# Jennifer Rankin Byrne

> Jennifer Rankin Byrne is the founder and principal of MERIT Coaching Communications Consulting in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she coaches leaders and communicators to sharpen their voice, build executive presence, and lead with authenticity. She brings more than two decades of communications leadership, including years as Vice President of Corporate Communications at PBS and earlier roles at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, AOL, and Turner Broadcasting/CNN. Her practice blends real-world corporate experience with a curiosity-led, customized coaching approach summed up in her tagline: 'Communicate with purpose. Grow with confidence.'

- **Role:** Founder and Principal at MERIT Coaching Communications Consulting
- **Organizations:** MERIT Coaching Communications Consulting, PBS, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, AOL, Turner Broadcasting / CNN
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A. in Speech Communication (with honors), Miami University, Ohio, Certificate in Disruptive Strategy, Harvard Business School Online
- **Known for:** Built and led the corporate communications function at PBS as Vice President, Directed national media relations for PBS general audience programming, Contributed to digital initiatives including the launch of PBS Digital Studios

## Career timeline

- **Early career** — Held communications positions at Turner Broadcasting and CNN, working with corporate leadership
- **Mid career** — Served as Communications Director at AOL, managing PR for online content partnerships
- **Government service** — Deputy Chief Communications Officer at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- **2011** — Joined PBS as Senior Director, Media Relations, leading publicity for general audience programming
- **2017** — Promoted to Vice President, Corporate Communications at PBS
- **2021** — Earned Certificate in Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School Online
- **Present** — Founder and Principal of MERIT Coaching Communications Consulting in Cincinnati, Ohio

## Achievements

- Built and led the corporate communications function at PBS as Vice President
- Directed national media relations for PBS general audience programming
- Contributed to digital initiatives including the launch of PBS Digital Studios
- Held senior communications roles across broadcast, tech, and government (CNN, AOL, USPTO)
- Founded her own coaching and consulting practice, MERIT
- Earned a Harvard Business School Online Certificate in Disruptive Strategy (2021)

## Latest updates

- **2025-10** — Published a LinkedIn discussion on what communicators can do when a CEO does not value the communications function.
- **2025-05** — Promoted her 'Touch Base Tuesday' networking practice encouraging weekly reconnection.

## Links

- Website: https://meritccc.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenrankinbyrne/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/jenrankinbyrne
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coaching_leaders/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/jennifer-rankin-byrne
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-21