WORK EXPERIENCE
Colorado Center on Law and Policy (CCLP)
Communications director
March 2021 – present
- Refreshed brand to better align brand with organizational identity and aspirations, prioritize accessibility, and improve color psychology
- Designed and developed cclponline.org website overhaul, with focus on news, accessibility, and improved SEO (doubling traffic to site)
- Developed communications plans to promote research reports, webinars, and other events (email, social and paid advertising), breaking attendance records for live and virtual events
- Managed communications staff (1 coordinator and 1 contract specialist) to conduct awareness campaigns and calls to action, and to draw national earned media attention for CCLP research and legislative accomplishments
- Supported and advised staff lobbyists on communications strategy, leading to strong audience conversion for calls to action and passage of bills supporting Coloradans experiencing poverty
- Conducted brand personality survey and identified opportunities for stronger messaging through use of identity archetype alignment
- Managed relations with reporters at Westword, The Sentinel, The Colorado Springs Gazette and others, directing to subject matter experts and driving greater awareness of CCLP’s work
- Developed document tracking the areas of CCLP staff expertise, for improved internal communication and faster routing for media outreach
University of Denver
Content experience manager
Division of marketing & communications
February 2019 – March 2021
- Produced university crisis communications plans, including COVID-19 communications plan, coordinating with health policy leaders, general counsel and fellow communications professionals
- Led university-wide Marketing Automation Platform project through discovery, stakeholder buy-in and Phase 1 implementation, delivering proof of concept and comprehensive platform evaluation
- Redesigned email user experience design and content strategies, delivering 4x CTR and greater readership across central marketing and communications operations
- Served as in-house strategic consultant for campus partners and organizations looking to develop campaigns of their own, advising on messaging, promo placement, CTA, and audience targeting
- Led change management for complex martech shift, leading toward viable path of success
- Implemented content marketing strategy for major brand awareness campaign (DU research) via Inside Higher Ed, Colorado Public Radio and alongside integrated digital marketing efforts
Marketing director and interim executive director
University advancement
May 2015 – February 2018
- Drove successful marketing efforts for Homecoming, inaugural Alumni Weekend celebration and more. Smashed attendance expectations and records at major DU events
- Instituted data-informed marketing approach to guide decision-making and optimization. Increased traffic, time on site, click-throughs and conversion
- Developed and deployed engagement strategies for 2016 and 2017 “One Day for DU” 24-hour giving days, doubling participation and dollars raised year-over-year
- Launched new online giving platform at give.du.edu, new alumni portal, and many microsites
- Led cross-functional marketing team through period of organizational transition, delivering powerful results and building reputation for successful collaboration
- Oversaw shift in social media strategy toward effective paid promotion and audience targeting, delivering well above industry benchmarks at reduced cost
- Led platform training activities to ensure successful university-wide adoption of marketing strategies
Northeastern University
Senior associate director for digital strategy
Office of external affairs
May 2011 – November 2014
- Managed team of front end developers, designers and content creators to deliver award-winning digital productions
- Increased audience engagement 5x across northeastern.edu and on social channels through analytics-driven optimization and coordinated institutional engagement
- Modernized digital content production, measurement and QA throughout university web presence
- Produced social brand strategy for the Office of the President, tripling engagement and improving PR
- Integrated print/web/social for award-winning Making Tomorrow Happen, Empower (Northeastern’s capital campaign) and No Limits campaigns
- Developed audience-specific strategies to reach prospective students, alumni, faculty, staff and donors
- Partnered with campus police and IT to institute updated emergency communication protocol
Harvard Law School
Assistant director for online strategy and support
Office of communications
June 2008 – May 2011
- Migrated static html site to dynamic CMS in 6 months, implementing QA and ensuring improved distribution
- Collaborated with ITS to produce new content functionality supporting marketing needs
- Transformed public engagement by launching HLS presences on Facebook and YouTube
- Drove development of internal communications portal from RFP, vendor selection, IA discovery and SharePoint site building, designing architecture for future content management
- Provided actionable insights on user behavior and expectations by conducting large-scale marketing survey
- Co-founded “Online Best Practices” forum for cross-departmental collaboration on internet-related issues
- Authored law/policy articles, profiles and interviews for HLS Today News
- Assisted in speechwriting for Deans Kagan and Minow (including 2011 Commencement Address)
- Delivered academic tech initiatives through collaboration with IT, HPAC and peer institutions
Boston University
STEM program manager
PROSTARS (NSF grant-funded project)
November 2007 – April 2008
Managed educational programs, promoted through print media, digital marketing and direct outreach with Boston-area schools
Wrote Annual Report for NSF to ensure continued funding of grant
Oversaw print production, copywriting and freelance design support
Established Science Fair Mentoring program, resulting in English High School’s first state-level competitors
Collaborated with BU administration, Boston Public School representativse and StepUP to implement educational initiatives
91.5 FM Classical KUSC Los Angeles
Production assistant
Programming department
June 2003 – May 2004; March – August 2007
- Managed and produced new website content using HTML/CSS/PHP
- Authored on-air copy, provided voice talent, and produced interviews for Arts Alive and other programming
- Conducted research for Arts Alive, Spotlight on the Arts, and live classical music programming
- Acted as station liaison with the LA Times and other media, arts and professional organizations
CONSULTING + FREELANCE
Lux Operations, Ltd., Denver
Constituent experience, content marketing, web development and design
Jan 2014 – March 2021
- Developed identity, content and awareness strategies for startups, design firms and non-profits
- Produced brand assets, tactics and best-practice documentation to support client goals
- Developed inbound, social-connected and media-ready storytelling campaigns
- Advised clients on digital marketing, paid media and content-based lead generation
- Oversaw collaborations with full-service marketing agencies and in-house communications teams
- Crafted words, graphic designs and concepts that fostered action and elevated engagement
EDUCATION
University of Southern California, Los Angeles
B.A., English, creative writing
2004
- Honors: Institute for Multimedia Literacy Honors Program, Thematic Option Honors Program, Engineering Honors Colloquium, Advanced Fiction Writing Workshops