Jill O'Mahony Stewart has been a public relations consultant and owner of a boutique firm for more than 25 years. From 1986-2008 managed Stewart Communications, a full-service firm devoted to “issues that matter.” She led the Stewart Communications team in serving clients on assignments ranging from improving end-of-life care and planning, to affordable housing, to fire-retardant building materials—all with the common theme of providing targeted audiences with important information that would enhance and influence their daily lives, their well-being, or their business decisions.
She programmed and implemented more than 80 educational, training and media events for the American Medical Association and oversaw all aspects of StewComm’s involvement in the 10-year Last Acts campaign—a multi-million dollar project funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to educate consumers and professionals about ways to improve care and caring near the end of life. Programs under her supervision have won PRSA Silver Anvil and Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC) Golden Trumpet awards. She has served on the board of PCC and as a judge of its annual awards program.
Most recently, she was affiliated with Millennia Consulting. Prior to that, served as deputy director for the American Bar Association’s Media Relations and Communication Services in Chicago. While there, she oversaw the roll-out of abanow.org, a Webby-nominated multimedia site and a thought-leader media relations program that resulted in more than 50 op-eds placed across the country in its first year. In addition, she led the strategic communications planning process for the ABA’s Committee for Pro Bono and Public Service.
Jill is a graduate of Allegheny College and holds an MS from Boston University in public relations and an MA from DePaul University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. She has taught writing for public relations at DePaul’s College of Communication since 2008, and is an adjunct faculty member of DePaul’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
Awards
2012 College of Communication Excellence in Teaching Award for Visiting Faculty