“The road to prosperity is paved with friends.”
EXPERIENCE | BACKGROUND
2018 – 2022 • Freelance: Creative Advertising (ACD) and Editorial Writer
Senior creative across multiple channels, storyteller with leadership experience in B2C and B2B marketing, agency advertising and public relations. Plus, a little magazine editorial and feature assignments on things I like, mostly fashion and interior design. Recent successes include multichannel marketing strategies and integrated omnichannel customer engagement experiences for decor superstore, At Home, Neiman Marcus, JCPenney, VCA Animal Hospitals and Acura.
Client-facing project ownership from idea to execution and retention
Proven leadership ability motivating teams of ten or more professionals
Conceptual, copywriting and creative direction for consumer packaged goods, luxury brand retailers, hospitality, banking, technical, pharmaceutical and medical and wellness verticals
Launched and ran public relations and events agency for ten years
Pitched, opened and retained key agency accounts as an RFP consultant for outside business development teams
Certified and proficient in Adobe Creative Suite
2014 – 2017 • Hawk Incentives (formerly Blackhawk Engagement Solutions)
Senior Manager: Creative and MarCom Head writer for a leading global incentive solutions provider with big picture goals: Create a relationship-changing narrative between Fortune 100 and 500 brands and their customers, employees and sales teams, deliver a deep loyalty ecosystem with both CRM and big data shopper insights back to the client, and always be able to show sales results. All projects began with copy, and in three years, a deadline was never missed.
Direct responsibilities and campaign ownership for all consumer programs, new business pitches, channel business development and retention, and marketing lead gen campaigns. Internal thought leadership marketing content, such as eBooks, white papers, blogs and bylines. In 2015, promoted to directly manage and execute all internal, executive and client communications.
Some Clients: Alcon, Apple, Essilor, Elanco, Cricket Wireless, Merial, The Home Depot, Verizon, JCPenney, Sprint, Staples and Kohl’s.
2012 – 2014 • JCPenney
Senior Writer Recruited for a new division created for the company's relaunch; the Brand Synergy team held the responsibility of creating the look, tone and style voice for all national campaigns, developing toolkits for agency partners and merchants, and overall omnichannel implementation for digital, social, mobile, in-store visual and direct mail and preprint.
Promoted in 2013 to a senior position on the fashion team. This quick-paced and high profile group entrusted senior team members with start-to-finish ownership of all books assigned: beginning at concept through layout and ending at blue line sign off, ensuring that every headline to cutline, price and fine print were executed down to the last detail.
2007 – 2011 • Imc2
Senior Manager: Concept and Strategy Brought on as a consultant to execute brand-building campaigns for CPG clients with instant name recognition, but little mindshare. One-off projects like writing the social manual for Diet Coke to heavy-hitting measurable success, including 17 bids won in less than a year, extended a two week assignment into a full-time consultant role for several years.
Some Clients: The Art Institutes, Diet Coke, Eukanuba, P&G Everyday, Pizza Hut, Radio Shack, Prilosec OTC, Samsung and Secret.
1998 – 2007 • Endeavor Creative
Principal/Owner Launched public relations agency in 1998 with a single client, ultimately expanding to advertising capabilities for a wide range of clients, such as commercial production companies with award-winning directors to e-commerce start-up retailers to international gaming, local culinary and hospitality clients.
Responsible for the top and bottom agency line, leading an internal team of 12, plus multi-disciplinary teams to propose, develop and execute marketing strategies and solutions based on client's business goals. In 2007, sold public relations roster with 15 retainer clients generating $175,000 in annual billings to focus on developing the advertising side of the business.
Some Clients: Directorz, MGM Mirage, Neiman Marcus, N.O. Brew, Pure Dental, Sony, Spine Centers of America, The Cooper Clinic, Phil Romano Restaurant Concepts and celebrity author and HBO "Sex and the City" co-creator, Candace Bushnell.
1997 – 1998 • Citadel Technology
Public Relations Manager In-house public relations manager and writer for parent company Citadel Technology and venture start-up, How2.com. Quickly promoted to lead researcher, writer and editor of over 10,000 tutorials for the popular curated information site, which led to a $125M initial public offering the following year.
1995 – 1997 • GaylerSmith Agency
Assistant Account Executive Where it all began. Started as an intern and subsequently hired to coordinate media planning and publicity for film studios in thirteen regional markets. Responsibilities included small- and large-scale events for pre-theatrical release, film screenings for critics to garner reviews and interviews, pitching media, creating and scheduling public announcement tours and general public awareness for films.
EDUCATION
1993 – 1997 • Southern Methodist University
Bachelor of Fine Arts Program English, Journalism and Film