Sydney Stone Has PR’s Number

Name: Sydney A. Stone

Title: Communications Advisor, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Location: Cleveland

Apps you can’t live without: Goodreads, Google Translate and the app I use to make my grocery lists

3 dinner guests: David Sedaris, Audre Lorde, and my great grandma Zella Laury

Top books: “This Here Flesh” by Cole Arthur Riley and “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood

Current streaming series: “Cunk on Earth”

Best way to start a workday: “Giving my cat Ramona a big ol’ smooch before I head out for the day so she never forgets I love her.”

What were some of your early career ambitions?

In college, I was interested in arts and nonprofit management, and I saw myself working for a local theater company or as an agent for artists. However, one semester, I took an Economics 101 class in addition to my PR course load, and I enjoyed and saw great value in learning more about the field.

I ended up taking so many classes that I was able to qualify for a second major, which shifted my career aspirations toward something in the community development or government field.

How did the interest in public relations come about?

My whole life, I’ve been interested in storytelling, what motivates people to behave the way they do, and how clear communications can make or break any business deal or relationship. Public relations seemed like a natural fit for my fascination with relationships because the industry is all about how to utilize connections.

What initially inspired you to join PRSA?

I’m not from the Cleveland area, so one of the main things that piqued my interest when considering PRSA was that it offered a built-in way for me to build my network in an area where I wasn’t familiar with the people or customs. 

I’ve since been able to connect with so many excellent professionals throughout the seven years I’ve been a member and even gotten to know people from my home state of Alaska through the PRSA Alaska Chapter 

The networking opportunities can’t be beaten or replaced by tech — it’s been a huge value to my career, and I’ve gained friends in the process too.

Why did you decide to serve as a volunteer leader, which led you to be the Cleveland Chapter’s president?

I have always been a person who likes to get involved, especially if I’m going to put personal time and resources toward an endeavor — I want to get the most out of it! 

I eased into volunteering on the Cleveland board as a member-at-large and saw some areas that the Chapter could improve and evolve with the changing times. Then the pandemic hit, and the Chapter was faced with a whole new set of challenges. 

Engaging members and keeping our membership connected was top of mind and I led the Chapter’s largest event of the year, the Cleveland Rocks Awards, in 2021 when things were slowly opening back up. That experience taught me that connection and recognizing excellent work is the lifeblood that keeps our local Chapter healthy. When I was asked to be president, I was excited to take the helm, having learned those lessons with a great board supporting the Chapter.

How would you describe your leadership style? What has helped influence this?

I lead through proper delegation, having trust in those I've chosen to lead with me, and making sure that I am promoting and elevating voices and perspectives of people from historically underrepresented groups. I have a few personal policies that I hold myself accountable to as I lead.

For example, I have a personal policy not to participate in events or panels unless at least 30%-50% of the participating panelists/attendees are people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, or members of other underrepresented communities.

I also try to live and lead each day with Michelle Obama’s words in mind — “ …as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values and follow my own moral compass- then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own.”

What are some of the top-of-mind issues among the Cleveland Chapter’s membership?

Our priority is around creating valuable programming and networking opportunities for our members as well as inviting and partnering with other local groups to expand our membership and influence.

The pandemic has changed the PR landscape and we are working to adapt and thrive through those changes. We try to offer programming with a range of perspectives from a national and international lens as well as stay up to date on industry trends.

In May, we are hosting an event featuring a communicator from Kyiv, Ukraine and her experiences working as a communicator in a warzone during Russia’s war in Ukraine. We also are looking to do sessions about Chat GPT, crisis communications, ethics, and partner with our local media colleagues to understand how to pitch stories more effectively.

What can you share about your career at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland?

I try not to take for granted how lucky I am to have spent the first years of my career at an employer with a special mission. Every day, I go to work and know that my efforts are impacting the lives of my fellow Americans and working to support our economy. 

The stakes of my work matter not only to me as a PR practitioner, but also as a person. It is a unique place to work as a communicator and the organization has afforded me many ways to develop myself including supporting me in earning a master’s degree and my APR certification.

Your role requires financial acumen. There’s sometimes an “I hate math” mantra with PR pros. What are the advantages of having financial proficiency in comms?

There is value in a communicator who can look at a complicated white paper or a spreadsheet and understand how to communicate the bigger picture. Math can get a bad reputation in creative fields because they’ve been given some “bad PR” over the years. 

Numbers and formulas tell a story, and if we use them properly and clearly, then we can bridge the gap between learning and understanding. Honestly, I work with a lot of insanely smart people who do most of the number crunching, so my job is the fun part where I get to share their excellent research and work with the public.

Financial acumen can also help practitioners when making connections in the C-suite because they understand the larger picture of the customers they are supporting and demonstrate high-level strategic resource planning to those who greenlight projects.

It’s graduation time for the next generation of PR students. What advice can you share?

Don’t take the first job you’re offered only because it’s a good salary and they’re offering it to you. Think about why you want to work there and if that company can provide you with that “what’s in it for me” value. Maybe you value a high salary, and that company is offering it — great! Maybe you want to work for a place that has a mission you personally connect to — also great! The important part is knowing what matters to you.