Distinguished COMM Alumni Award Recipients

Distinguished Alumna 2020

Lindsay Ciulla (CLAS '08)

Lindsay is currently Strategy & Planning Lead for Global Communications at Cisco.  At UConn, Lindsay studied Spanish and Communication; through a UConn connection, Lindsay secured her first job as a Marketing Assistant at Pitney Bowes.  From there, Lindsay launched a successful career in Public Relations and Marketing, working for many industry leaders: among them, OutCast Communications, Finn Partners, Highwire, and most recently, Weber Shandwick.

While she was at Weber Shandwick, Lindsay organized a COMM Careers Event that brought together senior-level executives to talk to our students about the state of the industry and to offer career advice.

Lindsay is a founding member of the UConn Alumni Association New York City Chapter and has been an instrumental part of the success of the alumni network in NYC.  She has also been a long time mentor for the School of Business.

Connect with Lindsay on LinkedIn

 

Distinguished Alumnus 2023

Edgardo Rossetti (CLAS '09)

Edgardo is currently Senior Marketing Director at Adams & Knight, a branding and marketing consultancy based in Avon, Connecticut.   Ed has been with Adams & Knight for over 14 years, during which he has overseen integrated, digital, traditional, PR, experiential, and influencer initiatives. He currently manages the social media marketing team—focusing on strategy & insights and overseeing execution & optimization across all paid social channels. His ability to efficiently translate analytics and insights to actionable optimizations helps clients reach their goals and meet their KPIs.

His work has been recognized by the Internet Advertising Competition (IAC), Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), AVA Digital Awards, Content Marketing Institute, Ad Club of Connecticut, and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Ed was also recognized as a Social Media Mover and Shaker by the Social Shake-up Show.

In addition to his client work, Ed frequently contributes to the agency blog, podcast, and regularly speaks to students at his alma mater, the University of Connecticut--frequently serving on COMM career panels and guest speaking in the Social Media Research and Practice, Advertising, and Persuasion classes, as well as attending student-alumni events organized by CLAS and UConn School of Business.

Connect with Edgardo on LinkedIn.

 

 

 

Adams & Knight specializes in results-driven advertising, digital marketing, PR, social media, content marketing, and marketing technology services. For more than 30 years, the agency has been serving leading healthcare, financial services, and travel/lifestyle brands that help others live financially, emotionally, and physically healthier lives.

2023 Rising Star: COMM Alumna to Watch

Brianna ​Régine Walston (CLAS '17)

Founder and CEO o​f the full-service agency ​Brianna Régine Visionary Consulting, LLC (also known as BRVC)​, Brianna Régine Walston is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, brand growth strategist.

Mentorship & Community-Support Initiatives 

Since the creation of BRVC in 2016, Brianna has built a thriving, six-figure business. While steadfastly building her business, Brianna has also taken the time to be a mentor, building up others through her collaboration with initiatives in youth development and women entrepreneurship.  Notably, Brianna launched the Black Women Entrepreneurs of America campaign; and, at the University of Connecticut (Stamford), the first Affinity Collaborative and Community Center aimed at facilitating social connection and inclusivity among college students, faculty,and staff.  She has also provided support to the Women's Business Development Council in Connecticut, and led initiatives like the Pour In My Cup workshop series and the BRVC Alliance Network, where entrepreneurial-minded women have gathered for business support, networking tips, and creative growth.

Brianna has facilitated workshops for platforms such as "Power Hours" at Rutgers University, the Southern’s Black Student Union “The Beat Goes On”, BossCamp (a CT-based branding and entrepreneurship event dedicated to women of color), and an EPK 101 Workshop with the Connecticut Office of the Arts. She has also moderated state and regional-wide panels on creative strategy, entrepreneurship and DEI, including CT Office of The Arts' READI Talks series, Greenwich Academy’s (her former high school) Senior College Readiness panels, and a Moving Your Visions Brunch Panel featuring activist & Freedom March NYC’s founder Chelsea Miller.

To the UConn Department of Communication advising office, Brianna has been invaluable. She was one of three PR agency principals invited in Fall 2020 to talk to students about communication and entrepreneurship, in the three-part discussion series, “Women Entrepreneurs and Communication Innovation.”  This Spring, Brianna returned to her home campus to join a panel of COMM alumni sharing their career journey stories with Stamford students.

Within the larger UConn community, Brianna has been one of the most prolific mentors in The Werth Institute NetWerx Program, which connects undergraduate students with UConn alumni for meaningful conversations on the entrepreneurial mindset and its application to career exploration, professionalization, and personal development.  During her time with NetWerx, Brianna mentored an astonishing thirty-seven mentees!

Accolades & Awards

Brianna’s expertise and thought leadership have been highlighted on various media outlets: BET, ValiantCEO, and the HV Times--to name a few.  For her work, mentorship, and advocacy, Brianna was recognized by New Haven Biz with the 2022 Women in Business Award; and, just recently, Brianna was named 2023 Young Entrepreneur of the Year by Connecticut SBA.

Connect with Brianna on LinkedIn.