Laura M. Abbott Email & Phone Number

Greenwich, Connecticut, United States

● Plans and implements top-quality, results-driving strategic communications; editorial services (writing, editing and proofreading); and media relations to help organizations build brands, visibility and support, and otherwise inform and influence target audiences. ● Currently focuses on technology, engineering and higher education, serving a Big Ten university.● Combines curiosity, creativity, diligence, collaboration, insight, thoroughness, holistic thinking, and big-picture plus detail orientation. ● Clients by sector have included: education: a Big Ten university, Aspiring Minds, Chancellor Beacon Academies, and Student Futures Inc.; technology: AT&T, Broadview Networks, Winstar Communications, XConnect, Voxbone, and other telecommunications and internet companies; healthcare: Cureatr, Diversinet, Independa, EY Health Actuarial Services, and Oxford Health Plans; manufacturing: Accuride International, Appvion and Silgan Plastics; sustainability and home improvement: Connecticut Green Bank and GarageTek; authors/thought leaders. ● Nonprofit and not-for-profit clients have included: Wireless-Life Sciences Alliance, San Diego Health Connect, New England Home Healthcare Consortium, Asian American Federation, Heart Care International, an educational musicals producer, a church, and communications professional associations.● Has served clients directly, or via agencies, including Ketchum, Padilla, Cone and boutique firms.

Developed and executed public relations strategies resulting in impactful promotion of B2B clients in such industries as technology, manufacturing, education, security, finance, retail, real estate, human resources, and management consulting. Services included creating communication plans, writing releases and byline articles, and achieving targeted media placements.

Served as account lead for multiple clients of full-service marketing communications firm with global roster of startup and established telecommunications, internet, mobile and digital health clients from San Diego to Brussels. Spearheaded creation and delivery of visibility-boosting programs involving positioning, messaging, media and blogger relations, analyst relations, content development, counseling, thought leadership, conferences, and awards. Developed agency's specialty in rapidly-growing digital health space.

As one-person shop, developed and enacted integrated communications programs that created distinctive awareness for pre-IPO telecommunications and internet startup, contributing to its swift growth and fundraising in newly competitive segment. Helped propel company from 30 to 850 employees, 2 to 10 markets, and consumer telecom resale to integrated, network-based business and residential offerings as it raised more than $200 million in private equity financing. Results included disproportionate media placements, positive attention for two rebrandings and an IPO filing, crisis resolution, speaking engagements, awards, and enhanced customer and employee understanding – most accomplished during a quiet period.

Created and managed execution of integrated external and internal communications programs that honed competitive edge and raised credibility of public, fixed-wireless telecommunications and internet startup. Highlights included gaining favorable media and analyst coverage of two acquisitions and accelerated market expansion, orchestrating a CEO roundtable, preparing executives for speaking engagements, girding company against brand-threatening media coverage, and writing effective human resources and other employee communications.

In new role of AT&T Foundation communications director, devised and led implementation of integrated communications that set strategic direction for and boosted external and internal awareness of AT&T social responsibility (focused on education, healthcare, arts and culture, international, and community programs). Managed on-site and virtual teams that produced materials including acclaimed biennial report, newsletter, website, guidelines and program brochures, annual meeting video, documentary, and employee magazine articles. Earned first Wall Street Journal coverage of foundation and won Council on Foundations award.Earlier, directed media relations and was chief spokesperson at world headquarters (single-handedly for a year). Burnished and protected evolving brand. Highlights included generating record coverage of AT&T technology at a national political convention and abundant other on-target placements. Also, secured balanced reporting on downsizing and service outages, and devised and led interdisciplinary enactment of plans that brought positive response to AT&T's departure from signature building. Previously, in dual roles as regional employee communications manager and account manager for business marketing group, launched and produced dozens of employee, marketing and public affairs/regulatory communications vehicles, from newsletters to brochures to articles to audio tapes to speaker remarks. Also, served on special task forces, whose charges included developing and introducing AT&T PR performance standards, writing executive job descriptions, and writing first PR-generated RFP response to support sales colleagues.

B.S., Journalism

Activities and Societies: Editor, student newspaper, radio station and guidebook; board member, student service group; member, student.

Certificate, Investor Relations

Course certified by National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI).