Experience

Cranbrook Academy of Art

• United States
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director of Communications

  • Jun 2013 - Present

  As the Director of Communications for both Cranbrook Academy of Art and Cranbrook Art Museum, I oversee all internal and external communications for the country’s top-ranked graduate-only program in architecture, design, and fine art and one of the earliest institutions dedicated to contemporary art that continues to produce award-winning exhibitions today. Since 2013, I have overseen all communications efforts for nearly 100 exhibitions, 10 academic recruitment seasons, three complete website redesigns, dozens of special events, and ongoing leadership transitions. Significant Cranbrook Art Museum projects have included management of the publicity campaign for "Nick Cave: Here, Hear," which reached more than 500 million and is the most successful media campaign in the organization’s history. I continue to secure local and national press coverage for our exhibitions and projects in leading arts and general-interest publications, from "Artforum" to "Forbes" and "The New York Times." During my tenure, the Museum has received its highest attendance figures in 28 years. For Cranbrook Academy of Art, I implemented a data-driven email tracking and targeting marketing campaign for the Academy and launched a national advertising campaign which helped to drive the first significant increase in applications in nearly 10 years. Responsibilities for both organizations include: - Media relations - Press releases/announcements - Social media management (six channels) - Website management (two websites) - Print production for the Academy and Museum - Newsletter writing and production - Advertising/Marketing (one annual campaign for the Academy and a campaign for each exhibition at the museum) - Analytics and data management (track analytics of social media, website, and email marketing campaigns to measure success) - Management of communications staff Show less



Self-employed

• Strategic Marketing and Communications Executive

  • Sep 2002 - Jun 2016

  Regularly wrote articles for local and national publications, as well as consulted on communications initiatives. Clients included: Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum: Served as an on-site communications consultant, overseeing external communications such as press releases for new exhibitions, special event communications, social media updates and ongoing news related to the alumni and art community. Transitioned into the position on a full-time basis in 2013. Cranbrook Schools: Contributed to Cranbrook's alumni magazine and drafted articles profiling Cranbrook alumni for the website, social media and school mailings. Beaumont Hospitals: Managed an annual video project profiling the top doctors in the health system. Drafted copy for brochures and posters displayed at each Beaumont facility, wrote video scripts and biographies for each physician, coordinate and supervised video shoot, reviewed footage and drafted master editing specifications. The Detroit Medical Center: Supervised the creation of the Internal Medicine Department's new website, including working with a design team to plot site layout and navigation, drafted all website copy and tracked the site's ongoing functionality. Show less



Tiger Oak Media

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

• Contributing Writer

  • 2005 - 2014

  Regularly contributed articles about the special event and meeting planning industry to regional magazines across the country. Regularly contributed articles about the special event and meeting planning industry to regional magazines across the country.



Kmart

• United States
• Retail
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Media Relations Specialist

  • Aug 1999 - Feb 2003

  Served as a corporate spokesperson, coordinating external media relations efforts to local, regional and national outlets. Served as a corporate spokesperson, coordinating external media relations efforts to local, regional and national outlets.



Eisbrenner Public Relations

• United States
• Public Relations and Communications Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Account Executive

  • Feb 1998 - Aug 1999

  Provided media relations assistance, media training and strategic planning counsel to clients in the automotive, entertainment and telecommunications industries. Provided media relations assistance, media training and strategic planning counsel to clients in the automotive, entertainment and telecommunications industries.