Public Relations/Communications/Spokesperson/Crisis Communications

***** ****** **** *****, ********, IN *****

574-***-**** • ***************@*****.***

JULIA VANDEWATER

SUMMARY

Public Relations and Communications professional with experience in the Art of Sales. Highly organized with keen interactive skills. Customer service approach. Trade show, convention, and special event experience.

EXPERIENCE

Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth IN 2005 – 6/2008

Director, Community Relations and Market Development

• Represented hospital and hospital foundation throughout 45,000-person county.

• Represented organization by serving on Boards responsible for organizing Farmers Market, launching smoking cessation, reducing methamphetamine production and use, banking promotions, charity distribution, and county park expansion.

• Gave presentations to community organizations and interviews to media; hospital spokesperson.

• Coordinated marketing special events including:

o Women’s Health Fair with record attendance for two years;

o Beautiful Baby Contest with up to 100 babies;

o Medical awareness open house to promote hospital physicians and clinical staff;

o Pancake and Sausage Breakfast event for 250 attendees to celebrate hospital’s 20th anniversary;

o Golf Clinic and Health Screenings at NCAA Tournament to promote hospital’s orthopedic surgeon.

• Assisted with the increase in patient volumes in obstetrics, cardiology, cancer treatment, and outpatient surgery services and maintained family and pediatric patients through marketing and advertising despite emergence of strong competition.

• Managed 125-person auxiliary staff and provided JCAHO training, TB tests, and hospital assignments.

• Directed Development activities in non-profit environment including ‘Catch the Spirit’ Gala raising $325,000 in less than three years.

NiSource/NIPSCO, Merrillville IN 1998 - 2005

Public Affairs Manager, South Bend, 2003-2005

Public Affairs Representative, Plymouth, 1999-2000

• Managed crisis communication, business announcements, and human interest stories for media in up to 9 counties.

• Proactively managed negative information by establishing and maintaining relationships with legislators, elected officials, and community leaders.

• Improved company image by developing information screening criteria to manage false accusations.

• Increased collaboration and morale by creating relationships with union and salaried personnel, external customers, and stakeholders.

• Personified NIPSCO by participating in Boards including Project Future, South Bend Symphony, St. Joseph, Warsaw, and Culver Chambers of Commerce, Kosciusko Development Inc., Starke County Development Foundation, and Madison Center.

• Increased employee communication by crafting and delivering electronic and hardcopy internal communications.

• Facilitated charitable giving from NIPSCO to community organizations.

Communications Manager NIPSCO, 2001-2003

• Coordinated internal and external communications; served as liaison to and wrote talking points for Public Affairs Managers and Representatives.

• Crafted media releases, advisories, and coordinated news conferences.

• Provided content and wrote articles for Intranet and Internet sites; answered incoming customer questions.

Communications Coordinator, NiSource and NIPSCO, 1998-1999

• Served as company spokesperson and liaison to local and national financial media and Public Affairs representatives (Fortune 500 company, publically traded).

• Coordinated press conferences, media interviews with NiSource officials, crafted news releases and internal communications materials.

• Provided financial information and copywriting for annual report.

• Coordinated marketing collateral for 13 sales and marketing segments from campaign conception to printing.

• Primary liaison with external design and public relations agencies and sole copywriter for NIPSCO Choice, state’s first natural gas deregulation pilot program in Indiana.

Zenith Corporation, Glenview IL 1997 - 1998

Supervisor, Technical Publications

• Managed multiple projects by providing copywriting, editing, design, and layout specifications to support company standards and initiatives.

• Coordinated electronic publishing of technical product manuals in multiple languages.

EDUCATION

Ball State University, Muncie IN

B.S., Public Relations, Psychology and History minor

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

University of Chicago, Layout and Design

University of Chicago, Editing

Crisis Communication

Working Through Conflict

Building Trust

Communicating and Listening

Executive Presentation Skills

Principles of Fundraising, Indiana University School of Philanthropy

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