Executive Summary

I’m a culturally competent and DEI-certified communications strategist who solves business problems.

I uncover opportunities and develop plans that support business objectives. My strategies help organizations decide what, when, and how to communicate with the media and other stakeholders.

My experience spans 15 years and multiple industries—nonprofit/philanthropy, trade association, financial services, agency, tech, consumer technology, and commercial real estate.

  • » Media Relations
    » Reputation Management
    » Strategic Planning
    » Marketing Strategy
    » Brand Development
    » Business Development
  • » Message Development
    » Speechwriting
    » Fundraising Communications
    » Market Research
    » Digital Marketing
    » Budget Development
  • » Public Speaking
    » B2B Marketing
    » B2C Marketing
    » Social Media Marketing
    » Creative Direction/Graphic Design
    » Executive Communications

Experience

Sr. Director, Communications & External Affairs

AAUW (American Association of University Women)

Feb. 2023 – present
Washington, DC

Reporting to the CEO, I lead the team responsible for establishing AAUW as a leading public voice on priority equity issues for women and girls — particularly those of color — such as pay equity and economic opportunity, educational access, and leadership opportunities through strategic communications.

Sr. Director, Communications

Council for Responsible Nutrition

Nov. 2020 – Oct. 2022
Washington, DC

I’m responsible for CRN’s strategic communications program, helping to determine when and where to deploy the right message to the media and other stakeholders.

I raise CRN’s visibility as an authority in industry, build partnerships that further our mission, and craft consumer education and advocacy campaigns central to protecting the reputation of the dietary supplement industry.

I also deepen people connections and generate revenue for the association by running its annual conference for marketers and communicators in the wellness industry, WellComms.

Sr. Manager, External Communications

CoStar Group, Inc.
(Nasdaq: CSGP)

May 2019 – Aug. 2020
Washington, DC

I shape the commercial real estate industry by developing integrated marketing campaigns for CoStar Group’s two largest flagship business units, CoStar and LoopNet.

I connect with journalists to deliver clickable stories to garner media coverage for the company and its two largest brands. I identify marketing opportunities, drive awareness, manage reputations, and provide strategic direction to senior management.

  • Plan and develop integrated marketing campaigns, generating leads and revenue for flagship business units CoStar and LoopNet
  • Developed “Slide of the Week” program, garnering media coverage for CoStar and CoStar Group in Tier 1 outlets including Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, CNN Business, NBC News, and various business and trade outlets
  • Secure media coverage for CoStar and CoStar Group by writing compelling pitches, thought leadership content, and op-eds
  • Manage multiple externally-facing projects, including writing external copy such as press releases, landing pages, blog posts, and supporting social media content

Director of Marketing

AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges)

consultant via agency

Oct. 2018 – Jan. 2019
Washington, DC

I devise the overall marketing strategy and activate marketing campaigns and communications plans that drive revenue (B2C), raise awareness, and achieve business goals for a portfolio of internal clients, constituents, and business units.

Working closely with program and business development staff, I develop, implement, and evaluate communication strategies that use traditional, digital, and social media components.

    Consultant

    KendallRidley.com

    Dec. 2017 – Dec. 2021
    Washington, DC

    I helped my clients develop strategies that support their communication and marketing goals. Client roster includes foundations, commercial real estate, and nonprofit organizations.

      Director of Marketing

      Halpern Enterprises, Inc.

      Nov. 2014 – Nov. 2017
      Atlanta, GA

      Led the day-to-day management of the marketing department, including communications planning and strategy. Managed media relations and marketing strategy for a portfolio of shopping centers valued at $342 million. Directly supervised a permanent team of 1 and a floating team of 3 staffers.

