DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY - OFFICE OF THE IMMIGRATION DETENTION OMBUDSMAN

Digital Communications Specialist.....................................................................................4/2024-5/2025

• Developed and implemented the digital communications program – maintained web pages, managed social media and published electronic newsletters to inform and educate both internal and external audiences.

• Used Drupal and SharePoint to design and update internal and external sites with accurate information and user-friendly interfaces.

• Collaborated with staff and leadership across the component to update web pages.

• Led a web working group to ensure cross-divisional collaboration.

• Monitored Google Analytics to track key metrics and guide recommendations.

• Co-led a restructuring/renaming effort of the component’s SharePoint files.

• Maintained SharePoint asset management of photos and videos to ensure files are easily searchable and archived appropriately.

• Coordinated SharePoint permission requests for all staff and monitor storage levels.

• Produced high-quality graphics, photos and newsletters to educate the intended audience; also ensures publications, videos and other web assets meet compliance requirements.

• Managed the component’s Twitter (X) profile to convey information on OIDO's mission and services and provide tools for interaction.

• Developed and executed outreach activities by engaging with the public and presenting at conferences.

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INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE ANALYSES

Communications Specialist...............................................................................................11/2017-4/2024

• Leveraged industry expertise and a passion for creative ideology, innovation and compelling storytelling to drive meaningful engagement and growth at an organization with 1,000+ employees.

• Developed, served as the lead editor and partnered with graphic designers to launch three quarterly internal newsletters produced with Adobe InDesign to disseminate information to staff at headquarters, highlight employees through Q&A profiles and inform employees of upcoming events and initiatives.

• Managed Twitter (X), increased engagement and organically reached a milestone of 2.7k followers (up from 300 in FY2017).

• Co-produced and launched the first employee video series product to market the research expertise and capabilities within the organization to an external audience.

• Prepared and monitored the progress of company-wide written materials including emails from the president, newsletter articles, signage for internal monitors, social media posts and employee spotlight articles.

• Developed an annual social media campaign for the Science Unrestricted event to engage stakeholders and students in the City of Alexandria to emphasize STEM education.

• Established social media plans for outreach activities and engagement events including DATAWorks, Science Unrestricted and the Society of Women Engineers Conference — establishing attainable communication goals to meet objectives before crafting pre- scheduled content, live-tweeting and blog posts to disseminate key takeaways and foster conversations.

• Developed and delivered custom content on behalf of various high-profile organizations, work was later placed in Virginia Tech Magazine, Canisius College Magazine, SWE All Together Blog, MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering, Cambridge Engineering Magazine, Johns Hopkins Physics and Astronomy and George Washington University Magazine.

• Shaped narrative on key issues through effective research, innovative storytelling and in-depth knowledge of public opinion, working to ensure continuity, consistency and quality in content, messaging and correspondence that was designed to engage internal and external audiences, drive reactions and bolster support for key policy, campaign and organizational initiatives.

• Employed strategic planning and analytical skills to align organizational objectives with marketing and outreach, efforts — offering insight on increasing exposure, advising on best practices for evaluating effectiveness and contributing to the development of branding tools aimed at increasing awareness and engagement.

• Evaluated existing marketing and communication strategies, processes and programs — identifying and introducing improvements that enhanced the quality of messaging and ensured optimal performance against targeted metrics.

• Prepared a comprehensive monthly metrics dashboard report for leadership and monitored newsletter metrics using Sitecore, a Content Management System, and website metrics using Google Analytics.

• Drafted and distributed news releases to ensure consistency with the AP Stylebook, and proofread for style, spelling, punctuation, grammar and accuracy.

• Tasked with strategizing, developing and implementing project communication plans as a trusted advisor providing support for the development, drafting and delivery of key messaging and communications for speaking engagements, intranet sites, news releases, social media content for Twitter (X), LinkedIn and Instagram, official statements and external talking points.

• Introduced a social media engagement strategy designed to optimize key organizational initiatives, providing consultation on facilitating the open exchange of ideas and concepts, resolving conflicts and promoting research products and services.

• Developed and produced images, graphics and video content for social media using Photoshop, Canva and Premiere.

• Delivered a consistent narrative across digital platforms to increase impact across local, state, regional, and federal levels and influence opinion — cultivating relationships with key contacts to optimize coverage and positioning in niche markets.

• Demonstrated the ability to significantly improve digital media performance through internal brand audits, data collection and market analysis to identify areas for improvement while tapping into existing and emerging trends — leveraging findings to design personalized media and communications initiatives.

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CENTRAL VIRGINIA PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION

Communications Consultant.............................................................................................5/2016-11/2017

• Translated a visionary strategy into actionable plans for expanding reach and improving engagement on key issues, working collaboratively with internal leadership to launch successful campaigns and thoughtfully disseminate key messaging to target audiences using content management systems including WordPress, social media platforms and custom-designed materials.

• Served as a trusted advisor and communications expert tasked with streamlining engagement strategies to establish and pursue sustainable goals — ensuring the alignment of all promotional and marketing collateral with the commission’s identity strategy to support consistency and present a clear, professional public image.

• Facilitated the development of strategic initiatives for improved public relations; demonstrating an ability to work independently and communicate effectively in a cross-functional, collaborative environment.

• Leveraged design acumen to produce creative assets that promoted engagement with local businesses and job seekers including a 24-page annual report that included a refreshed layout design, new content and colorful graphics — employing a keen eye for detail to ensure accuracy.

• Partnered with the Workforce Development Board to launch a successful communications campaign geared towards establishing a position for the organization and advertising key positions on various social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter (X) — using the platforms to share critical job-related posts, announcements and networking opportunities for local job seekers and businesses.

 

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Public Relations and Writing Intern, New River Community Action | Radford, VA | January 2017 - May 2017

• Graduate Teaching Fellow, School of Communication, Radford University | Radford, VA | August 2016 - May 2017

• Junior Consulting Partner, Blue Ridge High-Performance Consulting | Radford, VA | August 2016 - December 2016

• Graduate Teaching Assistant, School of Communication, Radford University | Radford, VA | August 2015 - May 2016

 

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Outstanding Graduate Teaching Fellow, Radford University School of Communication, 2017

• Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities, 2014 and 2015 Radford University Outstanding Student Award, 2014

• Radford University School of Communication Sophomore of the Year Award, 2012

 

CERTIFICATIONS​​

• Hootsuite Social Marketing

• Google Analytics for Beginners

• Advanced Google Analytics

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TECHNICAL SKILLS

​Software: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, Power BI), Canva, Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Acrobat), Google Analytics, Basic HTML, Siteimprove
Social Media Monitoring: Meltwater, Sprout Social, TweetDeck, Buffer, Hootsuite
Email Marketing: Mailchimp, Constant Contact, GovDelivery
Content Management Systems: Drupal, Wix, WordPress
Social Media Platforms: Twitter (X), Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn

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