RESUME
Award-winning, hands-on Communications executive with strong publications background; needle-moving strategist with expert knowledge of print, web and mobile design and writing, video production, audio engineering; engaging writer with ability to quickly master any subject matter; creative team leader able to step in at any stage of any project.
Director of Digital Communications,
University of Pennsylvania
December 2013 - present
Reports to Executive Director of Communications
Responsibilities
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Lead creative team in communications strategy development;
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Serve as Editorial and Design Director for digital communications department;
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Serve as Editor-in-Chief for print and digital publications;
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Lead creative team in launch of digital publication, annual print and digital deliverables, and more;
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Lead creative team in redesign and launch of Website;
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Lead creative team in design, user experience review, creation and approval of user-customizable case studies for front-line development personnel;
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Write or manage copy/feature/script writing, oversee copy editing process, design for print/Web/mobile platforms, shoot/edit/voice-over/post-production for video;
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Chair University-wide Augmented Reality implementation strategy team;
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Present to senior leadership, development officers for 18 schools and centers and University President; seek and gain consensus and approval of all creative content and executions;
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Manage staff and freelance creative services and digital communications personnel, including designers, writers, editors, photographers, web developers, e-mail designers, videographers and more in the creation of all print/web/mobile collateral, advertisements, publications, Websites, app development, more
Achievements
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Successfully launched Philanthropy in Action, a first-in-class digital publication
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Created Penn2Life, a first-in-class Augmented Reality app; rolled out University-wide adoption plan
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Brought video production capabilities in-house, producing more than 200 minutes of finished video and 90 minutes of high-quality b-roll, all valued at more than $300,000 in the first year
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Created 6-month website marketing plan to increase traffic by 20%; exceeded goal in first 3 weeks, quadrupled at end of 6-month period, continues to grow
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Established or strengthened partnerships with multiple stakeholders throughout Penn; established and serve as Chair on Penn Video Communications Committee
Creative Director, AAA Mid-Atlantic
May 2000 - November 2013
Reported directly to Chief Marketing Officer
Responsibilities:
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Head internal creative team, create rolling annual editorial/campaign calendar for AAA.com and AAA World Magazine, determine delivery strategy across channels;
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Write or assign feature, department and specialty sections writing tasks, ghost write all automotive material, create Tweets, blogs and other social media content to support communications strategy, oversee editorial department;
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Design and/or manage team of designers in production of all print and digital magazines, advertising, web content, print and digital special advertising sections, etc.; to oversee art department, as well as all photography and illustration assignments;
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Script, produce, shoot and edit all video projects, create all motion graphics and titles, etc.; occasionally provide voice-over talent;
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Oversee multimillion-dollar budget, manage and develop staff, conduct annual reviews, represent AAA Mid-Atlantic’s marketing and publications across the AAA Federation, as well as to media
Achievements:
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Produced triple-digit increases in market penetration, resulting in increased sales ranging from 20-50% y.o.y., while lowering cost of acquisition across the board;
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Increased proprietary content by 300%, brand recognition by 1,700%, and actions taken by 370%, while reducing budget by $3.5 million. Content reprinted by Southern Living, VIA, AFAR and Budget Travel;
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Brought video capabilities in-house; produced roughly 120 minutes of high-quality video per year, valued at more than $150,000
Additional Experience
Art/Creative Director, Jobson Publications (1999-2000), Chilton Publications, Reed-Elsveier, Cahners Business Media (1994-1999), Merion Publications (1990–1994)
Contributing Writer, AAA Travel Views travel blog, Worldhum
Blogger, Ethans-Ear.blogspot.com
Clients: Rodale Press, Psychiatry Today Magazine, Cardinal Business Media, First Eastern Realty, Liquid Cyber Web Development, Butterboo Greeting Cards, Sweet Caroline’s Confectioners
Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Associates of Applied Science, Graphic Design
SKILLS
Able to hit the ground running at any stage of any project at any level—from team leader to hands-on artisan
Extensive internal and external client-facing experience, adept at presentations.
Software: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Flash, Premiere, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro, ProTools, MS Office
OF NOTE
Radio: Guest on Two Boomer Babes radio program on NPR
Social Media: Winner, Poynter's "Best Sense of Humor in Response to an Error"
Awards: Philadelphia Marketing Association Gold Award
Folio: Magazine Redesign
South Florida Viddy Gold
Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator: ESTP, just ike JFK, George Patton, Winston Churchill and Al Capone
Other: Volunteer Emergency First Responder, CPR certified.
Organizer of Ronald McDonald House of Wilmington, Delaware, dinner program.
Independent filmmaker.
Founder The Dad Talks Project (dadtalksproject.com).
Aspiring novelist.
World travel junkie.
Totally off topic: Worked as a room service waiter at Resorts International Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, during college where I met Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Rodney Dangerfield, Luciano Pavarotti, Diana Ross, Tony Orlando and Loretta Lynn.
Sat next to Tim Allen on the Star Wars ride at Disney World.
Oh yeah. Did I mention I won a CASE Award?
Richard Stockton College, Pomona, NJ
Bachelors, Marketing
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA