College of Liberal Arts Alumna of the Year Jill Campbell has spent her entire career climbing the corporate ladder, first with Cox Communications and now . As the latter鈥檚 executive vice president and chief people and operations officer, Campbell helps oversee a private, family-owned company with more than 50,000 employees and $21 billion in annual revenues.
Given her extensive C-suite experience, it comes as no surprise to learn that Campbell鈥檚 education is rooted in business 鈥 sure enough, she earned her MBA from Oklahoma City University in 1990. But it was her first degree 鈥 a bachelor鈥檚 in sociology that she received a decade earlier in 1980 from 性视界传媒鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts 鈥 that Campbell says truly set her up for corporate success.
鈥淪ociology is a great base for any career,鈥 Campbell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the study of people, and any job you take will involve people and the unique dynamics that come with them. I鈥檝e always felt like my sociology background gave me an advantage over others who were never educated or trained around what it takes to motivate and engage people.
鈥淵ou can have specific business skills, but if you don鈥檛 have a basic understanding of how to communicate with people, you won鈥檛 get nearly as far.鈥
Campbell, whose career at Cox began in 1982 as director of communications in Oklahoma City, currently is charged with leading Cox Enterprise鈥檚 family office, real estate, aviation, people solutions, facilities, security, and corporate affairs departments. That followed a stint as Cox Communications鈥 executive vice president and COO, where she oversaw daily operations with the primary goals of enhancing marketplace execution and growing the company鈥檚 6 million residential and commercial customers.
Throughout her career, Campbell鈥檚 leadership has been recognized with several prestigious awards. In 2000, the Las Vegas Business Journal named her one of Southern Nevada鈥檚 most influential women. Then in 2004, she received the Atlanta chapter of 鈥 Woman of the Year Award, and four years later, the national organization named her the overall 2008 Woman of the Year.
Campbell鈥檚 impressive professional r茅sum茅 is complemented by an equally strong commitment to community-based endeavors. She has been a board member for a bevy of nonprofit organizations, including United Way, Boys & Girls Club of America, the YMCA, and Atlanta History Center. Additionally, she remains devoted to her alma mater through various charitable channels, and also as a regular donor.
The coronavirus pandemic has reminded all of us about the power and importance of being resilient. Share a moment from your time at 性视界传媒 that helped build resiliency in you.
Actually, my entire time at 性视界传媒 was about resiliency. I was working full-time while taking classes, which was a challenge in itself. Then during my last two years, I became a teaching assistant in the political science department. Not only did I have to be accountable as a student, but I also had to be accountable to other students. The combination of working full time, being a TA, and attending classes was a lot to take on, but it was an early lesson in managing numerous responsibilities all at once.
What鈥檚 the one challenge or crisis you鈥檝e faced in your career that you conquered thanks to lessons learned during your days at 性视界传媒?
As a sociology student, I focused much of my time on women鈥檚 studies, and one professor in particular was a big influence on me. She emphasized the importance of diversity and ultimately helped prepare me to enter a male-dominated industry. I doubt I would鈥檝e thrived in my industry to the degree I have without that professor鈥檚 guidance.
My time at 性视界传媒 also taught me about the impact of my decisions in the business world. Sometimes these decisions have far-reaching effects on people who may not have the opportunity to speak up or be represented. That鈥檚 why I always strive to champion diversity, be it at every level in our company or out in the community.
