Homestead PR

Homestead PR understand that public relations is about the art of building communities and engaging in two-way dialogue. It’s about connecting people and organizations with their stakeholders ultimately earning trust and building lasting relationships.

It isn't just our job but our passion to share the story and engage others. From media relations to internal communications to social media … we believe every great story deserves to be told.

Founder/Principal

Bowling Green State University

Developed and managed internal communications efforts around the University’s new five-year strategic plan – Focus on the Future. 
  o	Pulse survey results showed that after first year of implementation more than 90 percent of faculty and staff were aware and had conversations with their direct supervisors about the University’s direction.
Managed and directed the University’s media relations efforts with special focus on BGSU’s three research pillars: water quality, social demography and photochemical sciences.
  o	Focused efforts to build relationships and reach out, resulted in a 20 percent increase in media exposure.
Executed the University’s internal communications plan that included sharing key milestones, news and updates with students, faculty and staff.
  o	Revised and changed the weekly faculty/staff e-newsletter to be more relevant and timely resulting in double the open rates.
Oversaw the University’s social media team and their efforts to grow engagement on social platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok.  
Worked closely with senior leadership around critical initiatives and communications that affected the broader University community, including diversity and belonging efforts.
Served as senior editor for the bi-annual BGSU Magazine, the official alumni publication sent to more than 100,000 living alumni.

Director of Marketing and Communications and University Spokesperson

Mercy Health (formerly Catholic Health Partners)

•	Lead a team of PR professionals across Mercy Health’s nine regions throughout Ohio and Kentucky to execute internal and external communications.
•	Implemented change communications plan across the organization as Mercy Health streamlined non-direct patient care areas like information technology, finance, marketing and communications. 
•	Developed and implemented new media relations platform.

Public Relations Director

•	Led the strategic communications efforts for Mercy Health in Toledo focusing on aligning internal and external communications across the organization 
•	Developed the communications and roll out of the region’s new vision for the future: Vision 2020 	 
       -- 92% of employees participated in an alignment session to become aware of the organization’s new vision in 2016.
•	Served as organizational speech writer for CEO and senior leadership team.
•	Worked in partnership with System Director of Marketing and Communications as well as senior leadership to develop and execute key communication messages and strategies to all levels of the organization as well as to external constituents.
•	Served as the regional spokesperson.

Director of Communications

Led the external and internal communications efforts for Mercy-Toledo Market of Mercy Health, parent organization. 
•	Developed organizational voice and style for all Mercy communications.
•	Planned and directed the cascading of key organizational information through tailored messaging and specific communications vehicles to targeted, relevant audiences.
•	Worked in coordination with Vice President of Marketing and Communications and senior leadership team in furthering Mercy and Mercy Health's strategy and how it relates to employees across all levels of the organization.
•	Oversaw all media relations efforts for the market.
•	Coordinated the Ebola preparedness communications both internally and externally by proactively sharing Mercy’s readiness to treat and triage patients.

Public Relations and Internal Communications Manager

•      Directed the public relations strategy for Mercy health system, its four metro Toledo area hospitals and ambulatory care sites.
•	Led the media relations, sponsorships and external communications for Mercy regional offices and its metro hospitals.
•	Developed the social media strategy for Mercy Health system (Mercy – Toledo’s parent organization).
•	Coordinated the marketing efforts for Mercy Children’s Hospital.
•	Implemented the launch of For Every Woman by Mercy, a community relations program that featured Mercy’s President and CEO; was designed to empower women to put their health first by offering community events, health screenings and health information disseminated through social media.
•	Supervised marketing and communications coordinator, whose responsibilities included media relations, physician marketing and public relations support.

Director, Public Relations

•	Responsible for all media relations and crisis communications efforts for the four Mercy hospitals in the metro Toledo area: Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, Mercy Children’s Hospital, Mercy St. Charles Hospital and Mercy St. Anne Hospital. 
•	Coordinated the internal and external communications efforts for the regional health system involving union activities and three collective bargaining units. 
•	Actively promoted Mercy and its facilities with stories that appeared in both print and television; in 2009, generated $1.2 million in free advertising with over 35 million impressions.
•	Developed and implemented Marketing and Communications internship program to allow real-life experience opportunities for public relations and marketing college students from area universities.

Manager, Media Relations

•	Responsible for speaking and interacting with the news media.
•	Coordinated media training for all top-level executives, including the president & CEO.
•	Drafted and implemented the organization’s Media Relations Policy and Crisis Communications Plan.
•	Tracked all media relations efforts and generate reports for each hospital and product line
•	Generated articles for Vitality, an external newsletter sent to community members in the St. Charles service area.
•	Managed marketing efforts for Mercy St. Charles Hospital

Media Relations Coordinator

•	Created a region-wide weekly newsletter – The Mercy Minute – including the writing, editing and design of the newsletter.
•	Coordinated internal communications related to front line employees.
•	Assisted with hospital CEO meetings with their respective employees.
•	Worked with all news media in generating news coverage for the four Mercy hospitals in the metro Toledo area: Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, Mercy Children’s Hospital, Mercy St Charles Hospital and Mercy St. Anne Hospital.

Communications Specialist

Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority

•	Worked directly with Manager of Communications.
•	Drafted news releases, coordinate news conferences and special events.
•	Produced the organization’s newsletter, Via.
•	Coordinated the Port Authority’s attendance at industry trade shows.
•	Actively promoted the operations of the four divisions in Port Authority: Toledo Express and Toledo Executive (formerly Metcalf) airports, Central Union Plaza (Amtrak station), Port of Toledo and economic development.
•	Created and implemented marketing plans for Toledo Express Airport.

Communications Coordinator

Dynamic, innovative and strategic PR/communications professional with a proven track record in  communications, media relations and story writing/editing. 

Areas of expertise: storytelling. I partner with companies and organizations to help you discover your story and share it with your audiences. Can’t believe I get to do this for a living and help clients with executive communications; communication strategy development; media relations; reputation and crisis management; employee communications; and social media.

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