This SOJC alum turned her campus PR experience into a career managing campaigns for athletes, entertainers and women’s sports leagues.
by Lily Reese, Class of ’27
SOJC alum Hannah Oakley ’18 has built an impressive career in entertainment and sports public relations that’s as dynamic as it is impactful.
Just seven years out of the UO School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), she has led campaigns for women’s sports leagues like the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and represented high-profile celebrity clients such as Cedric the Entertainer. Recently, she was honored with the PRNEWS Top Woman in Communications Rising Star Award.
Oakley’s passion for public relations didn’t fully take shape until she arrived at the SOJC, where she got her start pitching youth hockey stories with the student-run public relations agency Allen Hall PR. She soon discovered the breadth of opportunities in the communications industry.
“I always loved entertainment and sports,” Oakley said. “I thought I wanted to be the next Giuliana Rancic until I got in front of a camera. And it was very cringe.”
But Oakley still wanted to work in entertainment. She just didn’t know how or where.
“Then I started to learn more about PR during J101, and it just opened my mind to so many possibilities,” she said.
Hands-on experience with Allen Hall PR was key
Oakley soon declared public relations as her major and never looked back. Once she got the PR bug, she hit the ground running at the SOJC. She gained hands-on experience with Allen Hall PR, where her team worked with the Lane County Amateur Hockey Association, growing its social presence and pitching stories that landed media coverage.
“We were students who didn’t really know what we were doing,” Oakley recalls. “We were just going off what we’d learned with guidance from advisors. But by the end of the season, we landed a KVAL news story about one of the players being pegged as a future Olympian. It was stressful but fun.”
Beyond Allen Hall PR, Oakley honed her skills as co-director of external relations at the student broadcast network Duck TV, where she connected with local businesses, secured sponsorships and managed community events on campus. She also participated in the PRSSA Bateman Competition, a national public relations case study competition where student teams develop and execute real-world PR campaigns for nonprofit or community-focused causes. Oakley’s team worked on a campaign related to childhood cancer research.
“It was challenging because I tend to think tactically rather than strategically,” Oakley said. “But it pushed me to plan, execute and see real-world results as a student.”
During this time, Oakley also gained experience as a media relations associate for the Prefontaine Classic track meet, further broadening her understanding of media outreach and event coverage. By the time she graduated with her degree in public relations in 2018, Oakley had built a foundation of practical experience and professional confidence that set her up for a seamless transition into the world of entertainment and sports PR.
Breaking into entertainment and sports public relations
After graduating, Oakley launched her career at Rogers & Cowan PMK, moving through multiple roles over four years, from talent intern to assistant account executive, account executive and eventually senior account executive. There, she worked closely with high-profile clients, such as Cedric the Entertainer, and also on campaigns for the Oscars.
“Most people think of PR as brands or companies, but I worked in talent publicity — actors, comedians, musicians. It’s a very learn-by-doing role,” Oakley said. “You’re shaping narratives for individuals, navigating a lot of personalities, and always representing your client even off the clock.”
A career milestone during her tenure was supporting Cedric the Entertainer’s Emmy hosting campaign, which gave her firsthand experience managing high-stakes media coverage.
“The award show circuit is wild, and I got to support a lot of campaigns, like film campaigns, during Oscar season, and it's crazy,” she said. “It's very much a 24/7 job being in talent publicity.”
Working on the WNBA’s Portland Fire identity
Oakley was surprised when she found agency life empowering and community-driven.
“I never thought I’d like agency life; I wanted to work in-house,” she said. “But agency work exposed me to so many people, projects and styles. It helped me find what I enjoy most: women’s sports.”
Oakley’s passion for sports led her to Berk Communications, an award-winning PR firm and independent subsidiary of MikeWorldWide, where she now serves as an account supervisor on the sports and lifestyle team. She works with clients such as Fanatics, Unrivaled Basketball, REFORM Alliance and individual athletes, blending her entertainment PR background with sports-focused storytelling.
One standout project was supporting RAJ Sports in unveiling the official Portland Fire WNBA team name and brand identity on “Good Morning America.” The milestone came as the franchise surpassed 10,000 season ticket deposits, signaling strong local enthusiasm.
“Personally, it was really special, given my Oregon connection,” Oakley said. “The brand identity leaned into legacy: Mount Hood imagery, honoring the original Portland Fire.”
The launch went smoothly. “Some leaks happened before the reveal, but overall it was electric and exciting,” she recalls.
Her work extends to other high-profile clients, including the National Women’s Soccer League and Tepper Sports & Entertainment, owners of the Carolina Panthers, demonstrating her ability to manage campaigns for both teams and individual talent.
Winning accolades for meaningful impact in PR
In April 2025, Oakley was recognized as a PRNEWS Top Woman in Communications Rising Star, an honor that celebrates early-career professionals with fewer than seven years of experience who are already making a meaningful impact. The recognition highlighted her contributions to sports and lifestyle clients, her work supporting women’s sports initiatives and her management of high-profile talent.
Looking back on her journey, Oakley encourages SOJC students to seize experiences and opportunities and leverage alumni networks.
“Take advantage of every hands-on opportunity,” she advises. “And don’t be afraid to reach out to alumni. Networking will become one of your most valuable tools.”
Lily Reese is a third-year journalism major at the SOJC, with a minor in food studies. She is passionate about storytelling, sustainability and lifelong learning. Lily loves to write, and her work can be found in Ethos magazine and Align magazine.