Strategic Communications, Planning & Project Management
Much of my experience involves looking at the bigger picture - understanding what an organization is trying to accomplish, identifying the audiences that matter and developing communication strategies to help get there. That has included leading communication efforts involving multiple teams, organizations, deadlines and competing priorities, from national campaigns and community outreach initiatives to major public meetings, media events, employee programs and long-term projects such as the Ala Wai Flood Risk Management Project in Hawaii. Projects have often required taking an initial idea through planning, coordination, execution and evaluation while keeping the people involved informed and moving in the same direction.

Building Relationships & Engaging Stakeholders
Bringing people together has been a consistent part of my work. I've worked closely with senior executives, military commanders, physicians and healthcare professionals, government agencies, elected officials, community organizations, employees and members of the media. Whether coordinating with hospital staff to tell patient-care stories, working with communities affected by federal projects or supporting leaders during periods of change, the approach has remained much the same: listen, understand different perspectives and build relationships before they're needed.

Executive, External & Government Communications
As my career progressed, my responsibilities expanded from primarily developing communication products to advising senior leaders and helping shape how organizations communicate. That experience includes preparing executive messaging, talking points, communication plans, media responses, congressional information and materials for senior government and military leaders. At the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management, responsibilities also included legislative and external affairs, stakeholder engagement and communicating complex policy, regulatory and operational issues to audiences with very different interests and levels of understanding.

Healthcare & Clinical Communications
My experience includes approximately seven years supporting military healthcare organizations, including Winn Army Community Hospital and Pacific Regional Medical Command/Tripler Army Medical Center. That work involved collaborating directly with physicians, nurses, hospital leadership, Human Resources and other clinical and administrative teams to communicate healthcare programs, support recruiting and employee engagement, coordinate media opportunities and make medical information understandable and relevant to patients and the community. At WINN, I developed a Speakers Bureau that connected healthcare professionals with audiences on topics ranging from nutrition and chronic conditions to mental health and wellness.

Digital, Creative & Emerging Technology
Technology has always been an important part of bringing communication ideas to life, and learning new tools and finding practical ways to put them to work has remained a priority throughout my career. I'm an advanced user of Adobe Creative Cloud, including InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator, with extensive experience using Microsoft 365, PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint, Teams, Canva, Hootsuite, content management systems, social media platforms and virtual meeting and webinar tools.

More recently, generative AI has become another part of my communications workflow, supporting research, brainstorming, audience analysis, content development, message refinement and problem-solving. My experience includes ChatGPT, along with continued exploration of Microsoft Copilot, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Adobe Firefly and Canva's AI capabilities, particularly where these tools can strengthen research, creative development, visual storytelling and productivity. As with any communications tool, I’ve incorporated AI thoughtfully into my work, with attention to accuracy, audience, context and purpose. Whether exploring an idea, designing a visual, developing a presentation or managing digital content, technology supports the work rather than replacing the experience, creativity and judgment behind it.

Media Relations, Reputation & Crisis Communications
Working with journalists and helping organizations navigate high-profile or sensitive issues has been another significant part of my career. That experience includes serving as a spokesperson, preparing leaders for interviews, responding to media inquiries, developing key messages and coordinating communications during emergencies, controversial projects and rapidly changing situations. While supporting U.S. Army Africa and U.S. Army Europe, as well as organizations and missions throughout the Indo-Pacific, my work took place in international environments where effective communication required an understanding of cultural differences, partner relationships and the broader implications of how an issue or organization was presented publicly.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
My experience includes leading communications teams and programs as well as working across organizational lines where success depends on collaboration rather than authority. That has meant partnering with operations, Human Resources, healthcare professionals, engineers, scientists, program managers, legal and policy staff, senior leadership and external organizations. Understanding what other people do, what they need from communications and how their work connects with the audiences that matter has been an important part of that collaboration.

Research, Audience Understanding & Content Development
My background in psychology complements my communications experience by providing another lens for understanding audiences: what they already know, what matters to them, what concerns they may have and what might motivate them to respond. Interviews, stakeholder conversations, feedback and qualitative information have helped shape communication approaches and inform stories, articles, executive messages, web content, social media, presentations and outreach materials designed to be useful and meaningful rather than simply informational.

Global Communications & Cultural Awareness
Working across the United States, Europe, Africa and the Indo-Pacific has reinforced that effective communication isn't one-size-fits-all. My experience includes supporting military, civilian and international audiences in environments where culture, geography, organizational priorities and political considerations could significantly affect how information was received. Those experiences have strengthened my ability to listen, adapt and communicate thoughtfully with people whose perspectives and experiences may be very different from my own.