Work Experience

  • President
  • February 2008 – present
  • The Red Building Group LLC

  • Launched interactive agency The Red Building Group LLC to meet the growing demand for online branding, marketing and advertising for small- to medium-sized businesses in Northeast Florida.

  • Communications Coordinator
  • June 1999 – present
  • Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT)

Interactive experience: Maintained and developed interactive content to increase annual website traffic from 120,000 site visitors in 2003 to more than 232,000 visitors in 2007. Managed redesign of JAXPORT’s website – www.jaxport.com – to AAPA award-winning status in 2000.

Publications experience: Managed production of annual port directory and quarterly magazine, including assigning story ideas to a hired freelance writer, as well as photography and cover design to the graphics designer on staff. Developed advertising leads to increase Magazine revenue by 30 percent from 2005 to 2006.

Corporate communications experience: Developed an employee communications program, based on survey data and employee focus group results. Program included editing and producing a monthly employee newsletter, creating an Intranet website, managing new employee orientation seminars and coordinating quarterly town hall meetings with senior management. Ongoing improvements in 2007 included increasing the frequency and quality of email blasts, as well as developing a Flash-based news presentation viewable on LCD TVs at JAXPORT work locations.

Advertising experience: Managed the port’s cargo advertising program, targeting potential port customers with placement in maritime publications.

Media relations experience: Responded to local media inquiries, including on-camera interviews. Served as local media contact during weekends (twice per month) and holidays. Wrote press releases resulting in positive news coverage in maritime industry publications and local news organizations. Helped organize media events to promote port facilities.

Miscellaneous: Conducted tours of port facilities for international groups and members of the public. Helped organize special events for port, business and government officials. Developed program to increase office energy efficiency, saving the port $80,000.

  • Public Relations Specialist
  • June 1998 – May 1999
  • City of Jacksonville Public Information Division

Assisted webmaster in updating content and creating new interactive content for the City’s website: www.coj.net. Met with clients to discuss how to better educate citizens about city services through the Internet. Read scripts for radio public service announcements and edited television scripts. Wrote brochure copy and stories for Neighborhoods magazine under deadline. Provided customer service at City Hall's citizen information center.

  • Dance & Sales Professional (part-time)
  • August 1999 – July 2004
  • Dance Elite Dance Club, Orange Park

Managed and motivated five-member staff of local small business from February 2004 through July 2004 to meet weekly income goal. Sold more than $380,000 in dance lessons from August 1999 through July 2004.

  • Editor of the Navigator, Jacksonville University’s student newspaper
  • May 1997 – April 1998
  • Jacksonville University

Managed staff of 30 in weekly production of a campus newspaper. Provided leadership in delegating tasks and motivating staff. Developed and assigned story ideas to package the news. Edited reporters' stories for sense, accuracy and fairness. Wrote cutlines and headlines and designed page layouts with QuarkXPress and Photoshop on a Macintosh platform. Photographed sports events and student activities with all-manual 35mm camera.

  • News and Features Writer
  • May 1997 – August 1997
  • The Florida Times-Union

Gathered information and wrote news and feature stories under deadline for community news sections of The Florida Times-Union.

Education

  • Bachelor of Arts in Communications, May 1998
  • Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Graduated Summa Cum Laude (Cumulative GPA – 3.97) with a major concentration in journalism and a minor in political science

Computer Skills

Proficient at creating interactive websites with XHTML, CSS, RSS, blogging and podcasting. Intermediate experience with Flash 8; beginning experience with Adobe Premiere Pro. Adept at using Windows operating systems and software, including Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Outlook) and Adobe Photoshop CS2. Skilled in Apple OS X software, including layout and design with QuarkXPress and Adobe Photoshop.