summary
(me, in a nutshell)
Transformative strategic communication and marketing leader known for surfacing game-changing insights and building high-performing narratives that move complex social impact and innovation markets forward. Results-driven strategist, executor and capacity builder. Strong multidisciplinary collaborator, trusted executive advisor, and proven relationship builder to critical influencers and stakeholders. Respected creative director and motivational team mentor with a history of fostering strengths-based, engaged creative teams known for setting the bar.
key strengths
(aka "superpowers")
Growth Advisor
Trusted executive advisor fostering intelligent growth via actionable insights, enhanced positioning and offer refinement.
Trusted Facilitator
Change manager and relationship builder known for forging trust and alignment to move complex, high stakes issues forward.
Strategic Storyteller
Multimedia storyteller translating complex ideas and insights into compelling, trust-building narratives.
Team Leader
Innovative creative team mentor passionate about building diverse, high-performing, and inclusive teams.
Stakeholder Champion
Inclusive live, virtual and interactive experiences strategically designed to educate, curate audience insights, foster community, and inform critical decisions.
Capacity Builder
Building brand-aligned systems that encourage cross-discipline collaboration, scale capacity, track critical DEI metrics and operationalize continuous improvement.
results of my labor
(the 10-year highlight reel)
Principal Consultant
November 2023-present
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INDUSTRY: Strategic Growth and Marketing Communications Performance Consultant
NUMA STRATEGY PARTNERS
Partnering with founders, CSuite executives, and heads of marketing communications to lead transformative gains in brand positioning, marketing communications performance, and value delivery.
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>> Transformed marketing operations for regional healthcare union amid rapid growth, significantly reducing project efficiency while improving cross-functional collaboration.
>> Modernized brand, offer value, and business development engine
for growth-stage professional service business, significantly reducing client acquisition costs while enhancing firm’s brand authority in highly competitive sector.
Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications
Apr 2021-November 2023
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INDUSTRY: Equitable College Access and Success
>> Designed and launched marketing communications shared services,
transforming an underutilized team into a high-performing, audience-
centric function and scaling capacity through mentorship and strategic
platform adoption (Sprout Social, Marketing Cloud, Canva).
>> Led successful change- and reputation management communications
amid an acquisition, CEO transition, and market disruption, slowing
employee attrition and supporting retention of critical partners.
>> Enhanced national brand influence among education and economic mobility funders, advocates, policymakers, and media via enhanced brand narrative and content strategy, increasing YOY inbound media inquiries by 200%.
>> Built and scaled omnichannel AmeriCorps service recruitment campaign
via strengthened service value proposition, to fuel a 168% web traffic surge
and 75% application growth for 340 positions in first year.
>> Spearheaded B2B demand generation and content marketing strategy
for an ed-tech SaaS product and first generation college student retention service line, driving client retention and national expansion outcomes.
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>> Provided coaching, mentoring and team development to 5 direct reports and 4 contractors/agencies; leading national community of practice for 15 external affairs practitioners. Managing annual budget of + $900k.
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EXPLORE KEY PROJECTS:
Senior Public Affairs Consultant
Apr 2019-Apr 2021
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INDUSTRY: Public Water Supply Planning, Water and Wastewater Infrastructure, Water Treatment and Transport
>> Co-led strategic growth and service design of award-winning strategic
communications practice serving government and utility clients throughout the west coast, securing +$2M in new revenue.
>> Spearheaded a cross-functional effort to refine brand narrative, visual expression, and firm positioning amid rapid growth, supporting founder succession.
>> Co-led regional omnichannel campaign to re-frame recycled water programs, boosting public support across diverse stakeholders.
>> Fostered strong relationships with elected officials, water utilities, regulators, environmental advocates, media, and diverse
community stakeholders while monitoring rapid changes in state water policy and regulatory trends.
>> Led award-winning public affairs and inclusive stakeholder engagement strategies to inform sustainable, affordable water supply and resilience master plans in 10 communities, achieving 100% policy adoption while significantly strengthening public trust.
>> Designed/led a multi-year public affairs campaign to build trust in the municipality’s largest capital project, simplifying complex water and wastewater treatment topics to exceed media, event, and engagement goals.
>> Led firm-wide shift to online stakeholder engagement during COVID using innovative technology and experience design, preventing project delays and significantly increasing participation over traditional methods.
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>> Provided clear direction, creative collaboration and positive work environment for creative contractors in photography, videography, design and development. Managed client/project budgets of up to $500k each, coached creative project team of 5.
