I SERVE as Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Outreach at Temple College in Temple, Texas. I help guide all College-level marketing, communications and media strategies and oversee the College’s recruitment efforts.

Since my arrival in January 2022, the marketing and recruitment teams have:

  • Launched “Your Community’s College,” a broad and dynamic visibility campaign that fully embraces our ties to our service-area communities
  • Realized a 9.5% increase in fall enrollment from 2021-2023 and a 7% increase in spring enrollment from 2022-2023, the first enrollment increases in many years
  • Expanded marketing efforts to include full-time graphic design, a more robust photography service and digital library, and an increase in in-house printing capabilities and an increased social media presence
  • Grew our Recruitment Team to better meet the needs of the high school students in our service-area communities
  • Developed a campuswide Recruitment Task Force to build synergy and tear down institutional silos
  • Restructured our media, social media and advertising strategies
  • Introduced a new mascot
  • Launched Temple College Athletics’ first streaming and play-by-play services
  • Increased exponentially our community outreach activities, including a focus on creating a college-going culture among elementary and middle school students
  • Launched an Adopt-A-School pilot program
  • Expanded our on-campus experience to include increased numbers of individual and group tours, a new Leopard Preview Day, revamped Open Houses, and more!

Prior to my time at Temple College, I served as Assistant Director for Faculty Development in Baylor University’s Office of Media and Public Relations. I led our team’s efforts to raise the profile of Baylor faculty, their research, and expertise. This included building and maintaining a list of top-tier faculty experts; training faculty to work with reporters and provide expert commentary; pitching Baylor’s success stories to national, statewide, and local outlets; and creating media opportunities via strategic campaigns (hot topics, op-eds, pitches). I led Baylor’s Marketing & Communications Content Strategy Implementation Team.

EDUCATION

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Temple College

  • Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Outreach (2022-Present)

Baylor University

  • Assistant Director for Faculty Development, Baylor University’s Office of Media and Public Relations (2016-2022)
  • Media Communications Specialist, Baylor University’s Office of Media and Public Relations (2014-2016)
  • Academic Marketing Information Specialist, Baylor University (2011-2014)
  • Adjunct Instructor, Dept. of Journalism, Public Relations and New Media, Baylor University (2014-Present)

Missouri State University

  • Coordinator, Graduate Admissions and Recruitment, Missouri State University (2008-2011)
  • Public Relations Specialist, Missouri State University (2004-2008)
  • Per Course Faculty, Dept. of Media, Journalism and Film, Missouri State University (2008-2011)

Journalism

  • Reporter, Springfield News-Leader (2001-2004)
  • Reporter/Design Editor, Suburban Journals (1999-2001)
  • Copy Editor/Designer, The Ottumwa Courier (1999)

TEACHING

  • Law and Ethics of Journalism (Baylor University)
  • Reporting and Writing for Media (Baylor University)
  • Writing for Media Markets (Baylor University)
  • Technical Writing (Baylor University)
  • Broadcast Writing (Missouri State University)
  • Issues in Media Ethics (Missouri State University)
  • Introduction to Journalism (Missouri State University)

INDUSTRY PUBLICATIONS

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

  • 2023 NCMPR National Conference (Orlando, FL)
    •  “Your Community’s College: How a New Marketing Vision is Driving a Culture Change & Boosting Enrollment” – Presenter (March 2023)
  • ExpertFile Webinar
    • “Preparing Your Experts for the Media Spotlight” – Presenter (March 2018)
  • 2018 CASE District IV (Fort Worth, TX)
    • Knowledge is Power: Using Experts in Your Media Communications and Branding Campaigns” – Presenter
  • 2016 CASE District VI (Kansas City, MO)
    • “Building Your Media Communications Toolkit: Seven Reasons Why Hot Topics Are So Cool”
    • “Grassroots Fundraising: How An 11-Year-Old Boy Raised $30,000 In Nine Months And Changed Lives”
  • Central Texas Public Relations Society of America
    • “Knowledge is Power: Adding Experts to Your Campaigns” – Speaker (2017)
    • “10 Tips for Grassroots Fundraising: How an 11-year-old boy raised $30,000 in nine months to build a classroom in Gulu, Uganda” – Speaker (2015)
    • “The Great Debate: What is the Value of Continuing Education?” – Panel Discussion (2014)

SKILLS

  • Developing collaborative and creative team atmospheres
  • Team leadership and management
  • Higher education marketing
  • Higher education student recruitment strategies
  • Community engagement
  • Journalism
  • Editing
  • Media relations
  • Public relations
  • Marketing and communication strategies
  • Media and advertising campaigns
  • Project management
  • Content marketing
  • Social media
  • Writing for marketing, print, and broadcast journalism
  • Publication design
  • Internal/external communication
  • Event planning
  • Public speaking

HONORS/AWARDS

  • Judge’s Award – Best Print Piece, Waco ADDY 2011
  • Gold Award for Excellence in Writing, CASE District VI 2006
  • Silver and Bronze Awards for Excellence in Multimedia – Radio, CASE District VI 2008
  • Graduate of CASE 2006 Summer Institute – Communications and Marketing (Nashville, TN)

CONFERENCES/SEMINARS ATTENDED

  • 2023 NCMPR National Conference (Orlando, FL) – Speaker/Presenter
  • 2018 CASE District IV (Fort Worth, TX) – Speaker/Presenter
  • 2016 CASE District VI (Kansas City, MO) – Speaker/Presenter
  • 2016 Central Texas Public Relations Society of America Professional Development Seminar (Waco, TX)
  • 2015 Council of Independent Colleges’ College Media Conference (Washington, D.C.)
  • 2015 Global Leadership Summit – Promotional Strategist (Temple, TX)
  • 2015 Central Texas Public Relations Society of America Professional Development Seminar (Waco, TX)
  • 2014 Business Access Media Conference (New York, NY)
  • 2014 Global Leadership Summit – Promotional Strategist (Temple, TX)
  • 2014 Central Texas Public Relations Society of America Professional Development Seminar (Waco, TX)
  • 2013 Global Leadership Summit – Promotional Strategist (Baylor University, Waco, TX)
  • 2013 Central Texas Public Relations Society of America Professional Development Seminar (Waco, TX)
  • 2012 Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education – American Marketing Association (New Orleans, LA)
  • 2012 Central Texas Public Relations Society of America Professional Development Seminar (Waco, TX)
  • 2012 Global Leadership Summit – Promotional Strategist (Baylor University, Waco, TX)
  • 2011 Global Leadership Summit – Promotional Strategist (Springfield, MO and Baylor University, Waco, TX sites)
  • 2010 Global Leadership Summit
  • 2010 National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals Annual Conference (San Francisco, CA)
  • 2009 Graduate and Professional School Enrollment Management Corp. Conference (Las Vegas, NV)
  • 2008 CASE District VI Conference (Denver, CO)
  • 2007 CASE District VI Conference (Kansas City, MO)
  • CASE 2006 Summer Institute – Communications and Marketing (Nashville, TN)
  • 2006 Southwest Missouri Public Relations Society of America Professional Development Seminar (Springfield, MO)
  • 2006 CASE District VI Conference (St. Louis, MO)
  • 2005 Southwest Missouri Public Relations Society of America Professional Development Seminar (Springfield, MO)
  • 2005 CASE District VI Conference (Kansas City, MO)
  • 2003 National Writers Workshop (St. Louis, MO)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/LEADERSHIP

  • Public Relations Society of America – PRSA (2004-2022)
    • 2022 President-Elect (Central Texas Chapter)
    • 2015 Past President (Central Texas Chapter)
    • 2014 President (Central Texas Chapter)
    • 2013 President-Elect (Central Texas Chapter)
    • 2012 Secretary (Central Texas Chapter)
    • 2007 Board Secretary (Southwest Missouri Chapter)
    • 2006 Chair, Professional Development Seminar Committee (Southwest Missouri Chapter)
  • Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, District IV – CASE (2011-Present)
  • National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals – NAGAP (2008-2011)
  • Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, District VI – CASE (2004-2008)