Experience

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  The Newton Beacon

  • Newton, Massachusetts, United States

  • Board Member

    • May 2023 - Present
    • Newton, Massachusetts, United States

    The Newton Beacon is an online news and information site for the city of Newton, Massachusetts. It's an independent, non-profit, non-partisan hyperlocal site. Learn more at www.newtonbeacon.org.

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  Newton Community Pride

  • Newton, Massachusetts, United States

  • Board member

    • Jul 2018 - Present
    • Newton, Massachusetts, United States

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  newtoncommunitypride.org

  • Newton, MA

  • President

    • Nov 2018 - Feb 2021
    • Newton, MA

    Newton Community Pride is a non-profit providing funding, marketing, PR, and volunteer support services for a few dozen citywide events each year. They include NewtonSERVES: a day of volunteerism; a spelling bee, Newton Festival of the Arts; July 4th fireworks; and, free summer concerts.Pride works closely with Newton's Cultural Development office. As a volunteer president, I serve with a volunteer board of directors.

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  Boston University

  • Greater Boston Area

  • Marketing Communication Writing Instructor

    • Jan 2015 - Dec 2020
    • Greater Boston Area

    I am an instructor in writing for mass communication in the College of Communication at BU. I've taught classes since 2015.

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  Lasell College

  • Newton, MA

  • Marketing Communication Instructor

    • Sep 2014 - Dec 2019
    • Newton, MA

    I taught undergraduates mass media, writing across PR and marketing disciplines, and how to find an internship.

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  Sholkin Consulting

  • Greater Boston Area

  • Principal Consultant | Content Marketing | PR | Writer | Digital Marketing | Events | Executive Comm

    • Feb 2014 - Dec 2019
    • Greater Boston Area

    Even with great products and services, companies often have a hard time getting recognized or growing revenue. I enjoy solving these problems, and recently “bottled” my unique approach—gained in over 20 years of marketing & PR experience in corporate America—into a consulting business that helps others:► Influence prospects► Retain customers► Raise a brand’s credibilityI also enjoy sharing my insights about:Business & Communication Issues…so I’ve become a columnist for “PR News.” See articles below.► How PR can positively impact a business… …As a result I was selected as a senior judge for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Silver Anvil awards. This annual competition has recognized superior PR campaigns since 1946. ► Marketing and PR strategies……I’ve been active in social media since 2008, regularly curating articles and providing insights. I have more than 850 Twitter followers.

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  International Data Group (IDG)

  • Director, Communication & Marketing Programs | Promoting Technology Media, Research & Events

    • Mar 2007 - Feb 2014

    A subsidiary of International Data Group, IDG Communications houses the Company’s tech media and event brands. Following a re-organization, I moved from Corporate Communications to IDG Communications and was responsible for public relations & integrated marketing. I particularly enjoyed being closer to the business units so I could directly influence prospects, clients, and the media. Our success hinged upon the strategic planning and tactical execution of marketing programs, using a calculated blend of paid, owned, and earned media.In 2008, I launched the IDG Knowledge Hub, a content marketing site that attracted thousands of tech marketers, agency pros, and consultants. “The Hub” quickly became a go-to resource for both our prospects and clients, with its content shared across YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook “Hub” pages.As Director, I also made significant contributions in:► Content Marketing: Introduced video interviews to complement feature stories written or edited by me. ► Public Relations: Earned the trust & confidence of our CEO & business line execs with articles in MediaPost, Media Industry Newsletter, Folio, Adexchanger, and BtoB.► Crisis Communications: Headed off potentially adverse PR situations by advising executives and carefully crafting announcements about layoffs and business closings. ► Relationship Marketing: Served as the key IDG contact to the Internet Advertising Bureau, Magazine Media/MPA, American Business Media. ► Sales Support: Established IDG as the tech media category leader with advertising, digital marketing, and PR programs. ► Client Recognition: Worked closely with sales to nominate clients, resulting in 12 honorees. I also placed stories featuring clients such as Dell and HP. ► Company Awards: Led the entry process for 10 yrs that earned IDG’s selection to Fortune’s “100 Best Companies,” Boston Globe’s “Best Places to Work,” and the Boston Business Journal’s “Best Employers.”

  • Director, Corporate Communications | C-Suite & Communications Advisor

    • Oct 2003 - Mar 2007

    International Data Group (IDG) is the leading global tech media, research, and event company. I was recruited to rebuild IDG’s corporate communication department and bring new ideas on how to market a well-established company. My successes included:► Organized media tours that led to feature articles in Fortune, Forbes, Marketwatch, The Boston Globe, and Newsweek. None of these media outlets had reported on IDG in recent years.► Advised IDG Founder and Chairman Pat McGovern--and then CEO Pat Kenealy--on PR strategies, communication plans, and marketing program implementation. ► Provided assistance to my peers and executives in the business units, and led PR initiatives for IDG International and IDG Ventures, a Boston-based venture capital group. ► Managed the development, content creation, and creative staff of www.idg.com at a critical time when all corporate communications were moving to the web.

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  Getronics

  • Billerica, MA

  • Director, Marketing Communication & Corporate Communication

    • Jun 2000 - Sep 2003
    • Billerica, MA

    Based in Amsterdam, Getronics was a $4 billion international technology services company (formerly Wang Global) with North America headquarters in greater Boston. I was recruited by an executive, with whom I’d previously worked, to lead Getronics’ internal and external communications programs for its US operations. Our US team had 3,500 employees and $1 billion in annual sales. My accomplishments included:► Developed and executed a PR strategy that more than tripled story placements in print and web outlets across the IT industry and in media outlets that Getronics’ prospects turned to for news and information.► Supervised a team that provided communication counsel to Getronics’ executives and produced more than 100 employee communications each year.► Developed relationships with industry analysts, IDC and Gartner.► Co-sponsored the 2000 US Figure-Skating Championships in Boston. ► Wrote and managed both talent and content for Getronics’ external and internal US websites.► Maximized the impact of our marketing programs across multiple countries by working closely with corporate headquarters in Amsterdam.

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  Digital Equipment Corp./Compaq (now HP Services)

  • Stow, MA

  • Manager, PR & Marketing Communication

    • May 1995 - Mar 2000
    • Stow, MA

    Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC’s) Outsourcing Division was 5,000 employees and $1 billion revenue.I was initially hired to start a PR program in the new PC division, then accepted an offer to implement marketing communication programs for the Services division.► Acted on a strategy that “clients are our products in the services business,” I implemented DEC’s first outsourcing public relations program, placing both our customers and company experts in numerous print and articles. The media outlets where we were featured included Computerworld, Network World, InformationWeek, Datamation, Service News, PC Week, PC World, Dow Jones, and Reuters.► Achieved recognition for DEC/Compaq and its customers for three consecutive years in the category of “superior outsourcing relationships,” awarded by the Outsourcing Journal, a key media and advisory service for the industry.► Placed speakers at major IT association and executive events for CIO and CFO magazines, the Sourcing Interests Group, and the Technology Managers Forum.

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  Corporate Software, Bell Atlantic Software and Systems, Computervision

  • Massachusetts

  • PR & Marcom Manager

    • Oct 1981 - Apr 1994
    • Massachusetts

    I served in public relations and marketing communication manager positions.

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  WCVB TV

  • Needham, MA

  • News Producer

    • Aug 1972 - Oct 1981
    • Needham, MA

    News editor/producer for the first one hour Eyeopener News and the Midday News.