Betsy Arenella

Betsy Arenella

Writer/Editor

Followers of Betsy Arenella281 followers
location of Betsy ArenellaNeedham, Massachusetts, United States

Connect with Betsy Arenella to Send Message

Connect

Connect with Betsy Arenella to Send Message

Connect
  • Timeline

  • About me

    Associate Director-Major Gift Communications at Boston Children's Hospital Trust

  • Education

    • Hamilton College

      1982 - 1986
      AB English Lit

      Activities and Societies: Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Sigma Iota. summa cum laude, National Fulbright Scholarship Finalist (Italy), May 1986, French minor.

  • Experience

    • Hamilton College

      Oct 1986 - May 1988
      Writer/Editor

      Created promotional pieces -- including a national award-winning reunion direct-mailer -- for highly successful development operation. Wrote and edited feature articles and book reviews for alumni magazine.

    • NYNEX Corp. (merged with Bell Atlantic, now Verizon)

      Jan 1988 - Jan 1997
      Manager-Corporate Communications
    • Verizon

      May 1988 - May 1997

      Conceived, planned and executed media-relations strategies positioning Verizon (then NYNEX) as a global telecommunications leader. Created and successfully pitched news releases and served as NYNEX spokeswoman and liaison with major Boston print, radio and television outlets regarding NYNEX policy. Advised company's local community-relations representatives regarding NYNEX policy and position statements. Editor of then-New England Telephone's weekly employee publication and of the New England section of then-NYNEX's corporate-wide employee publication. Conceived and wrote timely, interesting news articles in a vivid style. Hired and supervised freelance writers, photographers and printing vendors. Directed all employee-communications functions for then-NYNEX Information Resources, publisher of the NYNEX Yellow Pages. As editor, revitalized employee publication, introducing straightforward, colorful writing, humor, interesting features and photos, op-eds and letters to the editor, resulting in 95 percent employee-approval rating in a company-wide survey. Created presentations, executive speeches and brochures. Supervised writers, interns, photographers and printing vendors. Assistant editor of then-NYNEX Information Resources' biweekly employee newsletter. Wrote and edited compelling news stories and features, created layout. Wrote presentations, executive speeches and brochures. Supervised freelance writers, interns, photographers and printing vendors.

      • Manager - Media Relations

        Jan 1995 - May 1997
      • Manager - Corporate Communications

        Feb 1993 - Jan 1995
      • Editor - Corporate Communications

        May 1990 - Feb 1993
      • Management Trainee - Corporate Communications

        May 1988 - May 1990
    • Liberty Mutual

      May 1997 - Mar 2000
      Senior External Relations Specialist

      Directed all public-relations activities for the company's national personal insurance line of business. Developed and managed successful strategic national and local publicity programs supporting Personal Market national business objectives. Acted as national Personal Market media spokesperson and worked with executives in a consultative capacity to create news releases, position statements and Q & As on marketing, regulatory and sensitive issues. Won employee-recognition award for creating and implementing a successful PR plan for Personal Market's urban-office openings. Show less

    • Betsy Arenella Communications

      Mar 2000 - Sept 2011
      Principal

      Provide communications consulting. Create and execute communications plans including both internal and external audiences, write Web and print marketing copy, news releases, articles, books and more.Clients include:• Liberty Mutual Group, Boston, Mass. (August 2007-April 2009)Ghostwrite articles promoting Liberty Mutual personal-insurance products for affinity partners’ publications. Conduct industry research, interview subject-matter experts.• Quality of Life Publishing, Naples, Fla. (January 2008-April 2009)Write articles for Quality of Life Matters®, a physician newsletter for the hospice and home-care sectors. Edited Real Men Do Cry, memoir by former NFL player Eric Hipple.• Oaktree Development, Cambridge, Mass. (November 2008-April 2009) Created/executed PR campaign to promote Lexington, Mass., downtown business- revitalization project. Show less

    • BMW

      Jan 2006 - Jan 2006
      Contributor
    • OneBeacon Insurance

      Jan 2009 - Jan 2009
      Communications Consultant

      Consult with business areas regarding communications solutions and marketing/brand management strategies. Develop and execute comprehensive, integrated communications plans supporting client business objectives.

    • AstraZeneca

      Mar 2010 - Jun 2010
      Communications Lead

      As temporary contract employee, provided internal-communications support, communications-strategy development, planning, execution and measurement as part of the Operational Excellence team.

    • Boston Software Corporation

      Sept 2011 - May 2016
      Writer

      Create and execute communications plans that engage current customers, sell add-on products and attract prospects for comparative insurance rating software.· Wrote most-read, most popular customer communication (see Key accomplishments)· Create and maintain blog, http://bostonsoftware.com/news.php· Working on redesign of, provide Website content for www.bostonsoftware.com· Announced Spring 2012 software upgrade, created content for new customer resource center, http://bostonsoftware.com/resourcecenter.php.· Create customer enewsletter, software instructions, marketing material, letters, emails. Show less

    • Boston Children's Hospital

      May 2016 - now

      write proposals, stewardship reports and acknowledgement letters for Major Gifts donors

      • Associate Director-Major Gift Communications

        May 2023 - now
      • Senior Communications Officer

        Jun 2018 - May 2023
      • Development Writer

        May 2016 - Jun 2018
  • Licenses & Certifications