C A T H E R I N E C O L E

INTEGRATED MARKETING AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONAL

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S U M M A R Y

Accomplished marketing and communication professional with more than 35 years of creating, developing and executing award-winning marketing, communication, media and public relations campaigns, which increased sales, brand awareness and product loyalty by double-digits. Author of three non-fiction books, Creepy Colleges and Haunted Universities, Haunted Florida and True Crime: Florida.

E D U C A T I O N

Higher Education Crisis Communication, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard, 2019

Master’s degree, Integrated Marketing Communication, West Virginia University, 2014

Mickey ears, Disney Institute Business Programs, Quality Service, 2006

Bachelor’s degree, Journalism, Eastern Michigan University, 1990

C E R T I F I C A T I O N S

All-Hazards Public Information Officer Certification

NIMS/ICS trained and certified (100, 200, 300, 400, 700 and 800

S K I L L S A N D A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S

Brand management

Led several successful brand clarification projects which increased enrollment, retention and endowment

Creating and implementation of multiple successful campus-wide style guides

Created centralized campus clearinghouses for approval of communication, marketing and promotional materials — increasing productivity, decreasing errors and creating opportunities for consistent content

Crisis communication and management

Managed crises at national, all-hazards level

Created and deployed crisis communication plans, manuals and training based on FEMA’s ICS

Oversaw the reputational crisis management and recovery at several mid-major and flagship universities, as well as small, private liberal arts colleges

Digital strategy/SEO/Social media

Engage stakeholders through multiple platforms and to raise brand awareness, build brand equity or tell our authentic story

Created digital strategies for enrollment, retention, brand awareness, friend- and fund-raising that met and surpassed goals, and created new platforms for stakeholder engagement

Enrollment management

Created, implemented and managed successful integrated marketing and strategic communication plans to drive inquiries, applications, yield, matriculation and retention

Sustained enrollment growth at multiple public institutions

Event management

Envisioned, planned and hosted small- and large-scale events to showcase institutions that varied from commencement with a sitting U.S. President to galas for more than 5,000 guests — and everything in between

Marketing

Created and executed myriad strategic, integrated marketing plans for various institutions

Media relations

Cultivated relationships with media at national, state and local levels

Strategic communication

Creatively and authentically told brand story with goals, objectives and outcomes continuously measured

E M P L O Y M E N T

SABO PR

Social media strategist, crisis manager

2020 to present

Provide social media strategy for clients in the United States to grow brand, increase sales and achieve KPIs as they relate to the individual clients. Lead crisis communicator for clients who need expert advice and leadership through difficult times and follow through after the crisis has passed but communication and public relations are still needed to protect the brand.

Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa

Vice President, Marketing and Strategic Communication

2020 to 2021

Provided executive leadership, management, direction and delivery of marketing, branding, strategic and crisis communication to protect the institution’s reputation and tell its story to all stakeholder groups. Major accomplishments include:

Created overarching College integrated marketing and strategic communication plan

Development of overarching College brand clarification and subsequent campaigns

Successful resolution of racially motivated Zoom-bombing incident (with outside PR firm)

Management three privileged and confidential incidents

Management of on- and off-campus events including convocation and commencement

University of Montana, Missoula, Montana

Vice President, Enrollment Management and Strategic Communication

2018 to 2020

Provided executive leadership, management and delivery of effective and efficient enrollment support services at a large, multi-campus public research university. Developed and managed strategic communication plan (along with integrated marketing and branding) to successfully tell the university’s story to all stakeholder groups.

Reporting units include admissions (graduate, international and undergraduate); Broadcast Media Center; enrollment marketing and communication; financial aid; data analytics, systems and technology; news services; Student Enrollment Communication Center; trademarks and licensing; University Communications; University Marketing; and Welcome Center, all with more than 150 employees, a $5M operating budget, a $173M financial aid portfolio and $500,000 in strategic funding for new initiatives.

