Julie Titone
Director of Communications

One reason the Kroc Institute hired me last fall was to expand the influence of Kroc peacemakers in the world. But there’s a flip side to the coin of influence. To encourage public awareness is to invite scrutiny. The more the media come in contact with the Kroc Institute, the more questions will be asked about what we do, who we are, where we stand.

The spotlight may get uncomfortably bright, especially given that controversy and diverse opinions are at the heart of the institute’s mission. Dealing with the media glare will be easier if all of us appreciate the vital role that journalists play in conflicts, conflict resolution and the very existence of civil society. To paraphrase Tom Gjelten, who has long covered war and security issues for NPR: A journalist’s job is to explain the world. The peacebuilder’s job is to improve it.

Director Scott Appleby reminds us that the Kroc Institute takes a long-term approach to peacebuilding. I look at media relations in the same way. It takes years to develop relationships, to earn a reputation for being an accessible institution whose faculty and students have important things to say.

Every public conversation or controversy that touches the Kroc Institute – nearly every controversy in the world, come to think of it – is an opportunity to let people know that the Kroc Institute exists. Sometimes reporters will call us. More often, media contact will begin at our end. We’ll reach out to the public by suggesting feature story ideas, responding to news events, or by encouraging our experts to share their knowledge in opinion articles.

Media outreach is just one aspect of my job. My primary tasks involve producing our own publications, such as the Peace Colloquy, the annual report, and our web page. I’m also interested in using better communications technology and the arts to convey the message of peace; bringing journalists to the institute as speakers and/or fellows; and finding wonderful ways to celebrate the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Kroc Institute.

All of this requires teamwork. Fortunately, the Kroc Institute has an ace team of faculty, staff and students. When our new graduate program assistant, Justin Shelton, arrived in February, I asked what surprised him about the Kroc Institute. He answered:

“I'm surprised at how incredibly busy everything is around here! And also at the caliber of faculty who are connected to the Kroc. And every one is just so nice . . .”

I couldn’t agree more.

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