Ask a CMO: Stacy Brooks Whatley of the American Counseling Association

In the latest edition of our Ask a C(C)MO series, we had a great conversation with Stacy Brooks Whatley, the Chief Communications & Marketing Officer of the American Counseling Association, an organization dedicated to the advancement of mental health and well-being through advocacy, community, inclusion and research.

How did you get your start in marketing and communications?

I went to Temple University as a journalism, public relations, and advertising major. I concentrated on public relations and was able to secure a few internships through my involvement with the student chapter of PRSA, the Public Relations Society of America. As I was graduating and planning to move back home to the Washington D.C. area, I set a goal to get a job at one of the top 10 national PR firms. (About eight of them had offices in D.C.) And, fortunately, I was hired at Ogilvy Public Relations.

After about two years at the agency, I transitioned to communications roles at associations. I think I’m good at translating complex topics into more accessible language. I’ve found it’s not always easy to find professionals who can do this. There is definitely a need for this skill set in the association industry.

My association career started at the American Physiological Society; then, I went on to the American Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. I then boomeranged back to the American Physiological Society as part of the Marketing & Communications team, which was the first time I had up-close contact with the marketing function. I had always thought marketing and communications were very separate disciplines. But, when we were combined as a team, I realized it made a lot of sense to collaborate, which improved each other’s function. If you have communications and marketing leaders with the right mindset, it’s like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They go really well together.

How do you define the difference between marketing and communications?

Marketing uses exclamation points. Communications figures out the words so we know when to use the exclamation points. The Comms team does the research, teases out the nuance, and focuses on understanding how messages are landing based on how people are responding. The marketing team takes that message, massages it, and figures out when and how to say it back to the right audience at the right time. Marketing also draws in sales language. Comms is focused on informing; the call to action often plays second fiddle. But this is why your messaging is more effective when the Marketing and Comms team works together. You get the whole package between the two.

What is your association’s mission, and why is it important to you?

Our mission is advancing mental health and well-being through advocacy, community, inclusion, and research. We shine a light on how counselors, specifically, are expanding the reach of mental health care into communities.

As a comms professional who has worked with the media for many years, there are some topics where you have to work really hard to get somebody to care. Mental health is not one of those, which is an amazing reason to be at this organization at this time. I don’t think anyone can deny how important improving mental health is to our society. That’s why I am really jazzed about ACA’s mission. It is a mission that I think most people can get behind. It’s truly a moment for mental health.

What advice would you give someone early in their career who aspires to be the head of marketing, communications, or both?

Focus first on doing good work and delivering on what is expected of you. That is your foundation. To move into leadership roles in marketing and communications, there is an expectation that you can connect the dots. That’s because MarComm teams have access to what everyone is doing across the organization. That can be a big asset. You want to be able to say, “Team A is working on something that Team B can benefit from, and we can build something because they’re overlapping.” That is a key career-building block.

If you build a reputation for being great at your core function and then add the ability to connect the dots beyond your role, you’re on your way.

If everyone on your team had one skill set, what would that be?

Cool headedness. MarComm professionals have many inputs coming at us; we are reacting all the time. It’s easy for the constant barrage to burn us out or make us miserable. If you can keep your head, keep your priorities straight, and go in order, you’ll stay out of the fray. You can think about what is being asked and do the best thing. You have to be able to see the forest for the trees and not get caught up in the madness.

What is your go-to interview question when you’re hiring for your team?

I tend to tailor each question to the individual, but the one that always ends up in the interview is: “Who is your favorite person or organization doing the type of work that you’re interviewing for?”

I was just hiring an editor-in-chief, and I asked the candidates what their favorite magazine is and why. I wanted to understand why they liked the format and who they thought was doing it best. This also gave me a concrete idea of what inspires them in their area and informs their work.

What show are you currently streaming or podcasting?

My favorite podcast is Fast Company’s The New Way We Work. I’ve listened to it since the beginning of the pandemic. They discuss how to get the best out of your team, what employees really think about management decisions, and how to deal with common issues like leading remote teams or finding balance in multigenerational workplaces. They discuss topics relevant to my work as a leader.

What would be your dream job if you weren’t doing what you’re doing?

I would be a cookbook author and a lifestyle influencer. My work would definitely involve the living arts and doing the things that bring beauty into your life. It would be related to feeling good in your body and eating delicious things.

Our thanks to Stacy for sharing her leadership insights with us. And for making us crave a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch.