Spotlight Award: Internal Communications Campaign, "Del Monte Foods Education Scholarship Program" – 2023
~ Oregon Chapter PRSA ~
Given the importance of education to total well-being, the goal for this initiative was to design and launch a $5,000 scholarship for 10 team members’ children that aligned with company purpose and also offered an additional benefit. The scholarship would support not only attendance at a two- or four-year college, university, but also at a vocational or technical school.
The strategic approach was based on amplifying the message through CEO-led communications and site-specific communications at plants and distribution centers to deliver key messages and spur action. Tactics included, newsletter content, LCD graphics, emails and cascaded info. through department leaders.
With help from Scholarship America, all 10 scholarships were awarded with 75% awarded to applicants that self-identified as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color).
*The campaign achieved additional recognition for supporting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in both the workplace and the community.
Spotlight Award: Internal Communications Campaign, "First-Annual Team Member Feedback Survey" – 2022
~ PRSA Oregon Chapter ~
The first-annual team member survey was fielded to show how effective the company had been in growing together and developing an even greater place to work for all.
The goal was to develop a baseline measurement of engagement and trust, and achieve participation from three quarters of the population.
My strategic approach was to cut through the noise, with a surround-sound approach which used multiple channels to deliver key messages and spur action. Furthermore, an outcome-based engagement framework was developed for effective communication for each key audience.
The goal was exceeded at just over three quarters of the population participated and the communications work came in just below the expected budget.
Influence Award: Internal Communication Campaign, "Open Enrollment is Just Around the 'Corn'er" – 2020
~ California Capital Chapter PRSA ~
The open enrollment campaign was built around witty headlines, on-brand imagery with a focus on products, as well as clear and actionable copy.
The campaign increased participation in the HDHP plan by 11% and also increased system users by 10% Through in-person site visits — we delivered a high-touch experience. Furthermore, email tactics were strong with an average 87% open rate.
Silver Anvil: Issues Management Category, “The Almond Industry Weathers the Drought” – 2016
~ Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) ~
The team challenged consumer perceptions and changed the narrative around almonds and the drought by rapidly responding to misinformation, sharing how almonds are farmed and processed through trained spokespersons, deploying almond ambassadors to deliver facts and building influential relationships with third-party experts.
Influence Award: Electronic/Digital Tactic, “Weekly Handler Email” – 2016
~ California Capital Chapter PRSA ~
The Weekly Handler Email, an email newsletter, was redesigned and the distribution method was updated to allow for tracking of basic analytics via an email marketing service. The newsletter was also made consistent in tone and style with other industry communication materials. Furthermore, the process for development and distribution was simplified and standardized with a Standard Operating Procedures guide.
Influence Award: Crisis Communications Campaign, “Managing Dust at Harvest” – 2015
~ California Capital Chapter PRSA ~
Managing Dust at Harvest was an integrated behavior change campaign, reminding farmers to think about their neighbors during harvest and implement best practices to reduce dust. The campaign included advertising and articles in existing content outlets and key industry publications. In addition, an e-blast series, how-to events and media relations were executed. The team also captured photographs and video footage of dust reduction practices for development of how-to videos for the next year.
Spotlight Award: Annual Report Tactic, “Oregon Dairy Connection: 2012 Year in Review” – 2013
~ PRSA Oregon Chapter ~
In the past, dairy farmers only received printed updates on a quarterly basis. There was no annual report, or recap of results. In addition, materials were generic in nature with a focus on outputs and not specific to programming results. An annual report was developed to focus on results and achievements of the organization. The annual report showcased an updated style and tone compared to previous communication materials.
Oregon Chapter PRSA ~ Leadership Positions
- Treasurer – 2021
- Director-at-Large Conferences – 2013
- Director-at-Large Volunteers – 2012