Work Experience
Summary
Developing leaders, strengthening communities, and growing businesses through global strategy, communications, and advocacy in private, public, and nonprofit organizations
City of Dallas - Dallas, TX
9th-largest city in the United States
Director of Communications, Outreach & Marketing
2020 to present
- Lead crisis communications, working with local, state, and national stakeholders to reach the public in Dallas' COVID-19 response, mitigation, and recovery efforts
- Develop equitable communication strategies and content reaching Dallas' diverse populations
- Provide comprehensive strategic communications and mission-driven marketing and branding
- Serve as the City’s official media spokesperson
Visit DallasCityHall.com
CRM & Associates, LLC - New York, NY
Woman-owned Texas HUB- and MBE-certified management consulting firm
Managing Partner
2018 to 2020
- Strategy and communications consultant to global clientele including Grant Thornton, digitalundivided, and the Dallas Mavericks
- Create and launch multimedia campaigns increasing brand awareness and executive visibility at events including MIT’s AI and Future of Work Congress in Boston, CES in Las Vegas, Microsoft’s Business Applications Summit in Atlanta, Consumer Technology Association’s global CEO Summit in Prague, The Deal Economy conference in Dallas, and Leading Women Executives in Chicago
- Project manage events, videos, white papers, webinars, presentations, Op-Eds, and social media content to increase engagement, achieve goals, and improve reputation with clients, prospects, employees, investors, government, influencers, media, and the public
Visit CRM & Associates
RefillWise - Plano, TX
Social enterprise offering pharmacy discounts and adherence rewards
Director of Partnerships
2016 to 2018
- Led business development, corporate affairs, and communications
- Developed 100 nonprofit partnerships empowering 1.6 million Americans to save on prescriptions
- Initiated strategic planning defining mission and values driving social impact, helping nonprofits win $4 million in grants and guiding gifts from an equity-sustained donor-advised fund
Visit RefillWise
Communities Foundation of Texas - Dallas, TX
60+ year old nonprofit managing more than $1 Billion & granting $100 Million annually
Entrepreneurs For North Texas (now CFT4B) Director
2015 to 2016
- Provided turnkey corporate citizenship programs to 100 companies, strategically aligning business objectives with employee volunteerism, in-kind donations, and sponsorship opportunities
- Increased silent auction revenue more than 40% at 15th annual Spirit of Entrepreneurship awards
Dallas Arts District - Dallas, TX
20 square blocks/70+ urban acres of museums, performance halls, parks, dining, homes and offices
CEO
2013 to 2015
- Created a new city Public Improvement District and successfully advocated for new state funding
- Hosted 2015 Rail~Volution and 2014 New Cities Summit and U.S. Conference of Mayors
- Co-founded the Global Cultural Districts Network sharing best practices and fostering collaboration among established organizations (BAM) and planned/emerging districts (Barangaroo, West Kowloon), with Dallas leading and serving as international headquarters
- Conducted more than 100 tours and speaking engagements annually, reaching thousands globally
- Produced free public events for 50,000+ visitors annually, including block parties and Aurora 2013
- Balanced the budget and doubled revenues from $250,000 to $500,000 annually
Visit Dallas Arts District
Oncor - Dallas, TX
Sixth-largest U.S. electric transmission and distribution utility, delivering power to 10 million Texans
Communications Manager
leading crisis and employee communications and social media
2008 to 2013
- Earned GreenTech Media recognition among Top 10 North American Utilities in 2012 and 2013
- Manage external affairs team handling media relations and crisis communications
- Develop and implement social media strategies engaging and influencing 10 million customers
- Lead employee communications reaching 4,000 team members and dedicated contractors
- Write speeches and prepare presentations for senior leaders
- Support government affairs advocacy teams at the municipal, county, and state level
- Project managed first mobile-friendly design and launch of Oncor.com with customer self-service tools
Visit Oncor
Pegasus News - Dallas, TX (acquired by Belo Media Group)
Premier hyperlocal news site in the U.S., honored as Best Website by Press Club of Dallas in 2008
Managing Editor
2007 to 2008
- Doubled original content, managing dozens of content partners from across North Texas
- Established credit internships with public and private universities across North Texas
Visit Belo Media Group
KERA - Dallas, TX
North Texas Public Broadcasting, serving the fifth-largest media market in the U.S.
Reporter
2003 to 2007
- Quickly understood and explained local issues ranging from education and health care to city and county government, meeting daily deadlines in a fast-paced dynamic environment
- Earned Texas Medical Association Anson Jones, M.D. Citation of Merit in 2007 and 2008
- Named "Best New Media Star...for explaining how your city works" by D Magazine, 2007
- Freelance contributor to National Public Radio and Canadian CBC Radio
Visit KERA News
KCRW - Santa Monica, CA
National Public Radio’s top-rated affiliate in southern California and top U.S. station online
2001 to 2003
Associate Producer
- Won a 2003 Southern California Journalism Award from the Los Angeles Press Club
- Cultivated sources, researched topics, and wrote interview questions for live daily Public Radio International news program To the Point with host Warren Olney
Pledge Drive Manager
- Planned and executed four consecutive record-breaking pledge drives, increasing pledges from $1.4 million in August 2001 to $2.2 million in February 2003
- Recruited, trained and supervised more than 1,000 volunteers during each semi-annual 11-day subscription campaign
Visit KCRW
BELO - Dallas, TX
Guide Live Founding Editor/Producer
1998 to 1999
- Pioneered the first digital newsroom uniting ABC affiliate WFAA-TV, The Dallas Morning News and CitySearch, creating original multimedia content as a reporter and producer and recruiting and editing freelancers
- Launched north Texas’ first and most comprehensive online arts guide, earning a 1999 Press Club of Dallas Katie nomination for best news website
The Dallas Morning News - Staff Writer
1996 to 1998
- Covered multicultural literary, visual and performing arts in a weekly column
- Wrote feature stories and reviews about travel, fashion, religion, art, music and media.
Visit The Dallas Morning News
Education
B.A. English (Creative Writing), Rhodes College
- Rhodes Hall of Fame honor society for six college seniors
- Omicron Delta Kappa, Mortar Board, and Sigma Tau Delta
- Four-year Presidential Scholarship
Visit Rhodes College
Additional Education
- Instituto Cervantes DELE A2 & CCSE, 2019
- Pendle Hill's Continuing Revolution Conference, 2016
- NALEO, 2012
- UNITY, Chicago, 2008
- Power Reporting for Public Radio Journalists, Poynter, 2004
- Word and World, Philadelphia, 2003
- 40-hour multicultural mediation training, Claremont School of Theology Urban Leadership Institute, Los Angeles, 2002
- Travel in Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Middle East
- National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Seattle, 1997
- Journalism and Women's Symposium, Montana, 1997