ALCOA, Tenn. – Mary Beth West Communications, LLC, welcomed two new team members this month – Taylor Hathorn, who will serve as the firm’s communications manager, and Alison Burg, who is transitioning from account service intern to communications and administrative assistant.
Hathorn’s prior experience includes serving as manager of communications and outreach for the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation in Washington, D.C., where she handled all social media and assisted with both national media relations and outreach for the Foundation’s Character Development Program. Hathorn also engaged in project management for the Foundation’s prestigious national Citizen Service Before Self Honors Award, for which Knoxville’s Helen Ashe and the late Ellen Turner of the Love Kitchen were top 20 finalists.
Previously, Hathorn served as East Tennessee coordinator of Sen. Lamar Alexander’s re-election campaign, and, prior to that, as sales, marketing and content distribution coordinator for Scripps Networks Interactive in Knoxville.
A cum laude University of Tennessee graduate in journalism/electronic media with minor in business administration and a participant in the UT Chancellor’s Honors Program, Hathorn held internship posts with A3 Athletics, VOL Network and UTSports.com, as well as campus leadership involvement with the UT Student Government Association, MLK Day of Service, Zeta Tau Alpha and Student Alumni Associates.
A native Texan, Hathorn graduated from high school from The American International School of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. She has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and Europe.
Alison Burg’s prior experience includes holding internship posts for both B&H Publishing Group and Helen Ross McNabb Center. Burg recently graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee, majoring in public relations with minors in both Spanish and business. As a student, she volunteered as a leader for Cru, a campus ministry.
In business for 12 years, Mary Beth West Communications, LLC, specializes in strategic public relations, creative campaigns and digital communications to reach client sales objectives.