Build Carolina

I serve as executive director for the South Carolina-based 501(c)3 nonprofit Build Carolina. Our mission is to advance South Carolina's tech community through demand-driven training, connection, and support. We currently run three programs - SC Codes, Carolina Code School and Develop Carolina.

I also serve as a speaker and presenter on topics ranging from coding education to diversity in the tech industry to life after code bootcamp. I have served as a speaker or panelist for the following:

UGA Grady College and Career Center (July 2020) - "Keys to Your Job Search in Uncertain Times" panel

Coffee + Conversation at Upstate Alliance, Greenville SC (Feb. 2020) - "The state of code education in the Upstate" 

Hir(Ed) Conference, Austin, TX (Nov. 2019) - "How the next generation of code bootcamps can serve all markets"

Summit on IT, Columbia, SC (Nov. 2019) - "From the Mountains to the Sea – issues, challenges, and opportunities related to the technology sector"

Executive Director

Backstage Communications LLC

I provide freelance project-based communication strategies and tactics for clients, ranging from traditional and digital media strategies to speaking engagement preparation, copywriting and targeted audience research.

I also contribute interviews, feature articles and copy for both national and local publications and websites.

Principal and Consultant

The Iron Yard

In this role, I was responsible for managing the entire communications arm of our marketing department. 

My team and I handled the following areas of marketing communications: research, content strategy, content creation, customer reviews, SEO, digital marketing optimization, social media, public/media relations, blogging and all things communication.

Director Of Communications

Charlotte Center City Partners

In this role, I was responsible for advancing communications objectives by working with both traditional and alternative media, writing internal and external communications pieces, and creating communications plans for specific projects, programs and events.

I created strategic plans, policies, guidelines, messaging framework and talking points, speeches, website copy, advertising copy, social media content, video scripts, event scripts, brand messaging and positioning, community relations plans, presentations and, of course, press releases.

Director of Communications

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont

What I take away from this role more than anything is how I handled the organization's largest crisis in generations - a fire that completely devastated one of the retail stores, followed by an arson investigation. Generally in this role, I developed and implemented public relations and social media strategies to generate awareness of Goodwill and enhance the agency’s image both internally and externally.

Public Relations and Social Media Manager

The Fund for Theological Education

Communications strategy/planning
Media relations
Copy editing
Writer

Communications Consultant

Comunicano, Inc

Worked with remote team on communications for a range of technology clients. 
Analyst Relations
Media Relations
Communications Strategy
Story Development
Positioning
Messaging
Conference Speaker Booking
Trade Show Management
Awards Nominations
Event Communications

Communications Strategist

Wunderkind Public Relations

I developed thought leadership bylines and white papers on social media on behalf of the agency.

MSL (Global)

Corporate communications professional serving a variety of global and local accounts including Heidelberg, UPS Supply Chain Solutions, Coca-Cola Company, Randstad, The Home Depot, EarthLink and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development.

Assistant Account Executive

Account Coordinator for B2B/Public Affairs team. Clients are Randstad, Heidelberg, UPS, etc.

Account Coordinator

Welcome! I’m Lelia. I serve as Executive Director for Build Carolina, a South Carolina-based 501(c)(3) with a mission to advance our tech community through demand-driven training, connection, and support. We currently run three programs - SC Codes, Carolina Code School and Develop Carolina. 

Since 2017, it has been my absolute honor to build an organization with core values that align with my own: values including opportunity, community, collaboration, agility, diversity, and impact. 

I love to share my story and insights I have gleaned from building a nonprofit organization from the ground up. I have a unique perspective on workforce and talent development, the changing world of education and training, and career change.

I've always been drawn to writing, and I believe in the power of stories. There is nothing people connect with more than shared human experience. Stories beat marketing jargon every time.

I enjoy helping people realize their passions, understand their personal brand, gain confidence and go after new careers.

A few weeks ago, I started to notice some pain in my hips. I brushed it off as aging (hello 40s), or perhaps a reminder to include more cross-training between my indoor cycling days. 

A few days ago, noticing the pain again, I thought to myself, "I wonder why it feels like my legs aren't extending as far as they used to?" 

So today, I decided to take a look at my seat height. I pulled up the "Peloton 101" videos that I used long ago to set it up, and re-watched. I realized my seat had slowly sunk down to a level 6, when I needed it to be about a level 21. 

I fixed it, hopped on, and immediately achieved a personal record. All with no hip pain. 

What's the point in sharing this story? It's not about the Peloton (although I do ❤️ it). It's a story about the tools we are using to achieve our goals, and a reminder that it's important to re-evaluate our tools regularly. If they aren't set up correctly (🙋🏻‍♀️), or if we're using the wrong tools (or no tools at all) - there is potential for pain, damage, or sub-optimal performance. 

So, how do we evaluate the tools we are using in our organizations? 

Step 1: Pinpoint and name the problem. Don't just get frustrated. Ask yourself - why is this a pain point? What is the root cause? 

I hear tons of examples of this often: I can't get access to accounts (passwords inaccessible), or I can't get a good understanding of our outcomes/KPIs (lack of tracking tools), or I don't know what this person is doing all day (lack of visibility and transparency in project or task management). 

Step 2: Take the time to re-assess. I love a good tooling audit. For me, this meant going back to the basics of how to properly set up my bike. For you, it might mean taking time to understand the problem, and assess the processes, structures, or tools that may be contributing. (This requires asking good questions and being a clear communicator.)

For example - if you are frustrated because you don't understand whether projects  are moving forward, and you find yourself assuming that the people who are working on those projects just aren't doing enough: Consider taking a step back and assessing how your team or company handles communication about project status as a whole. Is there clear definition around who owns the project? Is there a clear understanding of how often project status should be benchmarked? If not, then start there.

Step 3: Test it out. Whether you decide to try out a new tool, or perhaps you introduce a new procedure for how to better use a tool, it's time to test! This is the fun part. There are SO MANY new tools that have been introduced in the last few years that are intended to help make our lives and jobs easier. Don't be afraid to try them. 

Create a culture of testing/piloting/assessing/re-evaluating the tools you're using to achieve your (or your team's) goals, and you may surprise yourself with your own version of a PR. 🚀

#leadership #tooling #communication

Lelia King

We love seeing people succeed in #StartupGVL.

Recently, Carolina Code School graduated ten students in the 17th cohort of its 12-week, immersive program for professionals changing to a tech-based career. We were proud to share the stories of three code school students, who are now code school graduates! 

Congrats to Eddie, Kyra, Jonathan, and all your fellow grads.🎓

Meet all the graduates: https://bit.ly/43DxzgN 
And revisit the stories of Kyra, Jonathan and Eddie: https://bit.ly/4aUocfh

Photo credit: Sasha Q. Johnson

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