Donna Talarico

Content Strategist & Writer for Higher Education; Freelance Journalist/Storyteller at Donna Talarico: Independent Content Marketer for Higher Ed, B2B and Brands
  • Claim this Profile
Contact Information
us****@****om
(386) 825-5501
Location
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States, US

Topline Score

Topline score feature will be out soon.

Bio

Generated by
Topline AI

5.0

/5.0
/ Based on 2 ratings
  • (2)
  • (0)
  • (0)
  • (0)
  • (0)

Filter reviews by:

Elizabeth Harvey

Donna Talarico is a trendsetter not a trend follower. She watches for new concepts in communication and sets her own path toward perfection. She is a researcher who checks out what works, makes comparisons and adds her own creative spin. The result has always been successful -- and often quite fun. Though I'm older older and have been in the field for many years, I learned so much from Donna about new -- and old -- ways to communicate concepts and ideas, how to market programs and events in higher ed. She has a natural ability to teach. Donna also sees the big picture, while also dealing with the details. That is a rarity. Most do one or the other. She does both with professionalism and flair.

Kevin Baranowski

It was truly an honor working with Donna during my career at Solid Cactus. Donna is a highly motivated sales professional, who consistently exceeded her quotas. Donna is highly intelligent and went the extra mile to meet all of her customers' expectations. What truly makes Donna an amazing professional is her ability to relate to customers and make them feel 100% confident in what Donna would be suggesting to them. Donna is also an exceptional writer and great friend to practically everyone she has ever met. She would be an amazing asset to any company and I would recommend her in a heartbeat.

You need to have a working account to view this content.
You need to have a working account to view this content.

Credentials

  • UX Design: 1 Overview
    LinkedIn
    Jan, 2023
    - Nov, 2024
  • Reduce Stress and Anxiety by Managing Your Nervous System
    LinkedIn
    Nov, 2022
    - Nov, 2024

Experience

    • United States
    • Writing and Editing
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Content Strategist & Writer for Higher Education; Freelance Journalist/Storyteller
      • Jan 2001 - Present

      CONTENT MARKETING/COPYWRITING/UX WRITING Compelling content for print, online, and interactive campaigns for higher education institutions. Much of this work is through agency partnerships, which means I often am under an NDA, so I am limited in what I can share public. Contact me for portfolio examples. Engineering Consulting Firm in the Northeast Ivy League Business School in the Northeast Public University in the Northeast Catholic College in the Northeast Christian College in the Southwest Technical College in the Northeast Christian College in the Midwest Armed Services-related institution Trade school in the Southwest Private University in the West EDITORIAL - STORYTELLING WITH HEART Contributing to a variety of trade, alumni & commercial publications including: -Administrative Eyecare -Bentley Magazine (alumni) -Campus Security Report (Wiley) -Campus Sonar blog -Currents (from Council for Support and Advancement of Education) -Disability Compliance for Higher Education (Wiley) -Elizabethtown (alumni magazine) -Enrollment Management Report (Wiley) -GAMES World of Puzzles -GoizeutaBeyond.com -The Guardian Higher Education Network -The Los Angeles Times -mental_floss -Recruiting & Retaining Adult Learners - monthly marketing columnist since 2015 (Wiley) -Student Affairs Today (Wiley) -The Successful Registrar (Wiley) -UX Booth -Wilkes (alumni magazine) -The Writer (see website for full list of credits) SPEAKING - 70+ appearances since 2009 You can find me throughout the year at marketing and publishing conferences speaking on a variety topics, most often in storytelling, audience engagement, social media, content strategy, and creativity. List of past and future engagements at my website, but they include HighEdWeb, CASE DII, eduWeb, CUPRAP, AWP, WP Campus, and ASJA. Show less

    • United States
    • Higher Education
    • 500 - 600 Employee
    • Adjunct Faculty - Creative Writing Residency MFA Faculty for Marketing & Publishing
      • Dec 2009 - Present

      Creative Writing: Beginning in the June 2016 residency, I joined the low-residency graduate creative writing program as a social media/content marketing/author branding consultant. In addition to offering a branding workshop during the residency, I provide individual consultations during residency and project semesters, to students and faculty members about how to leverage technology and audience engagement to build their brands and promote their work. Communication Studies: In the spring 2010 semester, I developed and taught a newly created class, Social Media & PR, where through discussion, readings, demos, guest speakers, and interactive projects students learned how then-emerging social media technologies have changed the landscape of public relations and marketing, and learned to connect the dots from these new tools to traditional theory and practices. The class, innovative for its time, was highly rated as noted in student satisfaction survey. (Note: I did not want to list this position twice, so please note the duration is not accurate; I held this position in the spring semester of 2010, and then began a new role in 2016.) Show less

