New Member Profile: HAZEL KOCHOCKI
Originally from: Plainfield, Illinois
Currently live in: Bedford, NH
Work History/Background:
Thirty years ago, I kept a quote from Sharon Stone thumbtacked to my cubicle wall: “Today, I’m fast enough.” That quote was from the movie, “The Quick and the Dead,” which was about a gunslinger in a deadly situation. The fact that I connected with that quote says it all: my public relations career was high stress and high stakes.
Early in my career, I worked for a few different public relations agencies, including Newsome & Co. (which became the Boston office of New York-based Hill & Knowlton) and Weber Group (now Weber-Shandwick). In those days, we talked about “publicity” rather than “earned media,” and I routinely accompanied executives to in-person interviews and backgrounders with press. One of my most memorable clients was the World Wide Web Consortium at MIT, and I worked closely with HTML inventor Tim Berners-Lee in the mid-90s to spread the word about the World Wide Web and the need for interoperability standards. It was exciting, but I also felt something was missing.
Taking time out for family needs gave me time to reflect and consider my personal goals and career path. I spent a decade at Malden Catholic High School near Boston, where I progressed from Director of Marketing to Director of External Affairs, overseeing Advancement, Marketing, and Admissions. Finally, I had found a position that utilized my skills and background and resonated with my sense of mission. My time at Malden Catholic came to an end when my husband and I moved to Los Angeles for his career. I then worked for six years with California State University, Northridge, beginning in executive communications for the university president and later overseeing communications for the Office of Academic Affairs.
Having moved back east and settled in New Hampshire, I was delighted in 2023 to begin work with Easterseals NH & VT. As Senior Director of Communications, I love feeling like I contribute – even in some small way – to the organization’s mission to “elevate all abilities.” Easterseals NH & VT served the needs of nearly 19,500 individuals last year, and I lead a small, dedicated team of writers who are equally passionate about the work we do. I no longer identify with gunslinger Sharon Stone, and I truly enjoy applying my skills to such a worthwhile organization.
Why I Joined PRSA: Networking, professional development
Bucket List Trip: I would love to visit Prague someday to explore my family heritage.
Hobbies/Interests: Birding and uploading lists to the Cornell Ornithology Lab; walking my two dogs, preferably on a local rail trail; hiking; reading American history (I am currently enjoying And There Was Light: Lincoln and the American Struggle by Jon Meacham.)
Contact Information: hkochocki@eastersealsnh.org