Name: Krista Washington
Position: U.S. Soccer Foundation Associate Marketing & Communications Manager
Age: 27
Where I'm from: Raleigh, N.C.
Where I call home: DC
Focusing on right now: A profile series centered around the foundation's 20th anniversary.
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Washington believes writing skills are crucial in the
marketing world, along with current events knowledge |
Best advice: My mom told me, "Never let them see you sweat." Growing up, I competed in track and field and it’s one of those sports where it’s really easy to psyche yourself out, especially when you’re all alone on the track. So it worked for me both in track and in life. It constantly reminds me to put on my game face, be unstoppable and, for all intents and purposes, just get after it.
A must for a new hire: In marketing, good writing skills are really key. Also, having an eye on market trends and the news cycles. I want to know that you’re engaged in some way with what’s going on in the greater world.
Exec I most admire: My former boss, BRIAN PAPSON, who’s currently VP/Marketing with the Eagles. I worked with him when I worked at Villanova, and the thing I admire about him is he has an incredible work ethic. I’ve never seen someone who had a work ethic like him, and it was very inspiring. He always pushed me to be better. I felt like I was being coached on an almost daily basis.
First thing in the morning: I typically start my day on Flipboard. It’s a news aggregator where you put in the categories that you’re interested in such as sports, arts, science or technology. After Flipboard, it’s on to Twitter. I have my Twitter separated into different lists like sports marketing, sports business, marketing and communications resources, funny people and then personal. My favorite follows include Media Bistro and Grantland writer REMBERT BROWNE.
Best book I've read this year: "This Is How You Lose Her," by JUNOT DIAZ. I’m a huge fan of his style of writing. In that book, he captures all the facets of the human heart and love. I really appreciated how human that book was. On a daily basis, I’m constantly involved in news and current events and business trends, so it’s refreshing to read a book that’s a little more emotional.
Must-have music: I have a lot, but MARVIN GAYE, MICHAEL JACKSON and STEVIE WONDER are definitely staples. My dad listens to jazz, so that’s always been a part of our life. But if there was a soundtrack to my life, I feel like that’s very much southern hip-hop because I’m from the south. OUTKAST reminds me of my childhood.
Talking tech: The advancement of e-mail platforms has been the biggest thing for me. I’m almost a decade into the e-blast world, and when I first started, having to do everything from scratch was so archaic compared to now. Having these user-friendly systems that make you so much more efficient is really incredible.
Food for thought: My favorite place in DC to get a burrito is a little place in Dupont Circle called Well-Dressed Burrito. It's in an alley, and it's only open for a few hours at lunch.
How I unwind: Reality TV. I really like "KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS." I also got into a lot of dance documentaries, like children competing for top spots in competitions. There was one recently called "FAME HIGH."
Day in the life: We are preparing for new season of "Soccer for Success," which is our nationally recognized after-school program in which we use soccer as a tool for social change, teaching soccer and nutrition education while the kids are surrounded by mentors in urban, under-served communities nationwide. In the fall, we’ll be expanding to more than 30 cities and over 30,000 children.
