I am a seasoned higher education marketing professional with a decade of experience in developing strategic and engaging content for diverse audiences, and currently serve as the Director of Audience Engagement Strategy at University of the Pacific.

With a proactive approach to problem-solving, I've developed successful social media campaigns and omnichannel marketing initiatives that leverage data-driven decision making, storytelling and community building to increase brand visibility, drive conversions and address the motivators and barriers of prospective students and parents throughout their decision-making journey.

With a passion for fostering positive change in higher education, I consistently achieve measurable results while embodying a spirit of collaboration, empathy and continuous learning. Even after more than 20 years as a communicator, I remain dedicated to understanding the nuances of compelling communication and identifying opportunities to experiment with new technologies to make meaningful connections.

I pride myself on being an empathetic leader and mentor who encourages my team to strive for success, try new things and not allow their fear of failure to keep them from enjoying the growth process. With diverse experiences spanning marketing and communications across various industries, I have sat at many unique tables — as a young and very green journalist in a daily newspaper’s “war room,” a confident communications director presenting to high-level executives, and so much in between. I have earned my place in every room and learned crucial leadership skills from each role — how to translate complex ideas and articulate strategies, manage conflict and reduce friction, adapt to challenging situations, advocate for my team and maintain composure under pressure.

At University of the Pacific, I lead efforts to tailor organic and paid social media strategies for six social media channels: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube and X.

In early 2024, Strategic Communications and Enrollment Marketing recognized the importance of a unified approach in representing the University's brand and Enrollment Strategy’s priorities on social media and partnered to reshape Pacific’s digital presence by merging channels. I was delighted to lead the development of a strategy to strengthen Pacific’s reputation, generate awareness and maximize engagement while continuing to convert prospective students throughout the enrollment funnel.

My role requires a high level of understanding of all social channels, their audiences and their functions to seek out opportunities for touch points to maximize engagement, generate leads and drive conversions. Crucially important to this role is the use of analytics, identifying key performance indicators, tracking metrics across the entire student journey, and regularly measuring the return on investment (ROI) of paid social media campaigns and digital engagement platforms.

As a former journalist with a nine-year career at McClatchy Newspapers, including The Modesto Bee and The Sacramento Bee, I bring a unique perspective to my role in higher education marketing and communications. I will always have the desire to communicate the stories of diverse subjects and connect them to broader societal issues, and my experience as a staff writer, columnist and editor has honed my ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with distinct audiences. At UC Merced, I successfully translated complex academic concepts into engaging content for a variety of marketing channels, including email campaigns, web pages, social media and more. This experience has equipped me with the skills to effectively communicate the value and impact of higher education and demystify the college search process for prospective students and their families.