When you meet Jen Deitsch, you immediately appreciate how her early days reporting news for television has shaped her unique approach to corporate communications. With experience spanning B2B tech communications, PR agencies, broadcast journalism and executive training, Jen brings a distinct perspective to storytelling that connects with audiences in authentic, impactful ways.
Colleen: Tell me about your background in broadcast journalism and how that shaped your approach to communications.
Jen: My first love was journalism. While most of my college friends were interning on Capitol Hill, I was drawn to CNN in Washington, DC. It was exciting to be at the heartbeat of the news business. I operated cameras, delivered scripts, tagged along with field reporters, and discovered my passion for storytelling. That internship led to reporting roles in smaller markets before I landed as a general assignment reporter and writer at KTVU in Oakland.
Colleen: What skills from broadcast journalism proved most valuable when you transitioned to PR?
Jen: Writing came naturally to me, while on-air reporting was a learned skill that pushed me out of my comfort zone. What’s interesting is that I still leverage those foundational journalism skills today. Having spent years in broadcast journalism, finding compelling stories on a daily basis gave me a strong sense of what makes something newsworthy. I can speak with authority when advising executives on what will resonate with reporters. Companies appreciated that authentic perspective – they recognized I brought something different to the table.
“Having spent years in broadcast journalism finding compelling stories on a daily basis gave me a strong sense of what makes something newsworthy. I can speak with authority when advising executives on what will resonate with reporters.”
Colleen: What prompted your transition from journalism to PR?
Jen: I received an opportunity to join, and later to lead, the Silicon Valley consumer technology practice for Brodeur Partners, with Phillips Electronics as their major client. It was an international B2C company with substantial resources and tremendous creative potential, which made the jump appealing. Many journalists make that transition because of the writing skills and storytelling abilities that transfer well to PR.
Colleen: You’ve described your specialty as “startup communications.” How is that different from communications in established companies?
Jen: With startup communications, you have a tremendous opportunity to shape a company from the ground up. You’re often working with technical founders who need help crafting their brand identity, messaging, positioning, and narrative. There’s a founder mentality where you’re creating something new – building out how you’ll present the company and its products to the market. The environment reminds me of the news world: fast-paced, varied, and requiring you to wear multiple hats. That’s what drew me to these hyper-growth companies.
Colleen: You pioneered Women in Autonomy while at AEye. Tell me how this initiative came about and the impact it created.
Jen: At AEye, I joined at Series A and stayed through their IPO. During this period, a senior engineer – the highest-level technical woman at the company – approached our CMO saying, “I feel like I’m the only technical woman in the room all the time, and I’d like to do something about that.” Our marketing team collaborated with her to build Women in Autonomy, which quickly became an industry-wide organization. We developed female-led events, a mentorship program and a speaker’s bureau that placed female voices at high-level industry conferences. The initiative stemmed from one conversation but flourished because we had executive sponsorship that empowered us to run with it.
Colleen: You’ve mentioned being passionate about “tech for impact.” How have you integrated that passion into your work?
Jen: The most effective companies build impact into their DNA. For example, Amazon leverages its infrastructure for disaster response, while Workday focuses on closing skills gaps through their foundation and offerings. At AEye, beyond launching Women in Autonomy, I joined and later led a foundation with four pillars: environmental cleanup, supporting military families, community crisis relief, and STEM education. I found tremendous satisfaction in rallying employees around causes aligned with our business. These initiatives made the overall communications work even more rewarding, and contributed in a big way to our company culture.
Colleen: You’ve mentioned your success with data-driven storytelling. What projects in this area have been most satisfying?
Jen: I love working with data – it’s an incredibly powerful storytelling tool and a great resource for thought leadership. I worked with a talented data scientist at Evolv (later acquired by Cornerstone) to mine the company’s machine learning and data science platform for surprising workforce insights. We’d develop reports with findings like “job hoppers make great workers” and pitch these unique angles to journalists. This approach provided real value – information they couldn’t get elsewhere.
Similarly, at SurveyMonkey, we utilized our platform to produce quarterly small business surveys in partnership with CNBC. The results gave unique insight into the economy, as well as Main Street’s outlook on jobs, taxes and other hot topics. These collaborations generated really interesting, newsworthy findings and strong publicity that benefited both organizations.
Colleen: How has the communications landscape evolved since you started your career, and what role do you see AI playing?
Jen: It’s evolved from one-way pitching to reporters into multi-dimensional influence. Today, there are podcasts, social media, webinars, owned and earned content – so many creative channels to reach your audience. The basics remain, but modern communication is much more about two-way conversations and engaging where your customers are.
Years ago, companies would say, “I want to get in the Wall Street Journal.” Now, some of the most influential publications aren’t mainstream – they might be a Substack newsletter or a niche platform. Today’s communications professionals have tremendous opportunities to target specific audiences through diverse channels.
Colleen: How do you see AI changing the communications field?
Jen: It’s making us significantly more efficient. AI is excellent for brainstorming, creating outlines, generating summaries, taking notes, creating visuals – you name it. It’s shortened the time to delivery for many tasks. This productivity boost will likely reshape how communications professionals work and how agencies bill for their services. What once took hours can now be accomplished in minutes, which means value-based billing will become more common than hourly rates.
Colleen: You recently launched a podcast called “Changemakers Among Us,” featuring entrepreneurs creating social impact. What inspired this project?
Jen: I’ve always been curious about entrepreneurial journeys, particularly those creating social impact. I’m fascinated by individuals who have experienced something that changed their perspective and felt compelled to take action despite significant obstacles. My podcast Changemakers Among Us features these stories – like a former chef who started a cookie business after having a child with autism, using her platform to raise awareness and money for the neurodivergent community, and to train and employ autistic workers. Another guest is a former touring musician who witnessed slave labor firsthand and created an enterprise software company that provides supply chain transparency to help eradicate modern slavery.
I want to inspire other potential entrepreneurs who might be scared to take the next step by sharing stories of people who pushed through their own fears and uncertainties. Simultaneously, I hope to drive awareness for these important causes.
Colleen: What are you focused on in your current role?
Jen: Right now I’m consulting with various B2B startups, helping them to refine their messaging, create differentiated branding, and develop digital media and communications strategies that set them apart. It’s fun, creative work. I’m also a program coach with Decker Communications, where I train company leaders on communicating to influence across various settings – from conference rooms to keynote stages, customer meetings to media interviews. We help leaders craft messages that resonate with specific audiences, showing them how to influence rather than just inform. It’s about connecting with your audience, creating a message that motivates them to change how they think or act, and identifying any blindspots that might get in the way.
Colleen: What kind of opportunity are you looking for in your next role?
Jen: I’m open to companies at any stage, but I’m seeking a growth and learning environment with a culture that values impact. I’m drawn to organizations that integrate social responsibility into their business model rather than treating it as an afterthought. Whether it’s a startup or an established company, I want to be somewhere that combines innovative technology with meaningful impact.
Colleen: What’s your key advice for communications professionals looking to advance their careers?
Jen: Play to your strengths. My broadcast journalism experience gave me skills that have been invaluable throughout my career. Being able to identify a compelling story, craft it effectively, and train company leaders to deliver a narrative with confidence are skills that set me apart.
Don’t be afraid to highlight what makes you different. For me, it was my ability to sniff out stories and understand what would resonate with an audience. For others, it might be data analysis, visual design, or facilitation skills. Embrace your distinct strengths and make them central to your personal brand.
Also, always think about the emotional journey you want to take your audience on. Whether you’re creating content for executives, customers, or internal teams, effective communication is about connecting on a human level through authentic storytelling.
###