Strategic Communications Leader
20+ years’ experience guiding audience engagement, content and brand management.
BIO
I’m a passionate communications and brand leader, driven by the immense impact that a good narrative and strategic messaging has on organizations, including increasing employee engagement and productivity, as well as attracting new business, generating customer devotion and managing through crises.
A great creative campaign lights me up. As a skilled communications strategist and storyteller, I’ve developed effective, creative and robust content strategies that resonate with internal and external audiences of all sizes and locations, from local startups to mid-sized global organizations with dispersed workforces and Fortune 10-sized companies.
I easily engender trust, so I quickly forge positive relationships at all levels – especially with C-suite and senior leaders – positioning me well as a strategic thought partner and advisor, subject matter expert and collaborative resource. My authentic and easygoing nature helps me build bonds among teams I lead, enabling me to motivate them to work collaboratively toward common goals that support business strategies, while also mentoring and coaching individual players to develop their strengths.
I keep an eye on the future and facilitate change, which I’ve demonstrated by successfully crafting messaging that achieves buy-in during transformational initiatives. I’m also tech-savvy and data-driven, talents I’ve leveraged to modernize and overhaul communications delivery channels to reach users with new technologies – where and how they want to be reached.
I’m also:
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Allergic to the phrase “we’ve always done it this way”
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Quick to learn new industries and businesses, with experience in high-tech, healthcare, med-tech, entertainment and financial industries
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A beta-tester who speaks both “Engineer” and English, so I can easily distill highly technical language down to easy-to-understand concepts
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Comfortable on-camera and in front of large audiences
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An outgoing and engaging MC, and my alter ego DJ Kosmik K comes out to occasionally host events
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Great at facilitating unique and fun team-building activities
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
RESMED: DIRECTOR, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
July 2023 - February 2024
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Counseled global cross-functional teams on issues and impacts for strategic companywide initiatives; responsibilities included developing campaign narratives and FAQs, scripting leader messages and talking points, reinforcing change-management principles across cascaded messaging and contributing to intranet strategy/execution regarding design and content for audience of 10,500 global employees.
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Performed as strategic communications advisor on sensitive programs, including four acquisitions and partnerships, two new business ventures, global organizational and staff restructuring, responses to industry headwinds and three project shutdowns.
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Supported multiple C-suite and senior executives, including the CEO, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Revenue Officer, Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Medical Officer, along with Product, Revenue, Strategy & Ventures, Medical Affairs, Legal and Investor Relations teams, as communications business partner through leadership counseling, key message development and communications planning and execution.
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Planned, managed and personally moderated live companywide Q&A sessions with CEO.
DAVITA: DIRECTOR, INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
July 2021 - July 2023
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Led team of nine accountable for messaging company strategy, operational information, events and DEI programs to 65,000 employees, contributing to five-point YoY jump on employee engagement survey.
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Developed and executed data-driven plan to innovate communications architecture and processes, with improvements to email channels that achieved companywide open rates of over 65%, in addition to project to revamp intranet with new content management system.
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Rebuilt team relationships and reputation as collaborative thought-partners and strategists.
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Directed communications strategy for sensitive company initiatives, including external reputational threats and crisis response; staff restructuring; acquisitions and partnerships; and federal, state and municipal COVID-19 regulation compliance.
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Synthesized messaging and talking points and counseled C-suite and senior executives, including the CEO, COO, CIO, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Accounting Officer, on employee communications, speaking opportunities and town halls.
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Partnered cross-functionally to guide, craft and distribute content across business units and platforms.
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Mentored junior team members and co-workers for professional and performance excellence, resulting in three promotions.
CSG INTERNATIONAL:
DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS, CONTENT & EMPLOYER BRANDING (2020-2021)
SENIOR MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS, CONTENT & EMPLOYER BRANDING (2019-2020)
November 2019 - July 2021
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Awarded "Spotlight on Excellence" accolade by Chairman/CEO within first nine months of joining company in recognition of effective communications strategy and impact, high performance and business contributions.
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Directed global culture campaigns and messaging initiatives, contributing to 160% YoY growth in eNPS, 17% YoY growth in company Glassdoor rating and highest Glassdoor rating in 2+ years; communications generated 21-point YoY favorable difference in annual employee survey and +17 delta to provider benchmark.
