A CCO’s advice for aspiring comms leaders

Judy Rader oversees all aspects of corporate communications for Constellation, the nation’s largest producer of clean, carbon-free energy. As senior vice president of corporate affairs and chief communications officer, Rader is responsible for managing a team of 50 communicators across the country. Using her more than two decades working in agency and corporate positions, Raderoffers great insights for forging a career pathway.

What’s your Velcro? 

It’s important to find the work that “sticks.” “What’s the work that sticks to you no matter where you go, no matter what you do, because you’re good at it?” Rader asked.

For Rader, the answer is media relations. “I’ve always enjoyed the challenge and the strategy involved in creating or killing a story; it’s a high-risk, high-reward endeavor.” While a talent for media relations served her well across her career, she acknowledges growing as a leader sometimes means “delegating the work you love to someone else to help them grow and develop new skills.” 

Finding opportunities under one roof