Black History Maker: Kiana Montgomery

A master relationship builder and food & beverage PR pro, Kiana Montgomery lands on our Black History Makers list as a new name with a big impact.

Q. In your own words, what does it mean to be a black history maker?

A.  We all are Black History Makers; it’s a person who is an example of what can be possible. No matter the time period, we are all making strides and opening doors for the next generation. My wins aren’t just mine; they belong to my family, they belong to my community, and they belong to the generations that follow me. 

Q. Do you have any affiliation with NBPRS? Are you a member? Have you ever held a leadership position?

A. I’ve just recently joined NBPRS. Yes, I currently work as director of external communications for a partner of mine.

Q. Tell me about the first time you worked on your dream project or client.

A. That’s a two-pronged answer. I’m a foodie at heart, so food and beverage communication clients are my sweet spot. My first dream project/brand is a fast-casual restaurant named Urban Plates based in California. It was my first big client at my previous agency, I was a part of every aspect of the communications and marketing strategy, and I loved every minute. Influencer marketing, media experiences, blogger events, print, digital and social media, my team led it all and I was able to get creative with the messaging and activations. 

My dream client has to be chef Max Hardy. He understands the power of communications support and trusts me to lead the strategy behind his goals. Any publicist will tell you the strength of a client who trusts your expertise. 

Q. Tell me about your career in communications. Where did you start? Where are you today?

A. My career started at an agency based in Tallahassee, it’s where I fell in love with PR. My time at this agency could be described as crazy, it was a sink or swim environment, I was taught how to learn and make strategic decisions under pressure. From there, I was recruited by Edelman, the number one communications agency in the world at that time. I was able to work on global accounts and learn how expansive public relations is. I left and joined a smaller agency that offered me the opportunity to work directly under a WOC; this was an invaluable aspect to where I am today. She pushed me to think outside the box and move with autonomy; she’s a part of my winning circle to this day. Today, I am the owner and head publicist of Ki Takeaways. I’m blessed to work with various clients in the food and beverage, non-profit, and health and wellness space. 

Q. How has NBPRS contributed to your career? Why is it important that POC join?

A. I’ve just recently joined the organization. I’m planning to utilize the community more this year. 

Q. What advice do you have for students and aspiring communications professionals?

A. Speak up. You want that internship, mentorship, or job; you have to learn to advocate for yourself. Nothing is out of reach for the person who wants it. “No” means not right now; it doesn’t  mean stop your efforts and plan. Also, learn to make your strengths and passions marketable. 

Advocate for yourself- I think that we are in a place historically where we’re, if there’s a job, that’s what we should apply for and if someone’s telling us about something that that’s what we should go after, but find the, you know, company, the industry, the mentor, the internship that suits you and go after that yourself, you know, just because the job isn’t posted, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist and people don’t know about you unless you put your, your ring in the hat or your hat in the ring. 

I think what’s most important is to network horizontally and up and down; the people next to you can help you get to where you want to go also. So it’s not always the person with the nice shiny job that can help you reach your goals and maybe, you know, your peers that can help you brainstorm and think outside the box to make sure you can reach the goals that you want to get perfect. 

Q. How do you plan to continue to make history and strides in the industry as a whole?

A. I plan to make history through my internships and mentorships. I’m very passionate about my work with students. I want to continue giving hands-on experiences and creating a space where students are not afraid to make mistakes and learn from them.

Learn more about Ki Takeways at www.kitakeaways.com and connect with Kiana on social media at @kiana_thepublicist on Instagram.