Manager, Strategic Communications

June 2024 - present

On the combined Change Management and Strategic Communications Practice, I have strengthened my capabilities, with a more specific focus on content, communications and channel strategy, in addition to client consultation and partnership. Based on current data and past experience, I advise internal and client partners on effective ways to address challenges and engage specific audiences.

Associate Manager, Corporate Communications

April 2022 - June 2024

As the manager of KWI’s Bullpen — the agency's central hub for writing and editing expertise across accounts — my role involves:

• People leadership: I manage a team of incredible writers who teach me new things every day. Our working dynamic is built on encouragement, and I enjoy my role as coach/cheerleader.

• Writing and strategic thinking: Crafting a wide array of internal and external comms, from scripts to executive emails to feature articles and simple headlines, gives me a chance to try new things every day. I get to work on a variety of accounts, which means I'm comfortable switching writing styles, projects and priorities. Plus, I've never met a deadline I couldn't beat.

• Editing: Edits are also a people-leadership opportunity. I work closely with other writers on the team to review their work, approaching most edits as a chance to coach and encourage. I also edit client work as needed; sometimes that means a quick proof, and sometimes that requires a total rewrite, depending on the ask (or the issues identified).

• Style mastery: I quickly pick up clients' styles and preferences — a practice that rolls straight into developing internal agency style guides to ensure the team stays consistent. Plus, I love [and think in] AP style (but when clients need an Oxford comma, they can have one).

• Client and account/stakeholder partnership: Context is everything. I work alongside both account and client partners to understand their needs and priorities. My work with certain clients has directly contributed to securing new business, and my collaboration with account managers has helped build their trust in the Bullpen as it got off the ground in early 2022.

• Cultural leadership: As a member of the agency's DEI Council (and as someone who loves building culture, community and content calendars), I've taken the lead on a handful of internal initiatives such as fostering company Slack engagement around DEI-related topics and spearheading a Black History Month campaign.

Podcaster

July 2011 - December 2016

Stuff Mom Never Told You was one of the earliest feminist podcasts dedicated to exploring life, history, pop culture, health and more through the lens of gender. My responsibilities included:

• Researching topics to develop lengthy, detailed outlines — the basis for our semi-weekly episodes

• Writing blog and social media posts

• Engaging with our huge, involved community online

• Speaking to businesses and organizations (e.g., Mailchimp, The Carter Center), at conferences (e.g., at Vanderbilt, Clemson and SXSW) and even at the country’s oldest girls’ camp

Marketing writer / editor

July 2012 - October 2014

As a member of the marketing team for a pediatric hospital system, I was part writer/editor and part assistant project manager. At CHOA, my role involved turning the goals and guidelines on a creative brief into real-life marketing material. That entailed the following:

• Interviewing donors, healthcare professionals and patients for articles in magazines and newsletters (Additionally, I frequently served as the photographer’s assistant on patient photo shoots.)

• Writing and editing a wide range of content, including articles, Q+As, headlines/captions, and web and promotional copy, in addition to translating highly technical information about medical conditions, equipment and advancements into digestible content

• Closely collaborating with my design partner and marketing coordinator to plan projects and scale up or down based on the needs and wants of our “clients” (in-house departments, e.g., the autism center or the donor foundation)

Editor

September 2010 - June 2012

The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (now ACEN) is an accrediting agency for both post-secondary and higher degree programs in nursing education. My duties involved:

• Editing 40-page technical, detailed reports for grammar and spelling and to ensure they met the agency’s house style

• Managing the rapid flow of dozens of reports at a time and tracking their progress to meet deadlines

• Creating materials to be used at the agency’s forums

• Training and overseeing freelance editors

Copy editor

October 2006 - June 2010

In my first job out of college, I learned and grew an incredible amount. Part of me still misses newsroom culture. My job involved:

• Editing copy, from headlines and captions to local and wire articles, to adhere to Chronicle and Associated Press styles

• Selecting wire copy to run in the state, national and international sections

• Designing the Metro section / front, inside A-section pages and the features section front, working directly with editors and writers

University of Georgia
Grady College of Journalism

Degree: Journalism - newspapers
Minor: History
Also: Writer, news editor and editor-in-chief at the daily student-run newspaper, The Red & Black

Oxford University
Trinity College

Attended study abroad program
Classes: Journalism; history of the Old Testament
Also: Went solo traveling after the program ended