Jean Schaefer Email & Phone Number

Phoenix, Arizona Area

I'm an experienced communications consultant with more than two decades experience in developing, coordinating, executing and evaluating efforts to communicate with employees; the public; and select stakeholder groups. My mission statement: help people build their reputation through honest and genuine communication.

Communications Manager, Veterans Health Administration, Arizona August 2007 – August 2017 Developed, implemented and measured public affairs and communication activities for regional VA Health Care Network serving 1.5 million veterans in three western states. Developed integrated communication plans and strategies to inform and engage internal and external stakeholders. Provided expert advice to executives on implications of events, policies or programs. Managed relationships, contracts & budgets for development of creative products provided to 275,000 customers. Served as Content Strategist for intranet/internet, using analytics to focus efforts.• Guided communications response to allegations of delayed/substandard care at Phoenix VA Medical Center which served as the launching point for national scrutiny on veteran health care. Significant results included:o Provided timely and accurate responses to hundreds of national, regional and local media queries on wait time manipulation, quality of care, whistleblower disclosures and personnel practiceso Developed trusted relationships with disenchanted and skeptical stakeholders, including patients, congressional staffers, media and veterans’ advocacy groupso Increased opportunities for direct feedback and improved transparency through 20 outreach events o Advised senior officials on organizational response to media queries, employee concerns and emerging issues• Responded to active shooter incident at El Paso VA in which an employee was killed. Significant results included:o Ensured media and agency officials were kept apprised of on-going developments through news releases, conference calls and social mediao Advised senior agency officials and developed short and long term communication strategies to ease employee and patient safety concerns• Improved patient experience and employee engagement in seven VA hospitals through a $1.5 million contract with a nationally-recognized organization.

Served as Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Commander of Air Force News Agency. AFNEWS was the global news gathering operation for the U.S. Air Force. Provided leadership to employees located worldwide to ensure print, video and photography products were available to senior leaders and the public. Exercised full range of supervisory and budget responsibilities.

The Pentagon, Washington Dc

Provided leadership to a 25-person team responsible for communicating with the public-through the media-on Air Force operations, policies, people and activities. Developed integrated strategies to communicate on a wide variety of high-visibility or sensitive programs to audiences of varying levels of understanding. Directed Air Force media training program in which senior executives were prepared to engage with media through on camera training program. Exercised the full range of supervisory responsibilities.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Provided Public Affairs expertise to the Homeland Security Operations Center. Provided counsel to senior department leaders during national incidents. Developed, implemented and measured public affairs input into national exercises.

Bachelor’S Degree, Speech

Master’S Degree, Communication, General