Caitlyn Jenner and publicist Alan Nierob to give public relations talk on May 29

By Becky Hoag

Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner and her publicist Alan Nierob will be on campus Tuesday, May 29, to give a talk exclusively for UO students, faculty, and employees. The UO School of Journalism and Communication is hosting the talk, “On Her Own Terms,” about the public relations strategies Nierob used when Jenner decided to come out publicly as a transgender person.

Caitlyn Jenner and Alan Nierob
Caitlyn Jenner and Alan Nierob

Following the talk, School of Journalism and Communication Ph.D. student Bethany Grace Howe will facilitate a question-and-answer session with Jenner and Nierob.

The event, which will take place in Straub Hall 156 at 6-7:30 p.m., is open to UO students, faculty, and staff only. Space is limited, and UO community members are encouraged to RSVP as soon as possible. For those who are unable to attend, the talk will be publicly live-streamed at http://media.uoregon.edu/channel/livestream.

“When Jenner first came out as a transgender woman, the story was all over the tabloids,” said Juan-Carlos Molleda, Edwin L. Artzt Dean and professor in the School of Journalism and Communication. “But with Nierob’s help, she took control of the narrative and transformed it into a pivotal moment for the U.S. transgender movement. Our public relations students and faculty — and all UO community members interested in the story behind the story — will get to hear Nierob and Jenner talk about this fascinating journey, their lessons learned and how they were ultimately successful.”

Howe, who became a friend of Jenner and Nierob during her own transition experience, arranged for the pair to visit the UO.

“My journey as a transgender woman literally began with Jenner's appearance on the cover of Vanity Fair,” Howe said. “That I have come to call her a friend is one of the great joys of my life. She is one of many who have helped me become a voice for myself and other transgender people. And now, getting to see Caitlyn meet my friends, my peers and my daughter is simply unbelievable. Yeah, it's pretty great to be a Duck.”

Becky Hoag is a junior double-majoring in journalism and environmental life science. This is her fourth term interning for the SOJC Communications Office. She is the editor-in-chief of UO’s environmental publication, Envision Magazine, and a web designer for Glacier Lab's outreach site Glaciers & Society. She wants to become a research scientist and freelance environmental and science journalist. You can view her work at beckyhoag.com.