Five Questions with Jennifer Pawlosky

JENNIFER PAWLOSKY

Executive Director, Communications, Allen Institute

"Purpose is the inspiration and the driving force behind your brand."

Jennifer Pawlosky is executive director, communications for the Allen Institute, where she leads messaging, media relations, marketing, events and integrated communications efforts. With 30 years of experience in communications, public relations and marketing, Jennifer has focused on science communications for the past 14 years. She has also led teams at Fred Hutch and the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C. As a double major in English Literature and Economics from the University of Virginia, Jennifer is passionate about the power of messaging and storytelling.

How do you define brand purpose?

It is the inspiration and the driving force behind your brand.

How can purpose shape a company's future?

A strong purpose shapes everything an organization does, from how it develops teams to what impact it makes on the community and the world.

What is one cause your colleagues rally around?

As a mission-driven organization, we are motivated by our aim to understand the complexities of bioscience – what makes humans healthy and what goes wrong in disease.

Who is one purpose leader you admire?

My former boss and mentor, the late Mary Finch Hoyt. She was a leader of integrity, vision and drive. Mary, who served as press secretary to First Lady Rosalyn Carter, spearheaded new initiatives at the National Trust for Historic Preservation that are still in place today. She was a perfectionist – we produced the most well-written press releases imaginable – and a wonderful storyteller.

What was your first job? Any key learnings you still lean on today?

At 15, I was a cashier at Roy Rogers Restaurants in Wayne, Pennsylvania. That job taught me the value of teamwork, good customer service and accuracy.

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