Erin Harrison is a Sacred Heart University alumna who was recently appointed Senior Vice President at NextTech Communications, a subsidiary of The Bliss Group, a marketing communications agency. She graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and is a former Editor in Chief (EIC) of Spectrum.
“I joined the Spectrum during my junior year as a staff writer, then was appointed Editor-in-Chief for my senior year (1996-1997) and loved every minute,” said Harrison.
The Spectrum supervisor during Harrison’s time as EIC was Dr. Ralph Corrigan Jr., Ph.D, Professor Emeritus.
“He is a SHU legend who was a wonderful mentor to me along with so many others,” said Harrison.
While Harrison was a member of Spectrum, the organization was awarded a First Place with Special Merit award from the National Scholastic Press Association. As a result, several of the editorial staff were invited to attend a pre-screening of Romeo and Juliet, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, in a private theater in New York City.
“After the movie was over, Claire Danes came out and sat on stage so the audience could ask questions. Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to be able to interview and meet so many smart and courageous people – including Anita Hill, which was probably the highlight of my journalism career.”
Harrison interviewed Hill in 2016 for an article she wrote for The National Law Journal while working as an editor at American Lawyer Media (ALM).
“I also had the privilege of introducing Hill at an event run by ALM in Washington, D.C. called “Women, Influence and Power in Law,” a network for female lawyers that I helped launch in 2013 when I was EIC of Inside Counsel magazine,” said Harrison.
Based in New York City, Harrison has over two decades of media experience in many different areas including legal tech, legal services and B2B (business-to-business) technology. In this position, she will assist in growing the company’s clientele and legal portfolio by applying her various marketing strategies.
“Being part of Spectrum gave me the opportunity to ‘own’ something that mattered and express my opinions on the issues that were important to me and my peers,” said Harrison. “As a young person, that really shaped me because throughout my career I have always looked for those same opportunities. It also taught me about teamwork and the importance of working together for a mutual cause.”
NextTech works with a wide array of businesses from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
“My goals are to collaborate with people and companies that are innovating and driving the future of our world,” said Harrison. “I am lucky that I get to work with lawyers, entrepreneurs, technologists, marketers, CEOs and everyone in between. I am constantly learning and every day is so different from the next which is what inspires me and keeps me engaged.”
Formerly known as Savarese Communications, NextTech started as a small public relations firm led by CEO Janine Savarese. Now, a year after its acquisition by The Bliss Group, the woman-led company has tripled in size and expanded to multiple cities across America.
“I am proud to be part of a leadership team of smart, strong women where each of us brings different skills and experiences, yet we all complement each other,” said Harrison. “I love seeing another woman EIC of Spectrum and hope that it’s as great of an experience for her as it was for me.”