Public, R1 with 24,000 students | 2022-2024

Lead Old Dominion University’s marketing, branding, creative, digital, public relations, and media outreach efforts. As a member of the President’s Cabinet and the Leadership Council, serve as a strategic thought partner for campus leadership. Advise the President and senior leadership on all issues related to marketing and communications. Enhance the university’s reputation through strategic marketing campaigns, branding, media and public relations, and crisis communications. Develop and implement a comprehensive and inclusive brand strategy and marketing plan for all university programs and services. Lead the university’s crisis communications planning and response and execute strategies related to issues and reputation management.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Completely built a marketing division from the ground up with a mix of existing centralized staff, communicators from other divisions, and more than a dozen vacant positions. All but one senior leadership position was vacant upon my arrival.

Implemented a marketing maturity model to evaluate and evolve the department.

Researched, evaluated, and implemented a project management system, including developing a project intake process, a project management methodology, and standards of service.

Drafted the university’s first robust and thorough crisis communications framework and began training staff on protocols and processes.

Rebuilt relationships with Enrollment Management to allow University Communications to guide and support enrollment marketing efforts for the first time in at least a decade. Supported Enrollment Management in a late-cycle pivot in January 2023 to raise the admissions standards in an effort to strengthen the academic profile of the first-year class and reduce the admit rate for the Fall 2023 class.

Launched a robust brand campaign project expected to roll out in January 2024, a peer-to-peer campaign, and a campaign to highlight the university’s new status as a Carnegie R1 institution.

Co-led the Communications and Branding Functional Team in support of the merger of Old Dominion University with Eastern Virginia Medical School. Led the development of a new brand for the combined entity, which will be the largest academic health sciences center in Virginia.

Researched, selected, and implemented a self-service design tool designed to help faculty and staff create branded marketing materials for projects that fall outside of the priorities of University Communications.

Provided training workshops for the campus community on topics including: Using Generative AI, Licensing and Trademarks, Building Authentic Brands, and Creating Integrated Marketing Communications Campaigns.

Moved the division toward a more robust approach to media relations, including providing a three-part faculty media training, crafting PR plans for each priority area, shifting outsourced media efforts to University Communications, and purchasing and implementing a new pitching tool.

Overhauled the university’s licensing program by streamlining available logos, working with retailers to increase the availability of ODU product in the region, launching new product lines, and creating a vintage collection.

Overhauled the university’s alumni magazine, including shifting the content strategy, redesigning the interior pages, upgrading the paper stock, and enhancing the photography and artwork.

Public, R2 with 22,000 students | 2020-2022

Provide vision and leadership for university-wide marketing and strategic communications, including public relations and brand strategy. Manage an approximately $7.5 million budget and a staff of approximately 55 full-time positions responsible for broad-based university communications, marketing and branding, strategic communication, public relations, media relations, crisis communications, web communications, executive communications, and digital and interactive media services. Help Miami realize its enrollment and philanthropic goals by advancing an enhanced image of the university regionally, nationally, and beyond. Assist the undergraduate and graduate admissions offices across three campuses and the various colleges and schools with their messaging needs. Partner on division and departmental recruitment and yield communications to support the achievement of their long-term strategic enrollment goals. Oversee the activities of the university’s spokesperson. Serve as an integral and positive resource for the Miami University community during challenging times. Serve as senior counselor to the President, the President’s Executive Cabinet, and other university leaders as they assess, monitor, manage and respond to issues that put the university in the public eye. Assist with Miami’s strategic communications response to major political issues, at the federal, state and local levels. Serve on a steering committee evaluating new program offerings.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Led a team in the development of an application generation campaign that resulted in the largest application pool in the university's history for Fall 2021 – a record which was surpassed for Fall 2022.

Led the in-house development and roll-out of brand messaging, an updated visual identity, and brand standards. Rolled out standards to more than 200 offices and units within the university. Provided brand training to more than 400 individuals across campus.

Developed a strategy for the phased centralization of communications, beginning with the transition of all college communicators to the central communications office in September 2021.

Effectively managed crisis communications and protected the university's reputation during the COVID pandemic and throughout several high-profile issues with potential for significant brand damage.

Led a team that increased monthly media mentions by an average of 14.35% and increased PR value by 12.5%. Average media mentions in national publications and outlets nearly doubled over two years. Total faculty expertise placements in national and large metro outlets exceeded 1,200 in 12 months.

Implemented a data warehouse to provide a central resource to aid in data analysis.

Established a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion that welcomes the input of all voices within UCM by creating an environment that encourages dialogue, promotes awareness, fosters creativity, and requires accountability from everyone on the team; brought in monthly guest speakers to present on DEI topics in an effort to build cultural competency; and launched the university's first multicultural marketing campaign targeting Latinx and Black prospective students.

Built a "Career Pathways" model to support the professional development and advancement of the team.

Broke down silos within UCM by bringing writers, editors, photographers, and videographers into one storytelling unit.

Public historically Black university serving 5,200 students | 2015-2020

Provide strategic management of the university’s overall public relations, internal communications, and reputation management activities. Elevate the university's brand by establishing the vision and leading the execution of a strategic communications plan aligned with the university's strategic plan. Provide strategic and proactive recommendations on policy and action steps in the management of opportunities, issues and crises affecting the university’s reputation and public image. Serve as a senior counselor to the Chancellor on issues that could impact the university's reputation and brand. Guide university communications activities through centralized and direct oversight of marketing and branding, public/media relations, issues management, crisis communications, digital marketing, executive communications, internal communications, multimedia production, external/governmental relations, enrollment/admissions communications, and the WSNC FM 90.5 public radio station.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Led the  in-house development and roll-out of brand messaging and an updated visual identity, including a new institutional logo and a new mascot/athletics logo. Overhauled all communications tools.

