mentor you, seek counsel from a variety of people whom you admire, respect and from whom you want to learn.

 

WCA: What is an average day like as Chief of Staff to Karen Hughes, Global Vice Chair of Burson-Marsteller and how does this position benefit you in your ability to mentor?

JS: Every day is different. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy my job. I learn something new every day. I gain a new perspective every day. Every day I awake to a new challenge, which brings about opportunities to hone my professional skills and make a difference on behalf of my clients or the many organizations with which I am involved. Working for one of the world’s leading communications experts is an honor and a privilege. People regularly seek Karen’s counsel, and I am privileged to work alongside her as she delivers that counsel and provides strategic advice for a wide range of clients from non-profits to Fortune 500 executives. As General Manager of the Austin office, part of my job is to ensure that we have a relevant voice in the community, which includes regular speaking engagements, involvement with civic organizations and taking advantage of networking events and activities. All of these give me an opportunity to meet and visit with young people who are making their way in the professional world.

 

WCA: What’s your advice for communicators in Austin wanting to make a difference in their industry?

JS: Any time we can raise the bar on the quality of our communications we all benefit. When our dialogue is more civil, when our sound bites are more substantive, and when our voices are raised in unison – not against one another – our community and our industry become better places to work and live.

 

WCA: What do you think is the future of the field of communications?  

JS: The fundamentals don’t change: clear, concise and compelling language will always be critical to the field of communications. Effective writing and speaking is essential – it’s the technologies, channels and venues through which we deliver them that will continue to evolve. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Don’t miss your chance to congratulate Jenifer at the April 20, 2013 Banner Brunch. Buy tickets and learn more at www.bannerbrunch.com.