    • United States
    • Book and Periodical Publishing
    • 700 & Above Employee
    • Higher Education Marketing Columnist
      • Jun 2015 - Present

      I write a monthly marketing column for the Wiley newsletter "Recruiting & Retaining Adult Learners," where I cover marketing trends in higher education, profile marcomm professionals, and share industry resources. I write a monthly marketing column for the Wiley newsletter "Recruiting & Retaining Adult Learners," where I cover marketing trends in higher education, profile marcomm professionals, and share industry resources.

    • Founder, publisher & managing editor of creative nonfiction magazine; writing conference organizer
      • Jan 2010 - Present

      [This is a volunteer role.] Founded in 2010, Hippocampus Magazine is an exclusively online publication set out to entertain, educate and engage writers and readers of creative nonfiction. Each issue features memoir excerpts, personal essays, reviews, interviews, and craft articles. Hippocampus also hosts an annual creative nonfiction conference called HippoCamp and, in summer of 2016, launched its small press division. [This is a volunteer role.] Founded in 2010, Hippocampus Magazine is an exclusively online publication set out to entertain, educate and engage writers and readers of creative nonfiction. Each issue features memoir excerpts, personal essays, reviews, interviews, and craft articles. Hippocampus also hosts an annual creative nonfiction conference called HippoCamp and, in summer of 2016, launched its small press division.

    • United States
    • Marketing Services
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Higher Education Content Specialist - Contract
      • May 2015 - Present

      Content writing and content strategy for variety of digital marketing campaigns and web redevelopment projects in higher education and healthcare. Content writing and content strategy for variety of digital marketing campaigns and web redevelopment projects in higher education and healthcare.

    • United States
    • Advertising Services
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • B2B Content Writer/Strategist - Contract
      • Jun 2020 - Present

      Content development and marketing copywriting for projects as needed, mostly in fintech and healthcare. Content development and marketing copywriting for projects as needed, mostly in fintech and healthcare.

    • United States
    • Internet Publishing
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Content Writer & Strategist - Contract
      • May 2019 - Jun 2022

      Content writing for digital marketing campaigns and web redevelopment projects, mostly in higher education, tech platforms, and healthcare. Content writing for digital marketing campaigns and web redevelopment projects, mostly in higher education, tech platforms, and healthcare.

    • United States
    • Higher Education
    • 100 - 200 Employee
    • Adjunct Instructor - Business of Publishing and Marketing Books & Magazines
      • Jan 2017 - Jun 2021

      Courses include Marketing Magazines and Books and the Business of Publishing in Rosemont College's graduate program in publishing. Courses include Marketing Magazines and Books and the Business of Publishing in Rosemont College's graduate program in publishing.

    • United States
    • Higher Education
    • 500 - 600 Employee
    • Director, Integrated Communications in Higher Education
      • Aug 2010 - May 2015

      From 2010 to 2015, I told the Elizabethtown College story through a variety of mediums as part of the award-winning Office of Marketing and Communications team. Major milestones: I established Elizabethtown's official social media presence (and personality) and played a large role in the then-new branding, messaging and creative direction of the College's creative suite. I was part of the complete redevelopment of etown.edu (launched in May 2011), the launch of the redeveloped website for The School of Continuing the Professional Studies (etowndegrees.com), the new website for The High Center (thehighcenter.com) and was key in the development and launch of E-town NOW: My major duties included: --Manager of official college social media accounts --Editor, Elizabethtown, the official magazine of Elizabethtown College --Managing Editor and contributor, E-town NOW, the College news website --Project manager or contributor on various marketing campaigns --Chief copywriter for recruitment material --Primary writer/wrangler of top-level web content --Trainer on CMS and content management Additionally, I developed and managed web content for college website and blogs, created engaging content for other print and online publications/marketing materials, provided creative input on print and traditional projects for campus clients, provided content and social media trainings for campus and more. I still enjoy sharing what we've done at E-town by way of presenting at national and regional higher ed conferences and participating in online conversations with my peers. Show less

    • United States
    • Technology, Information and Internet
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Interactive Marketing Specialist
      • Jun 2007 - Aug 2010

