EXPERIENCED COMMUNICATIONS LEADER

Exceptionally-talented and solution-driven communications professional, possessing 20 years of experience. Strong track record of proven and effective results across a broad range of roles and responsibilities. Absolutely unwavering integrity.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Public Relations

Crisis Communications

Crisis Management

Community Relations

Public Affairs

Strategic Communication

Reputation Management

Video Photography

Video Editing

Conversational Writing

Still Photography

Digital Media

Strategic Planning

Project Management

Public Speaking

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Georgia Power

Media Issues & Crisis Management Leader— Serves daily as an official company spokesperson to media and other external audiences. Excels in crisis communications, reputation management, preparedness messaging, and stakeholder relations. Creative content strategist whose efforts result in high-quality brand stories.

Media Issues & Crisis Specialist: Currently, support crisis management, and safety functions. Manage incidents, issues, or crisis to help direct the company’s narrative, and prepare for stories that may hit the news or trend across social channels. Work with executive leaders to respond to a variety of potentially newsworthy issues, incidents, and events that could impact Georgia Power’s reputation or its internal culture. Advise executive and senior leaders on negative events and prepare them for external communication. Developed comprehensive plans and strategies (inclusive of reactive media statements, talking points, FAQs and other deliverables) to ensure all key stakeholders were informed and up-to-date during rapidly changing events. Work with legal, operational teams, business continuity, and incident response teams. Participate in crisis drills and simulations with various departments and at the company’s nuclear power plant. Maintain relationships with key stakeholders to ensure alignment on the process and coordinate communication response – internally and externally.

Environmental Communications: Was responsible for developing and implementing communication strategies about environmental issues in Georgia. Those efforts involved media relations, social media, and message development to promote and educate customers and stakeholders about the company’s position and compliance efforts with local, state and federal environmental regulations. Participated in crisis communication training and drills. Developed CEO/executive-level correspondence to employees. Provided communication counsel to the VP of Environmental Affairs and other executives.

Additional Responsibilities

Serves as a primary lead for daily media inquiries regarding company affairs and positions on issues and represents the company as an official spokesperson.

Persistently maintains strong relationships with Atlanta, Georgia, and national editors and reporters of key business and industry news organizations.

Responsible for connecting and aligning subject matter expert priorities into one cohesive plan

Strong ability to think and act strategically and with the ability to execute several projects simultaneously across 8-thousand employee corporation.

Develop external/internal talking points for company executives, communications team and subject matter experts.

Lead cross-functional team in the development of multiple video communications campaigns

Lead development, revision, and implementation of company crisis communications strategic plan.

Lead strategy development, positioning and messaging for earned media.

Research media outlets and creates specific media lists through Cision for local, regional, and national media outreach.

Develops strategic and creative pitches for company promotional campaigns,

Training of designated spokespeople on messaging and techniques for dealing with media interviews.

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Public Affairs Specialist March 2015 – May 2016

Public Affairs Specialist—Excels in crisis communications, reputation management, preparedness messaging, stakeholder relations. Provides media outreach in multiple states, including AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, and TN, to help citizens prepare for, protect against, and recover from all hazards natural and humanmade.

Developed targeted distribution channels for delivery of disaster communication that prompted 93,000 survivors to register for federal disaster assistance yielding $11 million in Individual Assistance and $73,000 in Public Assistance payouts to citizens

Develops and executes PR processes and messaging that supports FEMA Communications/Incident response

Lead incident response or issues group drills and mobilization

Serves as spokesperson for media inquiries to disseminate information to reporters

Managed and developed a strategy to formulate response to the congressional, intergovernmental, private sector and media stakeholder inquiries

General Assignment Reporter

CBS 46 September 2011- April 2014

Television News Reporter – Highly skilled reporter who routinely leveraged personal network of contacts and sources to consistently produced clear and easy to understand, insightful, thoughtful, well written, multi-layered news reports for 2.5 million TV households across greater Atlanta daily. Expert deliverer of strategically planned demonstrative live reports that connected viewers live to the scene of the latest news.

Responsible for writing, producing, photography/video-taping, editing, and presenting daily live news reports. Also responsible for researching and analyzing information about newsworthy events.

Responsible for delivering, developing, and managing daily news projects while meeting tight deadlines.

Built and maintained a database of vital civic leaders, agency representatives, local organizations, and other members of the media nationwide.

Personally prepared formal statements in the form of news reports from information gathered at press conferences, by analyzing news releases and coverage of meetings and scheduled events.

Arrange interviews with spokespersons of various organizations.

National Assignment Editor

CNN Atlanta, GA February 2008 – September 2011

Performed front line newsgathering for all CNN’s networks that often-yielded exclusive details, covering BP oil spill, the Miracle on the Hudson, and Time Square attempted bombing. Proficient in social media gathering news, including digital trends and the latest technology, and provided updates to managers and editorial units.

Managed the daily assignments, locations, and travel arrangements for multiple news crews that resulted in news coverage that reached 2.5 million TV households

Utilized social media daily to communicate and monitor media reports, edit web pages, create links to develop and convey information to the general public.

Created and drove plans, goals, and objectives for new initiatives and programs. Recommends, develops, and implements proactive short and long term communication strategies for external reporting.

Personally managed the daily special events, editorial, logistical, newsgathering needs of CNN, HLN, CNN Espaniol, CNN.com, CNN Newsource, and CNN International. Seamlessly prioritizing of the movements of satellite trucks, CNN crews, and travel of CNN assets.

Serves as CNN liaison for federal, state, and local organizations to formalize events, which may involve congressional leaders, agency officials, and other high-level industry, federal, and community leaders.

Established and maintained working relationships with members of the media across the country to ensure quality customer service, solicit the improvement of external relationships, coordinate personal station visits, and evaluate feedback.

General Assignment Reporter

Television News Reporter – Highly skilled reporter who network of contacts and sources to consistently produced insightful, thoughtful, well written, multi-layered news reports to thousands of viewers daily. Expert deliverer of strategically planned demonstrative live reports that connected viewers live to the scene of the latest news.

WAGA-TV Atlanta, GA February 2008-August 2008

KTRK-TV Houston, TX May 2007 –January 2008

WPTY Memphis, TN March 2005-May 2007

KEYE-TV Austin, TX March 2003- March 2005

WQAD Quad Cities, IL June 2002 – March 2003

BET Nightly News September 2001 –June 2002

Responsible for writing, producing, photography/video-taping, editing, and presenting daily live news reports. Also responsible for researching and analyzing information about newsworthy events.

Responsible for delivering, developing, and managing daily news projects while meeting tight deadlines.

Built and maintained a database of vital civic leaders, agency representatives, local organizations and other members of the media nationwide.

Personally prepared formal statements in the form of news reports from information gathered at press conferences, by analyzing news releases and coverage of meetings and scheduled events.

Arrange interviews with spokespersons of various organizations.

AFFILIATIONS

Public Relations Society of America

Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ)

National Association of Black Journalists

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated

National Association of Broadcasters

In the Community

Douglasville Downtown Development board of directors (July 2019 – Present)

Leadership Douglas Class of 2020 (May 2019 – Present)

Community Liaison Wallace Park Austell, GA (January 2019 – Present)

Head baseball coach Wallace Park Braves (February 2016 -Present)

Atlanta Audubon Society board of directors (January 2017 – January 2018)

Vice President of Broadcast for the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ) (January 2008 – January 2012)

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. - volunteers in a diverse variety of community service projects through the organization.

CERTIFICATIONS

Earned Crisis Communication Certificate from the Public Relations Society of America – demonstrating thorough knowledge and understanding of best practices for crisis communication, issues management and C-suite consultation to protect an organization's reputation and brand image.

EDUCATION

B.A., Communications/Marketing - Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University, Normal, Alabama

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