Monique Beals (MSJ21)

Media Relations Manager at Ladder

Tell us about your career path. How did you get where you are today?
After graduating from Medill, I worked as a breaking news reporter at The Hill. I wrote hundreds of articles about topics including domestic and international affairs, gun violence, immigration, Supreme Court decisions and more. It was a fast-paced job where I learned not only how to break news and write with speed and clarity but also where to find sources, a skill I certainly use regularly in my current role. I then transitioned from reporting to telling more strategic narratives for technology companies. After working at a public relations agency, I moved in-house to my current role at Ladder, an Austin-based strength training app and fitness tech company. Ladder has an all-star team of coaches across the nation who program daily progressive workouts, and my job is to work with reporters from a variety publications to generate awareness of the platform to different audiences. Ladder has already demonstrated a really exciting growth trajectory, and I was drawn to it because of the passionate, smart people behind the scenes. I’m grateful to be part of the company and to learn from the rest of the team.

What are your main responsibilities in your current role?
I am responsible for leading Ladder’s media relations outreach, which means that I take the stories that we see from members, coaches or the business as a whole and share those with relevant reporters nationwide to promote awareness about the company. Our coaches have a great deal of expertise in their respective fields, the business has an exciting growth trajectory and members’ stories about how the app has touched their lives are inspiring. It’s exciting to share those stories with a wider audience and use the skills I honed as a reporter in a new way.

How has your Medill training helped you in your career?
My Medill experience is one that I will always value both personally and professionally. My peers from Medill are some of my closest friends, and the fundamentals that I learned while in school are skills that I use every day.

As part of the Medill Investigative Lab (MIL), I worked on an almost yearlong investigation that was published in The Washington Post. From in-person reporting and poring over hundreds of lawsuits to meticulously editing the article itself, my experience in MIL was really a masterclass in how to execute each and every step of impactful long-term investigation. Under the guidance of professor Debbie Cenziper, I honed my writing skills and learned so much about fair, diligent and accurate reporting. Those practical skills and the work ethic that we exercised as part of MIL have certainly served me well throughout my career thus far.

Also while at Medill, I received a Barbara Reiss fellowship that allowed me to work on two other Washington Post investigations that examined allegations of abuse of power, excessive use of force and racism by law enforcement officers. This was another hands-on learning experience under the guidance of two other Post reporters, both of whom were not only best-in-class reporters but also truly exceptional professional role models for me.

I am also still in close touch with my Methods professor, Stephan Garnett, who is an invaluable mentor to me. His class gave my peers and me a foundation of writing and reporting, and while I am not a full-time reporter anymore, I still use the skills he taught us everyday. I always look forward to seeing him in person when I am back in Chicago and am so grateful for his expertise and advice.

How has the Northwestern Medill network helped you advance in your career?
I work with reporters frequently, so I’m regularly in touch with Medill alumni. I often ask my former classmates for their thoughts on various projects and reach out to other Medill reporters who graduated before me and have since gone on to build established careers. I’m always so appreciative - but not at all surprised - by the willingness of Medill alumni to meet for coffee, or offer their advice to me on a call. I count myself as very fortunate to be part of such a generous alumni community.

How can your industry be more inclusive and representative of society?
From a public relations perspective, there is always room to amplify diverse voices and lesser told narratives. It is definitely something I keep in mind when I build pitches, and I also think workplace diversity is important. Colleagues from a wide array of backgrounds naturally bring more perspectives to the table and make the stories we aim to tell better and more inclusive.

In terms of fitness, I think Ladder has taken a lot of the right steps to make the industry inclusive. Both our coaches and members come from diverse professional and personal backgrounds, and the programs are challenging but still accessible at virtually any fitness level. It’s an empowering platform, and it’s particularly exciting for me to bring more attention to it so we can continue to make the community on the app larger and as representative of society as possible.

What advice do you have for someone considering Medill?
When I look back on my time at Medill, I’m extremely grateful for the education I received and to be part of such an expansive network and inclusive community. I would encourage anyone considering the MSJ program to get involved and take advantage of all the resources Medill offers them.

Medill is a place where you’ll inevitably leave with an exceptional education, but if you invest even more into your experience, you’ll reap so many rewards in return. Seeking opportunities to be as involved as possible - even if it meant taking on a bit more work - led to some of the most impactful educational experiences I had during the MSJ program.

Also, staying in close touch with both my classmates and professors has been enormously beneficial and has led to relationships for which I’m extremely grateful.