Experience

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

• United States
• Think Tanks
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Vice President, Communications

  • Sep 2021 - Present

  Washington, District of Columbia, United States Accomplishments: • Commissioned and managed the first-ever Joint Center solely-sponsored poll, which the results were covered by more than 20 outlets, including The Hill, NPR, The Guardian, BET.com, TheGrio, Newsy, Yahoo! News, BNC, TMZ and Black Star News; • Revamped annual report format to be impact-focused and professionally designed and • Overhauled the research report design process to invite in more readers Responsibilities: • Designs and implements data-driven… Show more Accomplishments: • Commissioned and managed the first-ever Joint Center solely-sponsored poll, which the results were covered by more than 20 outlets, including The Hill, NPR, The Guardian, BET.com, TheGrio, Newsy, Yahoo! News, BNC, TMZ and Black Star News; • Revamped annual report format to be impact-focused and professionally designed and • Overhauled the research report design process to invite in more readers Responsibilities: • Designs and implements data-driven, strategic communications plans that maximize impact through raising awareness of the Joint Center’s work and increasing visibility with key audiences including policymakers, experts, funders, and community leaders; • Creates marketing and public relations plans that allow leadership across the Joint Center to cultivate and enhance relationships with the media and key influencers; • Develops and implements media engagement strategies and drives digital and editorial content; • Drives innovation in new communication channels to help amplify ideas, messages, research, and convenings; • Serves as the organization’s lead on communications, marketing, audience engagement, PR, branding, media, and events; • Works across departments to support the organization’s mission, priorities, and initiatives through strategic communications and messaging to key stakeholders, including policymakers, experts, funders, and community leaders; • Recruits, onboards, trains, and manages a growing team of communications professionals to support the growth strategy; • Promotes a culture of data-driven high performance and animates the values of the Joint Center within the Communications team and across the organization; • Coaches, mentors, and helps develop staff with a collaborative and supportive approach in a consistent way and • Builds and manages communications budget. Show less



Center for Constitutional Rights

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

• Communications Director

  • Jul 2017 - Sep 2021

  Greater New York City Area Accomplishments: • Served as 2020 Marketing and Communications Track Co-Chair for Fundraising Day in New York; conceived of and staffed a slate of four panels; • Successfully led organizational rebranding initiative; named 2019 finalist in non-profit branding competition by PR News; • Launched and markets monthly podcast that generates an average of 800 listeners per episode and • Broke organizational media hits annual record; media placements spiked by 100 percent to… Show more Accomplishments: • Served as 2020 Marketing and Communications Track Co-Chair for Fundraising Day in New York; conceived of and staffed a slate of four panels; • Successfully led organizational rebranding initiative; named 2019 finalist in non-profit branding competition by PR News; • Launched and markets monthly podcast that generates an average of 800 listeners per episode and • Broke organizational media hits annual record; media placements spiked by 100 percent to 11,000 Responsibilities: • Shaped and led the vision for creative multi-media communications strategies and their implementation across the organization; incorporating legal, advocacy and policy agendas that raise visibility with key audiences; • Developed the brand voice and maintained brand integrity across all platforms; • Designed engagement strategies with media to increase share of voice, including securing media placements and provided ongoing presentation/media training prep and feedback; • Puts communications vehicles in place to create momentum and awareness of cases and issues, as well as test their effectiveness; • Established departmental goals and expectations for a seven-person team; mentored and supported team members to ensure constant professional development; • Worked closely with the Development Department to design and implement fundraising-specific communications and marketing tools, including the annual report, newsletters, e-blasts and other mailings; • Coordinated with the Advocacy Department regarding event photography and video for social media and marketing; • Partnered with Human Resources to provide strategy and messaging for outwardly-facing recruiting and marketing materials, including intern and fellowship advertisements, jobs website page and LinkedIn account and • Managed the Communications’ department’s overall functioning, including its budget, contracts with outside vendors and grant reports Show less



Hayslett Media Consulting

• President

  • Jan 2009 - 2017

  Nationwide •Serves as a strategic, trusted advisor to CEOs, C-level executives and key communications' stakeholders for fintech, energy, beverage, healthcare and biopharma and homebuilding clients; • Manages the development of integrated marketing and communications campaigns that incorporated print, digital and broadcast outlets; • Develops and pitches story ideas, press releases, media advisories, key statements and collateral material based on industry trends and differentiator messaging;… Show more •Serves as a strategic, trusted advisor to CEOs, C-level executives and key communications' stakeholders for fintech, energy, beverage, healthcare and biopharma and homebuilding clients; • Manages the development of integrated marketing and communications campaigns that incorporated print, digital and broadcast outlets; • Develops and pitches story ideas, press releases, media advisories, key statements and collateral material based on industry trends and differentiator messaging; • Writes and places bylined articles on industry trends to increase brand awareness; • Provides brand messaging, media training and crisis communications counsel for CEOs and other company executives and • Leverages social media for thought leadership; inserts executives into LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook conversations to elevate brands Show less



G&S Business Communications

• United States
• Public Relations and Communications Services
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Managing Supervisor and NYC New Business Prospector for Professional Services

