• Manage all internal and external communications for a statewide agency of 1,600 employees.• Write and edit press releases, articles, reports, speeches, legislative testimony, grant application materials, social media posts, and internal staff communications.• Manage a creative services staff of eight full-time employees who plan, develop, and administer communications and marketing programs related to department projects, initiatives, goals, and policies.• Lead cross-functional teams tasked with finding solutions to complex problems.• Provide strategic communications support to executive leadership.• Serve as primary department spokesperson, engaging with local and national media.• Maintain messaging consistency across multiple platforms and involving different audiences.• Plan and execute events, including press conferences aimed at maximizing media coverage.• Manage contracts with external consultants, including public relations agencies and vendors.

• Served as the liaison between department leadership and employees, the press, and the public.• Helped department navigate the communications challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Conduct one-on-one online strategy sessions with students working to improve their scores on standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT.• Effectively communicate expectations and progress with students and their parents.

• Managed station political coverage including planning candidate debates and election specials.• Pitched ideas, conducted interviews, wrote scripts, and presented multiple live reports daily.• Wrote accurate and concise copy about complex issues on strict deadlines.

• Planned, assigned, and managed field crews for live coverage of daily news stories.