Director Communications

TONY LOFTIS

www.linkedin.com/in/tonyloftis – Mobile: 617-***-**** – *******.******@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

A seasoned leader who solves real-world communications challenges by telling stories, aligning diverse stakeholder interests, building high-performing teams, and engaging volunteers. Establish organization- wide relationships that create an environment of accountability, creativity, and trust. Provide team members with the opportunity, freedom, and support they need to flourish. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

The Loftis Group, Nonprofit Communications Consultant and Coach, September 2024 – Present Provide strategic communications and fundraising guidance to small nonprofits, leveraging storytelling and digital strategies to achieve measurable results.

● Creating messaging frameworks for external and internal audiences, ensuring consistent and compelling communication regardless of the communications channel for all hands across the organization.

● Coaching nonprofit teams on writing newsletters and blogs, improving audience engagement and storytelling impact.

● Revising and optimizing website content to improve user experience and message clarity.

● Developed a fundraising strategy that more than doubled client #GivingTuesday donations.

● Developed a social media strategy that increased traffic by 30%. fama PR, Account Director, December 2020 – September 2024 Day-to-day client lead and award-winning writer in a traditional high-tech public relations role.

● Developed comprehensive PR plans and campaigns that align with the client’s objectives and business goals. Clients are always first or second in Share of Voice.

● Created and executed content strategy for clients using various communications vehicles, including blogs, ghostwritten thought leadership bylines, and press releases.

● Led campaigns to place stories in Forbes, Yahoo! News, CNBC, and top-tier trade publications.

● Secured prestigious awards for clients, including Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year (New England Region winner and national finalist), Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies Award, and American Business Award Gold Medal, through creative storytelling.

● Led client download and input calls, helping clients link product benefits to current market trends.

● Crafted social media campaigns and wrote content for posts on LinkedIn and X.

● Built relationships with media outlets, journalists, influencers, and industry analysts. Boston Area Youth Soccer League, President, December 2017 – November 2020 Modernized the largest youth soccer league in Massachusetts by shifting from an all-volunteer board to a paid staff model. Led multiple efforts to update our revenue model, redevelop organizational infrastructure, and build interconnected communities.

● Ran soccer league for 18,000 players, 3,000 coaches, and 1,500 referees across 53 towns in eastern Massachusetts.

● Managed a $1 million budget. Led league’s first internal audit.

● Crises communications: Led league through a financial audit by the AG’s office and COVID-19 shutdown. Developed clear communication strategies to inform stakeholders.

● Restructured organizational model. Transitioned from all volunteer roles to paid positions to run the league’s administrative functions.

● Redefined the league’s mission by rewriting and updating 50-year-old bylaws and constitution.

● Developed and implemented a strategic plan to re-engage town-level stakeholders.

● Recruited five new board members to leadership positions to improve volunteer participation.

● Led peer league presidents to develop shared state-wide infrastructure to reduce costs by 11%. Demand Abolition, Director of Communications and Operations, January 2016 – November 2017 Communications lead at a social justice nonprofit dedicated to combating sex trafficking by creating battle guides, shareable videos, Twitter posts, and research-based talking points.

● Doubled press coverage, including features in key target outlets such as The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, NPR, The Hill, and USA Today.

● Created sector-wide messaging for critical high-profile industry events, including talking points, social media posts, and media guides for proactive outreach.

● Boosted web traffic by 18% through increased attention to analytics and audience-centric content.

● Ran an active social media program on Facebook and Twitter that engaged the anti-trafficking community around critical issues and media events. Raised social media traffic by 27%.

● Led an effective rebranding effort that reflected several changes in leadership and priorities. DigitaliBiz, Senior Communications Specialist, December 2013 – January 2016 Set strategic direction and guided day-to-day execution of the communications program at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) research center.

● Launched and managed Volpe’s social media program to help the federal government communicate more effectively with its constituents

● Counseled C-level leaders on communications, messaging themes, and objectives. Drafted leadership presentations for all-hands meetings.

● Created strategic partnerships with communications departments across the DOT to advance effective web development and social media collaboration.

● Pioneered using Google Analytics across the center’s multiple websites to gauge the sites' effectiveness. Immediately boosted traffic by 10 percent. Find Your Missing Child, Executive Director, November 2012 – December 2013 Developed and wrote the national guidelines on using social media to find missing and runaway children at a social media nonprofit dedicated to supporting families of missing children.

● Transformed industry strategic social media practices by introducing/creating/championing the use of Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to find missing children.

● Secured top-tier media coverage, including PBS, NPR, Mashable, and The Boston Globe. PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

● OwenCollier, Project Manager and Communications Specialist, 2010 – 2012

● Davies Murphy Group, Team Lead, 2006 – 2009

● Lois Paul and Partners, Business Press Strategist, 2000 – 2006 EDUCATION

● Emerson College, Graduate Certificate, Integrated Marketing

● Tufts University, BA, Philosophy

CURRENT VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP

● LPGA FM Global Tournament, Media and Television Chair

● MassBay Community College Foundation, Board Member

● Institute for Storytelling and Information Gathering, Founding Board Member

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