I led the communications and marketing for UTA's College of Nursing and Health Innovation, the largest public college of nursing in the country. The College is the No. 1 producer of baccalaureate-prepared nurses in Texas, and I have a passion for higher education communications. My team told the compelling story of our students, research, and community service in support of the innovative and forward-thinking vision of the College's and University's strategic plan.

I handled strategic communications and media relations for the University of California's Office of the President, the nation's leading public research university system with 10 campuses, 5 medical centers, and 3 national laboratories. I worked collaboratively with Office of the President executives, program managers, and campus leadership on communications planning, issues management, reputation building, and proactive storytelling. I served as an on-record spokesperson on behalf of the UC system for a variety of local and national outlets, wrote press releases and media advisories, pitched the amazing work of our students, staff, and faculty, continuously promoted the UC, and built relationships with program directors and reporters to connect them and tell their stories.

Served as the communications leader for largest administrative department at UC Davis, responsible for the communications and outreach of the six departments within Facilities Management, and overall organization brand and outreach. Supervised multiple staff in communications. Managed the training program and employee engagement of Facilities Management at UC Davis.Accomplishments included:-Created and implemented department’s first strategic communications plan, involving outreach and marketing to external customers, students, faculty and staff-Responsible for creating, justifying and managing the training and communications budget-Oversaw website redesign, regularly drive and create new and up-to-date web content,created organization’s first intranet, track and review web analytics-Handled media inquiries involving department, write talking points and provide training/guidance to senior management on responding to media and giving comments on high-profile projects-Developed and implemented department’s first social media accounts, monitor UC social media for related comments about department-Graphic designer for the department creating professional quality print and web materials-Responsible for department employee engagement – work across multiple services to lead engagement workgroup, and organize morale events (with over 600 participants, vendor fairs, etc.)-Created first customer newsletter and built customer list from 4,000 signed up to over 6,000 and growing-Liaised with contractors as needed for outreach projects. Including major campus-wide undertaking to implement SMS for lighting fixture outages. Oversee project from start (obtaining contractor), development (creating outreach plan and materials), to implementation (project rolled out once new semester starts)-Reviewed all marketing and outreach materials created by staff or contractors

•Communications leader for several large program offices in California and Oregon – leading & directing teams of subject matter experts, writers, designers, PR firms, to achieve comprehensive communication goals•Manage social media for the region, handle social media relations across various platforms and present new ideas for driving social media engagement and campaigns from the Mid-Pacific Region viewpoint•First in agency to go live on national Facebook account, use Instagram stories and utilize the national Dept. of Interior Snapchat account•Respond to media, congressional, stakeholder inquiries – including national media – recently quoted in The New York Times on a high profile water project•Serve as the communication adviser for Public Affairs on the Employee Viewpoint Survey Committee. Work to analyze data, determine next steps, prepare action plans, and evaluate effectiveness.•Develop and review speeches for Regional officials and create brochures, progress reports, and other materials as needed.•Serve as Public Affairs Specialist on a variety of project outreach activities for the development of Reclamation policy, environmental compliance, and other projects.•Direct marketing for only two agency managed recreation areas in the state – including outreach materials, multimedia, press coverage, community involvement•Plan and coordinate special events including the development of event programs and agendas, VIP arrangements, presentation materials, displays, awards and commemorative items and management remarks.•Coordinate daily compilation of Reclamation and Interior media coverage•Other regular tasks: creating communication plans, developing news releases, designing internal/external outreach material (brochures, newsletters), writing feature stories, writing talking points for leadership

Served as public affairs leader to a tri-state region including one hospital, and six outpatient clinics. Led external communications, congressional relations, outreach, and internal communications. •Managed public affairs office budget •Responded and tracked all media inquiries, developed facility’s media strategic plan, organized facility’s first media roundtable and news conference, coordinated multiple successful media outreach campaigns •Advised medical center director and senior leadership on communications tactics •Created and implemented the annual facility communications plan•Provided media training to leaders and SMEs•Chaired Public Affairs Committee, sat in public affairs capacity on committees, such as Patient-Centered Care Steering, Patient Education, Director’s Staff Meeting, Administrative Executive Board, and the Emergency Management Committee•Updated tools to communicate to the internal audience •Independently developed communication plans and coordinated events, including National Salute, Creative Arts Festival, Homeless Stand Down, new prescription labeling, and more.•Coordinated quarterly Congressional Relations meetings and Veteran Town Halls.•Served as Public Information Officer during emergency incidents as needed, such as for severe weather affecting the facility.•Served as webmaster (for both intranet and Internet sites) and social media manager.Other regular tasks: pitching news stories (for a national event and local events), writing press releases and other media collateral, creating talking points and other briefing materials for leadership, creating or reviewing professional facility products such as brochures, newsletters and the Annual Report, updating the health care system’s website, and implementing elements of the annual communications plan.Have experience in Adobe Creative Suite, Cision, Hootsuite, 508 Compliance, and lean management/systems redesign.

•Led communications and advised Associate Director and Director on communications strategy.•Liaised with VISN Public Affairs Officer.•Created and distributed facility's first Fact Sheet. •Updated the facility’s social media, which at that time began growing, and since being full-time in public affairs has more than doubled in likes and has increased in engagement.•Wrote news releases, helped the Public Affairs Officer build press packets, and reinvigorated the internal blog.•Successfully transitioned VHSO’s external website to a new national design. Ours was completed and rolled out after the first review; it was one of few sites to accomplish this.•Led a system redesign project involving all site policies, and streamlining the process to SharePoint so that it is fully online and more easily accessible.•Analyzed data and assisted in various projects, including surveys, focus groups, system redesign projects, and others. Presented a proposed plan regarding the Healthcare Equality Index to leadership and coordinated facility receiving the second distinction in the state.Completed training diversity, social media, time management, and presentation skills.

Taught American National Government for the Political Science Department. My classes were 75 students, and worked to implement new technology to engage students during the course. Was responsible for creating the entire course and finding suitable material.