Brian Barker

Experience

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  KUSA-TV

  Jan 1997 - Jan 1998

  Associate Producer
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  KIMA TV, Yakima, WA

  Aug 1998 - Feb 1999

  News Reporter
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  United States Air Force Reserve

  Aug 1998 - Aug 2002

  Public Affairs Officer - Captain

  • Managed internal and external public relations for the 939th Rescue Wing and the 304th Rescue Squadron; elite, high profile special operations pararescue units involved in international and local missions.• Media relations specialist, conducted and facilitated interviews for local, national and international media. Organized high-profile events.• Crisis communications strategist. Acted as an advisor to executive staff to develop and execute various contingency plans during times of organizational adversity.• Composed speeches, media placements, and positioning papers for organization leadership.• Led dignitaries and media on facility tours to highlight organization’s role.• Extensive global travel.• Attained rank of captain. Show less

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  KOAA News First 5

  Feb 1999 - Nov 2001

  News Reporter

  • General assignment reporter.• Extensive experience covering the US military and the ski industry.• Experience includes a deployment to Bosnia with the U.S. Army. Coverage of this deployment won an Edward R. Murrow award.

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  KRQE NEWS 13/KASA FOX 2

  Nov 2001 - Nov 2003

  News Reporter

  • Investigative, crime, and breaking news reporter for leading 10pm newscast on Albuquerque CBS affiliate.• Manage the process of researching, gathering, writing and delivering TV news stories in multiple newscasts on a daily basis.• Develop news sources and leads.• Spent nearly 6 months on the road covering forest fires in the Rockies and the rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch and her colleagues after an ambush in Nasiriyah, Iraq.

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  KATU Channel 2

  Nov 2003 - Oct 2009

  News Reporter

  • CNN northwest regional contributor • Recognized as one of the best television journalists in the Northwest; established and nurtured extensive list of contacts and sources within local and national media, state government and high-tech industry.• Speak on camera in front of 100,000+ viewers every day, often without a script; meet multiple rock-solid writing deadlines on daily basis; operate under extreme stress in complex, changing environment; organize and coordinate team logistics across wide geographic areas; extensive travel.• Excellent writer under extreme deadline pressure.• Covered military deployments, rescues of climbers on Mount Hood, the eruption of Mount Saint Helens, and spent nearly a month covering Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.• Social media expert: Maintains two blogs, experienced web designer, prolific user of Twitter and Facebook.• Extensive travel to major news stories including 3 weeks covering Hurricane Katrina, more than a month covering the re-eruption of Mount Saint Helens, and countless breaking news stories across the region. Show less

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  Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue

  Jul 2009 - Nov 2012

  Public Affairs Officer

  • Public Information Officer for the largest fire district in Oregon. Incident Management Team member. ICS and NIMS certified. FEMA Advanced Public Information Officer.• Managed marketing, media relations, community affairs, and local government relations for five cities. • Responsible for strategic planning of involvement in community events and local government affairs.• Developed communications plans, responded to frequent media requests, acted as media spokesperson for fire district. • Coordinated and executed proactive media campaigns, planned and managed media events and news conferences. • Developed and implemented social media strategy for district. • Created and maintained fire district blog and social media platforms. Show less

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  Western Colorado University

  Nov 2012 - May 2016

  Director of Marketing Communications

  • Responsible for growing enrollment at a public university by leading all integrated strategic communications. Duties included marketing, content marketing, branding strategy, demand generation, advertising, website design and management, social media, public relations, media relations, licensing, and government affairs.• Managed a team of writers and strategic communications specialists telling Western State Colorado University's story across multiple communication channels including web, print, video, social media, and emails to 200,000 prospective students. • Content marketing leader. Managed university marketing and branding strategy, go-to-market strategy, digital media and display advertising, website design and management, SEO/SEM, social media, admissions communications, public relations, media relations, licensing, and government affairs.• Developed lead generation plans for Admissions efforts and academic programs. Responsible for concept development, sales process refinement, CRM execution, analytics, and measurement. • Developed, tested, designed and launched sales tools that helped the university's sales force convert prospective customers and move them through the funnel. • Supervised rebranding of the university. Conducted market research and focus groups, conceptual logo and mascot design and rollout of new logo. Developed and implemented new brand standards. • Managed national advertising campaigns, including campaign development, creative direction & production, media buying & placement, and analytics. • Represented Western as a board member of the Gunnison Chamber of Commerce and the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association. Show less

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  Adaptive Sports Center at Crested Butte Mountain Resort

  May 2016 - Jun 2019

  Marketing

  • Led marketing operations for fundraising events responsible for more than $1 million in annual revenue, accounting for more than half of the organization's operating budget.• Led marketing and communications strategy, in partnership with Development team, for $13.5 million capital campaign.• Directed all marketing and communications for the premiere therapeutic recreation program for people with disabilities in the United States. Responsibilities included branding, customer acquisition, customer communication experience, donor relations, content creation, and much more.• Managed staff, interns, and external vendors who create marketing content including print publications, website design and management, and events. • Content marketing leader. Shot and edited videos and photos for all marketing operations. • Website manager for organization. Show less

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  Colorado Mountain College

  Jun 2019 - now

  • Directs college-wide marketing communications strategy and execution for a 15,000 student dual mission college with 11 campuses across Colorado's Rocky Mountains. • Responsible for college brand, advertising, marketing, media relations, crisis communications, executive communications, internal communications, and special projects.• Leads an integrated marketing and media relations team, with communicators, strategists, and designers located at three residential and eight commuter campuses across a 12,000 square mile service area.• Advises executive leadership and elected board of trustees on strategic communications.• Team efforts recognized with awards by the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations and CASE.• Branded the national Dual Mission movement. Branded and executed the 2022 National Dual Mission Summit. Show less

  • Director of Marketing & Media Relations

    Jan 2021 - now

  • Director of Marketing

    Jun 2019 - Jan 2021