Lynn Appelbaum

Lynn Appelbaum

Professor Emerita, The City College of New York

Lynn Appelbaum, APR, Fellow PRSA, has over 35 years’ experience as a public relations professional and educator, working in public and private sectors in media relations and strategic communications. As senior PR faculty at the City College of New York’s Advertising and Public Relations (1993-2021) and program director, she built a highly competitive program with 200 majors. Lynn organized CCNY’s first PRSSA chapter in 1996 and served as faculty advisor for 20 years.

Through her research about diversity in the PR profession, and advocacy for her students, she is a long- time proponent of fostering inclusion in the workplace. She continues to mentor students and young professionals through the COOP Careers program.

Her book Classroom to Workplace: Land Your First Marketing Communications Job (Business Expert Press) gives students and young pros a comprehensive guide to make the leap from student to professional.

Prior to teaching at City College, Lynn was Press Manager for NBC News Today show, Director of Public Affairs for The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, Marketing Director for Merkin Concert Hall, and PR Manager for NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and School of Law, in addition to doing media relations for other New York-based clients.

Lynn served on the board of directors for the PRSA, PRSA Foundation, and PRSA-NY where she chaired the committee for New York metro-area PRSSA chapters.

She is the recipient of PRSA’s as Outstanding Educator of the Year, and HPRA’s BRAVO Educator of the Year award for her contributions as an educator to promote inclusivity in the PR profession. In 2022, CCNY’s Communications Alumni Group honored her with its Media Legends Award.

She holds a BM from Ithaca College and MA in Arts Administration from Indiana University. She lives in New Jersey with her husband Joe Spivack with whom she has two daughters.