Carol Cassil
Director of Communications, AFMC
Hometown: Little Rock
Briefly describe your role:
I manage a team of professionals responsible for corporate marketing and internal/external communications. We develop public health and quality improvement educational and outreach campaigns. Our team is responsible for branding, graphic design, digital communications, printing, websites, video production, photography, advertising, sponsorships and media relations.
Q: Is what you’re doing now what you always pictured you would do?
A: I had an early love for architectural and visual design. I never knew anyone who did marketing and communications. I stumbled into this field and quickly learned I wanted to do this the rest of my life.
Q: What do you see as the greatest challenges for women in your chosen industry? What are the greatest opportunities?
A: The greatest challenge for women (and many men, too) in the workplace is finding the balance between one’s career and one’s family. Working in the marketing/communications industry can demand long hours. The key is finding the right employer who values work/life balance for their employees - or owning your own business.
The opportunities now for women are unlimited – unlike when I first started in the business. Marketing/communications was predominantly a man’s world. (Yes, I watched every episode of MadMen.)
Q: Who has inspired you in your life/career?
A: I had wonderful mentors early in my career - especially Helene Rush and Al Pollard. They both taught me a lot and were patient with me when I was new to the business. Over the years I have been privileged to forge many close friendships with my Arkansas PRSA buddies. But the person who inspired me the most was my dad, Harry A. (Gus) Mooney. He was an amazingly bright man and loving father who always told me I could do anything I wanted to do or be anybody I wanted to be.
Q: What advice would you give to an aspiring professional?
A: Be a lifelong learner ‒don’t ever stop. Go after what you want and claim it. Be humble and be kind. But most of all, be ethical.
Q: What’s been your secret to success?
A: I learned fairly early how to think and plan strategically rather than tactically. And I have had the courage to trust and empower my team, while encouraging them to reach and to have fun doing it.
