Holly Ralston Email & Phone Number

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Serve as an enterprise-wide, big picture advocate of all environmental, social, and corporate governance practices for a nationally recognized technology company that provides technical and management services to government and commercial customers. Challenged with introducing public benefit corporation designation and communicating responsible, long-term growth.• Consider/initiate strategic, operational, and cultural change; address the needs of the overall enterprise and balance working relationships at the highest, most senior levels of the company. Champion company-supported foundation outreach with community stakeholders. • Work with the U.S. Department of Commerce and Alabama International Trade Office concerning Export Administration Regulations and International Traffic in Arms Regulations. • Ensure seamless project integration; coordinate cross-functionally to create an overall program schedule/plan, anticipate and resolve problems, ensure milestones are met, and timelines are maintained.• Research and develop special projects including GaN Prototype Innovation Environment, while keeping abreast of innovations in the space/defense/energy marketplaces, competitors, and digital transformation technologies. • Ensure corporate, employee, and media communications are consistent and in-brand; create and oversee written and digital marketing communications to elevate employee morale and participation in community activities. • Facilitate gains in productivity and impact by making time, information, and decision-making more effective.

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Drove strategic projects from initial planning through application, monitoring, and close. Managed milestone delivery reporting to the U.S. Department of Defense under the Cornerstone OTA contract vehicle. Partners Victory Solutions, Auburn University and the Institute for Digital Enterprise Advancement have a mission to positively impact the nation’s overall security and economy by elevating U.S. manufacturing through workforce development targeting model-based systems engineering programs in community college settings.• Evolved and implemented communications to engage, inform, and inspire targeted audiences including real and potential corporate partners; government/military organizations; academia; and the media. • Spokesperson and content creator/senior editor for media/digital outreach and corporate proposals. Researched, recommended and oversaw contractors/vendors for education project consultation, graphics, and video services.

Huntsville, Alabama

Increased public awareness and financial support for the Education Foundation through comprehensive marketing, PR, and communications strategies supporting the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s full spectrum of programs. Encouraged and grew the advancement team while providing leadership across brand-building/awareness, fundraising, and Space Camp alumni, corporate, and community relations. • Partnered with various private and public entities to elevate program support; established mutually beneficial relationships with prominent corporate, academic, and federal partners including NASA, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Justice. • Counseled the chief executive officer and senior staff to promote government, donor, and public relations.• Co-managed capital campaigns targeting government, high-value individual, and corporate donors.• Built constructive alliances and coalitions with industry leaders, key constituency groups, and volunteers. • Directed the day-to-day activities of a team of up to 12 staff and consultants while meticulously administering resources and budgets; provided ongoing leadership, coaching, mentoring, accountability, and support.• Effectively partnered with support staff to deliver on key program, fundraising needs, events, and staff performance indicators; communicated effectively and consistently with the board, committees, and other constituents.• Developed/designed comprehensive, action-inspiring strategies and tools to satisfy cross-departmental needs and maintain brand integrity, accuracy, and style including fact sheets, news releases, newsletters, brochures, crisis communications, public service announcements (PSAs), proposals, digital media, digital presentations, web architecture/content, video production, social media management, media interviews, special constituency outreach, exhibits development, and fundraising events.

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

• Delivered oral reports and presentations to members of the ASSEC and foundation boards at the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation. Selected Accomplishments:• Led an effective organization with an emphasis on equity, justice, and inclusion; empowered the staff by promoting a collaborative and values-driven culture.• Drove aggressive fundraising efforts to meet annual revenue goals and establish sustainable funding models; built and deepened relationships with current and future funders, the Board, and the community as a whole to ensure organizational impact and success.• Prospected, cultivated and closed the largest private, individual gift in the Rocket Center’s history.• Increased unique donors by 500% through organized communications and branding strategy for fundraising initiatives and integrated digital campaigns.• Developed, created, and launched the foundation website, a user-friendly site to increase donor engagement; the project included the selection and implementation of an online fundraising payment platform and the coordination and oversight of vendors throughout the integration of the website, donations, and donor database.• Demonstrated extreme flexibility and agility navigating the foundation during the COVID shutdown.

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Managed international promoter relations, including operations and media outreach and opening events, to globally circulate the Gateway to Space exhibit.• Coordinated on-site installation/deinstallation in South Africa and several European countries. • Oversaw shipping (including ITAR/EAR) for timely exhibit transfers.Selected Accomplishments:• Coordinated training of onsite exhibit guides in Europe and South Africa. • Orchestrated overseas boots-on-the-ground for non-destructive testing and repair of simulators damaged in-transit. • Worked in unison with the chief financial officer to develop and deliver a compelling case for discontinuing the program and severing business ties with the European promoter.

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Developed an effective communications strategy to establish a strong presence for a start-up, non-profit biotechnology institute with a three-fold mission of genomic research, economic development, and educational outreach. • Launched an in-house communications department including creation of policies, standard operating procedures, and strategies relating to branding, executive counsel, media representation, community philanthropy, volunteer programs, website, intranet, blogging, tours, and crisis communications.• Collected, analyzed, and integrated complex information for external relations programs detailing essential benefits for economic development initiatives, the biotech campus, and the resident associate companies.• Planned, guided, and implemented strategies highlighting individual and corporate contributions to advance the institution’s mission. • Served as the primary contact for all media relations; researched and managed contracts with branding and advertising agencies, explored, evaluated, and created media lists, and cultivated and nurtured effective relationships with trade, local, regional, national, and international outlets. • Formed alliances with academic and federal partners, such as the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, National Institutes of Health, and National Human Genome Research Institute, to disseminate joint media releases.Selected Accomplishments:• Established the communications department as an institute-wide service portal to draft and edit messaging for accuracy, readability, tone, clarity, format, grammar, and style. Led branding and developed communications toolbox including newsletter boilerplates, news releases, fact sheets, brochures, intranet and web pages, graphics development, PSAs, public education materials, crisis communications, PowerPoint presentations, speakers bureaus, trade shows, social media, podcasts, video production, media buying, and staff training resources.

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Worked closely with the Chamber, various merchants’ associations, and business and property owners on downtown issues including marketing, programming, and infrastructure initiatives to foster economic growth. • Created communications products in support of regional recruiting efforts related to the U.S. Department of Defense Base Realignment and Closure activity.Selected Accomplishments:• Created high quality products, including video productions targeting quality of life, economic development, and BRAC; Images of Huntsville/Madison County annual magazine and membership directory; One Sky, Countless Stars pictorial book; Initiatives magazine; and ChamberLink e-newsletter, to communicate key messaging to local and national audiences.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Communications And Marketing

Activities and Societies: Pi Beta Phi, Pi Beta Phi Philanthropy Chair

Graduate Studies In Education