EXPERTISE
Integrated marketing: Paid, owned and earned media for social, search, newsletters, apps, push, partnerships, OTT, CTV
Improving efficiency 
and processes to boost performance

Strategic planning
Product and project management 

Content creation and optimization
Data analysis
and storytelling

Team building with a focus on startup culture
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EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in journalism, Bachelor of Arts in political science, cum laude
​Wichita State University
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EXPERIENCE
2021 - present: American City Business Journals
Senior Director, Audience Growth
  • Oversees digital strategies to grow audience and engagement across American City Business Journals brands — 50+ digital products in 46 U.S. markets reaching 17 million business leaders each month.
  • Manages a team of experts driving users to ACBJ platforms across 3rd party digital assets, syndication partnerships, newsletters, search, push alerts and social media to build loyal and engaged paid subscribers.
  • Leverages data analytics and in-depth research to build revenue-focused content, audience and membership strategies across the company.
  • Leads curriculum and training for newsrooms using learning content management systems, webinars, guides, checklists and other actionable resources.
  • Directs cross-departmental projects, including building proposals then tracking progress, meeting deadlines and achieving key performance indicators.
  • Coordinates vendor relationships, contracts, implementation, training and evolution to ensure organizational standards and strategies.
  • Delivers results: 2023 was a record-breaking year for ACBJ, as social media visits grew +40%; search visits increased +20%; email newsletter click-through rate improved +45% and total clicks grew +117%; and push alerts surpassed 1.3M users while CTR improved +15%.

2015 - 2021: Cox Media Group
Director, Audience Engagement & Optimization (2019-2021)
  • Developed, executed and iterated data-driven distribution, engagement and growth strategies across digital platforms for Cox Media Group — 100+ news outlets in 20 media markets reaching more than 52 million Americans weekly.
  • Directed an innovative team of experts focused on content optimization, data insights, partnerships, video, search engine optimization, newsletters, social media on more than 500 channels, push alerts, OTT and more.
  • Managed KPIs driving 270 million average monthly page views and 110 million average monthly sessions.
  • Set audience standards and best practices, created a centralized resource center, then led training and development for teams across the company.
  • Delivered results: In 2020, sessions from social media went up +20%; search up +80%; newsletters up +93%; push alerts up +25%; and news aggregators up +1,000%. Partnership revenue went up more than +1,000%.

Director, Data Analytics & Insights (2018-2019)
  • Led a team of expert data scientists, analysts and strategists.
  • Identified trends, areas for growth opportunity and risk assessment across CMG digital, radio, TV and newspaper properties.
  • Determined data-driven digital strategies and worked to implement these strategies with key stakeholders to empower audience insights and outcomes.
  • Responsible for creating and maintaining a central reporting hub with core KPIs that go beyond page views and sessions., including improved data reporting, analytics and strategic development with artificial intelligence and machine learning.

​Director of Audience for Fans 1st Media (2015-2018)
  • Developed, executed and evolved distribution, engagement and growth strategies across platforms for F1M brands and new ventures including Rare Country, Clark.com, Rare, FanBuzz, Alt_driver and Hot Topics.
  • Directed an industry leading Audience Team to match winning content with owned, paid, earned and social media marketing to strategically amplify performance among valuable audiences.
  • Led initiatives in SEO/SEM, newsletters, community management, influencers, partners, paid social, native advertising, and other owned, earned and paid audience growth.
  • Managed to key performance indicators including 60 million monthly visits and a multimillion-dollar budget.
  • Built and managed a new video team and strategy for 40+ videos a month and millions of views.
  • Graduate of Cox Enterprises yearlong management course.
  • Delivered results: Visits outside owned Facebook including SEO and newsletters up 200%; paid partners up 200%; paid social up 300%; A/B testing up 3X, leading to 200% overall performance improvement on social.

2007 - 2015:  The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Cox Media Group)
Projects / Sunday Editor (previously Senior Designer)
  • ​Planned and managed the AJC’s biggest projects, special sections and breaking news coverage.
  • Collaborated with reporters, editors, photographers, designers and artists.
  • Worked closely with centralized Cox Media Group copy, design and wire desks to art direct projects.
  • Engaged departments on projects, including digital, marketing, advertising, freelancers and vendors.
  • Art directed and designed Sunday news covers and sections, editorial pages, projects and special sections.
  • Member of several redesign teams (2008 redesign, AJC 2.0 project, 2012 redesign).
  • Trained and mentored other designers.
  • Technical experience with graphics, illustrations and photography.

2005 - 2007:  Orlando Sentinel (Tribune) 
Senior Designer                                       
  • Designed and planned Sunday and daily news and local covers, projects and special sections.
  • Coordinated Local In-Depth, a weekly visual section on local news.
  • Trained and mentored other designers.
  • Member of several redesign teams (2006, 2007, inception of award-winning Local In-Depth).
  • Graduate of Tribune Co.’s yearlong leadership course.
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2002 - 2005: The Myrtle Beach Sun News (Knight Ridder) 
​Copy editor, designer, wire editor       
  • Stylebook editor in charge of revisions and additions
  • Designed A1 and local sections
  • Copy editor, headline writer, wire editor, slot

2000 - 2001: Cox Communications
​Customer Service Representative       
  • Analog cable, digital cable and cable internet customer service and technical support

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Analytics: Adobe Analytics (Omniture), Alteryx, Appfigures, Breezeboard, Chartbeat, Comscore, Dataminr, Google Analytics, PowerBI, Quantcast, Similarweb, Tableau

CMS: ACBJ Admin CMS, Adobe Headless, ARC XP, Contentful, Optimizely, WordPress VIP

Customer Data & Marketing: Adobe Audience Manager, Airship, Digioh, HubSpot, Keywee, Marigold (SailThru), Marketo, Maz, MPP, Piano (Cxense), PugPig, Pushly, Salesforce, SquadUp, Upland (PostUp, SecondStreet), Wunderkind (BounceX)

Design: Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere Pro), Canva

Digital Distribution: AdEspresso, DashThis, Facebook Business Manager, Hootsuite, Inbox Monster, Naytev, Outbrain, Social Flow, Social News Desk, Sprout, True Anthem, Tweetdeck

Project Management: Asana, Atlassian (Confluence, JIRA, Trello), Slack

SEO & SEM: Botify, Google Ads, Google Search Console, News Dashboard, NewzDash, SEMRush, Speedcurve

​AFFILIATIONS

2006 - present: The Society for News Design
International nonprofit organization
  • Foundation President
  • Best of News Design competition coordinator, facilitator and judge
  • Annual Workshop Committee
  • Education and Training Director
  • Southern Regional Director
  • Executive Committee
  • Speaker and trainer

Others: Online News Association, Society of Professional Journalists, Poynter Institute, Freedom Forum