Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Krystyn Pecora graduated from FSU’s College of Communication & Information in 2013 with her Master’s degree in Media Communication Studies. She’s now serving as the Executive Officer of Coast Guard Cutter Seneca. Seneca is a 270 foot cutter currently home-ported in Boston, MA. “We have over ninety crew members serving aboard who come from around the country.” Pecora explains. “We patrol in a variety of locations from the North Atlantic down through the Eastern Pacific and complete a variety of Coast Guard missions from drug interdiction to fisheries enforcement.”
Pecora didn’t always believe she would end up living her life at sea but once she did, she knew it was meant to be. “When I was a child, I really wanted to be an animator for Disney. I honestly never saw myself aboard a ship but one day during my first assignment in the Coast Guard, I realized that I had found a career I loved and that life at sea was the way for me.” Part of what drew Pecora to the Coast Guard was the lifesaving mission which led her to find others who believed in the same ideals. “The best part of my job is the crew of Seneca. Every day they surprise me with their motivation, ingenuity and dedication. They are also some of the most genuinely kind and thoughtful people I have ever worked with. And at least once a day, someone will say something so hilarious that we’ll all laugh for a good five minutes.”
Learn more about Krystyn Pecora by reading our Q&A below!
How did your education at FSU prepare you for your career?
Every 2-3 years, Coast Guard officers shift into different roles as we continue to promote into roles of greater responsibility. While I’m currently serving aboard a ship, when I return to a job ashore, it will hopefully be within the Coast Guard public affairs field. My studies in the field of communications directly affects my abilities to develop communication strategies to help educate the public on the Coast Guard and its missions.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I’m always drawing inspiration from everything and everyone around me. Sometimes the smallest conversation with a colleague can spark a bigger idea. That being said, it’s typically when I have a few quiet moments to myself, like on a walk through the city or even while taking a shower, that I have an ah-ha! moment where I piece those ideas together.
Where is your favorite place in the world?
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
What advice would you give to someone who doesn’t know what career they’d like to pursue?
Find a company (or a service) with a mission you can believe in or values that align with yours. If you can believe in what you’re working towards as a group, you may just find where you belong.