Krista Canfield (on screen) talks with members of the iSchool senior class at an event where she was announced as the School's Convocation speaker.
By: J.D. Ross
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The School of Information Studies (iSchool) at Syracuse University is delighted to announce that Krista Canfield, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Gogobot, will deliver the convocation speech at the Class of 2015 ceremony in May. Her selection was announced at a gathering of the members of the iSchool’s senior class during an event in Hinds Hall on Monday afternoon.
“I’ve had the opportunity to get to know her through Spring Break in Silicon Valley, where she hosts students every year,” says Senior Class Marshal Joey Creighton. “I know she’ll be an amazing speaker.”
San Francisco-based Canfield oversees corporate communications at Gogobot, a company that connects you with advice and reviews from people like you, so you can get the most out of every adventure. More than 16 million people used Gogobot to plan and research places to go in the last year. Prior to joining Gogobot in December 2014, she spent nearly seven years working on corporate, consumer and trade communications at LinkedIn. She also led communications efforts related to LinkedIn's expansion into international markets.
“We are so pleased that the students chose Krista as our convocation speaker,” says Interim Dean Jeff Stanton. “Her career is a great model for our students to follow and I am certain she will be a real inspiration for our new graduates.”
A 2003 graduate of Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communication and Whitman School of Management with degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Finance, Canfield has been closely involved with the iSchool since 2012, when she joined the School’s Board of Advisors. While at LinkedIn, Canfield worked with the iSchool to regularly host students on the School’s Spring Break in Silicon Valley trip, where Syracuse University students are exposed to the startup and technology culture of California’s Bay Area. That tradition will continue at Gogobot, where a stop on the 2015 Spring Break trip is planned.
“I'm honored that the students, and the iSchool, selected me to deliver the Convocation speech this year,” says Canfield. “Syracuse University has a proud tradition of not only excellence in education, but also of encouraging its students to celebrate their individuality. I know this year's graduates will leave campus and make great contributions in the fields they select. I hope I can give the students advice and guidance that encourages them to celebrate the diverse backgrounds of others while also continuing to create, grow and break boundaries.”
“Joey and I are so excited to have Krista as our speaker this May,” says Senior Class Marshal Lindsey Silverman. “I think she is a great example of somebody who has combined her passion with technology to create a successful career. Many students already know her through Spring Break in Silicon Valley, and have real personal connections with her. I think everyone will benefit from hearing her story and advice to the senior class.”
Canfield’s career started in Syracuse where she held positions on campus as a reporter for the Daily Orange, news director for student-run radio station Z89, and later interned for WSTM/CNY Central, Syracuse’s NBC affiliate. From Syracuse, she did a short stint in South Dakota as an on-air news reporter for the Sioux Falls NBC station before moving to San Francisco to become Senior Account Executive at the Horn Group, a PR firm.
In 2013 and 2014, Canfield was recognized by Business Insider as one of the 50 best public relations people in the technology industry. She was also the World Technology Network’s 2014 World Technology Award winner in the marketing communications category.
Born in Washington, D.C., Canfield grew up in Syracuse’s Onondaga Hill neighborhood, and is a graduate of Westhill High School.
The iSchool's Convocation ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 9 in the Goldstein Auditorium at the Schine Student Center. It will begin at 9:00 AM.