Experience

National Transportation Safety Board

• Public Safety
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Internal Communication Specialist

  • Feb 2020 - Present



National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

• United States
• Research Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Communications Specialist

  • Aug 2010 - Feb 2020

  Led communications strategy to support a safety culture transformation among 5,000 NIST employees and associates through the development and implementation of a strategic communications plan to communicate agency policies, programs, and services and to recognize safety excellence, share best practices, and communicate lessons learned from adverse incidents. Identified, developed, and designed communications vehicles to support the communications strategy including the agency’s first email newsletter, web content, senior leaders’ remarks and presentations, marketing materials, new employee orientation materials, eLearning/microlearning modules, colloquiums, posters, displays, annual report, toolkits, and handbooks. Managed Sharepoint website development and content strategy to increase site traffic and improve accessibility of important safety and security requirements, policies, and procedures. Developed and executed communication strategy to improve NIST’s physical security culture, which included data collection and focus group discussions, policy development, message development for senior leaders, presentation development, physical security eLearning development, signage, and news and feature articles. Reinvented the agency's safety training to incorporate peer-to-peer conversations, realistic scenarios, engaging knowledge checks, which resulted in a more positive reception of training by employees and greater demand for it. Awarded in 2016 a Bronze Medal, the agency’s highest honorary recognition, for this achievement. Show less



THE LIFE & HEALTH INSURANCE FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION

• United States
• Insurance

• Director Of Communications

  • Oct 2009 - Aug 2010



The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)

• United States
• Non-profit Organization Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director Of Communications

  • Mar 2006 - Sep 2009

  PUBLIC RELATIONS & BRANDING: Led development of a new brand identity program and deployed it throughout the organization's programs and services; managed ongoing adherence to brand guidelines for all forms of communications. COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT: Coordinated production and oversaw editing of communications materials including a new Web site, newsletters, exhibits, presentation templates and brochures; edited communications material developed by engineering and government affairs staff to convey critical information simply and concisely to external, non-technical audiences. WEBSITE MANAGEMENT: Managed all aspects of website development, including overall vision and mission, look and feel, navigation structure and site maps, as well as determined site functionality. Recruited and managed external developer who customized a content management system for use with all Web sites and graphic design firm to develop site look and feel. Uploaded hundreds of pages of content, images, video and audio files, and met tight launch deadlines. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING & PARTNERING: Built and maintained collaborative relationships as an integral part of the 2 Degree Pledge (2degreepledge.org) campaign developed to educate consumers on how to reduce the environmental impact of their home cooling and heating systems. Identified, approached, and secured campaign partners including energy efficiency advocacy groups, private energy companies, and government agencies. RESEARCH & ANALYSIS: Monitored and analyzed news opportunities resulting in placement of several editorials and letters to the editor that dispelled misinformation and accurately represented legislative and regulatory positions; issued news releases in support of industry positions. Show less



American College of Emergency Physicians

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Public Relations Manager

  • Jan 2000 - Mar 2006

  MEDIA RELATIONS INITIATIVES: Applied in-depth knowledge of public health communication, marketing, and media strategies to drive targeted media relations initiatives; organized media events that created national news coverage for scientific research, public health issues and to promote legislative and regulatory positions. Guided health services researchers and association leaders on crisis communications matters, media interviews and message development. Built collaborative relationships with health care trade and professional groups, government agencies, patient advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders to advance communications objectives on public health issues. Successfully communicated scientific information to non-scientific audiences; doubled news coverage for a peer-reviewed scientific journal by coordinating with researchers, crafting compelling news releases, effectively pitching reporters. Organized issue briefings that educated journalists and Hill staff on research reports, public policy issues, and core objectives. KEY HIGHLIGHTS: Introduced savvy media strategies to promote scientific subjects to the news media as experts on public health policy and public health issues. Developed and executed the first-ever corporate relations guidelines. Show less



Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America-National Headquarters

• United States

• Director Of Communications

  • Jan 1999 - Dec 2000



Independent Petroleum Association of America - IPAA

• United States
• Oil and Gas
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Communications Manager

  • Jun 1995 - Dec 1998

  DEVELOPED AND MANAGED STRATEGIC EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION INITIATIVES to advance organization's domestic legislative and regulatory agenda. Managed organization's media relations activities; successfully crafted op-ed campaigns; managed the organization's grassroots program; managed industry's pursuit of a national image campaign; developed annual report, marketing brochures, speeches, testimony, editorials, talking points, fact sheets and press releases. DEVELOPED AND MANAGED STRATEGIC EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION INITIATIVES to advance organization's domestic legislative and regulatory agenda. Managed organization's media relations activities; successfully crafted op-ed campaigns; managed the organization's grassroots program; managed industry's pursuit of a national image campaign; developed annual report, marketing brochures, speeches, testimony, editorials, talking points, fact sheets and press releases.



SIOR Global: Society of Industrial and Office Realtors

• United States
• Real Estate
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Assistant Editor

  • Jun 1993 - Jun 1995

  Researched, wrote, and edited bimonthly magazine for the commercial real estate industry and other publications; designed and wrote society's first marketing materials. Researched, wrote, and edited bimonthly magazine for the commercial real estate industry and other publications; designed and wrote society's first marketing materials.



OFFICE PRODUCTS DEALER ASSOCIATION

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations

• Assistant Editor

  • Feb 1992 - Jun 1995



Journal Messenger

• United States
• Writing and Editing

• Staff Writer

  • Jan 1992 - Mar 1992



Connection Newspapers / Local Media Connection

• United States
• Newspaper Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Staff Writer

  • Nov 1990 - Oct 1991