When Lu Ann Reeb isn’t busy winning Emmys and defending victims wrongfully-convicted of murder, she’s teaching Emerson students about what she knows best: public relations. We sat down with the professor of Principles of Public Relations and learned that she could teach students a thing or two about social media, and that hard work does, in fact, pay off.
After attending Tulane University, Professor Reeb became a TV news reporter in New Orleans and was an executive producer at WBZ-TV in Boston. Since then, she has co-founded two companies and landed a teaching position at Emerson.
Q: You have your own PR firm, Skyways Communications. How did that begin?
A: I co-founded Skyways Communications with a colleague at WBZ-TV here in Boston. We saw the TV News industry changing and weren’t thrilled with where it was going. Upper management in the TV industry thought of the Internet as a threatening competitor. This was the same attitude that newspapers had about digital media. Many of us thought of it as an opportunity to expand the reach for TV news.
Q: How did you approach this opportunity?
A: I decided to start a new media business, where we created news-style stories for corporate clients in a marketing strategy encompassing online video. My company was on the “early-adopter” phase of that life cycle, which made for a slow beginning to our startup. However, as you know, new media is mainstream now, and therefore the business of creating a marketing/PR strategy with podcasts, online video and social media is growing rapidly.
Q: What was the stickiest or most memorable PR case you’ve worked on?
A: As Executive Producer at WBZ-TV, I was involved in one of the biggest stories in Boston. Joe Salvati was wrongly imprisoned for nearly 30 years for a murder he did not commit. The years of investigative reports, led by reporter Dan Rea, uncovered evidence that proved Salvati’s innocence and led to his freedom. The story resulted in a $101 million civil verdict for wrongful imprisonment. That case now continues for me in the realm of PR, as I now provide Salvati’s attorney, Victor Garo, with assistance in speaking engagements, and the story stays alive.
Q: What’s the best part about teaching PR at Emerson?
A: The students! The interaction with students is invaluable. I learn from them every class, and I’m energized by what I learn. It’s also a way I feel that I can give back in some small way with my professional experience and hopefully create a positive influence by sharing my knowledge transfer to students who may encounter similar real-life scenarios in their careers.
Q: Now, for the good stuff. What was your most memorable Halloween costume?
A: Ha! Peter Pan.
Professor Reeb also co-founded Legal Talk Network, an online media network for professionals in the legal industry.
Photo provided by Lu Ann Reeb.