      The e-mail announcement for my new position described this new position as Solid Cactus social director and I like that description. But here's the real gist: Contribute to various marketing initiatives, creative pieces, prints and online publications, and more for Solid Cactus and sister brands. Typical duties include marketing copy writing, website content creation, writing articles and copy editing for eBiz Insider magazine, social media management, public relations, creative collaboration with others in department on design and product development initiatives and more. (I previously served as an account manager at Solid Cactus, until July 2009.) Show less

    • Senior Account Mananger
      • Dec 2007 - Jul 2009

      Provide solutions for those looking to start or improve an e-commerce business by way of web development and design, call center services, Internet marketing and more. Also, write for the eBiz Insider, a monthly ecommerce magazine and the Solid Cactus corporate blog.Milestone: I generated more than $1M in sales for this leading eCommerce company.

    • Outbound Sales
      • Jun 2007 - Dec 2007

      Worked hand-in-hand with sales team by both qualifying/warming up new leads and reengaging current clients and leads which did not yet convert. Helped provide solutions for those looking to start or improve an e-commerce business by way of web development and design, call center services, Internet marketing and more. Also, write for the eBiz Insider, an ecommerce magazine with a circulation of 16,000.

    • Education Administration Programs
    • 700 & Above Employee
    • Admissions Representative, Fortis Insitute campus (Previously Allied Medical & Technical Institute)
      • Oct 2002 - Jun 2007

      Manage new and old leads from various sources; Gain back lost business by contacting students who cancelled or withdrew; Meet and exceed personal and team goals for student start dates; Meet and exceed personal student retention rate goal; Assist prospective students with enrollment process;And in latest position: Spearheaded development of new agency representative position; Develop new business through various social service and employment agencies; Develop new ways to keep cost-per-lead to a minimum, such as creating MySpace page*; Design and provide interactive, education workshops to community groups; Write press releases, story pitches and other public relations tasks.*This was before Facebook; I was ahead of my time! Show less

    • Admissions Rep.
      • 2005 - 2007

      Scranton, Pa. campus. Held same position more recently at Forty Fort, Pa. campus. See that listing for more information.

    • United States
    • Broadcast Media Production and Distribution
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Freelance Production Crew
      • 1996 - 2007

      Floor managed and ran camera for variety of local live and recorded programs (studio and remote) including PA Polka, Call the Doctor, You and Your Pet, State of PA, as well as live fund raising events such as pledge drives and auctions. Floor managed and ran camera for variety of local live and recorded programs (studio and remote) including PA Polka, Call the Doctor, You and Your Pet, State of PA, as well as live fund raising events such as pledge drives and auctions.

    • United States
    • Higher Education
    • 500 - 600 Employee
    • Student Assistant
      • 1996 - 2006

      Worked as student employee in Marketing Communications Office at Wilkes University- aided in organizing and distributing press clips and recording press release distribution, wrote articles for the university website and magazine, edited and updated Class Notes section and other administrative type tasks. Worked as student employee in Marketing Communications Office at Wilkes University- aided in organizing and distributing press clips and recording press release distribution, wrote articles for the university website and magazine, edited and updated Class Notes section and other administrative type tasks.

    • United States
    • Broadcast Media Production and Distribution
    • 700 & Above Employee
    • Promotions Director, WGGY-FM (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
      • Jun 1998 - Feb 2002

      -Plan radio stations contests, events and community service projects and run live action broadcasts; Collaborate with general sales manager to create added-value promotions for clients; Order promotional items and manage ‘prize closet’; Write promotional copy for live and recorded promos; Reinstated the ‘Froggy 101 Green Team’ and mentored these high school interns -Plan radio stations contests, events and community service projects and run live action broadcasts; Collaborate with general sales manager to create added-value promotions for clients; Order promotional items and manage ‘prize closet’; Write promotional copy for live and recorded promos; Reinstated the ‘Froggy 101 Green Team’ and mentored these high school interns

Education

  • Wilkes University
    Master of Arts (M.A.), Literary Publishing
    2015 - 2016
  • Elizabethtown College
    Master of Business Administration (MBA), Business Administration and Management, General
    2012 - 2014
  • Wilkes University
    Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing
    2009 - 2010
  • Wilkes University
    MA, Creative Writing
    2007 - 2009
  • Wilkes University
    BA, Communication Studies (Journalism & Public Relations)
    1996 - 2007
  • Pocono Mountain High School
    High School Diploma, General
    1994 - 1996

Community

You need to have a working account to view this content. Click here to join now