Professional Experience

Director of Media Relations & Research Communications

Woodruff Health Sciences Center at Emory University from 2024 to present

  • Partners with the Associate Vice President to develop communications goals and strategies

  • Works to enhance the reputation of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center (WHSC), with the goal of continuing to position Emory University, WHSC, and its strategic partners as a leader in the next phase of health discovery, education and clinical excellence

  • Provides media training to administrators, physicians, researchers and works collaboratively with school and department communicators, and subject matter experts to prepare for media interviews, develop press briefings, and create materials for media relations

  • Collaborates with leadership to drive web and new media strategy, reputation and issues management, as well as support key communications needs regarding government affairs

  • Contributes to new concept development and oversees content and related multimedia production for delivery through the website for WHSC and the Emory News Center related to areas of research and clinical care

  • Provides editorial oversight and manages and edits written materials for the media. Assists in media relations crisis management and contributes to crisis communications plans with the media team.

  • Serves as Woodruff Health Sciences Center's communications liaison with local partnerships and alliances including Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Research Alliance, etc.

Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications

The Lovett School from 2023 to 2024

  • Provided vision and proactive leadership for the School’s brand and communications by developing and managing a fully integrated marketing plan, process, and calendar

  • Created messaging as it relates to core constituencies, including students, faculty, parents, donors, and others, aligning marketing objectives and communications strategies to deliver a consistent brand experience to each group

  • Continually optimized communications strategy and created engaging content through storytelling that maximizes owned and earned media platforms

  • Collaborated cross functionally with internal teams, departments, programs, faculty, staff, and other key internal stakeholders to ensure that external communications reflect the School’s brand standards and positioning platform

  • Developed and managed a comprehensive media relations and crisis management strategy, engaging with key media outlets, both proactively and reactively, to generate high quality, high impact media coverage

Director of Research Communications

Institute Communications at Georgia Tech from 2021 to 2023

  • Provide strategic guidance and communications support to research units, including the Office of Commercialization, Enterprise Innovation Institute, and Interdisciplinary Research Institutes

  • Lead research news content creation, including videos, graphics, and newsletters, and create outreach strategies to tell the story of Georgia Tech’s research enterprise, both internally and externally

  • Develop relationships with key reporters to expand the reach and impact of research initiatives at Georgia Tech

  • Collaborate with campus communicators to build capacity and enhance collective research storytelling at scale

  • Conduct all communications effort for the Institute’s strategic plan for research, including strategic planning for each project team

  • In 2022, served as principal investigator on a communications grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support support the Generation 2 Reinvented Toilet initiative

Communications Program Manager

College of Engineering at Georgia Tech from 2017 to 2021

  • Strategized and wrote compelling College stories through research, interviews, and content planning with faculty, students, alumni, staff

  • Worked closely with Institute and Research Communications, school and campus communicators to collaborate on and cross-promote stories, videos, and podcasts for maximum reach and impact

  • Managed Helluva Engineer biannual magazine as editor, leading art direction, contributing written content, managing freelancers, conducting market research, and completing a full magazine redesign in 2018

  • Wrote, edited and managed communications assets, including College eBooks, podcasts, research stories, and annual reports

  • Managed reporter relationships to create earned media, as well as paid advertising efforts, including print, online, YouTube, and social

  • Managed organic social media content curation and strategy for LinkedIn and Facebook; coordinated with and provided support and direction for Instagram and Twitter, as well as paid outreach

  • Gathered and analyzed metrics and strategy for all communications efforts through Google Analytics, Cision, and social platforms

  • Led communications and marketing efforts for CREATE-X, an Institute-wide program to instill entrepreneurial confidence in students, including email marketing, media pitching, video creation, and social media

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Education

The University of Chicago - Master’s in Humanities & Film Studies

Emory University - Bachelor’s in Film & Media Studies

Certificates

  • Harvard Business School Online Certificate in Management Essentials

  • Leading Women@Tech Leadership Program

Technical Skills

  • Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign

  • Drupal and Wordpress

  • Adobe Creative Suite

  • Microsoft Office Suite

  • Google Analytics, Cision, and Meltwater

  • LinkedIn

  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

Senior Manager, Marketing Communications

Applied Systems from 2013 to 2017

  • Collaborated with product management to create release messaging and communications for a suite of software products for markets in North America, the United Kingdom, and Ireland

  • Led project management, writing, and editing for eBooks, whitepapers, infographics, case studies, web copy, webinars, and video scripts from concept to deliverable across all markets

  • Identified, developed, and equipped Applied’s global sales marketing organization with a set of optimal sales enablement tools, including corporate, product, and thought leadership assets

  • Led and managed the corporate advertising program, including all media buys, copy, creative projects, and production

  • Led and managed the North American public relations program, including media relations planning, strategy, and execution

Public Relations Management

AirWatch (acquired by VMware) from 2012 to 2013

  • Wrote and produced all customer case studies in U.S., EMEA, and LATAM for marketing and media

  • Wrote and distributed press releases for global market, liaising with key journalists in technology sector

  • Led and coordinated public relations for all North American events, including management of executive meetings and analyst briefings at all trade shows and conferences

Sales Manager

Meltwater from 2010 to 2012

  • Recruited, managed, and developed a sales team selling PR software to executive public relations and communications companies with 100% outbound sales

  • Developed and maintained enduring consultative relationships with key corporate decision makers in marketing and communications departments

  • Provided software consulting services and communications strategy to drive client objectives

  • Originated business opportunities through prospecting, developing vendor partnerships, writing, and managing requests for proposals

Chief of Staff

Office of City of Atlanta Councilwoman Mary Norwood from 2006 to 2009

  • Managed daily constituent concerns and office finances

  • Coordinated weekly and monthly events; managed all vendors and marketing collateral

  • Produced documentary on affordable housing to raise awareness on policy initiatives

  • Wrote legislation on affordable housing, public safety, and environmental ordinances