Experience

Enid News & Eagle

• Newspaper Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Publisher/Editor

  • Feb 2021 - Present



Parent Promise/Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• External Relations Director

  • Jan 2017 - Feb 2021

  Parent Promise is a 501 c 3 organization with the mission to prevent the neglect and abuse of Oklahoma's children through parent education and support. Parent Promise is also the Oklahoma Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America and has served Oklahoma County for more than 30 years. I raise awareness and private funding for the vital services this organization provides, which include sending trained parent educators into the homes of more than 200 families each year to provide them one-on-one mentoring, child development resources, basic baby/health care, effective parenting practices and activities that promote reading and a love of learning. I do this by writing various grants and organizing fund-raising events that benefit our organization, We empower our families to find and connect with the resources they need to be successful parents, which enables them to become self-sufficient and less dependent on social programs.For more information on our programs, go to our website at www.parentpromise.org.



Oklahoma Oil & Gas Association

• Strategic Communications Consultant

  • Apr 2016 - Nov 2016

  Contract position. Media relations, social media, messaging, communications strategies.



Devon Energy

• United States
• Oil and Gas
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Communications Specialist

  • Jan 2012 - Feb 2016

  I handled a variety of corporate communications duties for Devon Energy's government/public affairs and community relations teams, including messaging, internal communications, video production, communications planning and communications project management. I also served in media relations, where I wrote press releases and messaging and organized press events.

• Editor

  • Sep 2002 - Dec 2011

  As editor, I directed a staff of 18-22 reporters, photographers and editors. My duties included budgeting, strategic planning and print and web content development. I also wrote daily editorials and news stories. I led two redesigns of the newspaper web site. The newspaper was a consistent award winner and was named Best in the State three years during my tenture.



Pittsburg, KS Morning Sun

• Publisher

  • Jan 2001 - Sep 2002

  As publisher, I was responsible for the day-to-day operations of a daily AM newspaper. I managed the budget, directed the advertising, editorial, circulation and business departments and led the development of the newspaper's first web site. Daily circulation grew by 10 percent during my tenure.



Log Cabin Democrat

• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• General Manager

  • Jan 1999 - Jan 2001

  I was responsible for the operations of a daily PM newspaper. I directed the budgeting and management of day-to-day operations, including advertising, circulation and editorial. This was a training position for placement as publisher.



City of Pittsburg, KS

• United States
• Government Administration
• 1 - 100 Employee

• City Commissioner and Mayor

  • Mar 1993 - Apr 1995

  Although this was not a paid position, it was definitely a job! From 1993-95 I was a city commissioner and mayor of Pittsburg, KS, a college community of about 20,000. During my tenure as mayor, our community overwhelmingly passed a sales tax that built a new fire station, a new community swimming pool and upgraded and renovated a historic Carnegie Library.