· Promote basic science research to the media and to the public, demonstrating the impact and elite nature of UMSOM’s research portfolio. For example, one press campaign on research findings about the role of proteins in the SARS-CoV-19 virus resulted in $2M+ in publicity and an audience of 291M viewers. · Received the 2021 PRSA 'Best in Maryland' Award issued by Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the organization's highest honor, for UMSOM's Public Affairs & Communications COVID-19 communications program that was recognized for its multi-faceted, integrated thought-leadership and communications campaign.· Storytelling on clinical, epidemiological, and basic science research from IHV through twice yearly 25+ page Discovery IHV newsletters. Managing vendors for graphic design and printing through editorial and production stages. Direct marketing through Constant Contact to a subscriber list of 2500+ people.· Relationship building with national science, health, global health, and HIV/COVID-19 beat reporters. Establish targeted media lists to better reach appropriate reporters and journalists more likely to cover complex science and specific health topics. Successful media campaigns placing basic science stories in mainstream and science topic outlets, such as Discover Magazine, Cosmos, New Scientist, The-Scientist, NBC News, NY Post, Daily Mail, and many more.· Translate the division leaders’ summaries of clinical and research activities into the IHV’s Annual 90+ page Report, ensuring an accessible format for board members, donors, and prospective student audiences.· Redesign and improve accessibility for student, patient, and faculty recruitment on the education, clinical research, and care IHV webpages through the Terminal 4 content management system. · Establish baseline metrics and compile team media relations metrics for institutional leadership. Report metrics and outreach efforts demonstrating impact of media relations efforts on their behalf.

· Execute media relations efforts for clinical specialties: Neurology/Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology consistently rank first, Psychiatry in second, and Cardiology in fourth place in quantity of media coverage compared to U.S. national competitor institutions. · Awarded 5-star and 4-star ratings on my press releases from Health News Review  a watchdog for medical news integrity.· Collaborate across teams to develop award-winning press materials. Received a Merit Award from the Digital Health Awards for a video infographic promoting a new way of classifying heart disease. Received a Bronze Telly Award and Gold Aster Award for producing an animation describing the basic science of neurodegeneration. · Strategic planning of live and virtual media events, such as the opening of the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research and the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.· Manage junior media representatives through mentoring and training on how to respond to media requests, hold press events, manage visiting film crews, and write about science and health for the public in the form of press releases and social media messaging.

· Promoted basic science research to the science-interested public, reporters, potential trainees, and donors through press releases, researcher profiles, and feature stories.· Formulated and implemented strategic communications plans and timelines for research and educational initiatives, as well as establish goals and tactics to contribute to the institution’s strategic plan.· Launched a trainee run blog Biomedical Odyssey, which achieved a 2016 Silver Aster Award and a 2016 Shoestring Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges.· For my role in communications in the institution’s response to the Ebola outbreak, awarded the 2015 Thoth Award for Crisis Communications from the Public Relations Society of America.· Managed undergraduate, part-time employees, and summer interns.· Additional job functions listed below under the Media Relations Representative position description.

· Managed basic science social media accounts. Increased Facebook page ‘likes’ by 17-fold over five years.· Strategic planning of the annual Science Writers’ Boot Camp. More than doubled attendance by science and health reporters.· E-mail marketing of monthly newsletters to more than 10,000 subscribers. Using A/B testing and surveys for research into most effective strategies.· Managed institutional websites through Site Executive content management system. · Filmed and edited videos on researcher profiles.

Finalized remaining experiments and submitted a manuscript on my graduate dissertation research.

In a joint graduate program between the NIH and the Johns Hopkins University, worked on dissertation research in Alan Kimmel's laboratory at the National Institute for Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Studied the amoeba Dictyostelium, which is solitary in times of growth but is able to form a multicellular organism under times of starvation. Investigated the function of a protein related to Alzheimer's disease. It turns out, the same protein plays an important role in cell differentiation in the developing amoeba, and also controls its ability to eat bacteria.

As a science reporter, I wrote 13 articles on topics ranging from invasive plant species, toxins in fish, a mouse model for autism, supplemental cancer treatments, including a cover story on tracking the West Nile Virus.

Working in Don Nuss' laboratory in the Center for Biotechnology Research on the chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica, I learned molecular biology and cloning (i.e. learned how to use a pipette). It was a great introduction for me into bench research.