Benjamin Jarvela Email & Phone Number

Petersburg, Va, Us

Petersburg, Virginia, United States

As a member of the Site Leadership Team for the nation's only non-profit pharmaceutical company, provide internal and external communications oversight for media relations, government relations, philanthropy, and community affairs. Counsel executive team members on communications strategy, project and personnel management, and serve as regional external spokesperson.Represent the organization to local, state, and federal government entities over a wide range of communications, business, and policy issues.Serve as primary site liaison for state and regional economic and workforce development. Spearhead development of internal communications strategies for safety, training and professional development, and employee onboarding and retention.

Richmond, Virginia, United States

Senior public relations executive for Virginia’s largest state agency, spearheading the development and deployment of communications projects. Responsible for day-to-day media relations, content creation, project management, internal communications, and long-term planning and program development. Represented the agency as primary spokesperson in all matters, including crisis and emergency communications.Managed a diverse team of public relations, print media, audiovisual production, and other staff, while operating as the senior subject matter expert in all these areas.Initiated comprehensive reorganization of community outreach, focusing on family, victim, and training programs.Spearheaded multiple major internal communications projects designed to improve morale and retention at nearly 100 field offices and facilities.

Richmond, Va

Directed all agency public and community relations, internal communications, constituent advocacy promotion and development, and communications budgeting and procurement for staff and appointees to the 39-member disability council.Managed programmatic marketing and advertising for community-facing disability advocacy programs.Developed new communications assets for internal and external use, including an internal SharePoint data management system and multiple websites for internal and external use.Project lead for every technology deployment initiative throughout tenure.Represented the agency on an extensive list of interagency workgroups, committees, and private-sector partnerships.Directed complete rebranding of all agency assets, public training programs, and public-facing materials to modernize and improve public perception of agency activities.

Richmond, Va

Managed agency communications, public relations, and marketing programs, including community outreach, media relations, social media, and agency websites, as well as crisis and legislative communications.Oversaw new agency social media efforts with 300% increase in total traffic.Implemented new cost-tracking systems, reducing promotional and outsourcing expenses by over 50%.Grew organic media coverage by over 250% and captured $6.5 million in 100% positive earned media.Directed all community outreach and promotional programs for Virginia’s Unclaimed Property Program, with over $2 billion in assets.

Norfolk, Virginia

Operated and maintained video switchers, audio control boards, and teleconferencing technology for synchronous broadcast of university telecourses via satellite, VOIP, video stream, and multiple media conferencing technologies to student populations in on-site, regional, and international locations.Ensured and maintained good relationships with various program and university clientele, including students, staff, faculty, and off-site broadcast location personnel.Generated concise and effective equipment and program condition reports, ensuring adequate day-to-day turnover of facilities to other staff and program officials.

Norfolk, Va

Managed production and post-production requirements for the Foundation to Support Animal Protection and its affiliates, handling hundreds of video, audio, and photo client orders from the U.S. and more than a dozen countries around the world on a monthly basis.Served as the organization’s senior subject matter expert (SME) on all aspects of video, audio, and photo production, broadcasting, online multimedia content management, and digital asset management.Trained staff on numerous non-linear editing, digital photo, and file conversion software systems, including Avid, Final Cut Pro, Sorenson Squeeze, and Adobe Photoshop.Revamped distribution models, including physical media output standards, eliminating material rejections by broadcasting and online outlets.

Norfolk, Va

Responsible for content, presentation, and timing of live television news programs, as well as promotional and community relations endeavors.Supervised multiple live news crews and a full television production staff ensuring broadcasts were up-to-the-minute and error-free.Wrote and/or edited all script material for daily television newscasts ranging from 30 minutes to six hours.Improved assigned show from last to first place in the designated market area within one year.

Orono, Me

Created and disseminated all on-air promotions, station identifiers, and other products for on-air broadcast by FM radio station. Coordinated promotional campaigns to increase the station’s community presence and overall ratings.Served as the station’s signature voice and subject matter expert on all news, production, and promotional campaign materials. Co-hosted morning talk show.Instituted complete re-branding of the station, updating a more than 10-year-old brand after audience polling showed little to no connection with the brand identity. Re-negotiated vendor relations to replace obsolete product stores as quickly as possible, eliminating prior brand identity during the transition.

Designed and maintained numerous proactive and reactive public relations projects relative to military operations, including combat operations, casualty response, and policy.Implemented and controlled command-level media relations strategies and events, ensuring positive relationships with local, regional, and national media organizations.Led and produced command-level news, training, and entertainment programming and materials.

Master Of Public Administration (Mpa)

In Progress

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Journalism/Political Science

Public Relations, Print Journalism, Graphic Design, Radio & Television Broadcasting