Q & A with Heather Turetzky
Why did you decide to join PRSA Philadelphia?
Heather Turetzky:
I'm a firm believer in community and collaboration, especially within the disciplines I focus on—communications and marketing. Getting involved with a community of like-minded individuals that have a shared & common goal aligned values and mindset is important to me. It gives me additional food for thought and provides that extra layer of energy that excites me and keeps us all growing. So, I’d say the community.
What first drew you to a career in communications?
HT:
What energizes me is the ability to tell a story. So, storytelling and understanding how to achieve objectives for a particular project or organization through the power of storytelling really excites me. Being able to shape the narrative and the stories energizes me.
Is there a local issue or moment or community that's influenced your work?
HT:
Brand reputation influences my work. Working on behalf of an organization that I'm passionate about and in which I have shared values and supporting them in maintaining but also enhancing their reputation, is very important to me. Whether I've worked in hospitality, retail, sports, entertainment, media, nonprofit - working for companies where I can lend that support around reputation—because as PR professionals & communication specialists we all know it's so important. Reputation can make or break an organization in the blink of an eye, and no matter how big an organization is or how structured they are, an instant of poor reputation can change the entire trajectory of the organization very quickly. Then to repair reputation takes an extraordinary amount of work, and sometimes it can't even be repaired entirely or even at all. So, maintaining that reputation—if not enhancing it—is important to me.
Are there lessons that played out in the media that you benefited you in terms of seeing how reputation played out for these bigger brands? How did it made you think about who you're working for and what you needed to do?
HT:
Since I’ve worked across different sectors and industries, there are numerous examples I can recall where a brand really had challenges, whether they were societal/environmental pressures that were surrounding them that were out of their control, or whether it was an internal issue. My desire to continue to do this brand reputation work and make sure those shared values of the corporation or organization are upheld or aligned is truly an area of expertise.
Reputation is not about writing a press release. It's managing the narrative and understanding the facts and realizing sometimes less is more. When these situations happen, I’ve been witness to what great reputation management looks like and what not so great looks like.
Do you have a communications lesson that you had to learn the hard way. And then do you have advice you’d give someone following your footsteps?
HT:
Yes, there was an incident with a retailer I worked for where a product they sold was mislabeled. While it wasn't the fault of the retailer, and more the product manufacturer, it hurt our reputation.
Because it was sold within the four walls of our retail location, we didn’t want to damage our relationship with the product manufacturer because we wanted to continue working with them, but we also had to act swiftly.
So, there is a dance, and there is a science behind managing reputation, and in my opinion, much of the expertise is lived experience and going through it in practice and in real life. You're not alone either. The importance of surrounding yourself with partners and having a community of people and a collaborative environment to bounce ideas off of and have the right people at the table when you're talking through these issues, whether it's the legal team, human resources, the business owner for the challenge, it's important to have points of view in managing the situation.
What is a bit of advice you'd give to someone early in their PR or communications career?
HT:
Be a good listener. Don't make rash, quick decisions because they could backfire quickly. And make sure you take the advice of internal partners to help you understand and experience the ways in which things can be handled. Take in different points of view before acting because one word that you think means something could mean something to someone different. It’s really important to always have a sounding board to bounce ideas off of before acting.
What's one thing you wish non communicators understood about PR or communications?
HT:
That it's not all glitz and glamor, PR professionals are not on red carpets all the time and not always working with talent or celebrity. I feel that those not in PR think that it's the red carpet at the Oscars, and people with the flashy credentials. Those moments happen, but it's hard work, and it's important to know that it's not all glamorous. There's real thought, a learned discipline and experience that makes PR people make things look fabulous. My hope is that more folks realize the intricacies of the discipline and it’s a skill that takes time and experience to nurture and learn.
What are some of the biggest challenges our sector is facing, and how do you think being a member helps?
HT:
One of the biggest challenges is the growing perception that AI can replace communications professionals. AI can be a powerful tool for research, drafting, and generating a starting point, but it still requires experienced human judgment to shape strategy, ensure accuracy, set the right tone, and anticipate stakeholder reactions. At the same time, communicators are navigating heightened external pressures, from fast-moving news cycles to polarizing cultural issues where organizations are often pushed to take a stance on topics that may be unrelated to their mission or business. The job is increasingly about applying disciplined editorial standards and strategic counsel. Specifically, knowing what to say, how to say it, and when it’s better not to say anything at all.
What are your thoughts on AI?
HT:
I believe AI is a compliment, not a replacement. I think a lot of folks believe the same thing. AI can be a good start to a press release, for example, or a narrative or a storyline or a proofing mechanism. It's not the replacement for the human mind, because they can't necessarily detect nuances in the same way a person can detect nuances. But it can do a pretty good job of getting you to a starting point, but it needs that human perspective. It is very important to have it, and it's advantageous, and it helps us from an efficiency perspective. But that final touch must come from a person especially now with all the external pressures that I had just mentioned, the environment that's happening around us, one word that AI spits out can mean something totally different and have a different context.
Do you have a mentor or mentors that supported you through your career?
HT:
I’ve been fortunate to have several mentors throughout my career, and I still do, both professionally and personally. Some have been inside my organizations, others outside of them, and many have come from disciplines completely different from my own. Those outside perspectives have been invaluable. They’ve offered lessons, honest feedback in real time, and a level of insight that has helped shape me into a stronger professional and a better person.
I also make it a priority to mentor others. It’s important to pay forward what was given to me, because none of us gets where we’re going alone. I truly don’t know where I’d be without the mentors who show up for me regularly. They’re the people I can call in those “911 moments” when I need guidance, perspective, or simply someone to help me think through a challenge.
Mentorship, in every direction, has been one of the most meaningful constants in my career.
What's one thing people might not realize that you do?
HT:
I love tennis – watching it and playing it. I played tennis at Ithaca college in upstate New York. I also love watching my son play basketball and baseball. I am THAT mom cheering from the sidelines.
What's the best advice you've ever received?
HT:
I had a dear friend when I worked for the Colorado Silver Bullets, and she worked at ABC News in LA. If someone got me frustrated, or I just didn't agree with them, or we were on the outs, she would say, ‘kill them with kindness.’
Who's going to be mean or say something if you just kill them with kindness? Bite your tongue and swallow your pride and do whatever you need to do to let it go, but just kill them with kindness.