AdPR Alum Spotlight: Amanda Pack

Amanda Pack graduated in 2009 with an Advertising degree from the University of Georgia. She currently resides in Los Angeles.

Current Title: National Media Planner for Kia, Initiative

What are you doing now and how did you get there?

After I graduated from UGA, I followed the employment opportunities to Atlanta where I acquired a job with Initiative on the Kia regional account. I had not intended to get involved with media planning, nor with an automotive client, but the stars aligned and I soon discovered that the structure of the work suited my strengths and the client was and is a rising star in the world of advertising. I was very fortunate to serve as both an assistant and media planner for Kia in the Atlanta office for two years. However, having lived in California briefly in college, I decided that getting my feet wet in a larger advertising market would benefit me both personally and professionally. After exhausting my list of contacts and interviewing with various companies, I was hired as the National Media Planner for Kia in Los Angeles at Initiative in July of this year. Both Initiative and Kia have become part of my extended family and I look forward to continuing to watch the business grow in 2012!

What is your favorite Grady memory?

My favorite Grady memory is undoubtably my work with HSBT. I had the privilege of serving as an Account Executive on the Canopy Studio team and it was there that I began to immerse myself in the art of client/agency interaction. I was extremely fortunate to work with both a team and client that were excited about the relationship and saw the innumerable benefits of advertising. Working with an unconventional client exposed me to the idea that advertising is not only a necessity for big budget corporations, but can equally transform a non-profit or charitable organization as well.

What advice do you have for current AdPR students?

I would like to stress that one should never underestimate the power of networking. I distinctly recall that cliché recited in nearly all of my Grady classes and extracurricular activities and sincerely doubting its importance. However, without networking and cultivating relationships in the business, I would not have achieved the professional successes of my career thus far. Secondly, make no excuses for yourself. If you are focused and determined to achieve what you set out to do, you will obtain your goals without question. Don't limit yourself... expand your mind.