Communications & Research Specialist Email Profile   Print Version Ryann Petit-Frere Communications and Research Specialist Wisconsin Technology Council Madison, Wisconsin   Do you like to be the first to see and use the latest technology, but don't see yourself working in a lab? Do you like writing, speaking and communicating with a wide variety of people from different backgrounds and places? If so, you might be interested in Ryann Petit-Frere's job as the Communications and Research Specialist with the Wisconsin Technology Council. Ryann's job combines her love of science with her talents as a communicator to help develop science and technology-based businesses in Wisconsin, strengthening the state's economy.   by Lisa Goodman   How did you get interested in this field?   Even though I wasn’t the best student in class, I became interested in science in 6th grade and from that point it stuck with me. In college, I became a researcher but later realized I had stronger talents away from a research lab. Just because I was pursuing these other talents, didn't mean I couldn’t remain connected to science. This realization led me to find ways to combine what I like with what I was good at!   My field is a marriage of science, technology and strategic communication. While I’m interested in each of these fields, my initial interest was in the world of science. I’ve always been fascinated by the complexity of the world’s intricacy. And, how bazillions of little components make up the seemingly normal and everyday elements we all interact with. Lucky for me, UW-Madison offered a degree option that allowed me to unite my passion and profession! That is what enabled me to pursue a career in this field. What are the specific tasks that your job entails?   The cool thing about my job is that there are a lot of specific tasks related to what I do. I work for the Wisconsin Technology Council, which is a small non-profit organization that produces incredibly big results. To be successful we all have to have many skills and abilities. Here are just some of the things I do: v    Talk to groups. I travel in and outside of the state to speaking engagements and conferences to educate people on different topics related to Wisconsin and technology, such as the economy, state-wide research, companies and the latest innovations.   v    Organize meetings. I do event programming for meetings that can be as small as 20 people and conferences that can be as big as 400 people.   v    Communicate! I find many different ways to communicate about what the Wisconsin Technology Council does, such as posting information on our website; creating newsletters, press releases and other publications; and meeting with professionals throughout the state. In short, my daily activities include reading material, writing copy, designing marketing pieces and deploying communications strategies.   v    Stay up on the latest technology. Through my job I have opportunities to learn about and see the latest advancements in technology and share that information with others.   v    Promote Wisconsin! I get to convince people of the many reasons Wisconsin is a great state and share with them what they can do to make it even better!   Science, business and government are at the heart of Ryann's work: At the Tech Council, we work under an umbrella that brings together science, technology and bringing money into the state to make our economy stronger. And when you think about that, it includes everything from politics to businesses to research institutions to public policy. That in turn requires working with the Governor, the Legislature, the community in general, small business owners, investors in and outside of the state, and researchers. There are a lot of points of connection and at the Tech Council we work to bring them all together. I convey what the Tech Council does. My biggest role is communication. I communicate science, information about business, and I communicate with the governor and the legislature. I work with a range of people, with a different message for each: v    For businesses inside the state, it's "Let us help you grow your business. These are some best practices."   v    For investors, it's "Invest in Wisconsin businesses, this is how Wisconsin helps you do so."   v    For legislators and the governor, our message is, “Move Wisconsin's economy forward with these science and technology policy recommendations."   v    For research institutions, it's "Let us promote you and your world-class research on a global scale."   What is your educational background? I earned my high school diploma from Indian Trail Academy in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2001. I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Bachelor of Science degree in Life Sciences Communications from UW-Madison in 2006. In the future, I’ll return to school for my Masters in Business Accounting.   I honestly have always liked science, but I was never good at it. I got straight C's in science for all of junior high. I got B's and A's in high school, but I was by no means at the top of the class. I did well, but I wasn't the best. Even though I wasn't good at science, when I got into college I found out what I was good at. And I found a way to bring the two together so that I'm successful, but still doing something I love. I think there are opportunities for all students --no matter what they want to do-- to bring together what they're good at and what they love. And for them to not be discouraged if they're not the best in what they want to do. Because there's more than one way to do it. For that girl who wants to be a fashion model, but maybe she's just not cut out for it, there are so many ways to work in the fashion industry. Are you creative? Are you a writer? Are you a strategic planner? There are so many opportunities to do what you love in multiple ways. That’s what I want students to do, to find what they love and bring the two together. What other kinds of steps did you take to prepare for your job?   