WORK HISTORY
Jan 2024 – CurrentAdjunct Lecturer
Georgetown University
Adjunct Lecturer
Georgetown University
As a part-time lecturer at Georgetown University, I will teach storytelling for social justice at the DC Central Detention Facility through their Prison Scholars Program. The Prison Scholars Program is managed through GU’s Prisons and Justice Initiative. This program offers credit-bearing and non-credit classes year-round and a weekly lecture series with distinguished guest speakers. The program has reached over 200 students since its start in 2018.
Nov 2022 – CurrentSenior Communications Manager
United Philanthropy Forum
Senior Communications Manager
United Philanthropy Forum
As the senior communications manager at the United Philanthropy Forum, I work with the President & CEO and the rest of the Forum team to develop and execute strategic communications plans to guide the Forum’s use of communications to advance the Forum’s vision, mission and goals; serve as key staff liaison for Forum’s services and support for the Forum’s Communications Peer Community learning and networking group for communications professionals in the Forum membership; and offer support and guidance to members of the Forum team, as needed, on communications.
Sub-responsibilities of this role include writing and updating content for Forum’s website and working with other team members to manage updates and changes to the website’s design, structure, and navigation; managing, designing, and writing copy for Forum marketing materials, including promotions for all Forum programs and for membership recruitment materials and communications; managing and writing content for Forum’s social media communications; managing, designing and writing/editing key Forum publications, such as the annual report, research reports, etc; and managing the effective use of the Forum’s brand identity in all Forum communications.
Aug 2021 – Oct 2022Communications Manager, Marketing & Storytelling
Color Of Change
Communications Manager, Marketing & Storytelling
Color Of Change
As a as a communications manager on the marketing & storytelling team at Color Of Change, I helped ensure accurate and diverse representation of Black people in media, end inaccurate and racially-biased local news reporting, achieve meaningful diversity and inclusion behind the scenes in Hollywood, and end inaccurate representations of the criminal justice system on TV. Additionally, I managed earned media + press and assist with special projects and campaigns.
Jan 2018 – Jan 2022Creative Director & Co-Founder
Reflct Media, LLC
Creative Director & Co-Founder
Reflct Media, LLC
Film and video production company that focused on documentary media. We used our platform to give others a voice in the fight for justice and equality, sharing narratives often ignored by mainstream media.
Jan 2021 – Apr 2021Part-Time Instructor (Online)
Western Michigan University, School of Communication
Part-Time Instructor (Online)
Western Michigan University, School of Communication
As a part-time instructor at Western Michigan University within the school of communication, I taught 2 video production classes: COM 3550: Digital Video Production: Nonfiction and COM 4570: Advanced Digital Video Production. My teaching philosophy: I want to teach students not only the basics of video production, but how video/film can be used as tools for activism. I want to teach students that there’s more to the discipline than aiming for Hollywood and big-budget filmmaking. Art with impact has the potential to shift power and catalyze social change through narrative storytelling.
Apr 2021 – Aug 2021Communications + Brand Manager
Education Design Lab
Communications + Brand Manager
Education Design Lab
As the communications + brand Manager at Education Design Lab, I worked to operationalize and managed the Lab’s communications, branding, and storytelling efforts. Additionally, this role supported in sharpening the Lab’s messaging, evolving the ways in which we bring our brand to life, rethinking the way we evaluate impact and the ways in which that contributes to better storytelling, and building a data based infrastructure that will contribute to the Lab’s positioning as a thought leader in the higher education, skill credentialing ecosystem. I also played a key role in helping to identify storytelling opportunities, packaging them for external use, and disseminating them to our key audiences.
Mar 2021 – June 2021Communications Consultant
The Democracy Collaborative
Communications Consultant
The Democracy Collaborative
As a communications consultant for The Democracy Collaborative, I worked directly with the Vice President of Communications on special projects related to The Democracy Collaborative’s web properties, as well as regular content posting; assist in writing, editing and promotion of reports issued during the contract period; assisted in maintaining social media sites; assisted in preparations for The Democracy Collaborative’s capital fundraising campaign; and other communications tasks.
Oct 2020 – Feb 2021Communications Manager
Black Feminist Future
Communications Manager
Black Feminist Future
As the communications manager at Black Feminist Future (BFF), I was responsible for developing and implementing strategies for all communications, database, website, social media, and all external facing messages and collateral to consistently articulate the mission of BFF and build our base of support. In this role, my primary goal was to center our messaging around the experiences of Black women and girls, and ground our messaging in a way that amplifies the power of black feminist leaders, organizations, and movements for the 21st century.
Aug 2019 – Oct 2020Communications Manager
Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership
Communications Manager
Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership
As the communications manager at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College, I was responsible for the management of all digital communications for the ACSJL. I served as the ACSJL’s principal writer and editor of online content for our websites, electronic news outlets and social media. I also served as the primary lead on all digital marketing and communications strategies for the ACSJL.
Aug 2018 – Apr 2020Graduate Teaching Assistant
Western Michigan University
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Western Michigan University
Responsible for teaching introductory courses as an instructor within the School of Communication. Classes taught include: Communication & Community Engagement, Intro to Media & Telecommunications, and Film Communication.
Feb 2018 – Mar 2020Media Coordinator
Strategic Community Partners
Media Coordinator
Strategic Community Partners
Responsible for creating all social media content for Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn with the usage of photo, video, and graphics.
Jun 2018 – May 2019Communications Intern
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Communications Intern
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Responsible for monitoring the media to help build our monthly media report, reviewing and posting internal news on the Vine, conceptualizing and producing internal and external video content, and photography.
Dec 2016 – Jan 2018Intern
Various Organizations
Intern
Various Organizations
Interned with the following organizations: Overneath Creative Collective, BonBon Networks, ImageStream Creative Communications, Bronco Productions, Rogan Productions, ESPN3, HGTV, TLC, and the Public Media Network.
EDUCATION
2024-PresentMaster of Arts — Sociology Research and Practice
American University
Master of Arts — Sociology Research and Practice
American University
2018-2020Master of Arts – Communication
Western Michigan University
Master of Arts – Communication
Western Michigan University
2016Bachelor of Arts – Film/Video/Media Studies
Western Michigan University
Bachelor of Arts – Film/Video/Media Studies
Western Michigan University
SKILLSStorytelling
Storytelling
Video Production
Editing
Photography
Conceptual Thinking
Research
Team Management
Problem Solving
Social Media Management
Teaching
Adobe Suite (CC)
Microsoft Office
macOS
REFERENCES
Dr. Anna PopkovaAsst. Professor, School of Communication/WMU
Contact info. for Dr. Popkova provided upon inquiry.
Kathy ReinckeDir. of Communications / W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Contact info. for Kathy provided upon inquiry.
Dr. Chanel HamptonFounder & President / Strategic Community Partners
Contact info. for Dr. Hampton provided upon inquiry.