PORTFOLIO
Below are detailed descriptions of three public relations projects that represent my work. I worked with these clients on multi-year efforts.
MEDIA RELATIONS & ADVOCACY
Sustainable Northwest – Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement
Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (photo: Thomas Dunklin)
I created and implemented media and public relations strategies to support the non-partisan work of Sustainable Northwest, a nonprofit that works in the rural west to create community-focused conservation economies.
My work promoted public understanding of, and support for, a complex basin-wide plan called the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, which is currently legislation before Congress.
The Klamath Agreement was created by a broad-based coalition of Klamath River water users (many former enemies) including: farmers, ranchers, fishermen, tribes, and conservationists – working in conjunction with local, state and federal government entities.
Klamath Agreement signing at Oregon state capitol, 2010
I worked with the diverse stakeholders to communicate their unique points of view, and I also developed messaging to deliver a strong united voice for the coalition.
In addition to educating the media and public about benefits of the Klamath Agreement, my work has also been timed to influence government action on county, state, and federal levels.
I've ghost written many op-eds and led outreach with editorial boards, which has resulted in editorial board endorsements at the San Francisco Chronicle, Oregonian, Sacramento Bee, Klamath Falls Herald & News, among others. Media coverage has included regular stories on the Associated Press newswire and NPR affiliates. The story has also been told in National Geographic, the New York Times, Outside magazine and other major national media.
COMMUNICATIONS & RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Mercy Corps
Restoring livelihoods in Afghanistan (photo: Cassandra Nelson)
For more than a decade, I worked with the global humanitarian aid and development agency, Mercy Corps. I helped create and grow a global communications department to educate and advocate around international issues. Communications also helped fundraise, especially during initiatives to respond to natural disasters and polticial crises.
Communications efforts included major disasters and conflicts: the Indian Ocean tsunami, Darfur, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and New Orleans, among many others.
Earned media coverage included:
– TV interviews on CNN, PBS' Lehrer Newshour, NBC Nightly News.
– Radio coverage on NPR's news and talk show programs and syndicated news reports on CNN radio, AP, CBS and Clear Channel stations.
– Print placements with major wire services (AP, Reuters, Newhouse, and Gannett), New York Times, Wall St. Journal, LA Times, and many major market newspapers in the US.
During my tenure, Mercy Corps' budget grew from $35M to more than
$250M and private income rose from $2M to $45M.
CORPORATE PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Stonyfield Farm – Menu for Change: Getting Healthy Foods Into Schools
I co-created a public affairs program for Stonyfield Farm, the nation's largest organic yogurt producer and an industry leader in the natural foods arena. Called Menu for Change: Getting Healthy Foods Into Schools, the program worked to make healthy food choices the easy choice for students.
The project was initated just as the Center for Disease Control labled childhood obesity an "epidemic" and for the first time in history.
Menu for Change featured a healthy vending machine program that eliminated the major source of junk food in schools and offered nutritious snacks such as yogurt, carrot sticks, organic milk, and water.
Strategic partnerships with schools and nonprofit organizations such as Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) extended the reach of the project and built public awareness and product loyalty. The program effectively reached key consumers including moms who care deeply about their child's health.
Stonyfield leveraged the program in company advertising, social media, and internet marketing.
Additional Menu for Change campaign elements included:
– Parents Action Kit – an online guide for concerned parents interested in creating healthier food and snack choices in schools.
– Superintendent's and School Board Challenges – awards programs offering cash grants to school districts.
– Organic Lunchbox Challenge – a national "Back to School" program that encouraged parents to pack healthy lunches.
Earned media for Menu for Change included features in the Wall St. Journal, Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer, MSNBC, NBC-TV nationwide affiliates, and NPR's Weekend Edition. Media coverage also included Mothering and Natural Home & Garden magazines, and an editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle.