Experience

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  Preston Media Group

  • Owensboro, Kentucky Area

  • Owner, Principal Consultant

    • Feb 2012 - Present
    • Owensboro, Kentucky Area

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  PrestonSpeaks.com

  • Founder / Publisher

    • Jun 2010 - Present

    • Founder of PrestonSpeaks.com, a blog written from a dog’s point of view.• Author articles on various topics including product reviews, pet safety, feature stories, travel topics, and pet issues. • Manage ad copy, sales, finance, brand development, website traffic growth, SEO.• Write and produce content in many formats including web content, feature articles, news stories, newsletters, profiles, photos and video, copywriting, blogs and social media.• Skilled at making difficult topics understandable for the general public and can work effectively with executives and clients to convey a convincing message with a personal touch.• Knowledgeable in WordPress, Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, HTML editors, Hootsuite, YouTube, Google analytics, Pitch engine, and Help a Reporter Out (HARO).•Session speaker at several national conferences including BlogPaws, Cat Writers Association, BarkWorld Expo, and Show Me the Blog.

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  Grupo Luigi Rossi De America, S.A., LLC

  • Virtual Event Manager

    • Nov 2015 - Present

    • Planned and coordinated three nation-wide US roads trips for TV personality Shorty Rossi. Road trips included visits to pet expos, events, and animal rescue groups.• Secured national brand sponsorships from pet and travel brands.• Produced livestreaming events on various social media platforms of events and stops.• Wrote and distributed press releases for tours.• Secured interviews on local morning TV news shows.

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  Dogster Media

  • Contributing Writer

    • Jan 2013 - Present

    https://www.dogster.com

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  SmartWork Media / Pets+ Magazine

  • Pet Product Writer and Live Streaming Host

    • Jul 2020 - Present

    •Live streaming host for the Pets+ Summit Online and conducted thirty-minute interviews with pet brands.• Write regular feature articles on new pet products that stores should consider carrying.

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  Political Campaign

  • Communications Manager

    • Jan 2018 - Present

    • Developed and implemented social media plan and editorial calendars for political candidates at both the local and state level. • Created and distributed ads for digital and print.• Produced candidate videos and live streams for digital platforms.• Oversaw website content, SMS text message content, and distribution.

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  Evanger's Dog and Cat Food Co.

  • Brand Ambassador

    • Jan 2020 - Dec 2020

    • Provided compelling text copy and photographs for blogs, company website, and the brand’s annual calendar.• Hosted Facebook Live broadcasts from their company’s headquarters highlighting product lines and conducted question and answer for social media followers. • Represented brand at industry trade shows and consumer pet expos.• Gave presentation on pet breed nutrition on brand’s Facebook Live “yappy hour” broadcast.

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  CAT WRITERS ASSOCIATION INC

  • Conference Chair

    • Jun 2017 - Dec 2018

    • Planned annual national conference and award ceremony in Houston, Texas.• Negotiated hotel, food, and audio-visual contracts.• Developed and coordinated education programming track and speakers.• Planned and coordinated all conference special events including off-site author book signings at a local cat café and a regional cat fancy show.

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  Kentucky Wesleyan College

  • Owensboro, Kentucky Area

  • Adjunct Professor, Management and Information Systems

    • Aug 2013 - May 2018
    • Owensboro, Kentucky Area

    Professor for business and technology courses. Courses taught include:• Introduction to Management• Introduction to Marketing• Visual Basic Programing • Database Design and Management• IT Disaster Recovery and IT Security • Programming in C++• Business Entrepreneurship and Consultancy• Introduction to Comuter Science

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  Lumina Media

  • United States
  • Media Production
  • 1 - 100 Employee

  • Contributing Writer

    • Jan 2016 - Dec 2017

    www.Petcha.com

  • VP of Sponsorship Relations and Community Social Media Manager

    • Jan 2012 - Jul 2017

    • Assisted BarkWorld Expo conference founder with planning and coordination of educational conference on social media in the pet industry. • Communicated with pet brands about sponsorships, managed and maintained sponsorship contracts, and oversaw the delivery of sponsorship deliverables. • Managed online social media presence and community of pet influencers.

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  APE Expos

  • Master of Ceremonies (MC), Speaker, and PR Appearances

    • Jun 2014 - Jul 2017

    • Traveled and had a booth for my celebrity dog to make appearances with fans at over 50 consumer pet expos throughout the United States.• Gave presentations at each expo on saving money on pet care, cooking for your pet, traveling with your pet, and “Pet”working: A guide to the online pet community. • Interviewed by local news stations for morning news segments about expo events. Interviews involved giving an educational presentation on a pet topic like products or cooking for your pet with information about the expo woven in.• Served as the expo MC on the main stage for all educational programming, the daily rescue animal parade, and daily audience contests such as dog musical chairs, best trick, and pet costumes. • Wrote magazine advertorials (ad in style of editorial) for regional pet publications.

