A semester abroad in Kenya helped Robyn M. Gengras begin to realize the possibilities of her budding career in journalism.
Then a junior at St. Lawrence University, she saw both the challenges facing the media in a third-world country and the potential of the many stories yet untold.
“I saw the political pressure and how those countries were struggling to get information out to people,” she said. “That really sparked my passion for the field.”
Gengras, a New York native, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing in 1994. Her first job took her to Aspen, Colo., where she wrote for Aspen Magazine. The magazine’s editor, a family friend who had been a reporter for The New York Times, shared wisdom about the field.
“We didn’t get paid very much, but we were covering fun stories and learned to work on deadline,” Gengras said.
A few years later, she headed back to New York to receive a master’s degree in print and broadcast journalism from Syracuse University. After graduation in 1997, Gengras took a job with CBS News, working on “60 Minutes II.” She worked her way up to the position of associate producer for Scott Pelley, a correspondent on the show.
“The work that sticks out were the two years of constant 9/11 stories,” Gengras said. “But we’d cover everything, including the Rhode Island nightclub fire.”
Gengras worked in a team with the producer and Pelley to pitch story ideas, research and interview, as well as edit segments. She stayed for seven years until the show was canceled in the wake of Dan Rather’s high-profile resignation from CBS.
Gengras considered working for the original “60 Minutes” show, but instead relocated with her husband and two children to Hartford.
She says the media relations firm Duby McDowell Communications, where she works as an associate, provides a perfect challenge for her.
“The field is constantly changing, and I’m glad I have my ‘60 Minutes’ experiences under my belt,” the 36-year-old said. “My job is about strategizing the best way for clients to get out their messages and to stay ahead in the marketplace.”
Gengras also provides media training to clients looking to get prepared for on-the-spot questions from journalists.
“It’s about staying ahead of the game and realizing that when it comes to the media, the traditional route doesn’t always work,” she said.
Emily Boisvert is a Hartford Business Journal staff writer.
