Rebecca Felten, owner, Bull’sEye Communication, a P.R. firm specializing in publicity
1. Tell us about yourself – What is your educational and professional background (schools, degrees, jobs that led you to your current endeavor, location)
I wanted to major in journalism in college, but had the choice of either doing so at a state university or accepting a grant to work on the student newspaper at a local liberal arts college, which did not offer that degree. At the time (late 1960s), there was some merit being given to majoring in something (in my case, sociology) that would give those interested in a newspaper career a wider perspective, so long as they could get “practical experience” in the field.
I chose the grant and the assurance I would work on the school paper (later to be its editor).
2. How did you first get started in your industry? What are you most passionate about in your line of work?
My entrance into the P.R. industry followed a nearly 20-year career as a newspaper editor. When I moved to a new state I got a free sample of a recently-launched local daily. I read one of the articles, told my husband, “I can write better than this,” and went to the newspaper office and applied for a job. The managing editor took a chance on me and I started in the night newsroom, taking stories over the phone from reporters in the field. Soon I began editing copy, designing pages and eventually ran the night, then day, newsroom. Our job was to tell people’s stories, to make sure everyone was heard, to give a voice to those who had none. I continue to do that.
