Justin Meyers (’17SPS, Strategic Communication) is a law enforcement executive with over a decade of executive-level strategic communications experience in politics, government, and law enforcement. He acted as the Assistant Police Commissioner while earning an Executive Master of Science in Strategic Communication at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies.
His role involved leading all public relations, strategic communications, and crisis management efforts for the Suffolk County Police Department, the 11th largest police department in the U.S. In 2018, he was appointed Chief of Staff to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, one of the 20 largest prosecutor offices in the nation, where he manages all executive functions.
What initially attracted you to the Executive Strategic Communication program at Columbia University?
I had spent more than five years searching for the right graduate program that fit both my career and my lifestyle. I was looking for two things: A communications program at a top-tier university that could open doors for my career, and a program that gave me flexibility to continue working full time.
The format of the program was fantastic. Earning a master’s degree in 16 months without having to leave my job and not having to exclusively take online classes was amazing. The combination of Saturday classes and the digital platform was an incredible experience.
This program can be a total game changer. It can be the exact spark you need to take your career to the next level.
What skills did you build and improve on through the program?
We had so many impressive people in our cohort with years of knowledge and experience that we all came away learning something. If I had to list one thing that I wasn’t expecting to learn, I would say that the program gave me the ability to better describe what I do and what I can bring to the table in a way I never could before. Strategic communication is such an amorphous skill set and it can be hard to describe sometimes. The program taught me how to describe and display my skill sets in a very marketable way.
How have these skills helped you succeed?
They have opened doors for me in my career and helped me create opportunities I would have never been able to achieve without my degree and the experience of the program itself. For the right person, this program can be a total game changer. It can be the exact spark you need to take your career to the next level. The value of earning your master’s degree from Columbia University is truly immeasurable today and for the rest of your career.
