Joe Whitbread (TSR ’95) has been in front of a microphone since before he could even hold one. “I would pretend to interview people in the bath. When I turned 12, all I wanted was a camcorder so I could pretend I was on the air,” he says. “Most people my age say they’re glad social media didn’t exist when they were younger, but I’m the opposite. I would definitely have had my own YouTube channel or Twitch stream as a kid.”

Whitbread began his career as a radio host at CJXX in Grande Prairie in 1995 and quickly became a local public figure. His voice has graced the airwaves at five Alberta radio stations. He’s a familiar face at sports events, announcing for the Red Deer Rebels Hockey Club, the Sylvan Lake Gulls, and more.

An early adopter of social media, Whitbread started Alberta’s first social media agency, Joe Social Media, in 2012. Beyond his agency work, Whitbread is on a mission to share his social media savvy with the next generation. He gives presentations at schools throughout the province about navigating life online, inviting young people “behind the velvet rope” to learn how to create compelling content, build a personal brand and use social media ethically to pursue their dreams.

“If your goal is career growth, you have to polish your image on social media,” Whitbread advises.

“How we present ourselves is how we’re perceived, and that’s nothing new. We dress a certain way for a job interview because we know our attire affects whether we get the job.”

Whitbread suggests older teens planning to transition into post-secondary education or looking to get a foot in the door of the job market start thinking about curating their online image and building a personal brand.

“When teens ask me what they should post, I tell them to share what matters to them, but with a strategic angle in mind,” he says. “For example, if you’re studying, it’s an opportunity to post a photo of yourself working at your desk. That demonstrates you’re taking your education seriously. If you’re having a campfire with friends, you have to think of it as a photo-op — it’s your responsibility to make sure everything in the photo reflects well on you.”

As a father of three, Whitbread also knows managing kids’ time online can be a challenge. “Adults have to realize young people haven’t developed the capacity to make choices based on future consequences,” he says. “I believe the most effective thing parents can do is lead by example, even when it’s not easy. If you want your child to reduce their screen time, you have to reduce your screen time, too.”

As a public figure, Joe has navigated trolling and negativity on social media himself. He recommends parents have honest conversations about social media with their children, similar to how they might discuss topics like alcohol, drugs or intimacy. “Kids are going to see and experience things online — just as they do in the real world — that they have questions about,” he says. “Rather than simply telling them to get off social media, we have to give them permission to talk about those encounters and ways to stay safe.”