Case Study #1: The Exchange, The Ohio Society of CPAs
Thought Leadership | Strategic Communications | Event Planning
Turning an idea into a revenue-generating product and thought leadership platform
I conceived, developed and launched The Exchange, a statewide conversation series designed to bring CPAs and non-CPAs together to discuss the issues shaping Ohio's business environment and future. The initiative expanded the association's role beyond professional learning, though it was eligible for both CPE and CLE. The Exchange successfully created an opportunity to engage new audiences, elevate the Society's profile and position OSCPA as a statewide thought leader.
The opportunity
Professional associations have valuable expertise and trusted voices. The challenge is finding new ways to bring that knowledge into conversations that matter beyond their membership.
The opportunity was to create an in-person event that connected the organization's professional expertise with broader business, economic and public policy discussions — building relevance with existing members while reaching people outside the profession giving them a beautiful venue to gather, network and learn.
The strategy
Rather than treating thought leadership as a series of isolated communications, the concept created a recognizable, branded platform for convening diverse perspectives around shared challenges and opportunities. The series was designed to strengthen the organization's voice, foster connections across professional and community audiences and create a repeatable program with potential to generate revenue.
The execution
From concept development through launch, I led the work of turning the idea into a program. That meant shaping the series' purpose and positioning, developing its communications approach and coordinating the elements needed to bring the conversations to life.
The work connected strategic thinking with practical execution: establishing a clear identity for the initiative, communicating its value to prospective audiences and positioning each conversation as an opportunity to engage with issues extending beyond the accounting profession.
Why it matters
The Exchange illustrates how strategic communications can do more than promote an organization. It can help an organization define its role in a larger conversation, create new opportunities for engagement and turn expertise into a platform with lasting value.
The takeaway: I turn ideas into action. From the first spark of a concept to the strategy, execution and results, I bring the vision, leadership and follow-through to make ambitious ideas a reality.
Case Study #2: Presidential Transition, Ohio University
Executive Positioning | Stakeholder Engagement | Strategic Leadership
Directing executive communications for a large, public institution through a highly visible presidential transition
A leadership transition is bigger than a change at the top. It is an opportunity to reshape the perception and narrative of an entire institution by rebuilding relationships and laying the groundwork for what comes next.
At Ohio University, I led executive communications and stakeholder engagement initiatives surrounding the departure of one president and the arrival of the university's 21st president. I managed presidential search messaging, identified strategic opportunities to introduce the incoming leader to key audiences, coordinated digital and video communications and led planning for the presidential inauguration. I also helped translate early stakeholder engagement into priorities for the new administration. The result was a coordinated transition effort that connected strategic communications with relationship-building, institutional priorities and cultivation of school pride around the public milestones marking a new chapter for the university.
The opportunity
A presidential transition brings together multiple communications challenges at once: honoring an outgoing leader, introducing a successor, maintaining confidence in the institution and creating opportunities for a new president to establish relationships and articulate a vision.
At Ohio University, I saw an opportunity to approach these responsibilities as a connected strategy rather than a series of individual announcements and events. Each milestone — from the farewell address to the presidential search to the public introduction and inauguration — offered an opportunity to reinforce the university's story while advancing the transition.
Just as important, the incoming president needed to build relationships with the people who would shape his tenure, including university stakeholders, community leaders and the media. That required communications that did more than announce a new leader. It required creating meaningful opportunities for him to listen, engage and begin establishing his priorities.
The strategy
I developed and coordinated communications initiatives across the transition lifecycle, aligning presidential search messaging, executive branding, digital content, media engagement and major institutional events.
The strategy focused on three priorities: communicating the transition with clarity and continuity, introducing the incoming president to audiences whose relationships would be important to his success and creating structured opportunities for stakeholder feedback to inform the new administration.
I also looked for opportunities to generate meaningful attention around the incoming president. Rather than relying solely on traditional introductions, I helped organize an editorial board tour with national media outlets, giving journalists opportunities to learn more about the new executive and his vision. I developed targeted outreach opportunities, including a reporter roundtable with local journalists, to support relationship-building and open lines of communication early in his tenure.
The execution
Managing the transition narrative. I led communications strategy associated with the presidential search, planned communications surrounding the outgoing president's farewell address and event, and oversaw the development of dedicated website pages for the search, presidential farewell and inauguration. These digital touchpoints gave each milestone a clear home while helping audiences follow the transition as it unfolded.
Establishing the incoming president's public identity. I helped shape the new president's branding and communications approach, creating a foundation for how he would be introduced to university and external audiences. I coordinated strategic media outreach, including an editorial board tour with national outlets, and organized opportunities for direct engagement with local reporters, including a reporter roundtable.
