Samuel R.

Experience

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  PBS

  Jan 2009 - Jul 2011

  Community Education Coordinator

  Utilized social networking to conduct community outreach for several educational programs. Organized Community Cinema, a free program bringing documentaries and art films to the public of St. Louis. Also logged, maintained, and edited footage of educational programs.

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  Webster University

  Aug 2010 - Aug 2011

  Academic Advisor

  Acted as primary contact for incoming university students.Met regularly with advisees to offer guidance, complete paperwork, and address questions.Studied necessary paths to degree attainment, depending on discipline and educational level in order to provide accurate and timely guidance to students. Assisted students in course registration.Provided counseling for students working with difficult courses or life challenges that may interrupt degree completion.Provided written documentation upon request to various stakeholders.Collaborated with different departments, schools, and educators to ensure student success.Effectively communicated institutional standards and expectations. Show less

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  University of Missouri-Columbia

  Jun 2011 - Jul 2016

  - Provided creative vision and concept design for state honors education program. - Expanded online presence and awareness of university programming, increasing revenue and funding by 75% for programs over 2 years. - Designed and delivered educational programming for over 330 academically gifted students. - Led creative teams in advertising and marketing campaigns for a variety of outreach efforts, increasing brand awareness on a national level by 40%. Taught seminars and worked directly with 330 gifted high school students aged 15 and 16 for 3 weeks every June. Monitored their safety and participation in the academics of the program. Maintained and coordinated the safety of the residence hall.

  • Program Coordinator

    Jul 2013 - Jul 2016

  • Education Mentor

    Jun 2011 - Jun 2013
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  Fox C-6 School District

  Aug 2014 - Apr 2019

  Communications and Outreach Coordinator

  - Supervised project teams of 10-20 colleagues to develop marketing and outreach programs, from ideation to final project.- Researched, explored, and incorporated stakeholder suggestions and directions, resolved questions & concerns, and oversaw conflict resolution and mitigation between the organization and key groups.- Facilitated team meetings for marketing and advertising projects that supported brand identity. - Provided main customer service initiatives and coordinated strategic communication for a community of 75,000 taxpayers.- Executed community outreach programs and marketing related to 20+ distinct brands. - Managed internal communication for over 2,000 employees and among 12 departments.- Directly supervised team of 18 for social media and digital content creation in alignment with social media strategic plan. - Directed photographers, illustrators, designers, and other production staff to produce advertising and marketing campaign elements.- Designed and delivered professional development to a leadership team of 50 educators and hundreds of support staff.KEY ACHIEVMENT:Increased social media engagement by over 1200% over the course of 3 years, moving from a stakeholder grade of "F" to "A" in the area of outreach communications. Show less

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  Freelance

  Oct 2018 - May 2020

  Freelance Art Director

  - Led creative teams for over a dozen brands to execute marketing strategies for specific initiatives. - Trained personnel in Adobe Creative Cloud and other design tools.- Created user-experience design solutions to support streamlined brand experience. - Managed cross-functional teams for sales and billing projects.

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  Brentwood School District

  Apr 2019 - Apr 2022

  Director of Communications

  - Oversees educational technology initiatives related to online and virtual learning- Leads and develops community outreach and stakeholder engagement programs for one of Missouri’s top 20 school districts.- Conducts research and prepares strategic plans and budgets related to marketing, advertising, community education, and change agency programs.-Supervises multi-functional project teams of 5-10 staff to develop creative and effective campaigns for a diverse group of target audiences.- Provides strategic advice and leadership, overseeing 200 staff members as a member of the executive cabinet.- Leads crisis response team and oversees collaboration with local and state entities to execute emergency response plans.- Designs professional development opportunities for over 200 staff and over 1,000 families in the areas of social media, digital literacy, marketing, and more.- Designs, develops, and executes social media content and strategy for 6 unique brands.- Writes, edits, and proofs digital copy, technical writing, illustration, design, and video products in support of the district's mission, vision, and values.- Leads team of 6 to execute the district's strategic communication plan at all levels. - Builds relationships with local, state, and national media outlets to promote the organization’s story.- Commissions artwork and deliverables; negotiates costs and usage, oversees completion of work; and organizes all creative materials to ensure a smooth transition to other departments.KEY ACHIEVEMENTPassed consecutive bond issues to support school facility upgrades in a community that had not seen a tax increase in over 10 years. Show less

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  National Science Policy Network

  May 2022 - now

  Director of Programs

  - Provides thought leadership and oversees program strategy and execution.- Represents programs, staff, and participants and communicates opportunities and needs to internal and external stakeholders.- Manages, supports, and mentors a team of 3-10 program coordinators and implementers, and fosters constant two-way communication between the programs team and others throughout the organization.- Identifies needs and supports recruitment for future coordinators, consultants, and contractors.- Develops and monitors the budget for programs, working with executive leadership to ensure that resources and strategic priorities are aligned.- Consistently documents and shares program/participant experiences and storytelling updates with communications team and relevant committees, etc.- Oversees portfolio of 4+ core programs, as well as 10+ committee, chapter, and partner led programs and grant opportunities. Core programs include member training and professional development, such as SciPol Scholars and SciDEAL, the annual Science Policy Memo Competition, and more.- Oversees daily program operations including but not limited to: program planning and delivery, training/curriculum development and refinement, collaboration with internal and external partners, and budget monitoring.- Evaluates program impact by using existing established quantitative and qualitative assessment tools, and/or custom designing tools when needed. - Empowesr internal staff, committees, chapters, and partners to confidently deliver programs to our members and public by providing strong resources and supporting guidance.- Raises awareness for NSPN’s programs and activities to other organizations through partner relationships, speaking engagements, and in collaborations with the communications team.- Builds grassroots support and enthusiasm for NSPN and our programs through in-person engagements on campuses, at conferences, etc. Show less