Brewsterconnections - Brewster Academy

HOOPLAChristine Garrison ’88Communications and Development ConsultantI’m a self-employed communication and development consultant workingmostly with political clients. I’ve worked for incumbents, caucuses, and politicalcampaigns as well as organizations. I’ve worked a couple of federal campaigns,but most of my clients are in the Texas Legislature. I call myself a consultant aspeople in my role do every possible thing it takes to have the client succeed. Oneday you’ll find me directing a major event or handing a media crisis. The next dayyou’ll find me making 30 phone calls in a row to raise money. I also perform allthe tasks of being my own secretary. So the title ‘consultant’ is broad by necessity.I was known by my Brewster classmates as both a painter and a writer.Whenever anyone wanted to find me, especially on weekends, they’d just checkthe art building or journalism studio. As I loved to write creatively, poems anddescriptive pieces, I’d find a quiet, comfortable place and write away! I spent alot of time in the journalism studio helping Chris Seifert ‘86 edit pieces for theOutcroppings magazine. I loved the work. During my college years, however, Ihad to make the choice between my two passions and bowed to the journalismroute, realizing that it would be more likely to allow me to pay my bills on time –I now paint with my little boy!After college I went on a great journalism adventure, working at newspapers,first in Texas, then along the East coast, and then the West coast. In 2002 I foundmyself living north of San Francisco and running the politics/government desk ata New York Times outlet.While that might sound glamorous, I was actually stuck in a mid-level job whereI worked very hard to receive very little credit. Still, in that role my interest inpolitics grew, and I wanted to know what it was like on the other side, wherethe truth is more forthcoming. Both the newspaper industry and the state ofCalifornia were entering their unfortunate years, so it was a good time to leave.I returned home to Texas and got a great job at a top-10 lobby firm. It was afascinating time to be in politics because of the major developments followingGovernor Bush’s departure for Washington and the presidency. I call my threeyears at the firm “boot camp” because those were the most satisfying 60-hourweeks I’ve ever worked.My career ambitions lost ground when my son was born and my new desirewas to stay at home with the best little person I’d ever met. I couldn’t give upworking altogether, and in March of 2005, I launched my consultancy, whichmeant doing much of the same sort of work, but from home – and in pajamas!I’ve been self-employed ever since.Looking back at the two years I spent at Brewster, I realize that had I not goneto Brewster I would never have accomplished what I have today, nor would Ihave had the opportunity to realize that I was not a misfit after so many yearsof struggling with learning disabilities and dyslexia. Brewster taught me how tolearn, which is a key step that many public schools skip over.Christine Garrison with husband Eddie Rodriquez and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)I developed key mentorships, even friendships with several Brewster facultymembers, again something that I could never have enjoyed in a public schoolsetting. My beloved Matt Hoopes made literature a great adventure and gave mea hunger for books that I will never abandon. Hoopes also got me started writingat least twice weekly in my journal, something I still do, and something that hasyielded a wealth of perspective over the years. Other mentors included my artteacher Cheryl Dumont and my dorm parent Barbara Douglass – each in theirown way helped me to grow into a more serious young person with a plan for myfuture. Without my years at Brewster, I very much doubt that I would have made itto or through college. Brewster was the foundation to the professional I became.I don’t consider myself a public servant as many consultants do; however, I wouldhave to say that I serve the public servants in my various roles. There have beeninstances where I have dealt directly with their constituents, yet it’s not thesame as the daily complicated work that legislators and their staff juggle forreal people. In my private life, however, I more directly serve the public throughmy church and through my husband’s own legislative office in my role as hispartner. We are active in the Democratic Party, and we support charities for thehomeless, animals, and environmental conservation.My husband and I gave our support, both in money and time, to the Obama Re-Election Campaign. I’m a committed Democrat in a very ‘Red State.’ Through myclients I’m involved in efforts to stop losing Democratic seats to Republicans.As far as improving our election process I would have to say that I feel we shoulddo away with the Electoral College. I feel that it defies the spirit of our Democracyin its ability to override the popular vote on presidential elections. Having saidthat, I feel that the biggest need by far is campaign finance reform. The error ofcode needs to be corrected by the courts so that corporations cannot possess theConstitutional rights of individuals. And finally, I feel that the loophole on softmoney needs to be closed to prevent elections from being bought. It is my hopethat one day our Congressional representatives will find the courage to selfregulateby putting a stop to our present runaway influence spending.30 BrewsterConnections – Fall 2012