Resume

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Communications Consultant | June 2025 - present
Hired by consulting and private equity firms, and nonprofits on short-term projects to offer comprehensive advisory and strategic services to address and problem-solve various business challenges.

• Advise clients with key insights on specific subject matter to inform their decisions on market-changing acquisitions.

• Develop reports with research findings on competitor analysis.

• Produced strategies for multichannel, mobile-driven campaigns.

Ascension Alabama, Birmingham, AL
Regional Chief Marketing and Communications Lead | January 2022-June 2025
Led marketing strategy, content, corporate communications, public affairs, and sports sponsorships for 5 hospitals (900 beds) and 50 physician and specialty practices, ambulatory surgery centers, and imaging locations. Collaborated with executives and physician leaders to market service lines, advance the organization’s reputation, and enhance employee engagement by producing timely information, storytelling opportunities, and memorable moments. Built relationships with stakeholders, clients, and vendors to plan, negotiate, and execute contracts/projects to achieve goals or solve problems. Coached and mentored multiple teams to create compelling content that delivered results.

• Led consumer preference initiatives resulting in a 10% increase in positive online reviews and ratings.

• Oversaw new oncology integrated marketing campaign resulting in 20.3% increase in consumer actions.

• Redesigned internal communications programs, including a refreshed intranet portal to enhance associate engagement, resulting in a 30% adoption rate increase.

The University of Kansas Health System, Kansas City, KS
Senior Communications Strategist | April 2012-January 2022
Led strategic counsel and communications management to health system leadership on clinical and quality and safety initiatives, patient satisfaction, and employee engagement programs. Oversaw the production of annual reports, operational playbooks, videos, and electronic newsletters. Served as a key member of the health system’s rebrand launch in 2016.

• Led the day-to-day COVID-19 clinical communications strategy, content, and execution; collaborated with C-Suite leaders, key physicians, and unit managers to rethink communication strategies to ensure consistent, reliable messaging; oversaw the management of the COVID-19 intranet hub and daily email briefings.

• Created patient-education content to enhance outcomes and satisfaction using multiple channels, including web, video, and social media; tactics helped reduce post-surgical readmission rates by 7% through a new video series.

• Orchestrated "Escape Room" campaign to improve nursing retention and practice, resulting in more than 154 hospitals in 45 states, and one international organization to replicate the escape room concept at their organization (2019 IABC winner: Best in Show and Employee Engagement awards).

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte, N.C.
Director of External Relations | Jan. 2006-July 2011
Led external communications and media relations team for a school district with 178 schools, 138,000 students, and 19,000 employees. Regularly engaged with local and national media outlets and identified ongoing opportunities to leverage executives as educational thought leaders. As lead spokesperson, I managed messaging and crisis communications, and counseled, trained, and prepped executives for media interviews.

• Executed a communications plan when the state moved its annual open enrollment process from paper to online, affecting 19,000+ employees; results included 96% employees successfully re-enrolled by the deadline, and 86% agreed communications were excellent.

• Oversaw external communications and public affairs during significant budget cuts that led to nearly a dozen school closures; commissioned a micro website to drive employees, key stakeholders, the public, and the media to up-to-date information, FAQs, and statements to eliminate rumors and misinformation; results included a 68% increase in web traffic and 25% decrease in call-center volume.

• Oversaw 3,500 media relations requests annually and increased positive news pitch placement rate 5-7% YoY through creative content and storytelling opportunities.