Skylar Lanier has returned from graduate school in Scotland to her hometown of Savannah to accept the position of Public Relations Specialist with the collaborative companies Carriage Trade Public Relations, Inc. and Cecilia Russo Marketing, LLC.

Lanier will coordinate communications, media and print collateral to build strong relationships between local businesses, nonprofits and the community.

“I had the privilege of working with these firms as an intern before I completed my undergraduate degrees, so this homecoming has been twofold for me,” Lanier said. “I am looking forward to rediscovering Savannah through the exciting lens of this career.”

Lanier will be working with public relations and marketing veterans Cecilia Russo Turner of Cecilia Russo Marketing and Marjorie Young of Carriage Trade Public Relations®, along with junior partner Cynthia Cradduck and a team of writers, photographers, videographers and marketing and public relations coordinators. The two companies conjoin to serve a diverse clientele across the Southeast.

“We were impressed with Skylar’s talents during her internship and are thrilled that she has matured into a full-time role with us,” said Turner. “Her addition has been a reinforcement of the strong work ethic and positivity we always strive to embody as a team.”

Lanier earned bachelor’s degrees in public relations and English from the University of Georgia, where she was enrolled in the Honors Program and graduated summa cum laude. She minored in Spanish and studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, as well as in Oxford, England, during her time at UGA. Lanier went on to earn a master’s degree in contemporary literature from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where she was an editor for the FORUM Postgraduate Journal and a member of the finance and investment club.

In addition to undergraduate internships with The Georgia Review and South Magazine, Lanier was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and a Phi Beta Kappa inductee. She also served as Public Relations Chair and Head Mentor with the Thomas Lay After-School Program, where she was responsible for coordinating mentors, running a kids’ cooking club and raising awareness among UGA students to maintain a steady base of volunteers.

During her free time, Skylar enjoys reading, practicing Zumba, taking long walks on the beach and blogging about cooking.