Interview with Megan Coyne, The Office of Governor Phil Murphy
For this year’s International Women’s Day, our team at Slice is proud to celebrate women across the marketing and communications industry through an interview series.
This interview is with Megan Coyne, the Social Media Manager at the Office of Governor Phil Murphy. Read our full interview series here.
How do you define your leadership?
To me, empathy is the most important aspect of leadership. I went into government because I believe so deeply in its power to make life better for people, and empathy is essential to that mission. I also seek to be as collaborative, creative, and reliable as possible.
How has your leadership changed in the past year?
Being entrusted with social media accounts for the Governor, First Lady, and State of New Jersey is a massive responsibility – one that I feel so privileged to have. Over the past year, our accounts have grown at a rapid pace because of the pandemic and our outside-the-box approach to digital communications. I’m fortunate to work for leaders – the Governor, First Lady, their respective Chiefs of Staff, and our Communications Director – who really understand what a powerful tool social media is. Their encouragement, support, and willingness to take risks and embrace the unconventional really motivates me and has made me more confident in the work I do.
Can you share a story that demonstrates a key learning for you in your leadership journey?
The pandemic has transformed the way government communicates with the public, making social media more important than ever. We’re putting out significantly more content on a daily basis compared to one year ago, and it’s 24/7 work. To me, this has really underscored the importance of empathy in leadership – understanding the stress and uncertainty many people are experiencing right now, and working to respond to and help alleviate it with clear, dependable, engaging, informative digital content. Additionally, it’s emphasized the importance of creativity – with unconventional, humorous posts on our State of New Jersey accounts, we’ve been able to help maintain a sense of community and solidarity amongst New Jerseyans during a time where we’re physically distant.
Who do you follow on social media that you would recommend to other women leaders?
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley are two of my favorite follows on Twitter and Instagram. They’re both phenomenal communicators who utilize their platforms to educate and empower people on a wide range of topics – from the basic processes of government to nuanced policy to skincare – while also building a deep sense of community.
Thank you to Megan for taking part in our interview series. And be sure to read the entire series!
