EXPERTISE

 

I lead integrated marketing campaigns that solve business challenges, drive traffic, grow revenue, change perceptions, and win awards. As the leader behind AT&T wireless advertising, I managed high-volume with agility and velocity, having averaged more than six campaigns a year from strategy through deployment, across all media types and audiences. I thrive in evolving situations and excel at providing actionable feedback, reducing complexity and friction.

 

EXPERIENCE

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AT&T, Atlanta, GA & Los Angeles, CA 12/2005 – 7/23

Increased responsibilities over time, growing from field management to complete ownership of the wireless line of business across all media types. Gained experience in multiple areas: retail, product marketing, subscription services, D2C online selling, and entertainment through AT&T initiatives and partnerships. Led internal teams and external agencies through periods of major change including new campaign introductions, mergers, restructuring, new category expansion, a shifting media landscape, and contracting budgets. 

 

Director, Marketing Communications and Advertising 03/14 – 07/23

 

Highlights

• Drove marketing strategy behind “Lily” campaign by making complex offers more accessible to customers, leading to lowest ever churn and highest subscriber growth over previous five years (2015); reintroduced campaign (2020) leading to seven growth quarters

• Piloted creation of the first digital video content library by working with, and encouraging agency partners to find ways to maintain quality standards, reduce expenses, and increase speed-to-market; project resulted in >$5M estimated production savings over three years and yielded content for thousands of digital ads

• Presided over annual production budget for the entire department; set and achieved annual budget forecast for production marketing ($60-$90M) over seven years despite continuous reductions and evolving needs

 

Directed advertising strategy development and production of all creative advertising materials: TV, Digital, Social, Audio, Print, OOH, Live Activations resulting in net positive port-ratios and improving brand sentiment

• Drafted consistently simple marketing briefs over time by distilling the value proposition for products into clearer agency input; during this period AT&T single-handedly increased brand and message recall norms for the entire telecom category by 2+ basis points

• Led development of an award-winning Multicultural Millennial campaign to grow brand relevance in low-share markets; using insights from audience research, AT&T engaged targets through authentic taste-maker collaborations introducing the brand to a previously unserved segment

• Drove strategy behind “Just Ok is Not Ok” campaign, a departure from previous directions; sold creative principles to senior leadership; campaign trended above category norms for brand / message recall and doubled likeability norms (Source: Phoenix) making AT&T a more desired brand

• Led joint marketing projects across partnerships with brands like Apple, Samsung, Facebook, NCAA, Hello Sunshine, DIRECTV, Warner by integrating teams, efforts and working towards mutually successful outcomes

• Launched the first ever free delivery and product set-up service by collaborating across channels to establish a go-to-market plan and the introduction of a sub brand

• Led high-volume production of 30+ video spots per year across digital, social and TV far exceeding industry averages showcasing an ability to handle multiple projects cross-channel projects at once

• Supervised creation of bespoke digital and social content through disciplined briefs leading to steady increases in demand generation and increasing online conversions during key selling periods

• Drafted briefs for custom research and performed on-going market intelligence analysis to inspire creative, provide points-of-view, and ignite change

• Continuously optimized digital performance through regular A/B testing and analytics to ensure all KPIs were met or revised

 

Managed advertising operations including hiring, budget management, and process improvements

• Provided proposals to reduce spending through operational improvements by initiating projects earlier, securing definitive approvals, and eliminating redundant touchpoints

• Identified workflow improvement opportunities through process and communication audits; developed a new process workflow and created cross-functional teams to implement changes; outcome became the foundation of a project management organization

• Led construction of the first dynamic content optimization (DCO) ads by working across functions to improve online targeting and build stronger relationships with key audiences by serving more effective and efficient ads

• Partnered with media and communications planning teams to optimize asset delivery for all campaigns and provided joint recommendations to senior leadership during periods of dense media opportunities like NCAA Final Four and National College Football Playoffs

• Managed more than 15 direct reports over time, including hiring, talent evaluations, recommendations for compensation and identifying key team members for recognition

• Developed direct reports through mentorship, communication, and patient education leading to numerous promotions and increasing the number of high-performing contributors in key roles in the company

