Case Western Reserve University

•Develop and implement strategic, internal communications strategies and plans that address and meet the goals of the School of Nursing
•Create digital content that captures achievements, news and events of the School's faculty, staff, students and alumni
•Manage the School's social media accounts, including developing and scheduling content across multiple platforms
•Regularly update web pages with fresh content and implement website best practices
•Develop, design and send monthly internal e-newsletters, including on behalf of the Dean and School research team
•Assist the Dean with communication efforts, including preparation of speeches, presentations, remarks, talking points, email messaging, and other published content
•Analyze digital metrics and continuously adopt content strategies to maximize audience engagement across multiple digital platforms
•Guide and educate school staff and faculty as needed on writing, editing and marketing projects

Internal Communications Manager, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing

Rescue Village

•Developed the nonprofit's social media and marketing calendar for 2022.
•Produced and published social media content to promote services, events and adoptable animals.
•Developed and managed content for the Rescue Village website using Wordpress CMS.
•Created a content map of Rescue Village's current website and began the process of redeveloping the site into a new CMS platform.
•Updated the media contact list.
-Edited and proofread the 2022 Impact Report, took the portrait of the Executive Director and Board President, as well as cover photo for the report
-Organized specialized artwork from artist Jenny Campbell of Rescue Village comic art (set to be published in summer 2022)
-Worked with Shelter staff to edit and arrange photos of shelter animals within database Shelterluv
-Optimized the nonprofit's internal computer server to better serve the needs of the External Affairs and Shelter teams

Marketing and Social Media Manager

The Davey Tree Expert Company

•Produced written and visual content for use in Davey's internal staff and shareholder magazine, The Davey Bulletin and Davey's external corporate marketing and communications channels.
•Conducted interviews with field- and management-level employees
•Wrote and edited magazine articles, B2B pieces and social media content
•Arranged and produced photo and video opportunities
•Wrote, published and tracked digital metrics for corporate press and media releases
•Produced content for Davey's annual Corporate Responsibility Report.

Project Manager - Corporate Communications and Marketing

Project Coordinator - Corporate Communications and Marketing

Crooked River Arts Council

•Produced photos and videos for social media and marketing materials during annual music and social events, including the Kent Beatlefest, Kent Blues Festival, Round' Town Music Festival, Kent American Roots Music Festival and the Kent Folk Festival.

Marketing Photographer

Tree City Coffee & Pastry

A career change for me? Working at the chillest coffee shop in Kent!
Working in all areas from bar-backing and register, food preparation and drink-making. Working all of those areas as needed in order to make our customers feel comfortable with good-tasting food, fantastic beverages and a relaxed atmosphere.

Barista

GateHouse Media

•Under Dix Communications, I covered topics and issues in northern Portage County communities, including township trustee and village council meetings; two school districts and their boards; local festivals and fairs; zoning boards, and every topics and issue from health and wellness, features on valedictorians and breaking news desk. Reporters also worked editing and designing shifts to produce and distribute content.

•Under GateHouse, I was assigned the county government and politics beat in the Portage and Summit County markets. I attended weekly meetings of the county commissioners, reported on issues affecting local governments and communities including the opioid crisis, how national policies affected local areas, and investigative pieces involving the county sheriff’s office. Using digital data analytics I was able to track my pageviews and online engagement.

Reporter (The Record-Courier)

Cleveland Jewish Publication Company

Worked temporarily as a digital producer for the CJN. Photographed, reported and produced video, wrote briefs, posted content to CJN.org using TownNews Blox Flex CMS.

Digital Producer

The Burr Magazine

"The Burr Magazine is Kent State University’s first student magazine, made by the students for the students. The Burr publishes a semesterly magazine that explores big issues and burning ideas, as well as fascinating people and the consuming preoccupations of its college audience. Each issue contains a compelling mix of how-to articles, original reporting and personal essays. TheBurr.com features Web and multimedia stories, as well as blogs on lifestyle issues, including relationships, fashion and entertainment. Providing award-winning student journalism since 1986."

•As a writer, I wrote a nationally ranked, Hearst-winning story on my personal experience working at an animal shelter.
•As a blogger, I produced content for Park It, a blog on recreational venues (local, state and national parks) near Kent State University. 
•As a copy editor for all print and online content, including blogs, news and feature stories.

Writer

The Kent Stater

Senior Reporter (May 2015 to Dec. 2015)
Editor in Chief (Dec. 2014 to May 2015)
Copy Desk Chief (Aug. to Dec. 2014)
City Reporter (Aug. to Dec. 2014)
KentWired Editor / Summer editor in chief (May to Aug. 2014)
Assigning Editor (Dec. 2013 to May 2014)
Diversity Beat Reporter (Aug. to Dec. 2013)
______________
The Kent Stater is the independent student-run newspaper for Kent State University.

•Editor-in-Chief: Hired and managed a staff of roughly 200 student reporters, editors, photographers and designers. Worked with all departments, from developing editorial news and entertainment content with reporters, working with a team of assigning editors, to designing pages for three days of published print editions and seven days of online content. Worked closely with the editor in chief of KentWired and the news director for TV2 News to begin a converged editorial relationship in the student media newsroom.

•City Reporter: Covered local government issues, including a controversial ballot measure to ban fracking within city limits, a community land bank using funds to demolish abandoned homes, and local and state government elections.

•Diversity Reporter: Covered ethnic/minority issues on campus and in the Northeast Ohio region, including the inaugural celebration of the Omani Student Organization's first National Day, Black Lives Matter protests and student forums, a racially charged theatre production, LGBTQ rights and Muslim-American students in the U.S. Traveled with students from Kent State's Black Images class to Michigan in 2014, following those students as they explored multiple historic black museums, learning about racism and slavery.

Editor in Chief

Cleveland Magazine

As an editorial intern I work as both a fact-checker and reporter for Cleveland Magazine and Inside Business Magazine, as well as several special publications under the Great Lakes Publishing business umbrella. Editorial interns work directly with editorial staff and are considered staff members in the office.

Editorial Intern

I am a professional storyteller with a demonstrated history of working in corporate and nonprofit communications. 

Skilled in journalism, digital marketing, public relations, crisis communications, media relations, SEO and more. Passionate about enjoying and protecting the environment, sustainability, animals, coffee, LEGOs and Star Wars. Professionally trained in photography, social media and multimedia videography.

When not in an office, you can find me wandering the trails at a local park, exploring antique stores, writing poetry by running waters, haunting a nearby coffee shop or expanding my knowledge on the latest world news or industry trends.

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Matthew Merchant's Linkedin Analytics

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