Professional Experience

The PR Guru
Created The PR Guru, an independent public relations agency, in 1999. Consult with C-level officers to provide marketing, public relations, community relations, media relations and editorial strategy. Past and present clients include:

• American Red Cross – Provided strategic counsel on communications campaigns for Disaster Services in Atlanta, and managed blood drives in Salt Lake City prior to hosting the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
• Applied InSilico – Created website design, navigation and wrote all content for the website, wrote technical documents, and pitched and placed launch and partnership announcements.
• CARE International – Created key messages and strategies regarding new compensation structures to national and international employees.
• MiracleWorkers.com - Co-conducted a multimillion-dollar media campaign to launch the largest healthcare recruiting website. Online marketing effort drew 2,000 nurse sign-ups to site; goal was 200.
• Plymouth State University -Teach communications and creative writing courses both online and face-to-face
• Top Tier Agencies – Provide strategic counsel for agencies including Fleishman-Hillard, GCI Group, Ketchum, and Manning Salvage & Lee.
  

Unishippers

• Created and managed numerous strategic communications campaigns to launch new products and services.
• Redesigned public web site and added functionality, resulting in an increase of unique visitors by 272% and sales leads by 519%.
• Revitalized weekly newsletter, created a style guide, and enhanced the content, resulting in a readership increase of 150%.
• Established and communicated brand guidelines and ensured brand compliance amongst Unishippers 284 locations.
• Conducted media training and media relations on a local, national, and international level.

Duffey Communications

• Created a strategic Marketing campaign for the CDC to increase the distribution of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Included extensive research of varying DMAs, analyzing and presenting the findings to the executive board, creating a comprehensive marketing campaign and co-producing two VNRs with accompanying materials.

Egleston Children's Health Care System

• Managed crisis communications during the E. Coli 0157:H7 outbreak. Streamlined the process of communicating patient updates.
• Marketed fundraising events including the Phil Niekro Celebrity Golf Classic, Safe Kids Celebrity Bagging Day, Festival of Trees, and others.
• Promoted the hospital and satellite care centers.
• Developed and conducted media training for physicians and staff.
• Conducted internal communications regarding the Egleston-Scottish Rite merger.

Baron, McDonald & Wells

• Planned and conducted results-oriented media campaigns with high tech clients including IBM, Ericsson, IMNET, and many others.
• Identified, pitched, and helped obtain new business.
• Extensive media relations experience with members of the media and analyst communities. Placements National Public Radio, CNN, The Washington Post, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, LA Times, PC Week, Inter@ctive Week, and Modern Healthcare.
• Wrote and placed by-lined articles.

Freelance Positions

• Created a detailed campaign for Beacon Eye Institute to successfully open six vision correction centers across the U.S. within one year.
• Developed aggressive public relations campaigns for health care providers including Kraff Eye Institute and Georgia Spinal Rehab.
• Audited and updated press kits.
• Wrote and pitched news releases.

United Way of Hillsborough County

• Developed and executed year-round education campaign for key local businesses to increase awareness of United Way on a daily basis to help grow donations each fall.
• Designed, wrote and edited all communications and collateral materials for the annual fall fundraising campaign.

Bayfront Medical Center

• Organized and managed special events ranging from executive retreats for the Board of Directors to community health fairs with more than 10,000 attendees.
• Wrote and produced video PSAs to promote services and improve image in community.

TradeWinds Resort

• Wrote and distributed news releases to key members of the media.
• Wrote, designed and edited employee newsletter.
• Wrote and edited all collateral materials.

Shands Hospital

• Wrote patient success stories on new procedures and treatments.
• Conducted a readership survey of internal newsletter, analyzed results and made recommendations for improvement.