Elisa Smith Email & Phone Number

Greater Sacramento

Marketing, social media, writing, internal communications, media relations, and web support for University Relations, the Office of Research, the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience, the Division of Social Sciences, the Institute for Social Transformation, and the Chancellor's Office. Past projects include Risk Services, the Division of Student Affairs &.

Writing, media relations, and crisis communications support for UC Berkeley’s Student Affairs and Graduate Divisions.

Sacramento, California Area

I'm a jack of all trades within the field of communications. I've been a journalist, on-camera spokesperson, and leader of large agency teams. Over the past 20 years, I've gained skills in content creation, marketing, crisis communications, strategic planning, internal and executive communications, media relations, media training, social and traditional.

Writing and media relations support for the Strategic Communications & Media Relations team.

Sacramento, California Area

Advised a wide-range clients on communications projects including the California Department of Public Health, Ob Hospitalists Group, Quest Diagnostics, Sacramento State and Pepperdine Graziadio Business School.

Sacramento, California Area

• Served as the media spokesperson for the University; cultivated strong relationships with reporters, editors and producers
• Was responsible for identifying, writing, editing and organizing news content for Sac State’s communications platforms, which included the University’s website, social media channels, online newsletters and press.
• Proactively reached out and responded to media to secure favorable news coverage and share the “Sac State story”
• Advised University leadership on executive communications, messaging, brand positioning and crisis communications
• Supervised two writers and a student assistant as director of the Public Affairs & Advocacy’s news team

San Francisco Bay Area

• Led a team of eight graphic designers, writers, client relationship managers and web developers within Student Affairs Communications
• Responsible for a portfolio of clients, including: Conference Services, Cal Dining, Cal 1 Card, Career Center, Early Childhood Education Program (ECEP), Residential & Housing Services, Housing Programs & Operations.
• Advised the RSSP Cabinet on internal messaging, executive communications, change management strategies and brand positioning
• Worked closely with clients to develop and implement comprehensive communications plans and programs
• Oversaw media relations programs for the division, including media outreach, writing pitches, alerts and op-eds

San Francisco Bay Area

• Supervised a staff of 15 as leader of the West Coast Accenture team and West Coast Corporate Practice
• Managed Accenture’s U.S. media relations program (which included a 5-month in-house assignment as their U.S. media lead in 2013), worked with senior executives on media, brand positioning and community initiatives
• Led integrated consumer PR programs for Bank of America
• Trained C-level executives from Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Orrick, UNIQLO, SAP, Hawaiian Airlines, Safety Kleen, Ginnie Mae and others for top-tier media interviews and announcements
• Provided media relations and crisis support to Fortune 500 companies, including Ford, Coke and Intel
• Responsible for creating media materials, including talking points, op-eds and scripts, for executives and celebrities

San Francisco Bay Area

San Francisco Bay Area

San Francisco Bay Area

• Created crisis communications, public relations and community relations plans for clients at a full-service corporate communications and public affairs agency
• Generated press releases, talking points, Q&As, fact sheets, holding statements, white papers, PSA scripts, proposals and PowerPoint presentations for new business, as well as supervised junior staff on specific projects
• Worked with a diverse set of clients including Recology, Vote Hope and Power PAC for Obama, Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. and Chevron, among others

• Supervised communications and served as chief spokesperson in Northern California and Nevada, appearing as a guest on programs such as ABC 7’s “View from the Bay” and NBC 11’s “Bay Area Today”
• Produced the most successful Opening Ceremonies in Special Olympics history, booking a donated performance by “American Idol’s” Katharine McPhee that garnered national media attention
• Responsible for all internal and external press and marketing materials, including press releases, fact sheets, PSAs, talking points, speeches, internal messaging and newsletters
• Served as PR project lead for AT&T cause-marketing campaign that raised $500,000 for Special Olympics

San Francisco Bay Area

• Directed communications and served as primary spokesperson for a statewide, higher education-focused advocacy group
• Created and implemented a multi-year strategic communications plan
• Worked closely with elected officials to lobby for higher education bills in the California State Legislature
• Wrote all press and marketing materials, including press releases, brochures, op-eds, PSAs and e-mail newsletters, as well as maintained and created online advocacy campaigns for the Campaign’s three websites
• Established media partnerships that led to successful campaigns with Univision and Clear Channel Radio
• Served as California project manager and organized steering committee for Ad Council’s national KnowHow2GO campaign

San Francisco Bay Area

• Wrote the People and Out and About columns, as well as travel and food stories
• Copy-edited stories for TimeOut, Food, Travel, A&E, Real Estate and Entertainment
• Responsible for designing the Food, A&E and daily inside pages; editor of the A2 People page and “Real Life” forum

Phoenix, Arizona Area

• Supported the newsroom by assisting members for statewide bureau
• Created “At the Capitol” feature, recognized by the AP as having a defining influence on the political landscape in Arizona
• Copy-edited and wrote spot and enterprise stories on education, politics and breaking state and national news