Member Spotlight: Kristofer Zhu

Kristofer Zhu (He/Him), Senior Manager, GOLIN
 
Kristofer thought his career journey would be up in amongst the clouds as a pilot, but the HBO series VEEP changed the trajectory of Kristofer’s career. After finishing college, he pursued a career in aviation differently, working in American Airlines Corporate Communications Department. From there, Kristofer’s career has taken him across the globe, where he spent time working in the APAC Region, continuing in communications. He recently returned to the United States in 2022 and is currently pursuing a graduate degree at USC’s Annenberg Scholl for Communication and Journalism. Kristofer is presently working at Golin as a Manager of Global Communication. In his free time, he enjoys lending his professional services to worthy causes such as Stop AAPI Hate and LGBTQ+ representation. He is looking forward to networking with our PRSA LA community.
 
 
1 Can you please share a bit about your professional journey that has led you to where you are today?
 
Although my dream as a kid was to become a pilot, I was so fascinated by PR during my college years, particularly political communications, after watching the first season of “Veep” (Julia Louis-Dreyfus remains a source of inspiration for me to this day!). So I decided to pursue a career in PR after finishing college. In 2017, I began working at American Airlines’ Corporate Communications Department in Dallas/Fort Worth, where I helped promote the world’s largest airline’s products, services, and routes in the Asia Pacific region. This job provided me with the opportunity to relocate to Asia, and ultimately led me to a position on the agency’s side. In 2018 I joined Golin’s Public Affairs team in Beijing, where I helped U.S. brands to expand in international markets while also managing investor relations, issues, and crises.
 
Following four years in Asia, I made the decision to return to the US in 2022, transferring to Golin’s LA office while simultaneously pursuing my graduate studies at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. I am now happy to reside in sunny Southern California.
 
2 Do you practice a particular area of Public Relations or Communications Practice?
 
As a member of Golin’s Global Corporate Communications Team, I work alongside a group of PR experts across the world to deliver data-driven strategies to brands in sectors such as FMCG, retail, food, aviation, and technology. Our clients include Beyond Meat, Flexport, Lego, Qatar Airways, Harley Davidson, Austrian Red Bull, Four Seasons Hotel, and Globe Telecom.
 
3 What drew you to join PRSA LA?
 
The PRSA is widely regarded as a prominent community within the PR industry, offering a diverse array of events and gatherings tailored to PR professionals.
 
4 Do you have any goals in joining PRSA LA? (Networking, volunteering, attending PRSA LA events, etc.)
 
I am interested in the networking and volunteering opportunities provided by PRSA LA. Additionally, the newsletters have been a valuable resource for me as they offer up-to-date analysis of the industry – this helps to refamiliarize myself with the local market after living overseas for so long.
 
5 Do you have any hobbies or belong to any additional civic or professional organizations that you’d like to share?
 
I am passionate about crypto marketing as I am an advocate for the potential of digital currency and the decentralized web to revolutionize our financial world. Outside of work, I also campaign for Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA 28th District) while volunteering for the non-profit – Stop AAPI Hate. I am a firm believer in offering pro bono PR services to people in need. I am currently working with an independent transgender filmmaker to help raise the representation of LGBTQ+ in Hollywood.