EXPERIENCE
Adjunct Professor and Student Media Advisor (August 2022 to present)
The University of Southern Mississippi
Duties: Teaching School of Media and Communication classes and advising Student Media Center advertising, public relations, and social media staffers.
Senior Digital Writer (February 2022 to present)
Stamats Communications
Duties: Creating digital content, including blogs and thought leadership pieces, for health care and higher education clients throughout the United States.
Owner-Operator (July 2017 to present)
Perch Creek Communications
Duties: Providing clients with design, marketing, and public relations services.
Adjunct Professor (August 2015 to November 2021)
William Carey University
Duties: Teaching Strategies in Learning (HUM 200).
Regional Career Navigator (May 2021 to December 2021)
Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District
Duties: Implementing a federal grant for a workforce training program across 24 counties and five community colleges; recruiting eligible underemployed or unemployed participants; and providing career counseling and mentoring.
Editor and Creative Director (February 2020 to April 2021)
Hattiesburg Publishing
Duties: Editing The Pine Belt News newspaper and Signature Magazine; managing special publications, including two visitor’s guides; overseeing the five-member editorial and production team; and writing various pieces.
Director of Marketing and Communications (June 2019 to January 2020)
United Way of South Mississippi and Gulf Coast Community Foundation
Duties: Directing marketing and public relations campaigns; managing websites and social media; and serving as spokesperson.
Art and Marketing Director (July 2017 to March 2019)
Munn Enterprises and Munn Outdoor Advertising
Duties: Implementing and evaluating effective marketing communications; maintaining brand identities for each company; managing websites and social media; directing community and media relations; identifying, targeting, and providing solutions to select major accounts; and overseeing three designers.
Corporate Marketing Coordinator (April 2016 to July 2017)
Merchants Foodservice
Duties: Designing and distributing marketing communications to customers, a team of 150 sales representatives, and 300 marketing partners; managing events and media relations; and planning, implementing, and evaluating a $7 million marketing program with annual, quarterly, and monthly components.
Director of Media Relations and Marketing (December 2011 to April 2016)
William Carey University
Duties: Writing and distributing press releases; taking photos; advising the president on media and public relations; managing branding and social media; designing and placing advertisements; and advising the student newspaper.
Columnist and Staff Writer (December 2005 to December 2011)
Southwest Publishers
Duties: Writing a weekly community news column and serving as a general assignment reporter for The Daily Leader.
EDUCATION
- Graduate Certificate in Economic Development, The University of Southern Mississippi (2022, 4.0 GPA)
- Master of Business Administration, William Carey University (2014, 3.5 GPA)
- Bachelor of Science in Social Science and English, William Carey University (2012, 3.8 GPA)
- Associate in Arts, Copiah-Lincoln Community College (2010, 3.8 GPA)
HONORS
- First Place Awards, Magazine Feature and Investigative Journalism, Mississippi Press Association (2021)
- Professional Promise Award, Public Relations Association of Mississippi Pine Belt Chapter (2015)
- “Top 20 Under 40” List, Hattiesburg American (2015)
CURRENT SERVICE
- Treasurer, Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood Association and Walthall Foundation
- Marketing and Events Committee, United Way of Southeast Mississippi
- Executive Committee, NAMI Mississippi Pine Belt Chapter
PAST SERVICE
- Founder and President, William Carey University Pine Belt Alumni Chapter
- Secretary, Public Relations Association of Mississippi
- Secretary, Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center
- President, Acadia Oaks Homeowners Association
- President, Public Relations Association of Mississippi Pine Belt Chapter
- Vice President, College Public Relations Association of Mississippi
PUBLICATIONS
- Contributing Author, Memories of Lincoln County (Outskirts Press, 2020)
- Primary Author, William Carey University: Celebrating 125 Years (Campus History Series from Arcadia Publishing, 2017)
SKILLS
- Community, Media, and Public Relations
- Content Editing, Strategy, and Writing
- Digital and Traditional Marketing
- Graphic Design and Pagination
- Project Management and Training
- Social Media and Website Management