PackLight Global Itineraries provides global travel inspiration and trip planning resources for authentic, creative and wise women of color.Through Pack Light Global I hope to inspire women of color who would love to travel internationally. I share my favorite destinations, what I have discovered about myself through travel and reveal practical tips and advice that will help you make that first trip, fearlessly. So yes, life is short, but it is also wide. Travel Fearless and Pack Light

I teach undergraduate courses in International Media, Public Relations and Marketing - Create curricula and instructional plans aligned with course learning objectives and required competencies.

Invited to teach Strategic Communications Planning to graduate students enrolled in the Global Communications Masters Program at the American University of Paris. Course is an intensive module to prepare students to apply strategic thinking principles to integrated marketing and communications planning.

As the name DETOUR implies, our approach to travel and storytelling about place seeks to tell these previously under-reported or ignored narratives by shifting away from the customary routes framed in Eurocentrism. Through multimedia stories of journeying, exploring, and positioning ourselves in the travel industry in settings both near and far, we are reclaiming our identity as travelers. As a content creation partner with McClatchy News Group, we have the privilege of writing, curating, re-telling and normalizing the accounts of Blacks who travel while providing travel tips, recommendations to inspire and inform travelers about where to explore local culture, shop, eat and gather.

Marketing lead providing early-stage marketing strategy, direction, and tactical execution for innovative virtual CFO startup. Retained as a consultant to define go to market strategy and manage all marketing and communications activities. and deliverables.

Strategic marketing and communications consultant for HR Tech (Cloud) start-up, SwoopTalent. Retained to support the sales function and clarify the brand, messaging and product offering to support SwoopTalent's pivot to DaaS provider. In this role, I established a new and refined brand identity including the following strategies and tactics:• Strategy-driven integrated marketing/communications plan• New, clear and concise website (www.swooptalent.com)• Key messages/benefit statements• Unique selling proposition• Personas to identify high value customers• Explainer animated video• Infographic to describe complex product offering• Marketing collateral • Media relations strategy• Brand standards and logo palette

Lead the development and implementation of Enhancing Audit Quality communications strategy, ensuring that the organization’s strategic goals and communications objectives are met.Implement communications plans that align with organizational goals, integrating strategies, tactics and messaging related to EAQ.Develop communications to support the various components of the quality initiative, including peer review, ethics, audit standards, learning and competency, and the audit quality centers.Manage multiple projects with many deliverables and meet timelines and projected outcomes.Manage stakeholder relations and coordination of communications on a wide range of complex and sensitive political and technical issues and serve as the primary point of contact to various working groups.Collaborate with media relations to ensure consistent messaging to press.Create or project manage deliverables in all communications channels and platforms (such as FAQs, issues briefings, video scripts, presentations, articles, case studies, blog posts, talking points, white papers, backgrounders, fact sheets, infographics, webpages, emails, speeches, social media engagement).Ensure delivery or promotion of communications pieces through various channels and in different formats, news identification and development, and web content generation.Track and report on success of communications efforts.

Manage all international Advocacy activities for the largest global member organization supporting the accounting profession.Manage meetings with foreign delegations visiting the AICPARepresent and serve as an ambassador for the AICPA both domestically and globally.Monitor the profession from a domestic and global perspective; stay abreast of the landscape and developments impacting the profession and monitor international policy developments and the groups that make that policy, in order to advocate on behalf of the AICPA and its members.Work with USAID, DFID and other Global agencies to identify opportunities for capacity building projects in emerging economies.

Provide strategic direction and operational management for in international literacy-based NGO. -Establish and manage relationships with corporate supporters, vendors, donors and recipient agencies.-Pursue, research and write grant proposals to support projects and programs aimed at providing books and other educational materials to globally based partner organizations.-Co-innovate with partner organizations to assess local needs and to determine which materials and resources are necessary to meet local demand.

In this role, I led client program and project management efforts that focused on diversity and cultural issues, change management, government and regulatory affairs and reputation management.My key projects included:- Livingston College – Planned, managed logistics and marketed their Commemorative Classic football game and educational symposium (2 years)- Johnson C. Smith University – Developed sponsorship packages that raised $60K from corporate donors and media sponsorsI managed all aspects of multiple, simultaneous projects and campaigns; wrote and distributed press releases, prepared media kits, conducted training and maintained the company Internet site.Additionally, I assigned, supervised and reviewed the activities of public relations staff.Prospecting new clients and business opportunities, and creating proposals aligned with client core values and business objectives rounded out my contributions.. Maintain a consulting relationship with B&C international. July, 2012 Consultant, Cape Town South Africa: Conducted opportunity analysis in emerging market for industrial client considering expansion.

As part of PTP's leadership team, I managed economic development and marketing for North Carolina’s twelve-county Piedmont Triad region which included all strategic planning, program and project management.I conceived and executed marketing and communication strategies, developed editorial content, wrote press releases, and leveraged local, national and international media to increase brand exposure.I also created brand messages, and increased local awareness to engage and retain our existing businesses, while identifying new investors for relocation to the region.I represented PTP at trade shows, events, and industry meetings to reinforce our brand and gain exposure to wider audiences.I also designed collateral materials and content that ensured brand consistency on all platforms, including digital media, direct mail, podcast, print advertising, and outdoor advertising.

In this contract role, I used SAS project management software to track project activities, metrics, and milestones, managed scope, monitored schedules and timelines, and oversaw media placement schedule and budget allocations.

Description: While working with the Department of Commerce I led and managed our international and domestic economic development projects from planning and inception through onsite executionI was fortunate to travel on trade missions to China and Japan with the North Carolina Secretary of Commerce to conduct business development seminars and events.

As an independent contractor, I developed marketing materials and programs and provided my client companies with guidance on internal and external communications efforts.I managed a series of private events for HBO and A&E Independent Films that were attended by more than 2500 guests at the Full Frame Film Festival. I selected the menus, room decor and design, entertainment and hosted VIPs and special guests.I also audited Triangle United Way agencies to measure their compliance with United Way's branding standards.

Coordinated all aspects of marketing communications. Responsible for all trade show coordination from booth selection to on site trade show services. Worked closely with product managers to coordinate all aspects of product launch including; advertising placements, ad agency liaison; direct mail; public relations; brochure and literature development, trade show participation and promotions Internet and Intranet development, video production.

Managed and coordinated all communications and advertising projects and image enhancement efforts. Developed customer meeting content and agenda; interfaced with vendors and all on-site staff for the execution of several meetings and events per year.