Social Media Executive Director

Kat Powers

**************@*****.*** 857-***-****

Professional Experience

Parks Coordinator, Mass Parks for all 10/1/24

Organizer of state parks supporters to mobilize public support for state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Central Region properties.

Executive Director, Somerville Media Center/SCATV 12/16/20 - 3/6/24 Leader of arts makerspace for Greater Boston-area artists seeking low-cost studios and education in media arts. Managed community media resources, including access TV and radio studios. Supported programming in multiple languages and multiple disciplines for community members under-represented in the media. Created safe space for public discourse.

●Successfully negotiated with City to win 100% of cable revenue, restructuring 40 years of access funding.

●Using storytelling skills, historical data analysis and current market research, wrote successful ARPA-funded grants to retain staff, continue operations, begin strategic planning processes.

●Partnered with several nonprofit education organizations to lead out-of-school time programming for a city of 80,000, serving a majority-minority school district in two languages.

●Created internships with Lesley University offering studio management to autistic students.

●Partnered with Tufts University to fund program for native Brazilian speakers, employing high school and college students documenting Brazilian artists living in New England. Editorial Director, CabinetM 6/1/16 - 12/16/20

Led content team for internet startup creating marketing technology. Responsible for industry-wide weekly newsletter, company blog and social media messaging. Managed catalog of thousands of MarTech products. Researcher, The Good Search 3/10/2015 - 3/09/2016

Problem-solved and recruited for many multinational companies seeking the answers to challenging questions and presenting those answers for hospitality, cybersecurity industries. Director of Communications, American Red Cross of Massachusetts 2/8/2012 - 4/25/2014 Statewide director of communications and public affairs supporting the state in both blue skies and disaster. Responsible for all marketing, branding messaging, speechwriting and crisis communications.

●Served as national media spokesperson following disasters and other emergencies.

●Led publicity efforts to support Eastern Massachusetts resulting in fundraising doubling to $19M in one year.

●Developed volunteer communications team that messaged on 24-7 disaster response statewide. Created crew of statewide “Twitter Jedi” who deployed virtually in disaster.

●Developed statewide relationships in media and public affairs to support disaster responses, focusing on messaging in under-resourced communities.

●Oversaw messaging campaign in English and Spanish that was deployed by volunteers to support region-wide readiness, including image gallery used nationally by Red Cross volunteers.

●Responsible for ad buys, earned media and fundraising communications.

●Developed and led training in disaster public affairs.

●Public speaking coach for Red Cross executives, volunteers and local officials. 1

Professional Experience, continued

Managing Editor, GateHouse Media New England 2009 - 2012 Lead digital Journalist in a company of 450 weekly and daily reporters and editors. Lead editor in a newsroom directly serving 19 communities with digital and print products. Directly managed 45 journalists.

●Trained reporters on new media tools, including social media, live blogging, and instant publishing.

●Advised on development of web publishing platform allowing social media pushes in event of breaking news.

●Developed system for tracking engagement analyzing gaps in coverage. Resulting coverage focused on women and communities of color.

●Led partnerships with major television and radio news outlets. Senior Editor, GateHouse Media 2000 - 2009

Editor of Somerville Journal driving the launch of WickedLocalSomerville, the digital news site that became the go-to platform for news for a city of 80,000. Spearheaded movement for local reporters to go online. Created a hyperlocal video and blogging platform for stories that changed municipal policies. Education

Emerson College1988-1992

Double-major in journalism/sociology, student paper editor-in-chief. Left prior to graduation in pursuit of stories. Volunteer Work

●Chairman of Scouting America Troop 30, teaching outdoor conservation, citizenship and leadership to children of all genders grades 6-12 during period of tremendous growth of program serving families from four continents. Serving as Communication, Citizenship in Society and Family Life merit badge counselor.

●President of Somerville Media Fund.

●Member Union Square Main Streets.

●Keeping Small Strong Steering Committee Member exploring use of a Business Interest Group to expand opportunities in Union Square, Somerville.

Citations and Awards

●2023 Winner of the Community Partner Award, Lesley University Threshold Program.

●2022 Winner of the Mayor Joe Flufftastic Innovation Award for Impact in Somerville.

●2022 Nominated and Elected to Order of the Arrow, Scouting America honor society.

●Named 2019 Sons of Liberty Scouts BSA Leader of the Year for roles with Troop 30.

●2014 Wrote nonfiction book “The Week That Made Boston Strong,” distilling the lessons of the Boston Marathon Bombing from a public relations perspective. Book shows how, in a crisis, one can protect and even strengthen one’s brand.

●2013 Named American Red Cross Chief of Disaster Public Affairs during Boston Marathon Bombing.

●2013 Created social media accounts retweeted by Barack Obama and Katie Couric.

●2012 Selected for American Red Cross national Advanced Public Affairs Team 2

●2008-12 Work featured in journalism textbooks, at Poynter Institute where listed as faculty. Kat Powers

**************@*****.*** 857-***-****

References

Greg Reibman, CEO, Charles River Chamber of Commerce Jessica Eschleman, Executive Director, Union Square Main Streets Susan Barnaby, Manager, CHA PACE Appointments Coordination, Jason Pramas, Executive Director, Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism 3

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