      • Crafted a marketing communications strategy that helped generate $25.3 million in revenue since Nov. 2014, including a 9.8% increase in revenue in 2016 and a 33% increase in 2017
      • Led brand development for all new shopping centers, resulting in newest center being 100% leased prior to completion of construction, with $8M in signed leases and a grand opening event well-attended by the community and state/local dignitaries
      • Worked with the Executive Vice President to allocate a $250K annual budget for corporate advertising, trade show appearances, and marketing the shopping center portfolio. Managed day-to-day departmental budget.
      • Fostered press relationships that earned media coverage in more than 130 news stories in 35 outlets for the corporation and its various projects
      • Motivated marketing team members and nurtured talent by providing direction for campaigns and opportunities for professional growth

      Principal + Creative Director

      Element K Creative

      Aug. 2008 – Aug. 2014
      Houston, TX + Atlanta, GA

      Element K Creative was a creative agency that helped brands grow their influence and raise funds using high-value design and smart copywriting.

      • Generated $179K in donations with 2 direct mail appeals for the United Methodist Children’s Home. Created a New Year’s Eve email campaign that raised $12,000 in 15 hours. Efforts resulted in client’s highest donation total during a fundraising period, a 27% increase over the previous period.
      • For 2 consecutive years, designed and coordinated printing and binding of 10,000 souvenir journals for the Atlanta Football Classic, generating nearly $50,000 in revenue for 100 Black Men of Atlanta
      • Developed signature “How to Write a Winning Annual Report” workshop and worked with CEOs and their staffs to tell visually stunning stories to stakeholders about the year’s revenue generation and program activity

      Public Relations Chair

      Urban League of Greater Atlanta Young Professionals

      Dec. 2011 – Dec. 2012
      Atlanta, GA

      • Developed marketing plan and produced marketing collateral for 2 signature fundraising events, which helped raise $11,000 in 2011-2012 for philanthropic efforts (largest amount to date)
      • Recruited and managed a team of 6 volunteers, delegating responsibilities for completion of all public relations tasks
      • Managed media relations and served as spokesperson for a televised segment on WXIA 11Alive
      • Secured 2 televised segments of pre- and post-event coverage on 11Alive, along with coverage and placements in various print and online media outlets, resulting in the highest registration count to date for signature entrepreneurship conference
      • Implemented tactics that increased the organization’s social media following across major platforms by 200%

      Additional Experience

      Co-Founder + Art Director
      Dovely Magazine | Atlanta, GA | Aug. 2010 – Feb. 2011

      Graphic Designer and Marketing Coordinator
      PNC Bank | Houston, TX | Apr. 2007 – June 2008

      Education & Certifications

      Master’s Degree (MPS),
      Public Relations & Corporate Communication

      Georgetown University

      Expected August 2023

      Bachelor’s Degree (BA), Communication

      George Mason University

      Nonprofit Management Essentials

      Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management

      Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate

      University of South Florida Muma College of Business

      Professional Certified Marketer (PCM),
      Marketing Management

      American Marketing Association

      Professional Development

      Media Training
      • The Issues & Crisis Group, Washington, DC
      University of the District of Columbia Community College (UDC-CC)
      • Project Management
      Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
      • How to Prepare and Train Executives for Media Interviews
      American Marketing Association (AMA)
      • Marketing Decision-Makers: Stop Thinking Tactics, Start Thinking Campaigns
      • Stakeholder Mapping for Brand Success
      • Optimize Video Content to Multiply Your Media
      • Leverage Google Analytics Features for Your Business
      • The Power of Primary Research: Gather Insights Straight from Consumers
      • Lessons from Marketing Luminaries: What It Takes to Lead and Succeed as a Marketer
      CareerTrack

      The Copywriter’s Workshop

      ICSC

      Driving Revenue from Social Campaigns

      National Seminars Training (NST)

      Crash Course for the First-Time Manager or Supervisor

      Technical Skills

      Applications
      • PR + Social Media: Cision (power user), Critical Mention, Hootsuite
      • Adobe Creative Cloud: Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat
      • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, Teams
      • Email Marketing: Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Higher Logic/Magnet Mail
      Market Research

      Mintel, Statista, SurveyMonkey, Mergent Intellect, CoStar, Esri Business Analyst

      CMS

      WordPress, Drupal

      Style Guides

      Associated Press (AP), Modern Language Association (MLA)