Media Relations Question

Most of my job now is media relations. This would be nationally. I’ve started to volunteer recently as a social media member for an upcoming event. I noticed it stated in my role tasks to help secure media coverage. Given this is a local event I would likely pitch local.

I remember a few years ago my boss made this comment to me. It was regarding being contacted on Reddit to help with media relations (didn’t go forward with it as both my boss and I believed it was skeptical). However, he told me he wouldn’t be comfortable with me using contacts from my job to pitch something else. Technically I don’t have any contacts in the local city I’ll be pitching for the event. This is just something that stuck with me.

My question is if you think it’s okay I pitch media contacts for something that isn’t part of my job? I feel my boss was referring more to double pitching the same person but I’m not sure. Although I’ve been in media relations a few years now I do not consider myself an expert.

TLDR; Can I use media contacts developed at work for something else such as my volunteering? This isn’t a “double pitching” case. More a general question I had for future. Thank you.