Building relationships and listening. I planned a statewide listening tour that introduced the new president to thousands of internal and external constituents. I helped use feedback from those conversations to frame presidential pathways, priorities and messaging objectives, connecting stakeholder perspectives to the early direction of the administration. Additional targeted outreach focused on groups with whom the president needed to establish relationships.
Bringing the inauguration to life. As co-chair of the 11-member Presidential Inauguration Planning Committee, I helped envision and execute the investiture ceremony for Ohio University's 21st president and associated community and university events. This required coordinating people, communications and event planning around a major institutional milestone.
My work during this period also drew on a broader executive communications role. I served as head speechwriter for the outgoing, incoming and interim university presidents, drafting approximately 350 speeches annually, including commencement addresses, State of the University speeches and keynotes. I advised college deans, board members and university communicators on aligning messaging with presidential priorities, staffed the president during public appearances and used live social media coverage to extend the reach of those engagements.
In November 2018, I was selected to present Ohio University's presidential search experience to more than 1,000 marketing and communications colleagues at the American Marketing Association's Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education.
Why it matters
A successful presidential transition depends on more than a compelling announcement or a well-executed ceremony. It requires a coordinated communications strategy that connects executive positioning, media relations, digital platforms, stakeholder engagement and institutional priorities.
This work demonstrates my ability to see the full picture, identify opportunities within complex organizational moments and lead the work required to bring a strategy to life. From shaping the narrative around a leadership change to creating opportunities for meaningful engagement and delivering a major institutional event, I connected executive counsel with practical execution.
The takeaway: I bring the strategic judgment to see the big picture, the executive communications expertise to shape the narrative and the project leadership to turn complex, high-stakes initiatives into results. Executives can trust me with their most consequential moments — the milestones that shape an institution’s legacy, define its future and demand both strategic vision and flawless execution. I connect institutional priorities with the people, messages and experiences that move an organization forward.
Case Study #3: Worthington Board of Education Campaign
Campaign Strategy | Brand Development | Coalition Building
Building a value-based winning campaign with intentionality and purpose
Running for public office required me to put my communications expertise to the test in the most personal way possible: as the candidate. In 2023, I built a campaign for the Worthington Board of Education that brought together policy analysis, message development, campaign branding, coalition building and strategic engagement. I navigated campaign compliance requirements, translated complex education and political issues into a clear platform, and developed the stump speech and messaging that connected my experience and priorities with the community's needs. The experience required me to integrate strategy and execution while remaining intimately accountable for every message, decision and public commitment.
The opportunity
A political campaign requires more than a compelling message. Candidates must understand the policies and financial decisions shaping the office, earn the trust of a diverse community and communicate a clear vision for the future. I approached this campaign as both a communications strategist and a candidate, building a foundation that connected policy knowledge, personal experience and community priorities while meeting the legal and administrative requirements of running for office.
The strategy
I built the campaign around a clear, consistent narrative grounded in my experience as a parent, communications professional and community member. I researched education policy and district issues, developed messaging that translated complex subjects into accessible language and established a recognizable campaign identity. I also focused on relationship-building, identifying opportunities to engage voters, cultivate supporters and build a coalition around the future of public education in Worthington.
The execution
Navigating campaign requirements: Managed the administrative and compliance responsibilities of a campaign, keeping legal requirements and deadlines in view alongside the demands of strategy and public engagement.
Translating policy into a platform: Analyzed education issues and developed a policy-informed message that connected the decisions facing a school board with the experiences and priorities of families.
Building the candidate brand: Developed campaign positioning, visual brand identity and consistent messaging that communicated who I was, what I stood for and why I was seeking public office.
Making the case in public: Wrote and delivered a stump speech that connected my personal story, professional experience and vision for public education in a compelling, accessible narrative.
Building a coalition: Cultivated relationships with voters, supporters and community members, creating opportunities to listen, build trust and bring people together around shared priorities.
In October 2024, I was asked to share my experience with senior-level leadership communicators from around the world in the session "A Mile in the Boss's Shoes: What a Speechwriter Learned When She Became Her Own Principal" at the World Conference of the Professional Speechwriters Association.
Why it matters
Campaigns demand the integration of strategy, policy, messaging, compliance and relationship-building under intense public scrutiny. The candidate cannot separate the message from the person delivering it or the promises from the responsibility to follow through. Running for office gave me direct experience with that accountability and deepened my understanding of what it takes to earn public trust.
The takeaway: I know how to build a winning strategy from the ground up, navigate complexity without losing sight of the bigger picture and bring people together around a shared purpose. Having served as both the strategist behind the message and the candidate accountable for it, I understand what's at stake when your name, credibility and future are on the line. I bring that perspective to every executive, organization and consequential moment I help lead.