PROFILE

Dynamic, detail-oriented public affairs executive with more than 25  years of experience navigating multifaceted challenges. Skilled in distilling complex issues, meeting stringent deadlines, and consistently achieving exceptional results in external affairs across corporate, government, political, advocacy, and non-profit sectors. Proficient in crafting and executing comprehensive marketing, communications, and policy strategies, including media management, crisis communications, and community outreach. Demonstrated expertise in project management, leadership, mentoring, and delivering actionable insights. Additional communications consulting work during the 2023 Maryland Legislative session on Maryland Climate Action’s POWER Act campaign and the Climate Action Network’s electrification campaign.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

RRS (Resource Recovery Systems)

(Senior Consultant – Communications & Policy)

Key Successes: Brought media attention to priority legislative issues; Launched and manage a collaborative packaging material alliance that includes brands, converters, end markets, and trade associations.

• Successfully manage communications and environmental policy projects by engaging with clients, translating complex issues with strong messaging and stakeholder engagement.

• Regularly produce thought leadership assets for clients and secure placement in industry and local news publications.

• Draft and implement strategic communications plans utilizing social science, storytelling, and effective and engaging messaging.

• Track and analyze policy and political landscapes for client impacts, draft testimony for public hearings, and present on environmental policy trends and elected official engagement to clients and industry conferences.

The Recycling Partnership

(VP, Strategic Marketing & Communications)

December 2018 – May 2021

Key Successes: Increased web traffic year over year by 200%; Increased social media engagement by 96%; Grew LinkedIn by 170%; Grew community audience to 88M; Expanded team from 3 to 10.

• Created and executed strategic communications planning for external initiatives to drive the circular economy including all owned, earned, and paid workstreams with responsibility for media relations, brand awareness, drafting all content, copy editing, social media, and leading marketing and communications team.

• Directly managed a staff (social media, community communications, design, digital, conference & events, behavior change research) of 3 to 10 along with a $3 million annual communications and marketing budget.

• Created and executed internal communications channel strategy, processes, and planning for rapidly growing national non-profit.

• Managed all social media channels and used content management systems to execute strategic communications plans.

(Senior Director, Public Policy & Government Affairs)

Moved within the organization to take on a broader portfolio.

May 2021 – November 2022

Key Success: Worked with legislators to draft and pass IN HB 1226, which brought $4 million to Indiana’s recycling system: Supported the passage of extended producer responsibility bills in CO and CA with stakeholder engagement, written testimony, and policymaker outreach.

• Developed and implemented state policy strategies to pass effective, well-designed recycling collection policies in states across the nation while mentoring junior team members.

• Built and maintained relationships with as well as provided subject matter expertise to strategic NGOs, policymakers, media, and corporate partners in targeted states, nationally, and globally.

• Identified and implemented thought leadership and brand awareness opportunities on recycling policies and developed and executed integrated public affairs strategies to reach multiple audiences across the environmental, recycling industry, and governmental landscape.

• Drafted content for local, state, and federal policy workstreams including elected official letters, issue one-pagers, message houses, op-eds, blogs, academic papers, and other assets as needed.

Mission Health (Senior Communications Consultant) September 2017 – December 2018

(Communications Consultant) October 2016 – September 2017

Key Successes: Brought high-value media attention to the opening of the new hospital tower and produced effective digital campaigns on behalf of business units

• Created and implemented strategic internal and external communications plans as project lead for internal clients

• Directed staff on design and strategy for promotional collateral on channels owned, earned, and paid

• Project managed extensive communications campaigns

The Hatcher Group (Senior Director, Communications) September 2014 – October 2016

• Created and implemented strategic communications, media, marketing, legislative and outreach plans for clients based on analytics and metrics, including Climate Change Maryland, the Mental Health Association of MD, the Chesapeake Bay Program, and the Abell Foundation

• Worked with NGOs on legislative strategy and drafting legislation

• Led messaging sessions and media trainings

Maryland Department of the Environment (Director of Legislative & Public Affairs) Nov. 2013 – Aug. 2014

• Developed, maintained relationships with and routinely interacted with Maryland General Assembly

• Strategically planned policy and legislation for General Assembly Session

• Managed Community Outreach statewide on Climate Change and Chesapeake Bay issues

• Managed team of ten and budgets for legislative, community relations, and communications offices

(Director of Communications) Nov. 2011 – August 2014

• Designed and launched Department’s social media channels

• Created and implemented strategic communications plans, messaging, speeches, op-eds, letters to the editor, and press releases

• Served as media spokesperson for department and governor, State PIO in time of nuclear disaster; led crisis communications efforts

• Recommended, utilized, and implemented innovative communication technologies to deliver consistent, branded messages to members and public through traditional, social, and multimedia platforms

• Aggregated media and marketing reports/Analyze metrics for ROI

National Education Association (Sr. Public Relations Specialist) (2008-2011)

• Formulated and administered media and message training as well as served as communications consultant for state affiliate presidents, executive directors and national leadership

• Devised and implemented strategic communications plans including state policy and advocacy issues

• Created messaging, speeches, op-eds, newsletters, press releases for a variety of projects on deadline at the state and national level

• Developed and assisted with the implementation of crisis communication plans for state affiliates 

Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown (Press Secretary) (2007)

• Served as point of contact for the media

• Researched, drafted, and successfully placed press releases, op-eds, and letters to the editor

• Successfully planned and implemented media events

• Prepared, coordinated, and executed a strategic communications plan

Smart Growth Leadership Institute (Speech Writer, Media Relations) (June 2003-July 2004)

• Wrote and researched all of the president’s speeches

• Combined visual and written tools to effectively tell stories

Office of the Governor, Annapolis, MD (January 1998-March 2003)

(Director, Board of Public Works & Cabinet Affairs) – liaised with all Cabinet Secretaries and Project Managed State Procurement board

(Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff)

(Deputy Speech Coordinator) – Wrote all speeches on environmental and educational issues

Baltimore Jewish Council, Baltimore, MD

(Director, Community Relations and Deputy Director, Government Relations) (2000)

• Organized community meetings and drafted remarks for executives

• Created community relations plans for the organization to increase awareness in the community

• Researched and crafted legislation and lobbied legislators in the Maryland General Assembly and the Governor of Maryland

EDUCATION

University of Maryland, College Park ∙ M.A. ∙ Public Affairs Reporting

University of Florida, Gainesville ∙ B.S. ∙ Journalism ∙ Sociology minor

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Fiscal Note (legislative tracking) ∙ Social Media (creation, advertising, usage and metrics) ∙ Google Analytics ∙ HootSuite ∙ Cision ∙ FiscalNote ∙ Proficient Microsoft Office Suite ∙ SproutSocial ∙ Tweet Reach ∙ Tweepi ∙ Pandora ∙ Google ad words ∙ Survey Monkey ∙ Constant Contact ∙ WordPress ∙ MailChimp ∙ Meltwater ∙ HubSpot ∙ Notion ∙ SEO ∙SalesForce