Results-driven Strategic Communications * Team Leadership * Writing * Storytelling & Story Banking
Policy Advocacy * Stakeholder Engagement * Media Relations * Training & Capacity Building
Summary
A public interest communications expert with broad experience developing strategic initiatives that achieve organizational objectives, influence public policy, and build stakeholder engagement across global, national, and community platforms.
Led campaigns in public health, climate change, wilderness protection, disaster response, and international development. Skilled at building strategy from the ground up, managing teams, capacity building, and delivering media and public engagement that drives mission-aligned results.
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Created advocacy communications framework resulting in $265M+ in philanthropic grants.
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Established U.S.-Nigeria communications program for a startup economic development foundation that helped attract $92 million in new investment.
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Created and led communications “Rapid Response Team” for American Red Cross Disaster Services.
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Received 12+ recognition testimonials from nonprofit agencies.
Professional Experience
Remote Adjunct Professor & Research Insights Writer
January 2024 - present
University of Florida, College of Journalism and Communications
Design and deliver undergraduate curriculum in public interest communications. Guide students through research-informed strategies to promote equity, environmental justice, and public health.
Create summaries of academic research reports. The summaries transform the technical reports into news articles that are accessible to the average reader and are published on the "Insights" section of the university website.
Principal Communications Consultant
December 2001 - December 2024
Bigger Impact, Alexandria, VA
Partnered with foundations, NGOs, and think tanks to enhance voice, visibility and influence. Selected projects included:
Advocacy Strategy – Developed a communications plan for the Private Equity Stakeholder Project focused on financial transparency.
Global Health – Directed an advocacy framework for the Gates Foundation that shaped $265M in sanitation and water access grants across Africa and Asia.
International Development – Built a U.S.–Nigeria communications strategy for the Niger Delta Partnership Initiative Foundation, generating 6M+ online engagements and helping to attract $92M in new investment.
Environmental Policy & Fundraising – Created UN showcase event for the Center for Clean Air Policy think tank, resulting in international policy endorsement and $200K in funding
Training – Designed and led strategic communications planning program for World Wildlife Fund’s Regenerative Food Systems Program.
Media Relations – Strengthened Families USA’s news visibility and performance through qualitative and quantitative tracking methods.
Additional Experience
Communications Manager, World Wildlife Fund Global Climate Change Campaign
Director of Communications, The Wilderness Society
Media Relations Manager, American Red Cross, Disaster Services
Journalist:
-International field correspondent – United Press International Radio, Radio France Internationale, Deutsche-Welle Radio
-Breaking news reporter and producer – CNN New York and London
Global Experience
Raised in Dublin, Ireland. Executed projects in 20+ countries, including Bosnia, Brazil, Japan, Germany, Kenya, Nigeria, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.
Volunteer Event Organizer & Speaker
June 2023 - present
Public Interest Communications Summer Institute (annual event)
Education
New York, NY
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications, New York University
Technology Skills
Project Management: Slack, Harvest, Trello, Google Suite
Microsoft Office Suite: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook
Social Media Management: Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer
AI: ChatGPT-4
Conference Platforms: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet
Website Content Management Systems (CMS): Wix, WordPress, Squarespace
Media Outreach and Monitoring: Cision, Muck Rack, Qwoted, LinkedIn
Email Marketing Platforms: Mailchimp, Constant Contact
Grapic Design Tools: Canva, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop)
Video Editing: iMovie, DaVinci Resolve
Audio Editing/Podcasting: QuickTime Player, Logic Pro, Audacity