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  Delca Corporation

  • Social Media Manager

    • May 2014 - Mar 2017

    • Developed and implemented social media plan to tell the brand’s story. Included conducting a contest to name the brand’s mascot and a Delca Dog of the year marketing campaign.• Planned and implemented a monthly large-scale online dog toy giveaway on social media.• Coordinated press outreach for industry trade shows.

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  Lucy Pet Products

  • Community Social Media Manager

    • Feb 2016 - May 2016

    • Ran the company’s social media accounts and interacted with consumers.• Partnered with the company’s marketing team to develop social media campaigns for a large west coast consumer show, an industry trade show, and a new product launch.• Monitored and delivered weekly reports to company executives on social media metrics and key KPIs.

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  Swedish Match

  • Administrative Analyst

    • Apr 2009 - Mar 2012

    • Executive analyst/assistant to the Vice President of North American Operations.• Produced reports and prepared executive-level presentations, newsletters, annual reports, and annual budget reports.• Facilitated cross-functional analysis and incorporated data and input from various departments.• Assisted with compiling, developing, and monitoring the annual budget.• Responsible for compiling plant-wide KBI and KPI reports monthly.• Oversaw special products including FDA site visits, employee special events, the annual Swedish Match board meeting, and high-level executive’s trips to the United States.• Coordinated preparations for union contraction negotiations. • Took minutes, notes, and action items during meetings and performed follow-up.• Planned and coordinated project logistics such as meetings, conference rooms, conference calls, events, etc. • Handled travel arrangements for Operations and Supply personnel.

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  Follett Higher Education Group

  • Store Manager and Textbook Manager

    • Jun 2006 - Apr 2009

    • Managed college bookstore at Kentucky Wesleyan College with an annual budget of over $600,000.• Increased sales by over 26% in the last budget year.• Received award in 2007 for best overall financial performance for the region.• Received awards in 2007 and 2008 for the highest used textbook ratio for purchasing the most used textbooks from wholesalers in relation to textbook inventory.• Worked with suppliers to source all textbooks and class supplies for all courses. • Processed all receiving and purchase orders for course material in the textbook computer software package.• Provided assistance to faculty members with textbooks, information, pricing, and textbook copy review orders.• Oversaw all textbook and merchandise returns, dispositions, and disposal of dead textbook inventory.• Verified inventory, reconciled cash sales with receipts, kept operating records, prepared bank deposits, prepared daily sales reports, and handled the ordering of books and merchandise.• Interviewed, hired, and trained all employees. • Wrote performance appraisals and recommended store personnel salary adjustments.• Worked with students, faculty, staff, and administrators of the college to insure good campus relations and that complaints and problems were resolved.• Collected textbook information from school faculty and administration and calculated the quantity of text needed for each school term.• Listened to customer concerns regarding textbook products and customer service and worked to find resolution.• Coordinated and conducted the repurchase of used books from students.

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  Kentucky Wesleyan College

  • United States
  • Higher Education
  • 200 - 300 Employee

  • Resident Director

    • Jun 2004 - Jul 2008

    • Supervised a student staff of seven. • Supervised the overall safety, facilities maintenance, staffing, and residential communities of one resident hall of approximately 90 students. • Resolved residential disputes, enforce university policies and procedures, and ensure the safety of residents.• Prepared and conducted weekly staff meetings.• Assisted with the planning and administration of in-service training sessions for residence hall staff. • Scheduled, trained, supervised and evaluated RA's assigned to the residence hall.• Supervised the opening and closing of the residence hall each semester• Confirmed the completion of check-in/check-out procedure and key control• Filed appropriate reports with the Student Life Office• Maintained hall security, controlled keys, and inventory furnishings.

  • Adjunct Professor, Freshmen Orientation Seminar

    • Jun 2005 - May 2008

    • Taught a seminar type class of approximately 15-20 students each semester aimed at first time freshmen. • Developed entry-level curriculum on a wide range of topics including study skills, time management, financial responsibility, and stress management.• Integrated technology in all lessons through the use of PowerPoint, videos, and interactive activities on a computer/websites.

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  Daviess County Fiscal Court

  • Information Services Specialist

    • Jun 1999 - Feb 2006

    • Assisted with management of annual operations budget for the department.• Designed and maintained the county’s website.• Developed bid specifications, request for bids, bid openings, and worked with selected vendors to purchase goods and products.• Made regular presentations to the Daviess County Fiscal Court concerning department’s projects and funding requests.• Administered and maintained the computer network. • Installed, configured, and troubleshot software applications.• Led classroom-style employee computer software training.• Supervised and trained college interns for GIS projects and web page design.• Led computer workshops and presentations for the Kentucky Recreation and Parks Society Annual Conference and Trade Show.• Oversaw the creation, updating, and maintenance of the Fiscal Court’s GIS database and maps using ArcView.