Ryan Wall is an Account Executive at Brian Communications. He has been a PPRA member for one and a half years.

Twitter: @ryan_wonderwall

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmwall/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RyanTheGreatWall

A friend once remarked that “Ryan thinks in action items”… which sounds about right. A creative thinker with a knack for social strategy, Ryan loves to come up with big ideas to tackle complex communications challenges. He enjoys taking a thoughtful approach to craft campaign narratives (he’s at his best in a brainstorm) and seeing projects come to fruition. Ryan is a proud alumnus of La Salle University (#NeverLost), passionate writer and noted lover of a witty pun. He’s been at Brian Communications since he graduated (and even before then, when he interned there his senior year). Call him, tweet him, if you wanna reach him.

PPRA: Who are your clients and what projects are you working on right now?

RW: I’ve worked with Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), Milton Hershey School, La Salle University and the Horatio Alger Association, to name a few. I also work on the social media strategy for Brian, as well as the job shadow and internship programs. Right now, I’m very excited to be working on the re-imagining of the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (I could go on and on about how my team helped #MoveTheSphinx)

PPRA: What is the favorite part of your job?

RW: I love the people I work with– I think that sometimes in PR, we forget that “relations” is literally a part of our job description. I am lucky to work alongside a team that has given me some of the greatest (and most caring) friends, cheerleaders and mentors I could have. The pace of agency life keeps me on my toes and pushes me to challenge myself daily. I feel like I am always learning and growing personally and professionally each day in the office.

PPRA: What was your latest and greatest accomplishment at your job?

RW: Earlier this year, I was able to support my alma mater on several high-level announcements. I worked alongside top executives from the agency to provide strategic counsel to leaders from La Salle, while working on extensive media relations and brand positioning projects. There were quite a few times when our CEO, Brian Tierney, specifically sought out my opinion as an (outspoken) Explorer to inform our strategy—as a younger professional, that made me feel incredibly valued and gave me a unique opportunity to take an informal leadership role early on in my career. Seeing press releases and media pieces that I wrote posted on the La Salle website was honestly something I could have never imagined back when I was a student. It was also incredibly cool to see a project I shepherded get syndicated nationally and receive over 2.5 million impressions. Being able to positively impact a community I hold so near and dear to my heart was an amazing and particularly special way to start my career. 

PPRA: What one piece of advice would you give to your fellow PR pros?

RW: Something I remind myself—and my friends—over and over is that you can never compare yourself to others. Despite working with (read: obsessing over) social media daily, it’s so easy to forget that real life is not just curated, picture-perfect Instagrammable moments. It’s no use getting caught up comparing yourself to peers, colleagues and role models because everyone goes at their own pace and has their own story. As soon as you start focusing on yourself and your goals, you’ll start to notice personal growth and find joy in your daily life. 

PPRA: What book or movie could you read or watch again and again?

RW: I’ve read “The Opposite of Loneliness” by Marina Keegan every single year since I turned 18. It’s a collection of essays that is named after a beautifully written commencement piece focusing on the excitement (and anxiety) of the unknown. I think it’s informed my writing style quite a bit, and I always find myself reflecting on it differently. 

PPRA: What’s your favorite spot in Philly?

RW: I could people watch for hours in Rittenhouse Square. Catch me there every Saturday all summer with a book from the Parkway Library (a truly underrated gem) and a taco bowl from some hole-in-the-wall place. 

PPRA: If you weren’t in PR, what profession do you see yourself in and why?

RW: When I was younger, I wanted to be the Editor in Chief of Reader’s Digest. I don’t particularly know why, but I know I just have always loved to write. I could also see myself as a linguist or cultural anthropologist. I’ve also been told I’d be a good high school English teacher. So I suppose being in PR kind of takes elements from all these careers and combines them. 

PPRA: Favorite Philly Food?

RW: I will *never* pass up a cheesesteak…and before you ask, I’m partial to Dalessandro’s (Please don’t @ me).