Manager Management

portfolio of a social media and web guy by day who craves good friends, food and wine by night.

Jason Townsend's Resume

Jason Townsend is NASA's deputy social media manager where he helps oversee and coordinate over 450 social media accounts covering NASA's people, missions, and programs. He coordinates between internal social media users and NASA's external community of fans and followers to tell NASA's story using tools such as the agency's flagship Twitter account, @NASA, and pages on Facebook and Google+. Additionally, Mr. Townsend provides guidance to agency leadership on social media best practices, policy, and upcoming social media activities. He also plans and supports successful NASA Socials (formerly Tweetups) events that take online engagement with fans and followers to the next level through behind-the-scenes, in-person experiences.

Previously, Mr. Townsend was the webmaster for NOAA, a federal agency that monitors and studies the Earth, and the U.S. Institute of Peace, a non-governmental organization dealing with foreign policy and international relations. At NOAA, he specialized in the creation, development and operations of online communications for NOAA.gov and NOAA's Twitter and Facebook social media accounts. At the Institute, he oversaw the daily operations of the USIP.org web site content management system, an e-mail marketing system, social media accounts, and a matrixed team of content contributors. He also worked on the NASA.gov website as a web editor and multimedia producer at both NASA Headquarters and the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Mr. Townsend has over a decade of professional and freelance experience communicating online, starting as a freelance web designer for small local businesses and student organizations at colleges and universities in 1999. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado. During his tenure at NASA, he helped NASA.gov win two Webby Awards in 2010 and 2011.

Deputy Social Media Manager at NASA

April 2012 – Present

Serves as NASA's deputy social media manager helping oversee and coordinate more than 450 social media accounts covering NASA's people, missions, and programs. Routinely coordinates between internal social media users and NASA's external community of fans and followers to tell NASA's story using tools such as the agency's flagship Twitter account, @NASA, and pages on Facebook (facebook.com/NASA) and Google+; and provides guidance to agency leadership on social media best practices, policy, and upcoming social media activities. Additionally, also plans and supports successful NASA Socials (formerly Tweetups) events that take online engagement with fans and followers to the next level through behind-the-scenes, in-person experiences.

Webmaster at NOAA

September 2011 – April 2012

Served as the webmaster and online content manager for NOAA.gov, overseeing the operations and maintenance of the agency's website and social media accounts; specializing in the development of online content by creating, producing, identifying, gathering or adapting new and existing materials from NOAA Communications staff at headquarters and the six line offices; integrating NOAA content into agency social media accounts, such as Twitter (@NOAA) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/usNOAAgov); and coordinating development of new content in response to topical trends on social media. Represented NOAA's online communications to Department of Commerce and other cabinet-level coordinating committees.

Web Editor and Multimedia Producer for NASA.gov at InDyne, Inc.

September 2009 – September 2011

Served as an editor and producer at NASA Headquarters for the Webby Award-winning NASA.gov website, managing the operations of the site by selecting content for daily updates; promoting new content to the agency homepage; planning and coordinating the release of new science and technology stories; engaging the public using traditional and innovative new platforms such as web chats, video streaming of events, and social media campaigns; strategically planning new sections and content; and providing guidance on development of new features and enhancements to the web site and web tools leading to a better user experience and increased user satisfaction ratings. Additionally, provided support for the agency's social media by integrating web content into NASA's social media accounts on Twitter (@NASA) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/NASA); staffing agency Tweetup events for Twitter followers; and responding to social media inquiries from members of the public.

Online Communications Specialist at the US Institute of Peace

October 2008 – September 2009

Served as the webmaster providing oversight and general management of USIP.org, including selecting content for daily updates, operations of a content management system, and leadership for a matrixed team of 23 Content Contributors from each program. Focused on using programmatic requirements and staff input to redesign the organizations website from a flat brochure website to a dynamic, content-driven site better reflecting the Institute and it's mission. Additionally, provided daily management of an e-mail marketing system used for weekly newsletters and event announcements, social media accounts on Twitter (@USIP) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/usinstituteofpeace), and the online audio/visual components of the organization, including streaming video, on-demand video, and podcasts.

Technology Coordinator for the Federal Resource Center for Special Education at AED

November 2007 – October 2008

Served as coordinator of all technology for a federally-funded grant project of the U.S. Department of Education, including a network of seven web sites and web applications for a network of national and regional special education centers with both internal and external audiences; operations of a content management system designed for non-technical users; and an online collaboration/conferencing system. Additionally, provided oversight with the budgeting and management of a web development firm with $100,000 of annual billings and served as the lead technology adviser on a $1,800,000 federal proposal.

Intern Web Editor for NASA.gov at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

February 2003 – October 2007

Served as an editor for NASA.gov at Goddard producing and enhancing the online versions of scientific stories, daily news releases, real-time breaking news announcements, press conferences, and press kits using a content management system and incorporating static text content, multimedia elements, boiler-plate statements, and specialized photographs and graphics. Focused on the strategic planning and development of content for the continued expansion and updates to over twelve sections of the NASA.gov website, including ways to enhance the NASA brand, promote new multimedia content, and expand the NASA web presence. Worked full-time during school breaks on-site and remotely teleworked part-time during the school year.

University of Colorado at Boulder

2001 – 2007

BA in Political Science

University of Virginia

2010

Graduate Coursework in Social & New Media eMarketing

NASA Marshall Group Achievement Award for the Web Chat Team, August 2011NASA Group Achievement Award for the NASA.gov Web Video Streaming Team, June 2011NASA Group Achievement Award for the NASA Tweetup Team, June 2011NASA Group Achievement Award for the NASA.gov Web Chat Team, June 2011People's Voice Webby Award for Government Category for NASA.gov, May 2011NASA Headquarters I.T. Support Services (HITSS) Exceptional Employee Award for "attentive, personal service that goes the extra mile," December 2010NASA Marshall Group Achievement Award for the Summer of Science Live Web Chat Team, August 2010People's Voice Webby Award for Government Category for NASA.gov, May 2010NASA Group Achievement Award for the Return to Flight Public Affairs Team, April 2006NASA Goddard Group Achievement Award and Medal for NASA's Hurricane Resource Web Page Team, March 2006NASA Goddard Individual Act Award for NASA's Hurricane Website, August 2005NASA Goddard Group Act Award for Goddard Community Day, October 2004

Web Tools - Adobe Creative Suite (Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat Pro); HTML/XHTML, Stylesheets (CSS), Javascript; Web Statistics (Google Analytics, Urchin, Web Trends); Content Management Systems (Drupal, e-Touch, MediaWiki, WordPress); E-mail Marketing Systems (Bronto, ExactTarget, Vocus); Saleforce.com Constituent Relationship Management System; Web Accessibility (Section 508, Web Accessibility Initiative [WAI])

Social Media Tools - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Vimeo; Management Systems (Hoostuite, CoTweet, TweetDeck); Twitter Tools (bit.ly Pro, TwitPic); Statistics (Twitter Analytics, Facebook Insights)

Desktop Tools - Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint); Macintosh/Windows

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About Me

Jason Townsend has over a decade of professional and freelance experience communicating online. He is NASA's deputy social media manager where he helps oversee and coordinate . Previously, Mr. Townsend was the webmaster for both, a federal agency that monitors and studies the Earth, and the, a non-governmental organization dealing with foreign policy and international relations. He also worked on the website as a web editor and multimedia producer at both NASA Headquarters and the Goddard Space Flight Center.

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@jtowns on Twitter

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on Google+

on Flickr

on Yelp

on NASA Blogs

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Contact Me

Located just off

Washington, D.C. 20002

*****@*******************.***

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