Hello, hi, hey.
I’m Alana, and for the last while I have been loving my immersion in all things Clearbox, as I settle into my role as Senior Account Executive.
I originally studied Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast, thinking I’d work in education. I did for a couple of years, but while I was enjoying my time as a Special Educational Needs assistant, I shifted gears and applied for a Master’s in Communication, PR and Political Lobbying at Ulster University.
I’d been involved in campaigns and lobbying as a volunteer for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, but I found that the PR module really caught my interest. I revelled in the creativity, thinking outside the box and the potential for variety. A company called Clearbox even came in to chat to us about its work and received a swift follow on Twitter – where I did most of my engagement and relationship building at the time.
I’ve worked in PR in some capacity ever since I was halfway through my studies – juggling my degree, my job as a classroom assistant and a new role in a start-up PR and public affairs agency. I took off to Sydney for a while and did some PR support at the top-ranked young university in Australia, before returning home and nudging back into the local PR scene. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some great people and clients, on brilliant campaigns, and I’m very excited to build on that with the team.
Outside of work, you’ll likely find me somewhere coastal or in a forest park with my adventure-loving husband and son or checking my friend WhatsApp group to see if anyone is going for a coffee at the weekend. After a few years where my social calendar was dominated by hen parties and weddings (which I loved every second of), I’ve recently enjoyed a schedule full of gigs and trips.
My four-year-old, Oisín, is a great wee travel buddy. We saw a good chunk of the world before he burst into it, and it turns out he likes a city break as much as we do. It’s amazing watching him discover new places and we encourage him to learn little bits of languages. I love slotting into a city and imagining what it would be like to live there – but I’m definitely a homebird at heart.
I always say that one of the reasons I love PR is because through our work we have opportunities to highlight ‘the good’. I appreciate that we can share positive news for our clients and advise them into great partnerships and community engagement. I’m passionate about what we do, and about doing it well. I try to live by the idea that any person can make a change, even a small one, and that we can all be the good or the change we want to see in the world. It’s how I fell into this career, through campaigning and lobbying, and it’s a value I hold close.
The values and culture were important to me when joining Clearbox, too. I can tell the team is not paying lip service – I’ve already seen them in action – and rather than just being something I can get on board with, it’s a good fit. Everyone has made me feel so welcome, and I’ve been able to get stuck straight in with some exciting things. I’ve long since admired Clearbox’s work, and I’m looking forward to doing big things together!
