In this week’s episode of All Things Marketing and Education, Elana sits down with Ilana Kurizki, the Vice President of Communications at BrainPOP, a 25-year-old EdTech brand that reaches millions of learners worldwide.
Ilana has spent almost 14 years at BrainPOP within different communications roles, and we talk about so many valuable things within communications and marketing, such as how you make the case for comms, what role should it play internally and externally, and best practices like how to integrate it within the entire company (and not let it be a siloed effort).
Toward the end of the conversation, Ilana shares some really great nuggets of wisdom for anyone starting in comms or thinking about it as a profession. To top it off, we get into an inspiring conversation about how to integrate educator voice into your day-to-day.
This conversation is such a breath of fresh air that made us smile. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.
Questions Covered:
What is the relationship between communications and other leaders and departments within the organization, including the executive team and marketing?
Why is a robust internal and external communications function critical to the success of any organization?
How do you evolve a brand over time while preserving its core identity? What are the benefits of conducting listening tours with customers and colleagues?
What advice would you give to aspiring communications leaders on finding their power, purpose, and voice?
What are some of the things that fill your cup?
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
LinkedIn 2024 Most In-Demand Skills: Learn the Skills Companies Need Most - Ilana notes that communication is listed as #1.
The BrainPOP story (a movie): BrainPOP’s founder story
Related communications episodes:
Leveraging Media for EdTech Success: A Conversation with Thomas Rodgers
Co-Designing the Future of Education: A Conversation with Katie Boody Adorno
Get in touch with Ilana: LinkedIn
Elana Leoni, Host
Elana Leoni has dedicated the majority of her career to improving K-12 education. Prior to founding LCG, she spent eight years leading the marketing and community strategy for the George Lucas Educational Foundation where she grew Edutopia’s social media presence exponentially to reach over 20 million education change-makers every month.
Ilana Kurizki, Guest
Ilana Kurizki is a communications leader, strategic brand builder, and executive advisor. She serves as VP, communications and social impact at BrainPOP, the iconic edtech pioneer whose learning solutions are beloved by millions of kids and trusted by educators and parents worldwide. A lifelong storyteller, Ilana thrives on identifying and exposing the dimensionality of brands and the people behind them, and bringing their stories and voices to the world.
About All Things Marketing and Education
What if marketing was judged solely by the level of value it brings to its audience? Welcome to All Things Marketing and Education, a podcast that lives at the intersection of marketing and you guessed it, education. Each week, Elana Leoni, CEO of Leoni Consulting Group, highlights innovative social media marketing, community-building, and content marketing strategies that can significantly increase reach, relationships, and revenue.
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