Marketing Mental Health

Elaine Harrison

**** *. ***** ****** #* ******@*******************.***

Chicago, Illinois 60659 773-***-****

Senior Communications Manager

Savvy Media Relations Maven • Dynamic Writer/Editor • Innovative Entrepreneur • Published Author

Experience

Owner, Author, Publisher Lucky Duck Publishing, Ltd., Chicago, IL 2011-Present

Mission: To capture the whimsy, heart and intellect of children through tales that inspire the imagination and encourage self-confidence. (www.luckyduckpublishing.com)

• Authored English, Spanish and bilingual books (endorsed by educators throughout the country, the Superintendent of Chicago Catholic Schools, and the National Kindergarten Alliance)

• Created website, marketing and promotional materials

• Developed and presented big-screen author visit/curriculum presentations for schools throughout Chicagoland

• Managed team of illustrators, website designers, graphic artists, printing/binding companies

Marketing, Public and Media Relations Strategist A Story to Tell, Chicago, IL 2002-2011

Chicago-based communications and public affairs firm (closed in 2011)

• Crafted and executed comprehensive public/media relations and marketing campaigns for private and public clients, including: The Center for Disability and Elder Law, Mental Health Advocacy of Illinois, Chicago Lights, Serafin & Associates, Inc., Botanical Concepts of Chicago and the Alex Shibicky Family. Long-term assignments included:

Director of Communications Center for Disability and Elder Law (CDEL), 1-year grant-funded position

Dramatically increased CDEL’s public visibility locally and nationally; created a stronger presence for the organization within Chicago’s legal community

• Garnered national and statewide media attention for CDEL with by-lined articles in American Bar Association publications and Chicago and Illinois State Bar Association newspapers.

• Where none had previously existed, authored website content and PR materials for CDEL programs

• Created strategic three-year organizational plan

• Coordinated special events, including the 2005 CDEL Volunteer Recognition Awards with major Chicago law firms and the Illinois Attorney General. Authored event program contents, including biographies and CDEL case histories of each awardee. Wrote presentation speeches delivered by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and U.S. District Court Judge Marvin Aspen.

Director of Marketing and Communications Student Environmental Education and Development Studies, SEEDS

Developed and promoted the Archdiocese’s first environmental school. Cultivated a partnership between the Archdiocese and management staff of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Center for Teaching and Learning. Established network of corporate sponsors, foundations and key Illinois environmental leaders to fund and promote school programs and campus improvements. Created and produced all promotional materials.

• The nation’s first environmental Catholic school was established

• SEEDS set national precedent for environmental education curriculum

• Personally responsible for cash donations, in-kind contributions and grants totaling $250,000

• Orchestrated major press conference and donor luncheon with Cardinal Francis George

• Comprehensive media coverage for the SEEDS initiative and the Cardinal event included: Major feature on Chicago Tribune religion page, ongoing coverage in the Catholic New World, special report by Robin Robinson of Fox News, coverage by all TV network affiliates, National Public Radio, Catholic International News Service and Vatican newspapers

Senior Account Executive, Writer, Editor Serafin & Associates, Inc., Chicago, IL 1999-2002

Communications and public affair strategies, reputation management, coalition building

• Created and executed internal/external corporate communications campaigns and crisis communications

• Managed media campaigns and consistently achieved national and local placements

• Authored editorials, speeches, individual and corporate biographies and company reports

• Conducted extensive research on complex legal and medical topics

• Managed a diverse client base, including:

Eli Lilly and Company

Created awareness within the medical/mental health communities and general population for new breakthroughs in treating mental illness. Addressed the challenges of stigma for the mentally ill. Established relationships with national and statewide medical experts and mental health advocacy groups. Named the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Greater Chicago’s Friend of the Year, 2001.

House of Blues (HOB)

Created communications campaign, We’re Dishin’ Up More than the Blues, to bring attention to restaurant venues, HOB Gospel Brunch and the philanthropic activities of the House of Blues Foundation. Staged an event with city and HOB to reenact Blues Brothers movie car chase when Wacker Drive closed in 2001 for major renovations. Wrote The Wacker Drive Blues, which was recorded by HOB house band and distributed as a press release to the media. This and other events, including the HOB Foundation’s Community Blues School House- a day-long arts program for elementary school children- received major media attention.

Chicago Firefighters Union

Brought public awareness to critical contract negotiations between firefighters and the City of Chicago. Press conference, A Fighting Chance with Five garnered major media attention, including a John Kass editorial in the Tribune and coverage by all network affiliates. Consulted with CFF Union attorney regarding the firefighters class action suit against the city regarding pension issues, translating legalese to language that could be understood by mainstream media and the public.

Additional Experience

Owner, Curator, Tour Leader Harrison Art Consulting and Maestros de México, Sedona, AZ

• Represented artists and acquired fine art for private and corporate collectors

• Curator of major sculpture collection, Celebration of Spirit, for the community of Las Sendas in Mesa, Arizona. Commissioned artists from around the world to create 16 life-size figurative bronze sculptures. Purchased a 48-bell carillon from the Netherlands. Designed artist marketing strategies and wrote promotional materials and biographies. Launched first international marketing campaign and authored official biography for renowned Mexican artist Rafael Zamarripa.

• Concurrent with art consulting, organized and led cultural/archeological tours for art patrons to Western Mexico. A portion of tour proceeds established a scholarship fund at the University of Colima’s College of Fine Arts and supported programs at the Sedona Arts Center.

Community Involvement

Executive Producer (volunteer position) I Dream a World: Langston Hughes Speaks, Gammage Auditorium, Tempe, Arizona

• Handled every aspect (corporate sponsorships, ticket sales, media relations) of this fundraising concert, which benefited Central Arizona Shelter Services, CASS, Phoenix Opportunities Industrialization Center, Phoenix OIC and The Consortium of Black Organizations and Others for the Arts, COBRA.

Northern Arizona Volunteer Community Chair Proposition 300 (volunteer position)

• Led campaign efforts in northern Arizona, which contributed to Arizona voters passing legislation in 1992 to establish an annual Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Holiday.

Current Volunteer Work:

• Family Promise: a program that helps homeless families regain stability

• Family Matters tutoring program: tutor

• Y.O.U., Youth & Opportunity United: funding partner liaison

• Provide free books and author visits to at-risk children and schools

Elaine Harrison • 773-***-**** • ******@*******************.*** Page 2

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