Though I’ve also handled many tangentially related duties (including design, information architecture, quality assurance, etc.), the through line connecting most of my professional work has been strategic communication—the well-planned delivery of ideas through channels appropriate to the intended audience.

It’s been most rewarding for me when I can see the direct impact my communications work has, and this has never been more evident than my involvement with advocacy initiatives, at National PTA and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Greater Illinois Chapter. At both of these organizations, I worked with public affairs staff and advocacy volunteers—writing and editing issue briefs for executives and individuals making Hill visits, crafting and distributing action alerts, sending out e-mail updates, and developing content for brochures and guides.

I’ve been the communications lead on annual report projects (occasionally even designing them myself), written op-ed pieces and series of e-mail campaigns, and taken part in strategic planning sessions with five-year outlooks. I’ve also done some grant writing as a managing editor to help fund Willow Springs‘ appearance at the 2011 AWP Conference in Washington DC.

Links
Download the National PTA 2007 annual report

Download a 2008 op-ed written for PTA National President Jan Harp Domene

Download a 2007 series of issue briefs from the National MS Society