Meet Katie Glasshoff: From reporter to PR leader

Katie Glasshoff, EVP at Burson

I had the pleasure of meeting Katie Glasshoff on our Flyers to Chicago trip this past fall, and her journey from journalist to executive vice president at Burson is as inspiring as it is impressive. Katie oversees earned media for Burson’s U.S. corporate and public affairs office, leading a team that specializes in media strategy, media training and helping clients communicate effectively in high-pressure situations.

Before stepping into PR, Katie spent 13 years as a reporter, including three years in Dayton from 2008 to 2011. Observing the industry’s rapid evolution, she realized she wanted to continue telling impactful stories but through a new lens. Transitioning to an agency allowed her to experience the full lifecycle of media relations, synthesizing information, managing crises, and facilitating journalists’ needs – all skills she honed as a reporter.

Katie’s first major PR success came in the fall of 2019, coordinating humanitarian relief coverage for families affected by the Turkish-Syrian invasion. Within six hours of identifying the story, she had connected a CNN reporter with the president of the nongovernmental organization she represented, experiencing the same adrenaline rush she had loved as a journalist. She emphasizes that to be a smart and skilled practitioner today, you must understand the full media ecosystem, because the biggest risk is staying silent, which leaves space for misinformation to fill the void.

What drives Katie is working with global business leaders whose decisions impact people’s daily lives and mentoring the next generation of communicators. She draws inspiration from local stories, like communities struggling with contaminated well water, and from journalists who have set the standard for excellence. Katie’s journey proves that the skills we develop in one chapter of our careers can prepare us to make a difference in the next.