Multichannel marketing and communications professional with a proven ability to deliver award-winning campaigns that inspire action from difficult to reach and discerning audiences.
• I’ve exceeded benchmarks time and again across programmatic and social media buys.
• Empowered sales teams with tightly integrated lead funnels and lifecycle management solutions leveraging Salesforce.com.
• Know how to craft a compelling narrative and have won over a dozen video production awards in the past 5 years.
• Served on both the interactive agency and client side, and I am a highly capable sparring partner for any marketing professional whether B2B or B2C.
Most recently, I helped the Georgia Department of Economic Development attract new business both domestically and in 12 strategic markets around the globe. In the 7 years I ran Georgia’s global marketing efforts, we were selected as the #1 State for Business by Site Selection magazine, and its database of site consultants, for an unprecedented 7 years in a row. Jobs and investment grew steadily YOY due to a healthy pipeline of prospects. In addition, the Department’s commitment to marketing over that same period of time grew more than 300% because the ROI was clear and measurable. I also managed a team of 5 and 4 agency relationships for interactive, pr, traditional and video production.
My online marketing career started with the direction of email marketing and web campaigns for Mandalay Resort Group, resulting in several awards for creative execution and exceptional return on investment. This caught the attention of the interactive marketing company, Twelve Horses where I directed their corporate marketing, advertising, and public relations efforts, as well as provided strategic consulting for travel/tourism clients such as Park City, Heavenly Mountain Resort, and America’s Adventure Place.
Leveraging my experience with media and multi-channel marketing technology, I went on to lead the marketing and branding initiatives for SAXOTECH (now NEWSCYCLE), a global provider of content management platforms, circulation systems and advertising solutions for the media industry.
I’ve worked in sales, marketing, advertising and public relations for a variety of other companies, including Switchback PR & Marketing, Stoel Rives LLP, Preferred Capital Corporation and Patagonia. I have an MBA with a specialization in Marketing and a BA from Clemson University.
Side hustle: My photography has appeared in countless ads, brochures, and marketing campaigns.
Enjoyed returning to the Bio International Convention in San Diego, but in this case, representing Seattle as opposed to my past life building the state of Georgia’s life science industry. It was great to run into old colleagues, spend time with the president of Life Science Washington, as well as friends from Poland that were just in Seattle on an economic development mission.
Admiral William McRaven, retired four-star admiral in the U.S. Navy spoke about leadership, global events, and the national security importance of biotechnology. And Viola Davis, an award-winning actress and author shared her story about being a loving and caring person in the face of adversity in a conversation with Brooke Baldwin.
Key subjects were definitely around the convergence of artificial intelligence and biotech, and Seattle is playing a leadership role in the development of new drugs, identifying new proteins at a quicker rate, and data analytics. Frankly, the cells in our bodies have become like applications on our phones, and we will continue to dive deeper into the precise activation or repression of genes.
Bio always puts on an amazing welcome reception, as well as a fun street party in the Gaslamp quarter.
This marks my 7th Gold Award from the IEDC. Official press release:
Seattle, Wash. (September 28, 2023) – Greater Seattle Partners (GSP) received a 2023 Excellence in Economic Development Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for the launch of Uncommon Thinkers Welcome. The award was bestowed specifically for the organization’s work in the Digital Media category that impacted 500,000+ residents. GSP also received the Bronze Award for Regionalism & Cross-Border Collaboration for population greater than 500,000. GSP was acknowledged and honored at the IEDC 2023 Annual Conference during the inaugural Recognition Night event in Dallas, TX, September 19.
“GSP has raised the bar for excellence in economic development with its Uncommon Thinkers Welcome program. This award is a testament to GSP’s dedication to its residents and serves as a great example of how economic development can help transform a community for the better,” said Nathan Ohle, IEDC President and CEO. “It is IEDC’s honor and privilege to present GSP with this award and recognize its leadership and innovation in the field of economic development!”
Every year IEDC looks specifically for economic development organizations, government entities, initiatives, and programs that have demonstrated consistent, exemplary performance in the economic development profession, leading the execution of projects that have a significant impact on revitalizing communities, and playing a major role in shaping and improving the practice of economic development.
“We are honored to receive this recognition from the IEDC. The goal of this project was to unite our public and private partners around an authentic brand position that captures the unconventional attributes that differentiate Greater Seattle from the rest of the world. In partnership with our fiercely creative friends at Mekanism, we conducted extensive regional and global research to inform the brand pillars and breathe life into what would ultimately become Uncommon Thinkers Welcome. It is very rewarding to see such strong results from the initial launch of the campaign, which would not have been possible without the help of so many amazing partners across the region that helped us clearly show – we don’t do things like everybody else,” said Robert Payne, vice president of marketing and communications.
“Since first partnering with GSP in 2019, we’ve been determined to prove that the fastest growing tech hub in the country is more than just rain,” said Lisa Zakroff, General Manager of Mekanism. “Together, we tapped into a truth about this region that resonated deeply with GSP’s partners, big and small, allowing for a campaign designed to feature them all. We loved the opportunity to galvanize so many bedfellows who would seem strange anywhere but here.”
Uncommon Thinkers Welcome continues to garner regional adoption across Snohomish, King and Pierce County and has appeared in front of global forums across Europe and Asia. Driven by new ideas like we are, some of the regional companies and partners that have contributed to the growth of the brand are as follows:
Greater Seattle Partners (GSP) is a public-private partnership that leads regional economic development through global business attraction, site selection and investment and trade opportunities in the greater Seattle region. GSP collaborates with community and economic development partners to ensure that every person in the Puget Sound region has the opportunity to prosper. We strive to attract and retain quality family/living wage jobs across all communities of the region. Throughout the world we tell the story of our talent, pioneering spirit, unique communities, and quality of life. For more information visit Greater-Seattle.com.
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 4,300 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities by creating, retaining, and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth, and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members engage in the full range of economic development practices.\ Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in various settings, including local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions. When we succeed, our members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Learn more at iedconline.org