  • Jun 2014 - Sep 2016

  Greater New York City Area Accomplishments: • Secured new business and managed communications for Fortune 100 and 500 clients in fintech, energy, beverage, healthcare and biopharma and homebuilding; • Led the development of core materials for M&A and new product launches; • Increased public awareness for clients by securing print and broadcast media placements in top-tier outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CIO Journal, Bloomberg News, USA Today, Forbes, American Banker, CNBC and FOX… Show more Accomplishments: • Secured new business and managed communications for Fortune 100 and 500 clients in fintech, energy, beverage, healthcare and biopharma and homebuilding; • Led the development of core materials for M&A and new product launches; • Increased public awareness for clients by securing print and broadcast media placements in top-tier outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CIO Journal, Bloomberg News, USA Today, Forbes, American Banker, CNBC and FOX News; • Spearheaded CSR homebuilding campaign that resulted 35 news placements, including, Yahoo! Finance, Associated Press and Sirius XM radio; • Developed and managed crisis communications solutions for large fintech client, significantly reshaping tone in media coverage and • Designed and implemented an agency-wide diversity and inclusion program that was awarded Best New Diversity Initiative 2015 by PR Council and PRWeek Show less



StudentsFirstNY

• Political Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director of Communications

  • Jul 2012 - Jun 2014

  Greater New York City Area Accomplishments: • Successfully executed strategic communications plans and multiple PR campaigns on a new teacher evaluation plan and the Common Core State Standards; • Secured more than 70 media hits in top-tier print and broadcast outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, New York Daily News, BuzzFeed, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and NPR; • Increased social media engagement from zero followers and friends to more than 4,000 on Twitter and Facebook… Show more Accomplishments: • Successfully executed strategic communications plans and multiple PR campaigns on a new teacher evaluation plan and the Common Core State Standards; • Secured more than 70 media hits in top-tier print and broadcast outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, New York Daily News, BuzzFeed, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and NPR; • Increased social media engagement from zero followers and friends to more than 4,000 on Twitter and Facebook and • Organized six press conferences with solid media coverage at each and a conference featuring three keynote speakers and 30 panelists with 300 attendees Show less



First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens/Central Jersey Community Development Corp.

• Director of Communications and Marketing

  • Jan 2010 - Jul 2012

  Somerset, NJ Accomplishments: • Primary contact for Soledad O’Brien, former CNN Special Correspondent, for “Black In America 3: Almighty Debt;” led story development and brand messaging; provided media coaching for interview subjects; successfully planned private screening for top-tier media and 500 guests; • Secured more than 135 media placements in top-tier print and broadcast outlets and • Took lead role in developing four websites, from content to graphics and layout



New York Women in Communications, Inc.

• Social Media Coordinator (appointed position)

  • 2009 - Jan 2010

  Social Media Coordinator (Board position) • Generated and implemented ideas for how social media can be used to market and drive more engagement around key events and themes • Monitored and grew usage of channels – Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn and YouTube • Recruited bloggers and determined which blogs to link to the organization’s content



Freelance

• Freelance Writer and Editor

  • Sep 2003 - 2010

  Writer and editor for hire from press releases to magazine and newspaper articles. Previous freelance work ranges from writing education and music articles for Black Enterprise magazine to writing the annual report for Middlesex County College (NJ), articles for the alumni magazine at Georgian Court University (NJ) and non-profit organizations.



March of Dimes

• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• Communications/Marketing Chair (appointed position)

  • Jan 2009 - Dec 2009

  March of Dimes of New Jersey, Cranbury, NJ Communications/Marketing Chair • Led the development and implementation of public relations and marketing plans in order to achieve event budget • Developed the publicity, e-marketing, one-on-one direct communications and promotions plans • Pitched angle development complete with timeline • Wrote press releases



The Star-Ledger

• United States
• Newspaper Publishing
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Reporter

  • Sep 2003 - Dec 2008

  Organized news coverage for New Brunswick, the Middlesex County seat, 24 K-12 school districts, Middlesex County College and parts of Rutgers University Served as a watchdog for the newspaper's readership; stayed ahead of the news to prevent corruption Wrote news and feature stories about government, universities, development and trends Crunched numbers and created budget spreadsheets to be able to explain spending plans to readers in a meaningful way Worked with the graphic and… Show more Organized news coverage for New Brunswick, the Middlesex County seat, 24 K-12 school districts, Middlesex County College and parts of Rutgers University Served as a watchdog for the newspaper's readership; stayed ahead of the news to prevent corruption Wrote news and feature stories about government, universities, development and trends Crunched numbers and created budget spreadsheets to be able to explain spending plans to readers in a meaningful way Worked with the graphic and photography departments to generate art for stories Edited stories Show less



Black Enterprise Magazine

• United States
• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Freelance writer

  • 2003 - 2007

  Freelance writer covering education and entertainment issues.



The Asbury Park Press

• Reporter

  • Jan 2001 - Sep 2003

  • Covered two Ocean County municipalities • Generated trend stories and scoping weekend pieces • Worked with graphic and photography departments to generate art for stories • Edited stories



The Home News Tribune

• Reporter

  • Jan 2000 - Apr 2001

  • Covered two Middlesex County municipalities • Deciphered school and municipal budgets for analysis pieces • Produced 10 stories a week • Edited stories



The Jackson Sun

• Reporter

  • Sep 1997 - Dec 1999

  • Covered Jackson Public Schools, city council and Jackson criminal courts • Generated 10 stories a week • Worked with graphic and photo departments to produce art for stories