Resume

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- Served as first City of Houston Chief Policy Officer, developing and executing strategy for significant public policy initiatives including pension reform, the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, creation of an independent crime lab/elimination of rape kit backlog, police body cameras and a high-profile infrastructure repair program

- Led seven divisions and had indirect supervision of 22 departmental communications operations

- Collaborated with National League of Cities, U.S. Conference of Mayors, Clinton Climate Initiative, local congressional and legislative leaders and others on national campaigns for various national policy and political initiatives related to sustainability, equal rights, and immigration

- Developed, maintained and optimized extensive network of contacts at all levels of government and in the nonprofit and private business sectors to ensure broad stakeholder representation and support for city initiatives

- Achieved enhanced worldwide profile for Houston and first openly gay mayor of large U.S. city 

- Identified and analyzed proposed state and federal legislation for potential city impact

- Eliminated silos and achieved unified communications operations for governmental corporation with $5 billion annual budget

- Executed crisis communications to keep public safe and informed before, during and after severe weather events, police officer involved shootings, line of duty fire fighter fatalities and investigative journalism

- Relied upon to research, write and edit speeches, newsletters, talking points and scripts 

- Delivered on management’s high expectations for increased exposure with as many as 200 news releases annually as well as numerous opinion pieces published by local, state, and national media outlets 

- Improved utilization and doubled size of email distribution system to more than 120,000 recipients

- Doubled social media following 

- Served as governmental relations liaison between controller’s office, City Council, local legislative and congressional delegations

- Achieved improved communications operations through increased public outreach, enhanced public policy focus and accomplishment driven messaging

- Maximized messaging and branding during fall enrollment marketing/advertising campaign

- Utilized PESO model of Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned media to advance excellence in academics, student life and community service

- Relied upon to help guide internal TV operation, marketing and creative teams, contracted PR firms and communications directors at six colleges

 Education:

 Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois 

 B.A.: Communications/Psychology 

Awards/Accomplishments

2017 ex officio member of Houston Archeological and Historical               

       Commission

Finisher, 2017, 2016, 2012 BP MS 150

2014 University of Houston Friends of Women’s Studies Table  

        Talk Conversationalist

Federation of Houston Professional Women 2008 Woman of 

        Excellence 

2008 Houston Heights Association President’s Award

2000 Katy Award Nominee: Best Governmental Reporting

Texas Associated Press: Best Team Coverage

Community Involvement:

Volunteer PR contractor for Operation BBQ following 

        Hurricane Harvey

Past president and past board member, Women Professionals  

        in Government 

Past board member, Houston Heights Association

Past Land Use Committee chair, Houston Heights Association 

Co-chair, Houston Heights historic districts project