Melissa Rohlfs Email & Phone Number

San Mateo, California

The Alumni Relations Manager helps keep the Colleges’ and Foundation’s accomplishments and needs in front of the institutions’ alumni and students in a variety of ways, including cultivating relationships and the use of electronic media and print communications to publicize local events and meetings. The position will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and attending Foundation programs and activities. The position will also be responsible for cultivating a relationship with alumni that involves coordinating alumni ambassadors and giving programs at each of the Colleges and with alumni groups.Under direction, this position would coordinate specific assignments including a combination of face-to-face relationship building, communications, event planning and logistics, data management, coordinating student and alumni involvement in Foundation activities, working in collaboration with the Colleges’ communications, student activities, financial aid, and athletic departments. Public contact is extensive and involves alumni, donors, students, faculty, staff, and members of the community to exchange information. A high degree of independent judgment and creativity is required to analyze and interpret data or to resolve a variety of minor and occasional major problems that might arise. Consequences of errors in judgment can be costly in employee time, income, and public relations; however supervisory controls are available to limit risks. The Alumni Relations Manager can direct the work of volunteers, clerical staff, and student assistants as assigned.

San Francisco Bay Area

*Recruited to lead communications strategy for Summit, a public charter management organization operating 11 schools and sharing its technology platform with another 330 schools across the country.*Lead a team of creative professionals responsible for internal and external communications, marketing, outreach and engagement. Created a parent communications advisory panel, holding focus groups to test messaging and design, train for media interviews, and support campaigns.*Design media training for leaders and social media workshops and policies for staff.*Develop messaging deck and crisis response plans in partnership with legal counsel and Heads of Schools.*Write and edit for numerous platforms including Website, print, social media, and executive communications. *Represent Summit with key partners (Education Justice Communicators Advisory Council, California Charter Schools Association, WACharters). Worked in partnership to develop campaigns to build awareness for public charter schools in the region.*Lead agency relationships and media strategy.

Palo Alto, Ca

*Co-chair membership committee.

Greater Seattle Area

*Co-chair programming committee.

Greater Seattle Area

As the Director of College Relations and Marketing, I direct and manage all marketing, communications, and media relations for RTC. I am responsible for building the College’s brand, and ensuring that the quality and innovation of it's programs and services are widely communicated. I also lead a team that manages graphic design, publications, Website content and social media. Responsibilities:• Maintain effective working relationships with business and community groups, media contacts and campus constituencies.• Manage all local, state and federal governmental and inter-agency relations for the College; plan and direct all college-wide legislative initiatives.• Counsel the college President and other senior leaders on communications, public relations, and marketing strategy and issues.• Serve as lead editor for all promotional and writing materials• Develop collaborative activities and programs to increase the visibility and positive public image of the college.• Work with the College's Foundation director in support of fundraising initiatives and events.• Work with campus constituencies to ensure support of strategic marketing and promotional activities.• Coordinate the design, production, and circulation of major college publications, including the college catalog, program brochures, Web pages and portal design, high school outreach, posters, the employee newsletter and other documents.• Manage the photographic and digital media archives.• Developed graphic design standards and style guide for campus use.

Greater Seattle Area

*Developed and implemented marketing strategies and initiatives to attract and retain students to elite private K-12 school. *Worked directly with Vice President of Advancement and Admissions Director to pilot inbound marketing strategies, including e-mail marketing campaigns, keyword searches, SEO/SEM, and social media advertising, and targeted events. *These tactics and deliberate outreach to new communities led to 15 percent increased attendance to the CWA Family Concert Series in one year, and enrollment of additional 75 families to Science Saturday, one of two main recruiting activites. *Outreach strategy led to two additional schools requesting to become funnel schools into CWAs Middle School program.*Led successful campaign recognizing CWA as "Best Private School" by South Sound Magazine for 3 consecutive years.*Managed blog and social media platforms.* Negotiated all advertising contracts.*Managed vendor relationships and design partners.

Central Illinois

*Executed marketing and public relations initiatives in rural Central Illinois communities.*Managed annual budget and all vendor contracts.*Advised the market president and Community Advisory Board on issues related to the community.*Managed philanthropy program, employee giving and volunteer program for 15 branches.

Normal, Il

I co-wrote a monthly column about youth and sports with Dean of LC-N's Sports Marketing program.

Normal, Illinois

*Created communications and marketing strategy for two campus system.*Prepared annual budget, negotiated and managed all contracts.*Recruited and supervised staff, created cross-discipline teams to support recruiting and awareness goals at both campuses*Designed campaign to highlight ‘Summer Semester at Lincoln’ to students attending area colleges; Reached enrollment goal of 375 students enrolled.*Wrote and edited content for multiple platforms including alumni publication, Website and social media platforms.*Led redesign of all recruiting materials. *Authored regular reports for senior administrators and trustees.*Developed Speaker’s Bureau program and a Lunch & Learn Lecture Series to distinguish Lincoln College and showcase faculty.

Tacoma, Wa

*Designed a comprehensive media strategy focused on raising university’s profile nationally for faculty recruitment, scholarly research, quality of academic programs. *Cultivated successful relationships with local and national journalists, providing real time crisis communications and nullifying long-term impact of crisis on recruiting. *Created media plan to increase repair university’s reputation with locals. Recommendations included a deliberate pivot toward national media coverage, then leveraging national media coverage to instill a sense of pride about university within the local community. This culminated in local editorial board endorsing important conference and President’s appointment to national education media advisory board.*Numerous placements about university research, faculty, and students to national media including industry media outlets - The Presidency, Chronicle of Higher Education, and high profile national outlets - The Oprah Winfrey Show, Better Homes and Gardens, and Psychology Today. *Provided media training and coaching to faculty and senior administrators.*Briefed the president and trustees and authored regular reports.*Tracked media coverage, acted as official spokesperson, and represented the university at community events. *Supervised internship program.

Dupont, Wa

*Managed corporate philanthropy, including grants and employee volunteer programs. *Managed community partnerships and represented State Farm at community events. *Planned successful Child I.D. event in partnership with Tacoma PD and Tacoma Mall. Resulted in hundreds of media mentions and 1,700 local kids receiving up-to-date identification kits and safety training.*Served as spokesperson in two different markets - rural Central Washington, and the densely populated Puget Sound region. Provided annual media training to independent agency force, developed talking points and crisis communications. *Monitored legislative activities, provided policy updates and recommendations to executives.*Wrote and edited employee newsletter and magazine.