Internal Communications Security Clearance

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Strategic communications leader and master storyteller with 20+ years of experience in journalism, internal communications, and content strategy. Adept at crafting narratives that connect employees to organizational goals and foster engagement. Expertise in employee experience communications, editorial strategy, and data-driven content development. Public Trust security clearance

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Management Consultant

Eagle Hill Consulting 2023 - 2024

FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)

Responsible for leading internal employee engagement and executive communications for federal agencies including the General Services Administration (GSA) and The Federal Drug Administration (FDA). Developed engagement and communications plans, established metrics and led and mentored junior staff. Established style guide, editorial calendars, processes, schedules and procedures. Built relationships with executives, writing their speeches, presentations and coaching them to host videos and town hall meetings.

FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER): Responsible for increasing employee engagement in the annual Federal Viewpoint Survey; developed and implemented all executive internal communications for the CBER Director, Dr. Peter Marks; recommended and launched methods to better communicate the initiatives that improved culture in CBER; oversaw production of the CBER newsletter via email and online; supervised the development of metrics to determine the effectiveness of the efforts; wrote and implemented the CBER communications strategic plan. Building successful client relationships; developing, mentoring and guiding junior staff; establishing style guide and standards.

GSA, Office of the Assistant Acquisitions Commissioner: Responsible for developing and implementing strategic communications plan; media training for the Assistant Commissioner; writing and editing all internal communications and executive communications; developed digital newsletter and online SharePoint site for news; supervised the launch of nationwide town hall for all staff; developed style guide, processes and procedures. Supervised and mentored four staff members. Built successful relationship with the client.

Accomplishments at FDA and GSA

Led employee engagement initiatives for FDA’s Center for Biologics and Research, increasing participation in the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey by developing innovative communication strategies.

Managed internal communication transformations for GSA, boosting newsletter engagement by 65%.

Directed multi-channel campaigns and executive coaching for leadership, producing impactful employee content.

Senior Consultant 2019 – 2023

Guidehouse (formerly known as, Grant Thornton)

Lead executive and change communications for clients across government agencies, including executive communications. Guide clients through challenging communications initiatives and help them achieve their goals. Develop performance metrics to assess the effectiveness of change communications. Current concurrent projects are as follows:

IRS Office of the Chief Procurement Officer: At the beginning of COVID, the OCPO underwent a massive reorganization that created new divisions, moved 80% of managers to new roles and established new priorities.

Accomplishments:

Create regular leadership and executive briefings

Bring understanding, acceptance and transparency to the changes

Develop executable strategies that successfully communicated organizational goals

Create and manage tactical communications schedules

Establish performance management methods to track effectiveness of communication

Client and CPO call communications “essential to helping the organization understand and accept the change.”

Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Quality Service Office: stood up change communications to support a new office charged with developing transformational shared services for financial software for 24 CFO Act Agencies, moving agencies from a patchwork of outdated and custom software to off-the-shelf solutions available on a new online catalogue.

Accomplishments:

Collaborate with client and team to stand up change communication program

Develop and manage executive, media outreach and industry change communications that effectively “sell” the transformational shared services and the new marketplace

Create regular performance management program to evaluate success of communications

Director, Media Engagement 2017 – 2019

The Alpher Center

Stood up national executive communications program to establish expert spokesperson for the media and create speaking opportunities for him.

Accomplishments:

Established Dr. Elliott Alpher as a national expert on sleep and solving sleep problems through media training, creating national speaking opportunities and building relationships with journalists that led to positive interviews on CNBC, the John Hancock Vitality Network, Huffington Post and Harvesting Happiness Radio

Director, Public Affairs & Marketing 2015 – 2016

American Waterways Operators

Brought national prominence to the U.S. tug and towboat industry by building relationships with the media that resulted in positive news coverage and creating a vibrant communications program designed to engage members of Congress

Accomplishments:

Partnered with the U.S. Maritime Administration and PriceWaterhouseCoopers to conduct the first-of-its kind comprehensive study of the economic benefits of the U.S. Tugboat, Towboat and Barge industry in the U.S.

Increased engagements with Members of Congress by 27% through targeted social media campaign

Tripled positive coverage of the industry in mainstream and trade publications with 136 stories appearing in 900 publications, including The Washington Post, The Guardian, and the Seattle Times

Communications Consultant 2014 – 2015

Executive Direction (Contract)

Developed a strategic communications plan for a start-up university that helped the school gain recognition and community support. Executive and partnership communication consulting.

Accomplishments:

Positioned the university as a key member of the Reston community through identifying and arranging visits with community, state, and federal leaders

Designed strategic communications plan that guided branding and image development for the university’s first two years

Organized the university’s first graduation event, including arranging for keynote speaker

Director, Marketing Services 2013 – 2014

Parenteral Drug Association

Created a strategic marketing campaign designed to increase attendance and revenue for 14 national conferences, which were the organization’s primary revenue source

Accomplishments:

Led marketing effort that doubled attendance and increased revenue by $400,000 for the 23-year-old PDA/FDA Regulatory Conference

Increased international web traffic by 20% through strategic SEO campaign

Expanded news media coverage by more than 70%

Director of Communications 2009 – 2013

Reston Association

Developed a new brand identity and built community-wide partnerships to establish Reston as a national and international destination. Executive leadership communications. Partnership relationships. International tours and events management. Media relations.

Accomplishments:

Stood up campaign that resulted in Reston being recognized by CNN Money as one of the “Top Ten Best Places to Live”

Created a new community magazine that gave the association a new stream of non-dues revenue and included regular contributions from a Congressman, the Virginia Senator, and Delegate and the county supervisor

Built relationships with community, state, and federal leaders that made the association a hub for information and a resource for the international media

Communications Director 2006 – 2009

Finishing Contractors National Association

Stood up communications program for the national trade association, including strategic planning, budgeting, media relations, member communications and executive presentation skills. Executive Communications including speeches, media interviews, crisis communications, video performances

Accomplishments:

Gained national, positive media coverage for the organization through creating a program of deskside visits with journalists

Successfully navigated crisis communications for members who faced a fatal plane crash, an onsite fire and an on-the-job construction fatality

Established the Chairman of the Board as the “national face of the organization” through media training. He performed on videos, gave speeches to international audiences, and interviews to journalists

EDUCATION

BA, English, Radio, TV, & Motion Pictures, University North Carolina Chapel Hill

Digital Communications Graduate Certificate, University North Carolina Chapel Hill

Prosci © Certified Change Management Practitioner

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