Keisha McCotry
Keisha McCotry
Bachelor of Arts in Communication, concentration in Public Relations, 2002
“No matter where I have lived or how far my career has taken me, I carry Mississippi with me,” said Mississippi State alumna Keisha McCotry, who grew up in West Point, Mississippi, and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Mississippi State was not simply where I earned a degree. It was one of the places where I began becoming the woman and professional I am today.”
McCotry knew communication was the industry for her, even as the field continued to evolve.
“The way we tell stories matters. Communication shapes how people see brands, institutions, communities and even themselves. I could not have predicted all the places that career would eventually take me, but Mississippi State gave me the foundation to begin figuring out how I wanted to use my voice and my skills.”
The lessons she learned at MSU continue to shape her approach to her work.
“What I appreciate now is that communications education is about much more than learning how to write. It teaches you to listen, ask better questions, understand people and translate complicated information into something meaningful. I have carried those skills into every stage of my career, whether I was developing communications strategy for a global company, working with major consumer brands, advising executives or teaching leaders how to communicate about AI.”
Her college experience also included witnessing changes to the campus itself, including the expansion of Mitchell Memorial Library and the Sanderson Center.
“I remember how exciting it felt to have these new spaces become part of our college experience. It may sound simple now, but those are the kinds of memories that stay with you. College is not only the major milestones. It is also the places where you studied, met friends, spent time between classes and began imagining what your life might look like after graduation.”
Among her favorite MSU traditions is football Saturdays.
“There is nothing quite like the energy of a Mississippi State football Saturday and hearing cowbells throughout the stadium and campus.”
McCotry also credits the faculty who influenced her time at MSU, particularly the late Dr. Hank Flick, whose lessons continue to inform her work.
As communication technologies and industries change, she said, “the fundamentals remain the same: know your audience, understand the story, communicate with clarity and never lose sight of the human being on the other side of the message.”
After graduating in 2002, McCotry built a career spanning communications, marketing and brand strategy, working with organizations including Google, Disney, Netflix, Amazon, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, American Express and McDonald’s. She held senior communications and marketing leadership roles across technology, entertainment, and consumer brands.
In 2023, she launched her own company, Mosaic Method Agency, drawing on her experience to help organizations navigate an evolving communications landscape, including AI communications, and helping organizations understand how emerging technology changes the way they communicate, market, and operate.
“Through that work, I have trained more than 500 professionals, including more than 250 senior and C-suite leaders, on AI readiness and practical adoption.”
Her entrepreneurial work also led her to develop a technology solution informed by her own experience.
“I became the founder of Zelmwell, an emotional regulation app designed specifically for adults with ADHD. I built it from my own lived experience because I saw a gap between the tools that existed and what many adults with ADHD actually need. It represents a new chapter in my career where I am not only communicating about technology but using it to build solutions.”
Asked about her professional accomplishments, McCotry pointed to the range of opportunities her career has afforded her.
“I am proud that I have been trusted to work with some of the world's most recognizable brands. I am proud of becoming an entrepreneur. I am proud of being recognized for my work in AI and communications and having my ideas and work featured in publications including Fast Company, Forbes, and UrbanGeekz. But I think what I am most proud of is reaching a point in my career where I began building the things I wished existed.”
Outside of work, McCotry prioritizes the relationships and experiences that make life meaningful.
“One thing I have learned as I have gotten older is that success means very little if your entire life revolves around work. I love spending time with family and friends, traveling, enjoying music, fashion, and culture, and finding moments where I can simply enjoy the life I have worked very hard to build.”
Although her career has taken her beyond Mississippi, McCotry remains connected to her home state and hopes her story will encourage the next generation of Bulldogs.
“I hope my story can show current students, particularly students coming from small Mississippi communities, that where you begin does not determine the limits of where you can go.”
For McCotry, the value of her Mississippi State education has endured through decades of professional change.
“The technology has changed. The industries have changed. My titles have changed. I have gone from employee to executive to entrepreneur and founder. But the ability to communicate, understand people, tell meaningful stories, and adapt to change has remained central to everything I do.”
Her advice to students reflects the unpredictable nature of her own career.
“Do not assume that you have your entire life figured out before you graduate. You don't.”
“The career I have today did not exist when I was sitting in a classroom at Mississippi State. There was no social media industry as we know it now. There was no generative AI industry. There certainly was not a job called Chief AI Officer. Some of the most important work of my career has been in areas that either did not exist or looked completely different when I graduated.”
She encourages students to build a strong foundation while remaining open to new opportunities.
“Learn the fundamentals of your field but also learn how to learn. Stay curious. Pay attention when technology changes. Build relationships. Become comfortable reinventing yourself. And please do not believe that one rejection, one layoff, one missed opportunity, or one difficult season gets to decide what happens next.
“There will be moments when the path you planned stops working. That does not necessarily mean the story is over. Sometimes it means you are being pushed to build something you never would have built otherwise.”
For students beginning their journeys in Mississippi, she offers one final reminder:
“And for the students coming from small Mississippi towns like I did, do not let the size of the place you come from determine the size of your dreams.”