Gab Ferree led global communications at Slack, Bumble, and OneTrust, reaching every traditional summit in our profession. Then she walked away to build Off The Record, where communications professionals can finally admit they don't have all the answers. Even the VPs who are supposed to.
In this conversation, we explore why 100% of comms professionals are using AI but nobody's talking about it, why reporting to a CMO might be better than reporting to the CEO, and how to stop asking for a seat at the table and start earning it through business outcomes.
What We Get Into
Redefining Success in Communications: Why Gab left high-profile roles to create a support system for other professionals
The Marketing-Communications Relationship: How reporting to a CMO can actually benefit communications teams
AI as a Career Amplifier: Why AI won't replace communicators, but will make them more valuable
The Future of Work Post-AI: Examining productivity gains and their implications for work-life balance
Building a Supportive Community: How Off the Record is changing the game for communications professionals seeking growth and connection
Notable Quotes
"I don't care what my title is and I don't care what my reporting line is. I am the Chief Communications Officer. When I am the head of comms and I do have a seat at the table, I don't have to be reporting into the CEO." - Gab Ferree [10:08 → 10:22]
"But guess what? Everyone just got promoted. Everyone just got themselves a new specialist underneath them named Claude, who produces everything for you as a first draft. And it may be good, it may be great. Good job. You prompted the model, right? You've trained it right?" - Gab Ferree [40:47 → 41:04]
"I do wonder for like outside of that, are people are going to start talking about like our executives going to talk about like that they have more time, that they get to spend more time with their kids. Maybe they're not burning out. Maybe they don't need to step away to spend more time with their family. Maybe our careers can be more like a marathon and less like a sprint." - Gab Ferree [52:29 → 52:57]
About the Guest
Gab Ferree is the founder of Off The Record, a private membership community for communications professionals. Previously, she served as VP of Global Communications at OneTrust (scaling from startup to $5.1B valuation), led comms at Bumble through major brand transformation, and guided Slack's communications during its Salesforce integration. She's known for her pragmatic approach to building comms programs that align with business goals and her belief that vulnerability and authority can coexist in leadership.
Resources Mentioned
Salesforce V2MOM framework for goal alignment
Future Forum research on the future of work
Axios HQ survey on AI usage in communications
Connect with Gab Ferree
Gab Ferree| LinkedIn
Off The Record | Website
Connect with Dan Nestle
Inquisitive Communications | Website
The Trending Communicator | Website
Communications Trends from Trending Communicators | Dan Nestle's Substack
Dan Nestle | LinkedIn
Timestamps
0:00 Intro: Meet Gab Faree, comms expert
5:20 Aligning communications to business goals
11:35 The value of comms reporting to CMO
18:29 Demonstrating value as a communicator
24:20 Using AI to boost productivity in comms
30:52 The future of work and flexible arrangements
37:21 AI as a tool for innovation in companies
44:07 Survey reveals widespread AI use in comms
50:27 Rethinking work hours in the AI era
59:41 Preview of upcoming AI training for comms
1:05:25 Comms poised to own generative AI optimization
(Notes co-created by Human Dan, Claude, and Flowsend.ai )
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