profile

An innovative and resourceful leader with a proven track record of success in multi-channel strategic marketing and communications. Experienced in results-driven campaigns, storytelling, and events. A positive, can-do collaborator; particularly effective in working with diverse constituencies to build understanding and facilitate effective communication. Characterized as a team builder and motivator who is calm under pressure, highly organized, self-confident, and committed to delivering outstanding results in a demanding environment where innovation, accountability, and a commitment to excellence are ever-present requirements for success.

Employment History & Experience

University of North Texas at Dallas; Dallas, Texas 
Director, Integrated communications / February 2021 – Present

Provides overall direction for internal and external communications including marketing campaigns, executive communications, employee and student communications, and media relations.

• Plans, develops, and implements a comprehensive, proactive communications plan to inform and engage a variety of audiences, both internal and external, and promote strategic initiatives and organizational priorities within the community. 

• Manages complex and high-profile communications challenges including issues/crises and major change initiatives. Provides counsel and a communications perspective for issues/crisis management. Writes and distributes communications for topics that are sensitive or controversial in nature. 

• Leads media relations, writes press releases, and pitches stories for both local and national audiences, serves as spokesperson and develops/maintains relationships with the media, coordinates interviews with subject matter experts, provides timely release of information, ensures accuracy, and anticipates and responds to inquiries, including those of a sensitive nature.

• Develops executive communications for university president and other officials including talking points, scripts, articles, and email communications. 

• Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders on projects and initiatives to elevate the university’s reputation and advance institutional priorities. Coordinates communications to ensure consistent and accurate messaging and that all communications align with brand and style guidelines.

• Plans, writes, and edits a variety of communications and marketing collateral for internal and external audiences including fliers, brochures, booklets, newsletters, email bulletins, and urgent university updates.

• Recommends, develops, and manages tools to gather, understand, and act on key data related to communications performance, including email metrics, Google web analytics, and social media analytics.

Dallas College North Lake; Irving, Texas
Director, Marketing & Communication / October 2009 – November 2020

Responsible for providing leadership and strategic planning for effective organization-wide marketing and communications programs designed to drive engagement, increase visibility, and promote enhance the organizational brand. 

• Served as member of senior leadership team, providing counsel and a communications perspective to the executive decision-making process. 

• Provided leadership and oversight for all marketing and communications efforts including printed publications, public relations, crisis/issues management, employee communications, paid advertising, and digital publications including website/blog and social media.

• Planned and executed integrated communications and marketing campaigns to inform and engage targeted audiences and advance organizational priorities.

• Set goals and developed strategic plans based on organizational priorities and to support strategic objectives, managed multiple budgets connecting resources to strategic priorities. 

• Developed creative, purposeful communication and engagement strategies to support and advance institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals.

• Served as spokesperson and maintained relationships with the media, providing timely release of information, anticipated, and responded to inquiries, including those of a sensitive nature.

• Served as lead for crisis/issues communications and major change initiatives, provided crisis training for communications team, and advised executives regarding crisis/issues communications.

• Managed/collaborated with internal and external stakeholders, business partners and city agencies on a variety of special projects, including communications strategy, event/activity planning, policy development, and issues management. 

• Led/participated in a variety of committees work groups, and task forces charged with developing policy, researching/resolving issues, and implementing institutional initiatives.

• Developed key relationships across the organization, providing support and advice on wide-ranging projects and communications issues.

• Researched, wrote and edited, key communications, articles, and printed and digital content for internal and external audiences, ensuring compelling, coordinated, and consistent messaging.

• Developed methodology to gather, understand, and act on key data from a variety of sources, defined key performance indicators, tracked, measured, and assessed effectiveness of campaigns/programs and to make

improvements to strategy.

• Recruited, developed, and led a diverse, high-performing team of communications professionals.  

Key Achievements

• Reestablished and strengthened the organizational brand through a phased redesign of all marketing materials and strategic branding campaigns. Led the development of brand standards and guidelines.

• Revitalized employee communications and increased employee satisfaction with communications by over 40% within two years.

• Managed crisis communications during nationally covered college murder-suicide tragedy, May 2017

• National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award, 2017-18

• Innovator of the Year Award Dallas County Colleges, 2017 

• North Lake College President’s Award for Community Service, 2009

Manager, Web Communications / 2004 – 2009

Responsible for content and customer service provided on college websites and social media channels. Planned, developed, coordinated, and evaluated college’s internet publications and social media channels. Ensured that college and district policies and procedures were carried out and that the college’s strategic goals and objectives were achieved.  

• Worked with internal clients and stakeholders to conceptualize, write, edit, and oversee production of webpages and other digital content to promote college programs.

• Managed content strategy and served as lead writer/editor for college digital publications.

• Provided assistance to executive team and internal clients with establishing and maintaining professional blog and social media accounts.

• Supervised a high-performing web team – front-end designers, programmers, content editors, and social media coordinator.

• Tracked and reported key metrics for web traffic and social media engagement.