School of Media and Communication Hosting Strategic Communication Week

Tue, 10/17/2023 - 12:36pm

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) School of Media and Communication is hosting its second Strategic Communication (Strat Comm Week Oct. 17-18, which features two guest alumna professionals and a range of events such as a video contest, alumni and professional panel sessions, and portfolio review sessions. A Student Media Center open house was also held Oct. 16 as part of the week’s schedule of events.

The culmination of Strategic Communication Week will be the PRSSA/PRAM Mixer Oct. 18 from 4-6 p.m. in College Hall, where students from all majors are welcome to participate, network, and gain insights from alumni and professionals while enjoying refreshments.

Alumna panelist profiles included the following:

Kate Yee, Executive Director of Women’s Advancement and Equity Communications at the Estee Lauder Companies

Yee is a graduate from the public relations program of the USM School of Media and Communication. She is a social impact communications professional with more than a dozen years of experience in communications strategy, public relations, partnerships, and campaigns. As the Executive Director of Women’s Advancement and Equity Communications at the Estée Lauder Companies­­, the global leader in prestige beauty, Yee leads the company’s communications approach to gender and racial equity, working closely with the Inclusion, Equity and Diversity, and Global Equity and Engagement teams, the Gender and Equity Steering Committees, brands and regions to identify and highlight areas of opportunity and differentiation for ELC.

In the last year, Yee has led the development and deployment of ELC’s global women’s advancement and equity narratives, the launch of the ELC’s global Advancing Possibilities for Women campaign, a brand refresh and awareness campaign for ELC’s signature learning and development program for gender equity, Open Doors, and she led ELC’s inaugural activation in partnership with the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival.

On any given day, Yee is bringing together teams to collaborate on equity storytelling, bringing to light the incredible work that ELC’s brands, regions and functions are doing around the world to make the beauty industry more inclusive. She is regularly advising executive leaders on leading language, cultivating relationships with top-tier media, overseeing creative campaign development and planning events underpinned by substantive dialogues on equity in beauty.

Prior to joining The Estée Lauder Companies, Yee served as Vice President of Communications and Business Development at the UK-based agency,

Flag Communication, where she held roles of increasing responsibility since 2016. And prior to Flag, she served as an Account Supervisor in the CSR and Social Impact Practice at Finn Partners, where she provided strategic, 360° sustainability communications support to Avon’s breast cancer awareness campaigns, the Verizon Foundation, and NGOs committed to social justice for women and teens.

Recognized consistently for her talents and impact, Yee received the Silver Bulldog CSR Award (2015), PRSA Silver Anvil Awards of Excellence (2015 & 2016) and the PR News People to-Watch Rising Star Award (2013).

Jasmine Tate, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager at Tiger Woods Education Nonprofit, TGR Foundation

Tate is a Louisiana native with a passion for impacting lives and communities through faith, service, leadership, and education. She is no stranger to hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

As an undergraduate at Southeastern Louisiana University, she founded its chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, fulfilled several editorial positions in the office of student publications, and also earned consecutive Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities honors, the Vice President's Award for Student Excellence, and was the Dr. LaVanner S. Brown Role Model of the Year. 

While pursuing her master’s degree in public relations at Southern Miss, Tate continued her involvement in PRSSA and joined the student-run agency. She also led USM to its first PRSSA National Star Chapter Award and co-founded the National Millennial and Gen-Z Community.

At the end of her graduate career, PRSSA awarded Tate with the National President's Citation and National Gold Key Award, the highest honor bestowed upon members.

After earning her master’s degree, she moved to Southern California to begin her professional career.

Learn more about USM School of Media and Communication and Strat Comm Week.