Oregon's former first lady Cylvia Hayes is out with new advice for people who hope to avoid jeopardizing their reputations: "Don't do what I did!"

In an essay on the website of a Monrovia, California crisis management firm, Hayes traces her public relations problems back to an October, 2014 article in Willamette Week that reported Hayes used her public position for personal gain.

For example, the newspaper reported that Hayes regularly directed her state-paid assistant to do work for her private consulting business. Hayes did not mention that allegation, although it's one reason she and former Gov. John Kitzhaber remain under investigation by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. Federal and state prosecutors decided earlier this year not to pursue federal corruption charges against the pair.

"On October 7, 2014 my life blew up," Hayes wrote. "I was serving as First Lady of Oregon, partner to the Governor who was running for reelection. A notoriously mudslinging reporter who had been after me for years finally found something from my past to make the mud stick – a green card marriage and attempted then aborted pot growing operation."

Hayes was referring to Nigel Jaquiss, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter at Willamette Week. His story on Hayes, First Lady Inc., ignited controversy around her consulting work that had smoldered for years since state energy officials maneuvered to make sure her firm got part of a contract. However, it was actually KOIN -- not Jaquiss -- that initially reported the pot farm story.

So what does Hayes advise people in similar situations to do? Build their social media presence, so they have "some ability to counter a false narrative," and recognize they might need to hire a reputation manager.

"In our case, we relied on political advisors and campaign communications experts who thought they could handle the situation," Hayes wrote. "In retrospect they were utterly unqualified for what we were dealing with. I strongly believe that had we brought in quality reputation management experts we could have significantly reduced the damage."

Hayes also wrote that public figures should know their local defamation laws so they are aware of any deadlines to request retractions of incorrect information.

And finally, if someone is to blame, he or she should sincerely apologize.

"In my case I hadn't committed corruption or influence peddling but I had made a terrible mistake in getting into such a high profile position without realizing some determined opponent was going to dig up my past," Hayes wrote. "My blind spot caused a lot of damage including to the person I love most in the world."

-- Hillary Borrud

503-294-4034; @hborrud