Behind the bright smiles, sharp wit, and compelling reporting of familiar names like Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, Lara Spencer and Michael Strahan is Le Moyne alumna Caragh Fisher ‘09, ABC’s Publicity Director for its popular news programs Good Morning America and This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Pitching exclusive interviews with the most popular newsmakers and meeting with the press are all a part of Caragh’s day. Using the skills she learned as a student, Caragh ensures that one of the nation’s most popular news programs is up and ready each morning.
Why did you choose Le Moyne College? What did you love about Le Moyne?
I loved the sense of community I felt at Le Moyne. Where at a large university you may feel anonymous, at LMC I always saw familiar faces walking around campus and had strong relationships with my professors. I felt supported and surrounded by friends and faculty with a similar set of values.
What were you involved in on campus that meant the most to you?
I worked at Phonathon and in the Development Office all four years at Le Moyne. This experience prepared me for my career after graduation in both obvious and subtle ways. Working in the Development Office, I learned the ins and outs of an office environment, how to manage deadlines, multiple projects, etc. At Phonathon, I pitched Le Moyne to alumni each night with the goal of securing their donations to the school. What I didn’t realize is how those phone calls and conversations prepared me to pitch stories, segments and talent in the PR field. Both were invaluable experiences.
What does a "typical" day look like for you in your current job?
As you can imagine there is no typical day working in a breaking news environment. I start my day bright and early at the Good Morning America studio. Each morning brings something new whether I’m pitching an exclusive interview with Trump advisor KellyAnne Conway, hosting an entertainment crew who is shooting behind the scenes with our anchors, facilitating interviews for Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos with a reporter on set – it’s always a fun morning. The rest of my day is spent at ABC News offices strategizing rollouts for upcoming interviews, meeting with press to discuss possible partnerships, profiles of our anchors and executives, etc. While many are saying TGIF by the end of the week I’m gearing up for a new show on Sunday for This Week with George Stephanopoulos. [For example], George sat down for a final interview with President Obama before he [left] office. From the moment the interview wrapped I was selecting the buzziest, most newsworthy clips and sending them to press for coverage of the interview and to drive viewership to the show on Sunday. It’s a never ending job but it comes with great reward and I feel very lucky to work with smart, driven people each day.
Do you have any advice for current students?
My advice for current students, especially those pursuing a career in communications, is to get as much experience as possible outside the classroom – internships, fellowships, part-time jobs, etc. I completed several internships as an undergrad and each of them helped me land my first job out of college and figure out what I wanted to do. Also, don’t get discouraged. I graduated in 2009 when very few companies were hiring. I went on 24 interviews before I landed a job. Despite hearing “no” two dozen times, I improved my interview skills and learned more about the business and myself from each meeting.
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