Major accomplishments include:

Re-engineered undergraduate admissions, evaluation, financial aid, transfer services and alumni relations to function as a single collaborative team to provide quality care and excellent service to students and facilitate cross-training and knowledge transfer among staff for operational efficiency and sustained growth.

Brought online a Student Enrollment Communication Center to augment recruitment and outreach efforts through inbound and outbound calling, texting and chatting with prospective and current students and increased yield by 10 percent

Managed pre- and post-go-live development of Montana University System’s in-state application — which led to 10 percent increase in overall applications to MUS schools

Pioneered new admissions-alumni model in which both admissions and alumni teams housed in new Welcome Center, which resulted in a 12-percent rise in visit yield, a 200-percent increase in alumni chapter development and a 7-percent increase in alumni giving

Introduced, implemented and maximized net tuition leveraging strategies to increase enrollment by 1.9 percent and retention by 3 percent for three consecutive semesters

Created national award-winning student orientation program to provide multiple on-ramps, engagement and learning opportunities increasing participation in program by nearly 50 percent, but also increased retention by 3 percent each three consecutive semesters

Spearheaded university-wide brand clarification project, which resulted in 4,000 percent increase in engagement across new communication channels for university, enrollment management and marketing

University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida

Assistant Vice President, Enrollment Services and Director, Integrated Marketing and Strategic Communications

2010 to 2018

Oversight of Enrollment Services Marketing and Communication, Commencement, New Student Orientation, One-Stop Student Services, Student Enrollment Communication Center, Texting Talons and Welcome Center — 26 direct reports and staff of 75 (150 with students)

Created and implemented all new enrollment management processes, procedures and policies, along with new communications and marketing that has — to date — made UNF one of the fastest-growing universities in U.S. with (in the past five years):

o70 percent growth in graduation rates

o73 percent growth in the freshman class

o163 percent growth in traditionally underrepresented first-year students (247 percent Black)

Developed a program-centric marketing and communication plan to recruit prospective students for 52 academic programs — which led to a 25 percent increase in enrollment in 2016 and 36 percent in 2017

Created marketing and communication plan for National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) that garnered a 46.3 percent campus response rate; the national response rate is 29 percent

Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Associate Director of Admissions, 2009-2010

Implemented university-wide enrollment marketing and communication plan, resulting in 10 percent growth

Planned and executed state-wide recruiting trips for university president, executives, academic officers and departments with a 25 percent increase attendance of prospective students and families

Editor/Marketing Coordinator, 2006 to 2009

Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan

Director, Major Events, Marketing and Trademark Licensing, 2003 to 2006

Director, Special Events, 2001 to 2003

Director, Student Media, 1998 to 2001

Target Information Services, Milan, Michigan

Managing Editor, 1997 to 1998

Mortgage Investors Corp., St. Petersburg, Florida

Director, Public Relations/Corporate Communications, 1995 to 1997

Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas

Associate Director of Admissions, 1993 to 1995

South Florida Newspaper Network, Deerfield Beach, Florida

Newspaper Editor, 1992 to 1993

Miami Herald, Miami, Florida

Sportswriter, 1991 to 1992

Hollywood Sun, Hollywood, Florida

General Assignment Reporter, 1990

A W A R D S/H O N O R S

NODA Award for Innovative Orientation Programming, 2020

Presidential Excellence Award, first place, UNF, 2016

LGBT Ally Award, Faculty and Staff, UNF, 2016

CASE First Place Award, Outstanding Marketing Campaign, 2009, 2010

PRSA First Place Award, Outstanding Public Relations Campaign, 2008-10

Outstanding Contributions Award, University Ambassadors, 2001-06

Recognition of Excellence Award, EMU Student Media, 2001

ACP/CMA Pacemaker Award, 1998-2001

Significant Educator Award, Kalamazoo School District, 1998

Florida Press Association News Award, 1992-94

Florida Press Association Design Award, 1991

P R O F E S S I O N A L O R G A N I Z A T I O N S

American Marketing Association, 2015-

Convention Industry Council, 2004–2006

Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, 1998–

Public Relations Society of America, 2004–

University and College Designers Association, 2006–

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