Resume

Highly experienced communication professional able to identify, develop and implement marketing and communication strategies and initiatives to best highlight key messages and support organizational goals.

Specializes in public relations, social media, building relationships with stakeholders, representing organizations during special events and conducting customer research to expand opportunities.

RELEVANT EXPERTISE

Developing & Executing Content Marketing Plans
Email Marketing
Social Media
Graphic Design
Market Research
Writing & Copy-Editing
Public Relations

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

City of Kingston – Transportation Services, Kingston, ON (Canada)                             2016- Present

Marketing Administrator

Created and successfully executed all communication strategies to fulfill Kingston Transit’s mission to expand public transport ridership and increase sustainability to create a ‘Transportation Culture’ in the city. Planned all special events, accessibility meetings and media opportunities, as well, wrote all news releases for such events, and new schedules and product launches. Expanded brand awareness and created a sense of comfort with public transit by regularly making presentations on how to use Kingston Transit to various community groups.

  • Improved customer care and rider relationships by launching and personally maintaining all Kingston Transit social media channels and inboxes. Opening the channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Threads) allowed riders and community members to directly ask their questions to Transit and increase brand awareness. Since inception, the successful content has increased followers by over 10,000%.
  • Enhanced brand awareness and customer awareness by redesigning all marketing and communication content. The cohesive redesigns of Transit maps and Ride Guides now meet accessibility standards, provide clear language and images, and saves roughly 24% of the annual Marketing budget by reducing the rate of reprint. The cohesive designs provide consistent, targeted, and impactful messaging.
  • Currently designing and planning the redesign of Kingston Transit’s website to update the content, create a more modern look, and increase functionality of the site.

Queen’s Hospitality Services by Sodexo, Kingston, ON (Canada)                           2014 – 2016

Marketing & Communications Manager

Researched, planned, executed, and evaluated all marketing materials, promotional, public relations, and communication strategies for three dining halls, 18 retail outlets and the Queen’s Hospitality brand as a whole. Provided market research studies and carried out market research to identify potential growth for revenue, to create programs to broaden customer participation and to develop new opportunities for community involvement.

  • Elevated Hospitality Services’ brand identity and increased the sale of meal plans by 25% by improving the language, design and consistency of all marketing collaterals and developing and monitoring new content marketing plans and advertising programs.
  • Increased the number of followers on social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube) and the conversation rate by more than 50% by increasing the frequency and relevancy of posts and comments, creating a new digital marketing strategy and creating ads on social media.
  • Increased website navigation and functional capabilities while also decreasing the bounce rate by 20% and exit rate by 40% by updating graphics and rewriting and adjusting content.
  • Increased the presence of Queen’s University within the media by preparing well-written and intriguing press releases, and by planning and effectively executing large scale campus events. Includes visits by renowned Chef Michael Smith, grand openings, and student/parent campus visits.

Community Living Peterborough, Peterborough, ON (Canada)                               2012 – 2013

Communications Officer (Contract Position)
Lead role in the design and  implementation of Community Living Peterborough’s public relations and marketing strategy for their 60th anniversary year. Initiated new strategies in order to increase donations, brand recognition and event attendance. Planned and represented CLP at all special events, press conferences and visits to media partners.

• Enhanced community awareness of the brand by increasing distribution and designing new promotional materials, and by arranging and facilitating partnerships with local radio, newspaper, television and businesses.
• Recognized and won Community Living Ontario’s annual Social Media Award, awarded to the agency with the most influential and leading social media presence.
• Generated and analyzed segmentation and positioning research that lead to an increase in the number of approved government and private grants.
• Expanded the readership and increased the ROI from the quarterly newsletter and monthly eBulletin by 20% by broadening the scope of news stories, re-designing the layout and increasing the standard of writing.
• Increased website functionality and traffic by redesigning the layout, editing content, increasing the use of images and creating a better flow of information.

Oxford Seminars, Kingston, ON (Canada)                                                                      2010 – 2012

Marketing & Advertising Associate
Worked in a team to create, deliver, edit and optimize advertising materials, including pamphlets, brochures, website content, direct email campaigns, sales scripts and classroom materials. Regularly performed market research on direct and indirect competitors and delivered insights and suggestions for pricing strategies, new marketing methods and adding new services.

• Increased the open and click rates on direct email campaigns by 15% by developing a content marketing strategy that delivered information that enhanced customer behaviour. Promoted to project manager on all email marketing campaigns for students across Canada and the United States.
• Expanded the materials, process and visibility of the brand for special events, conferences and information sessions by developing new displays, promotional items, materials and scripts.

EDUCATION

Honours Bachelor of Arts (BA Hon.), Communications Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University
Business – Marketing Diploma, St. Lawrence College

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Fundraising as a Management Process, Fleming College

IAP2 Training – International Association of Public Participation