Kara Sokol Email & Phone Number

Ferndale, Mi, Us

Ferndale, Mi

What I do: Lead strategic communications, marketing, and community engagement efforts for an active community of 20,000. Projects range from high-level—crisis communications, full-scale comms plans and marketing campaigns, a complete website rebrand (1,000+ pages)—to very small (educational memos about rats. Yes, really.) Highlights: Completed a marketing rebrand across five departments and 200+ employees. | Developed and launched the City's first-ever editorial and style guide; crisis communications plan; and policies for the City's website, social media, marketing, and AI. | Increased Facebook page reach by nearly 1,000% (avg. 2,500 to avg. 27,000) in less than a year. | Researched and wrote the Mayor's annual State of the City Address. | Developed a new standard for crisis and sensitive-issue communications. | Led the development of a 25-piece communications and branding package for 'The dot,' a mixed-use parking development; package includes video, brochures, graphics, website, blog, and more.

Editor in Chief/Editorial Director for 'Michigan Tech Magazine' and 'Michigan Tech Research.'What I did: Managed the university's two magazines (circulation = 50k each) from initial story generation to print, overseeing all editorial components along the way. Highlights: Led creation of magazine stories and structure. | Managed team of internal and freelance writers, including seeking and hiring talent. | Directed tone and voice of magazines. | Worked closely with graphics and photography to achieve cohesive content + layout and design. | Set, monitored, and worked under multiple and revolving deadlines.

Houghton, Mi

Editorial Director, Social Media Manager, and Managing Editor of Magazines.Top Skills: Organizational voice, tone, and branding. | Creative web and publications writing. | Large-scale publication/magazine editorial direction. | Social media—content, voice, and strategy.Highlights: Worked with a creative team of 30+ and managed a five-person writing staff. | Increased Facebook engagement by 26K in fewer than three months and established new Instagram and LinkedIn accounts. | Managed social advertising campaigns and advised on matters of social content, tone, voice, and best practices for a community of nearly 1,000 employees. | Served as chief liaison to the university’s largest client, the Department of Admissions—oversaw all messaging, print and digital communications, and management of the annual communication plan.

Calumet, Mi

My "weekend job" as a promotions and PR volunteer for a thriving nonprofit came with many titles: Social Media Maven | Festival Planner | Difficult-Personality Handler | Folding Chair Hauler | Garbage Picker-Upper (depending on the day). We did a lot with a little, and we had fun doing it. Highlights: Social media and digital networking. | Media relations (radio and print). | Press releases, posters, articles, and briefs. | Volunteer management. | Organization of annual festivals/community events. | Community engagement.

It's raining cats and dogs . . . and clinical procedures, software programs, and customer assistance. Highlights: Redesigned templates for all clinic communications and billing. | Worked directly with clients and their pets. | Problem solving and customer service amid difficult and emotional situations. | Complete organization and management of front office policies, procedures, and staff. | Knowledge and understanding of animal health, behavior, and medicine. | Compassion and empathy for people and pets.

Master'S Degree, English - Writing

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, English