I did a lot in college, volunteering for organizations and taking leadership opportunities in student groups. While I could have never determined what I wanted to do without being active and having multiple and diverse experiences, the two most important things I did, that eventually led me to my job now were to listen to my mentors and take internship opportunities. I embraced internship opportunities and I took them seriously. Make it your goal to blow the pants off of any job or task you get. Internships gave me the experience employers value so much and the opportunity to show my worth. Befriend someone who is where you’d like to be in your career someday. It doesn’t necessarily need to be in the same field or industry either. Ask them how they got to where they are. Run your ideas for steps to success by them. In my life, I will always have mentors. I like to call them my personal board of directors! I am incredibly lucky to have stumbled upon a network of people who want to see me succeed. Being very independent, it's difficult for me to take help from people. And I want to do everything on my own. But there are people out there that have access to things that will help you succeed. What they have is information. It's more valuable than money. The help I've been receiving navigating this industry. It's not an easy journey, especially for women of color -- and a young woman at that. Ageism, sexism, racism. Not even blatant, but just societal challenges to face. How do you use technology to do your job?   Technology is integrated into everything I do. From learning and seeing the latest technology Wisconsin has to offer to using technology like computers, video and the internet to communicate. We have our own studio and we put video content online. We use graphic design to help create visually stimulating promotional pieces. We go into labs and businesses and see robots and scientists and biotechnology in the works and then we promote the most innovative technology we see. The most appealing is seeing the next latest and greatest thing on the research workbench before anyone else does. We have the opportunity to see world-changing technologies before the rest of the world does. And I get to share the story. Like stem cells. Like pharmaceutical drugs. It's a lot of fun. Do you think that women are or can be treated differently from men in your field?   Besides fields that are dominated by women, I think it is difficult to find any industry where women are not treated differently. My field is no exception. But that shouldn’t be discouraging. Instead, I consider it a challenge. A challenge to work harder, be mentally stronger, to be better prepared and produce better results. When you’re at the top of your game gender matters less. Does being a woman give you any special advantages in your chosen career? The biggest advantage of being a woman and working in a field dominated by men is that the opportunity to prove yourself is worth more. Being a woman really helps you stand out from the crowd. And being great at what you do makes you unforgettable. When you think about your workplace, what departments/fields do most of the women work in?   When it comes to my field there are women at all levels of success. Many women direct communications, outreach and marketing. Some women are in charge of running the operations of businesses. Salary: How much does a woman typically earn in this line of work?   It varies by the position. You can earn around $25,000 out of college with a four-year degree and work your way up to managing director or an executive position which can hit a six-figure salary.   Do you think a woman’s appearance affects if she is hired to do a job or how people around her relate to her at work?   Everyone’s appearance affects how they’re perceived and if they’re hired for a job. I consider it one of the most important aspects of my professional career. How you present yourself on the outside (how well groomed you are, how you dress and how you carry yourself) is an indication of who you are on the inside.   Did your family support your decision to pursue this career?   My mother always encouraged me to do my best no matter what I was doing. My mom was tough. She was a tough cookie because she grew up in a tough neighborhood and she had to work very hard to get out of that neighborhood, and provide the best for my brother and I. I grew up constantly hearing the phrase, “We don’t cry over spilt milk.” You just clean it up and keep moving.   Whenever anything goes wrong I don't get upset about things, I just think about how to fix the situation. There’s a solution to every problem. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. That's what I live by. My mom was just the best. I'm at a time in my life right now where I'm a self motivator. You take the good things that you’ve heard, you take the good things that you’ve learned and you let all the bad stuff fall to the wayside and you run with the good stuff. And you use it as your fuel. That's what I do. For more information visit: http://www.cals.wisc.edu/ http://lsc.wisc.edu/ http://www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com/   Ryann was nominated for this profile by Erika Braunginn, Pre-college Program Specialist, Pre-college Initiatives, Office of Education Outreach, School of Education, UW-Madison.   About the interviewer and writer:  A person with many interests and multiple careers, Lisa Goodman was trained in conservation biology, natural resources and journalism. Her path has taken her from field to lab, to canoe, to office, and most recently to construction sites. Along the way she has written about paddlesports, natural resources, community heroes, and remarkable women. She is honored to be helping share the stories of the women profiled here. To contact her, email:  lfgoodman09(atsign)gmail.com.   Watch for more career profiles of cool Wisconsin women on this web site!   Questions for this Career Profile were developed by Milwaukee-area Girl Scouts.  Are there specific questions you would like see included in Career Profiles?  Email us your questions at WIGirlsCareers@wisconsin.gov         View all current Career Profiles