Grady College Conversations

Kendell Williams (AB '17) has competed in two Olympic Games (2016 in Rio de Janeiro and 2020 in Tokyo). She graduated with her undergraduate degree in advertising and is currently pursuing her Master's degree while also training for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. In this episode, learn more about Williams' decorated track and field career, her plans after athletics, and why returning to Grady College for her Master's degree was a priority. Williams joins Dayne Young (ABJ '11) to share her story. 

Tudor Vlad is the director of the Cox International Center, an organization that helps offer resources and promote free journalism around the world. Vlad joins Dayne Young on the Hooper & Sanford podcast to discuss how journalists can overcome their international challenges. He recaps what the Cox Center is doing through the pandemic to continue to serve global storytelling. He also offers advice to journalists covering government and military stories such as those recently occurring in Afghanistan. 

Jonathan Peters, assistant professor in journalism, joins Dayne Young on Grady College Conversations. He teaches communication law to students across the college. In this episode, Peters discusses the rights of journalists when covering protests in public areas. Peters talks about his background and what first interested him in communication law. He explains how his classes transitioned to online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, Peters chats about the 2020 election and what trends are emerging from a legal standpoint. 

Heather Adams (ABJ '98) is the founder and CEO of Choice Media and Communications in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a member of the Grady Society Alumni Board and is a regular attendee of AdPR Connection and Grady's Career Day. Heather joins Dayne Young to discuss her path to public relations from Grady, growing a business in Nashville and opening up her own communications agency. Editor's note: the episode was recorded prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Any references to campus or gathering together were made before any social distancing guidelines. 

Don Sylvester (ABJ '75) recently won the Oscar for sound editing on "Ford v Ferrari." He joined Dayne Young and Jay Hamilton, Grady's entertainment and media studies department head, to discuss the intricacies of film sound editing, the awards season for "Ford v Ferrari" and his time as a student at Grady College. 

Greg Bluestein (ABJ '04), political reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, joined Joe Watson, Tieger professor of public affairs communications, to discuss how political campaigns are covered from the journalism and public relations perspectives. This conversation took place at Grady College in February and is a combined partnership of the Kennedy, Tieger and Carter professors. 

Kendall Trammell (ABJ '16) is a global digital programming producer at CNN. She joins Grady College Conversations to discuss her path from graduation to CNN. She provides insight to how CNN makes journalistic decisions for digital viewers. She also gives advice to current students about how to take advantage of the opportunities presented at Grady College.

Nick Glickman (ABJ '16) is a young alumnus of Grady now working for Zirkonzahn USA. He often returns to campus for AdPR Connection and the Grady College Journalism and Mass Communication Career Day to recruit students seeking their first job. He gives his advice to students while also sharing his success story.

Ernie Johnson Jr. (ABJ '78) joins Dayne Young to discuss his journey from Grady College to becoming one of the nation's most accomplished and respected sports broadcasters. He gives advice to aspiring broadcasters and talks a little UGA basketball as well. 

Dean Charles Davis joins Grady College Conversations for the first episode of our new podcast. He discusses what excites him about Grady College in 2020, his childhood in Athens, and where he sees the communications industry shifting in the future. 

Please subscribe to Grady College Conversations.You will hear from leaders, professors, alumni, and guests of Grady College about their stories, careers, and expertise on topics in advertising, journalism, public relations, and entertainment and media studies. We are telling the stories of the storytellers.