Select Career Highlights

• Brand Advocacy: Designed content strategy at KaTom that fueled 334 percent increase in web traffic through enhanced brand presence and improvements in overall user experience. Also led to 50 percent increase in average order values.
• Large-scale Project Management: Crafted and implemented plan to optimize 130,000-page e-commerce site. Researched keywords, along with other successful site models to carefully guide data and content teams.
• High-visibility Content Creation: Unique ability to craft engaging and actionable content that activates complex and nuanced audiences. Built, mentored, and led group of 12 writers, content creators and editors.

Work Experience

Content Manager

• Partner with leadership and marketing teams on site content, outreach emails, and social media strategy.
• Contributed to substantial growth in organic and paid web traffic through partnerships with content, data, and marketing teams, ensuring website, content, and communications are useful to consumers and improve site users' experience.
• Helped increase average order values.
• Mentored and led team through growth from three members to current team of 12 including content writers, longform writers, and editors; managed efficiency and scaled to continue to meet company objectives.
• Audit the efficacy of PPC campaigns, working with outside vendors to address issues with bid strategies, and to identify and implement data optimizations.
• Implemented a peer applicant review process to help stabilize the team during growth periods.
• Develop content strategy leveraging audience insights; platforms include Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Moz.
• Plan, craft and oversee internal and external communications strategy utilizing digital, print, television, radio, and blogs.
• Ensure relevant and innovative marketing content using WordPress and proprietary content management system.
• Utilize HTML5 coding and strategic partnership with development team to improve CSS.
• Implemented project to review, rewrite, edit, tag, and silo an archive of more than 600 articles.
• Recruit and manage partnerships with four freelance writers to complement team output.
• Craft and implement 5-year plan to recategorize e-commerce site of more than 130,000 pages; designed with SEO and UX as foremost priorities.
• Manage, review, and prioritize website content requests from a variety of company stakeholders.

Brand Journalist

• Initiated brand's first public relations collateral, including fact sheets, case studies, executive bios and press releases.
• Mentored and guided the work of fellow writers as longform writing lead.
• Prepared C-suite executives for public speaking engagements with coaching on topics and positioning.
• Planned and coordinated media events involving local networks, newspapers, and stations; planning included assembly of media kits, structuring agendas, scheduling executive interviews, and providing informational tours for journalists.
• Partnered with internal resources and vendor partners to support media stories and strengthen coverage.
• Created and leveraged industry blog to monitor company-specific and industry-related conversations; fostered industry and product awareness.
• Developed house style guide, cataloging internal variations from AP Stylebook precepts.
• Built and maintained network of regional and national journalists, adding value to press releases and media events.
• Developed social media content, including posts and images on outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
• Created and edited informational articles for website, leveraging keyword research to guide content.

Social Media Content Creator

• Freelance worker
• Produce social media and blog content for a diverse group of clients, including banks, medical offices, and retailers
• Create concepts to be executed by staff designers
• Use proprietary content management system to maintain 100 percent on-time delivery
• Produce shareable graphical elements using design programs including Canva and Illustrator

Reporter

• Attended meetings, facilitated interviews, and completed research to accurately present 60 monthly stories.
• Received 20 awards during reporting career, including three national awards as a collegiate journalist and the 2009 Malcom Law Award for Investigative Reporting from the Tennessee Associated Press.
• Researched, investigated, and created content around substantial stories impacting government bodies, education, non-profits, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Cultivated relationships with federal, state, and local government sources.
• Wrote and edited deadline reporting, enterprise packages, features, and sports for print and online publication.
• Shot and edited photography with InDesign to illustrate stories.
• Created and wrote weekly "Meet Your Neighbor" feature.

Reporter

• Attended meetings, conducted interviews, and completed research to accurately present stories.
• Covered stories for government bodies, educational institutions, and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians reservation.
• Wrote, edited and prepared community news submissions and obituaries for print and online publication.
• Shot and edited photography utilizing Photoshop to accompany stories.
• Conceived and wrote weekly “Jackson Neighbors” feature.

Certifications

• Google AdWords Certification (Since 2017)
• Google Analytics Individual Qualification (Since 2017)
  • Google Analytics for Beginners
  • Advanced Google Analytics
• Certified Food Service Professional (Since 2017)
• ServSafe Food Handler

Education

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2019-2021
Master of Arts, Digital Communication

Mars Hill College
2000-2004
Bachelor of Arts, Religion and Philosophy
Communications Course Work
Editor of student newspaper The Hilltop, 2001-2004
News Director, WVMH Student Radio

Community & Professional Involvement

• Public Relations Society of America
• Society of Professional Journalists
• Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society
• Mars Hill University Alumni Board
• Salvation Army Advisory Board