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EXPLORE KEY PROJECTS:
SLO Water Plus Groundbreaking Event
Director of Communications and Marketing
Jul 2017 - Apr 2019
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INDUSTRY: Strategic Consulting
>> Transformed firm’s global thought leadership strategy to strengthen brand authority, elevate diverse staff voices, and fuel growth, securing op-eds in Harvard Business Review, Business Insider, Chief Executive, HubSpot, and Sustainable Brands, expanding editorial voices by 400%, and engaging 100+ Fortune 500 prospects.
>> Built the firm’s first omnichannel B2B demand generation program from the ground up using Salesforce, driving 300% web traffic growth, 60% social growth, and 200% earned media gains in one year.
>> Cultivated and socialized compelling insights among executive leadership to inform best-fit growth markets, pipeline development, offer enhancement and value proposition, and content marketing strategy that resulted in +600% growth in qualified leads in first year.
>> Provided clear direction and collaborative work environment for creative contractors in photography, videography, design and web development. Managed $300k annual budget, supervised contractor creative team of 4.
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EXPLORE KEY PROJECTS:
Director of Marketing and Communications
Oct 2015-Apr 2017
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INDUSTRY: Strategic Consulting; Sustainable, Equitable Urban Development
>> Led the global launch of EcoDistricts Certified (now Just Communities), the world’s first neighborhood-scale sustainable urban development certification, surpassing first-year lead target by 200% across 35 countries and six continents.
>> Cultivated strategic relationships across urban development, social justice, green building, affordable housing, transportation, renewable energy, and water sectors, securing 30+ media and promotional partnerships, expanding audience reach by 7M+ impressions, and generating +$250K in-kind marketing value annually.
>> Led cross-functional teams to produce three global events while establishing profitable in-house event management business line infused with measurable DEI goals, innovative event experiences, and high-performing marketing engines to attract and activate diverse professional audiences.
>> Designed and launched end-to-end membership acquisition and retention experience to secure +$1M in annual revenue, including an omnichannel inbound digital marketing campaign and member engagement experience design.
>> Provided coaching, professional development and clear direction to new marcom and events team members in fast-growth, fast-paced, ambiguous environment. Managed $700k annual budget, supervised creative team of 6 (including contractors).
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EXPLORE KEY PROJECTS:
Director of Marketing and Communications
Apr 2011 - Apr 2015
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INDUSTRY: Climate, Energy, and Water; Corporate Social Responsibility
>> Designed and led corporate audience activation for the startup phase of the Change the Course water restoration campaign, securing $2M in funding, 100K consumer pledges to conserve water, and driving breakthrough global growth of corporate water stewardship. Partners included National Geographic, Participant Media, Coca-Cola, Disney, and 1% for the Planet.
>> Designed and executed CSR marketing and audience activation campaigns for global brands, utilities, and universities, strengthening clients’ brand equity while driving measurable gains in carbon and water reduction. Clients included: The North Face, Patagonia, Clif Bar, Oregon State University, Mt. Hood Meadows Resort, Silk®, and Idaho Power.
>> Spearheaded a national community solar growth campaign for stadiums and sports venues, co-authoring a guide and leading an omnichannel marketing strategy with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Green Sports Alliance.
>> Led strategy and ecommerce UX design of online B2B and B2C carbon, energy, and water footprint calculators, driving a 60% shift of small business offset customers online and increasing renewals by 80% in the first year.
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EXPLORE KEY PROJECTS:
Principal Consultant
July 2004-present
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INDUSTRY: Marketing and Strategic Communications Agency
>> Built boutique creative firm's national practice from the ground up, leading all aspects of business development and principal fulfillment of strategic branding, marketing strategy and strategic communication services.
>> Led national public affairs and media relations for international small press publisher client, PuddleDancer Press and key authors, including pitching earned media stories, interview prep and press kits.
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>> Built trademark-pending brand strategy development process and trademark pending, scalable framework for building high-performing, market and audience-centered storytelling engines.
>> Developed and/or transformed more than 20 brands for small businesses and nonprofit organizations nationwide.
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>> Recruited and built exceptional relationships with contractual partners in photography, videography, digital marketing, graphic design, web development, and copy editing.
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PROJECTS:
Education
(book smarts)
Cornell University
Graduate Certificate, Marketing Strategy
Oregon State University
BA, English
Energize Leadership
6-month Executive Leadership Coaching Program (2021)
Trabian Shorters
Asset Framing Workshop
(virtual • 2021)
Center for Equity and Inclusion
Capacity Building Workshop
(Portland, OR • 2016)
Software and platforms
(digital smarts)
Adobe Design Suite
MS Office Suite
G Suite
Salesforce
Hubspot
Wordpress
Wix
MailChimp
Sprout Social
Google Analytics
Google Tag Manager
SEMRush
Conceptboard
Social Pinpoint
Slack
Asana
Social Media