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Designed global culture branding framework, which launched to highest historical employee response on internal social media network.
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Developed strategy to infuse employee engagement and employer brand into external social media presence, with six-month LinkedIn results of 300% increase in daily new followers and engagement rate, 40% jump in overall daily visitor traffic.
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As a member of the HR Leadership Team reporting directly to the Chief Human Resources Officer, provided counsel and ideas on organizational strategy, priorities and initiatives.
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Wrote, scripted and advised on internal and external communications comprising thought leadership articles, videos, talking points and issues response, for C-suite and senior executives, including CEO, CTO and CHRO.
AT&T - DIRECTV: SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
April 2013 - November 2019
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Directed organizational, executive leadership, strategic and operational communications for audience of 40,000 to convey new product introductions, initiative launches and workflow and policy updates.
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Increased read rates by 625% in six months through designing a new content management system (CMS) that optimized and compiled information in an easy-to-navigate database.
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Functioned as change agent by leading strategic and tactical communication initiatives during company acquisition, creating compelling messaging for staff buy-in during culture and management changes.
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Drove initiatives and messaging through brand communications, value propositions and content strategies; designed, authored and distributed newsletters; scripted and directed videos and podcasts; created and maintained social media presence; and planned and promoted events.
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Managed team of three who developed creative messaging, branding campaigns, value propositions, technical information and content strategies for customer, vendor and service contacts.
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Recognized by company Chairman/CEO with the "Customer Experience Champion" award for developing enterprise-level content used cross-departmentally to improve the customer experience.
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Served as Communications leader for the Denver-area employee engagement and DEI committees, aiding 40-point YoY eNPS growth among local employees.
BANNER MEDIA GROUP: MARKETING MANAGER
September 2012 - April 2013
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Generated and guided branding and marketing for a portfolio of seven B2B and B2C clients.
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Established client editorial voices through creation and implementation of brand guides, website copy and brand personalities through engaging and creative company backgrounds and product information language.
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Fostered client brand growth through comprehensive multi-platform social media strategy and execution.
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Relaunched and rebranded clients by identifying new names, establishing brand identity and creating personality through compelling press releases and customer communiqués.
CLIP INTERACTIVE: STRATEGY CONSULTANT, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
September 2012 - April 2013
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Strategized the organizational marketing plan that powered company growth, established positioning and approach that allowed for successful entry into desired markets and industries.
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Drove company branding through presentations and promotional opportunities for target partners.
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Aided senior executives in developing go-to-market plans and navigating challenges of industry environment.
RAMP: MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, CO-FOUNDER
September 2009 - June 2012
Grew readership by 320% in just 18 months through networking and word-of-mouth marketing strategy.
Doubled the industry-standard open rate through improved e-mail blasts and well-authored content.
Developed presentation strategy for advertisers, syndicators, researchers and special events.
NIELSEN / RADIO & RECORDS: EDITOR
February 2002 - June 2009
Wrote reports and long-form columns for daily and weekly e-blasts, website and weekly magazine
Successfully spearheaded launch of R&R brand into Canada, with extension strategies resulting in subscriber increase and repeated invitations to participate in annual national Canadian convention
Conceived, organized, secured panelists for and operated sessions at company conventions
Moderated sessions and served as panelist at industry conventions
Promoted twice for work excellence
A few sample articles are available on my Other Work & Interests page.
CITIGATE CUNNINGHAM: ASSOCIATE
September 2000 - May 2001
Co-developed and executed campaign for exposure of Motorola-Palm prototype smartphone
Successfully placed clients in major media outlets including the Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribuneand Fortune
Managed new-business development research
MS&L: ASSISTANT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
October 1999 - September 2000
Co-developed and executed media exposure campaigns for clients Motorola and Inc.com
Successfully placed clients in major media outlets including Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Houston Chronicle and San Francisco Chronicle
THE CASTLE GROUP: ASSISTANT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
June 1998 - October 1999
Recognized with two national PRSA "Silver Anvil" awards
Executed campaign for media exposure of clients BankBoston and Oracle eTravel
Successfully placed clients in major media outlets including Good Morning America, Reuters, Time, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Fortune and Boston Globe