Strategic communications leader specializing in higher ed/nonprof

Staci Roberts Beam

COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIST / MANAGER

: 773-***-**** : *********@*****.*** : LinkedIn : Chicago, IL. Mission-driven Communications Strategist dedicated to advancing nonprofit missions through authentic storytelling, strategic engagement, and the development of innovative communication solutions that amplify organizational impact. Known for crafting campaigns that inspire action and foster community support, including a 20% boost in social media engagement and improved donor outreach strategies. Adept at combining creativity and data-driven insights to craft initiatives that strengthen connections with donors and stakeholders. Committed to streamlining communication processes, enhancing organizational visibility, and ensuring consistency across internal and external messaging. Nonprofit Communication Strategies Documentation & Technical Writing Project & Process Management Team Leadership & Development Grant Writing & Proposal Development Strategic Planning & Execution CRM & Data Management Storytelling & Audience Engagement Crisis Communication Management Stakeholder Collaboration Branding & Visual Communication Content Development & Editing Technical Skills: SharePoint Google Analytics Microsoft Office Constant Contact SurveyMonkey UltraSeek Base Camp QuarkXpress Serena Collage Drupal Vimeo HTML & XML PHP MySQL Career Highlights

Strategic Communication Leadership: Developed the first comprehensive communication strategic plan at Resilience, increasing Instagram engagement by 20% and improving e-newsletter open rates by 10% within 90 days.

Process Optimization: Researched and implemented a centralized analytics dashboard at Resilience to streamline social media tracking and reporting, enabling consistent data management and strategic decision-making.

Cross-Functional Branding: Spearheaded the branding and communication strategy for AbbVie’s DataGo! initiative, overseeing visual design, messaging, and promotional materials to drive adoption and engagement among global teams.

Community-Centered Campaigns: Designed localized marketing initiatives at Battistoni & Beam Orthodontics, reducing marketing expenses by 50% while strengthening community connections.

Department Growth & Leadership: Expanded the communications team at Northwestern University from one to ten members, driving the adoption of digital tools and strategic messaging initiatives across 20 departments. Professional Experience

Resilience, Chicago, IL. 2024

Communications Strategist (consultant)

Brought on as the first communications strategist to develop and implement a comprehensive communication plan tailored to increase organizational visibility and donor engagement. Conducted a communications audit to evaluate and enhance existing efforts, establish streamlined processes, and align strategies with the organization’s mission of raising awareness about sexual violence prevention.

Increased Instagram engagement by 20% within 90 days by implementing audience-specific strategies and optimized content tailored for targeted channels.

Improved e-newsletter performance through impactful storytelling and visual content, resulting in a 10% increase in open rates and stronger donor engagement.

Researched, developed, and implemented a centralized dashboard to monitor social media performance, improving reporting accuracy and enabling data-driven adjustments to campaigns.

Improved Internal Communication: Designed and introduced communication strategies via Microsoft Teams, fostering collaborative feedback and alignment in social campaign development.

Launched “Teach and Learn” sessions to educate staff on the relationship between social media engagement and donor traffic, increasing team awareness and buy-in for communication initiatives. Staci Roberts Beam

Bakelite, Atlanta, GA. 2022 – 2023

Senior Director of Communications (contract)

Spearheaded the development and execution of strategic internal and corporate communication plans, enhancing employee alignment and engagement. Crafted compelling content in line with business objectives, managing the creation and editing of internal and external communications across various platforms.

Managed and enhanced the company’s Intranet Portal (BIP) by integrating town halls, revising architecture, implementing updates, and refreshing the homepage to improve engagement and functionality.

Developed task-tracking forms to improve accountability and reduce reliance on verbal reporting, while conducting needs assessments to complete a major website launch despite turnover challenges.

Played a key role on the Crisis Communication Incident Team, improving response tracking and establishing a comprehensive incident archive to ensure consistent and efficient crisis management. AbbVie, Waukegan, IL 2021 – 2022

Communication Strategist for Big Data Initiative (contract) Collaborated with the Data Asset Policy Implementation Team to drive policy implementation, crafting targeted stakeholder emails, conducting user surveys, and providing interface reviews. Designed promotional materials, developed creative communication strategies, and delivered research-based recommendations to enhance engagement.

Collaborated with the project lead and project team to develop and implement a comprehensive communications program for a new data asset tool.

— Managed stakeholder communications, used feedback to refine the communication strategy, and leveraged storytelling techniques to create engaging content, leading to increased user engagement and tool adoption. Battistoni & Beam Orthodontics, Oak Park and LaGrange, IL 2010 – 2021 Strategist for Communication Integration

Coordinated advertising, promotions, social networking, and website to ensure consistent messaging across all channels. Managed social media campaigns and analyzed data using the Ortho Sesame dental marketing system. Integrated platforms such as Constant Contact, Facebook, and Vimeo to effectively promote the practice.

Led the successful project management of a brand-new website, collaborating closely with a website developer and designing the architecture and structure to ensure optimal functionality and user experience.

— Directed the seamless migration from the old website to the new one, efficiently transferring all content and functionality without any operational downtime.

Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 2000 – 2010

Director of Web Communications

Established a central web presence as the first campus web communications leader, managing a 10-member team, implementing a university-wide web calendar (Plan-It Purple), and creating an academic web office.

Conducted extensive research to identify and deploy an optimal content management system, ensuring compliance with web standards and overseeing the management of the university’s search engine, servers, and database.

Achieved cost savings of over $28K by insourcing the development of the Student Financial Services website, while guiding key committees and initiatives to enhance internal communication and university branding. University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 1994 – 2000 Grant Writing and Editing Assistant Editor – School of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences Program Coordinator for Communications – School of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences Associate / Assistant Editor Assistant to Dean Graduate Assistant – College of Associated Health Professions Education & Professional Development

Master of Science in Communication (Focus on IT Strategies) – Northwestern University, Evanston, IL Bachelor of Science in Journalism (Minor in Advertising) – University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS Staff Leadership Institute – Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

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