Jona Ison Email & Phone Number

Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area

Coordinate internal communications efforts for a statewide agency with over 2,000 employees.

Chillicothe, Ohio, United States

Write and/or edit materials for nonprofits, small businesses, and community agencies. Contracted work has included interviewing people, writing, and photographing stories for submission to news outlets and use on websites; writing news releases; editing various documents including news releases, newsletters, correspondence, and annual reports.

Research and pursue potential business service contracts and other business relationships for workforce development programs; assist in negotiating, starting, and overseeing new business service contracts; coordinate marketing and communications for the organization; supervise the marketing assistant.

Coordinate and implement communication plans to spread awareness of Goodwill's mission and work in the community through our website, social media, press releases, brochures, emails and other marketing materials; develop and produce marketing materials for our eight retail stores; produce a monthly newsletter; create and/or edit internal communications and operational materials including policies and procedures, job descriptions, handbooks, and forms; assist in employee recruitment strategies; research and write grants.

Consistently won APME Ohio awards for work across several categories including investigative, enterprise, and community service; was on the Pulitzer winning team (local reporting 2018) for 7 Days of Heroin; 2010 Paint Valley ADAMH Advocate of the Year for reporting on drug, mental health issues.Enterprise reporter, USA Today Network-Ohio, and Chillicothe Gazette. June 2014 to July 2019. Cover variety of enterprise, data-driven and issue stories with statewide appeal and put them in context for 10 counties (Coshocton, Crawford, Fairfield, Licking, Marion, Muskingum, Ottawa, Richland, Ross, Sandusky). Stories appeared in Gannett publications across those 10 markets and sometimes in Gannett's Cincinnati Enquirer. In Chillicothe, stories included more investigative, watchdog work, and stories on the public safety beat.Crime reporter, Chillicothe Gazette, Chillicothe, Ohio. Circulation: 15,553. August 2010 to June 2014. Regularly covered three law enforcement agencies, two courts, a jail, and two prisons. Stories included run-of-the mill daily, in-depth, enterprise and watchdog pieces as well as continued coverage on issues such as drugs. Also did general assignment stories and work across all beats. Occasionally took own photos, sound, video and posted breaking news on the Web. Consistently output 10 to 15 articles a week.Education reporter, Chillicothe Gazette. July 2006 to August 2010. Covered 13 school districts, several alternative schools, area colleges, and wrote weekly education features that included in-depth and watchdog pieces. Also picked up stories across all areas, especially crime. City government reporter, Chillicothe Gazette. April 2006 to July 2006. Covered city government meetings, issues and local economy. Wrote new weekly business feature and helped brainstorm summer feature, “Roads Let's Travel.”Education reporter, Chillicothe Gazette. September 2004 to May 2005.

Chillicothe, Ohio

I was part of a two-person public relations team for the company which has franchises across the country. My main focus was facilitating partnerships between new franchisees and animal shelters for the company's Adopt-A-Pet program. I researched for possible partners, sent letters, conducted follow-up calls, and set up meetings with possible partners. I developed the needed tools, such as a PowerPoint presentation and handouts, for first-meetings with possible partners. I also typically traveled and met with possible partners along with the franchisee. I was able to help initiate Adopt-A-Pet partnerships with 10 of 11 franchises that opened while I was there.

Chillicothe, Ohio

I was a long-term substitute at Paint Valley High School, April to June 2004, where I taught 51 seniors British literature and assisted students during senior seminar course. I also filled-in at Unioto Elementary and Zane Trace Local Schools during the 2003-2004 school year.

I was a cops and courts reporter, but also filled in occasionally on government and education stories when needed. Writing feature stories was another emphasis. I also took all of my own photos to accompany stories.

Between June 1997 and July 2002 and from August 2003 to September 2004, I worked in retail at a variety of stores including Kroger where I was a back-up drug/GM department manager. I also was summer help at RCA/Thompson two summers doing factory work, worked as a resident assistant for Kent State University for three semesters, and was a flag corps advisor at Zane Trace High School for one season.