Kathleen Floyd ’10

Kathleen Floyd ’10 | Senior Publicist – The Washington Post

George Washington University

I'm so thankful to have had the ability to learn at Mayfield. The curriculum, the friendships, the sports, and the overall atmosphere allowed me to become the person I am today. I've used the skills that I learned and was able to grow at MJS in many aspects of my life, and Mr. Perry's class always stands out in how it prepared me for the future. I entered high school and college with better grammar skills than my peers allowing me to prosper in the fast-paced world of journalism and the news.

My career journey started at The George Washington University, where I was fortunate to experience eight different internships. I knew I was interested in communications, so the internships included the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the office of U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, and public relations for CNN, where I fell in love with promoting the news. At the end of my senior year, I applied to The Washington Post, and in April marked six years with the paper. I started as a communications coordinator, then was promoted to publicist, and am now a senior publicist working with the climate, tech, and business sections as well as the opinion department of the paper. 

My everyday work consists of talking with reporters and columnists to see what news they might be breaking that day, and then I am responsible for promoting those stories through radio and TV news outlets like KRCW and KPCC in Los Angeles, as well as nationally and internationally with CNN, NBC, and BBC. I also work behind the scenes when our reporters go on the air with those media outlets - setting them up in our studios to make sure the earpiece works, and everything looks good. Fostering relationships and making connections are the bulk of my job as I work to build the brand of the Post and of individual reporters – I meet for a lot of coffees with producers and other reporters to talk up what the Post is focusing on.

I have also become very involved with the Post's union over the last few years. I never imagined I would be in this role when I was learning about social justice and the importance of standing up for others at Mayfield. Yet here I am, co-chair for The Washington Post Guild and on the executive council of the Washington Baltimore News Guild, advocating for better workplace standards. Last December I oversaw the planning for a one-day strike, the biggest workplace action in the D.C. area in 50 years, which was very successful. 

My favorite part of the job is talking to reporters and having the opportunity to learn from them. Being surrounded by some of the most intelligent people with so much insight into any topic imaginable, I am always learning. I also love living in Washington, DC, where I have lived for almost ten years. There is so much history! The most challenging part of my job is the pace - the news is 24/7 and hard to turn off. It is incredibly dynamic, with major events happening so often and quickly. There is never a dull moment, and I can't imagine doing anything else!