Developed and implemented a data-driven brand marketing strategy designed to improve brand awareness, perception, and affinity.  The campaign has resulted in an increase in the percentage of incoming freshmen who reported on the national CIRP survey that WSSU was their first choice from 43% in 2014 to 62% in 2018.

Led a cross-functional team to create an admitted students communication strategy using print, email, social media, text messaging, and an artificial intelligence "bot" designed to impact the yield rate for first-time freshmen.  The campaign resulted in a 7.9% increase in freshman yield, a 74% increase in on-time bill payment, and a 37% increase in immunization compliance.

Merged the Office of Public Affairs, the Office of Marketing Communication, and the Office of Enrollment Communications to create a centralized integrated marketing communications model for the campus. 

Moved the team from a "service" model to a "partner" model, resulting in more effective marketing communications efforts.  Professionalized operations and rolled out new project management methodology and a "Plan-Act-Assess-Improve" approach for cyclical projects. Shifted the culture to a goal-oriented, omni-channel approach to marketing and communications.

Effectively managed crisis communications and protected the university's reputation during multiple campus lockdowns, an on-campus shooting with a fatality, campus-wide power outages, a stabbing followed by a campus-wide manhunt, Hurricane Michael, and the terminations of high-profile employees. Developed a  crisis communication plan and initiated a crisis communication training program for PIO staff.

Led an overhaul of media relations efforts, resulting in a 50% increase in positive media coverage, a 40% increase in shared social media content, and a 28% increase in web traffic to the university's news site.

Oversaw the ongoing evolution of the campus's public radio station, including programming and staffing changes, that resulted in a 120% increase in listenership over a 12-month period.

Public university serving 9,200 students | 2010-2015

Provide strategic direction for the university’s digital marketing and communications tools, including its website, portal, social media channels, digital signage, way-finding kiosks, multimedia, virtual tour, and mobile presence.  Review analytics, traffic patterns, and search results to improve the effectiveness of the university’s website. Stay abreast of emerging technologies and recommend their use as appropriate to meet the university’s strategic goals. Provide oversight, content strategy,  and manage official social media accounts. Monitor social media and respond to constituents during issues management and crisis communication scenarios.  Create multichannel marketing plans. Partner with enrollment management on the development of communications to promote the university to prospective students. Implement and manage a virtual tour, counselor maps, and other digital tools to facilitate quality interactions with prospective students.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Oversaw two complete website redesigns. Led an effort to create one of the first entirely mobile-friendly websites in higher education.

Served as a team member for the roll out of a bus tracking system that allows transit riders to get real-time bus arrival predictions via the Web, SMS text messaging, phone or through the university’s mobile application.  

Led a team in the rollout of wayfinding kiosks at six strategic locations on campus. 

Worked with a vendor to create an online virtual walking tour of campus .

Created two viral marketing campaigns. The first campaign generated coverage in the Washington Post and earned an award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (Region III). The second resulted in an 800% increase in traffic to the university’s website and scores of highly positive comments.

Developed and implemented a search engine optimization strategy that resulted in an increase in search engine traffic by 700%.

Public university serving 13,500 students | 2007-2010

Serve as news director. Develop relationships with the media to garner interest in covering the UW Oshkosh story. Follow national news trends and proactively pitch faculty experts to reporters. Work with senior leadership to develop strategies for issues management and crisis communication. Draft messages from the chancellor and other senior leaders to provide transparent communications to the campus community.  Develop multichannel marketing campaigns for major events and milestones. Provide creative and editorial direction for marketing materials and publications, including significant marketing pieces, such as the annual viewbook. Serve as the news and features editor of the university’s alumni publication. Provide creative direction on artwork and design.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Served as a key member of the university’s rebranding team for an effort completed entirely in-house.  Developed an award-winning rollout strategy and led workshops introducing the brand platform.

Developed the university’s first daily news site, UW Oshkosh Today,

Created the university’s first online alumni magazine. Also served as editor and played a key role in the redesign and redevelopment of the printed magazine, which received an industry award for most improved alumni magazine. 

Established goals and processes for departmental management of projects with an eye toward ensuring effectiveness while providing exceptional customer service. 

Private serving 1,100 students | 2004-2007

Develop media relations campaigns to highlight university research, events, and milestones. Develop relationships with the media to garner interest in telling the NWHSU story. Proactively pitch faculty experts to local and national media. Develop and manage a daily news site. Create and promote a weekly podcast and news service about natural health care.  Manage the university’s alumni magazine, including overseeing an award-winning overhaul and rebranding; leading editorial board meetings; writing articles and editing submitted content; working with vendors; and developing an annual budget. 

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Developed and managed the university’s first daily news site. 

Created an award-winning weekly news service that drew visibility to the university while offering alumni a tool for reaching their local media. 

Managed an overhaul of the university’s quarterly alumni magazine, which combined three newsletters into one full-color, 60-page publication. The new publication was recognized with an industry award for most improved alumni magazine.