• Directly managed three agency relationships (General Market, Hispanic, Multi-cultural) towards a common goal

• Developed Spanish in-language ads using deep audience research to guide decision-making, improved AT&T performance with Hispanic segments

 

Drove and adapted company culture by taking initiative, active participation in growth opportunities, and passionate support of corporate responsibility (CSR)

• Partnered with employee resource groups to review ads for cultural relevance and to avoid PR issues

• Created CSR spot directed by, and starring, transgender talent, reinforcing LGBTQ+ commitment

• Developed TV spot for holidays driving awareness of screen addiction and promoting responsible product usage

• Partnered with concerned employees to reduce plastic waste on AT&T campus with internal awareness campaign resulting in greater adoption of reusable lunch kits

• Mentored three employees (officially) outside the department giving career guidance while providing advice and assistance to numerous others

• Developed recognition program for the department with a weekly peer-to-peer recognition component as well as a monetary reward for excellence during the month leading to improved relationships

• Practiced psychological safety based on management training programs; ensured employees felt open to voicing opinion and objections leading healthier working conditions

 

Lead Ad Manager, Marketing Communications 08/08 – 03/14

 

Managed daily projects and supervised other employees, keeping teams moving towards a common goal

• Managed workload of junior team members, assigning and monitoring projects, aiding their professional growth

• Supported Director in execution of all campaigns spanning device (handsets/hardware) and value (retail and price-driven) messaging by authoring campaign briefs and overseeing production

• Provided custom status reporting for various levels of senior leadership ensuring all were suitably informed and able to make critical brand decisions

• Volunteered to lead departmental production budget tracking, continuing oversight as responsibilities grew

 

Represented field marketing interests within the centralized headquarters structure to ensure brand design, representation, and messaging compliance

• Led a team providing comprehensive media and advertising materials to field marketing leaders tasked with specific local goals, budgets, and needs

• Managed six marketing regions within a heavily matrixed organization like a franchise model, providing locally customized materials and field-initiated campaign support

 

Sr. Ad Manager, Field Marketing Communications 12/05 – 08/08

 

Supported Field Marketing teams with on-time and accurate delivery of advertising materials

• Provided localized advertising materials and media plans to three field marketing leaders in a decentralized team 

• Managed project initiation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of all local needs

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ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

The Charleston Post and Courier, Charleston, SC

Marketing Strategist

• Served in dual strategic role: driving newsstand and subscriptions while increasing advertiser revenue

• Earned PR exposure on local TV news with innovative campaign extending reach and efficiency of the campaign

 

Cramer-Krasselt, Orlando, FL

Sr. Account Executive

• Winn-Dixie, Discount Auto Parts - Retail advertising & new business RFPs

 

Clockwork Advertising (Adair-Greene), Atlanta, GA

Sr. Account Executive

• Pactiv Building Products - Rebranded B2B client with campaign and sales collateral

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RECOGNITION & SUCCESS

 

2021 Highest Ranking Advertiser for consistent diverse casting (Numerator via AdAge 01/21)

2021 Cannes Lion-winning co-creation and cultural insight campaign

2019 Cannes Lion-winning cinema campaign

2020 Gold Andy for single cinema spot

2021 Shorty Award (2) GIF for Best Use of Native Advertising & Best Media Buying on a Shoestring 

Ad of the Day honors: AdWeek for individual spots (Issue dates: 07/18, 11/18, 12/22)

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EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS

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University of South Carolina - Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Advertising

Udacity Course - Nanodegree Digital & Social Marketing, 2021

Vanderbilt University Course (Coursera) – AI Large Language Model Prompts, 2024

Project Management Institute – Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, 2024

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TECHNICAL EXPERTISE & SKILLS

 

In addition to noted capabilities and outcomes, my knowledge and experience base also includes:

 

Strategy:  Brand Planning, Comms Planning, Research, Consumer Insights, Brief Writing, Analysis

Execution: Production (all types), Project Management, PR, Brand Design, Media, SEO/SEM, AI, eCommerce

Management: Budget, People, and Process Management, Leadership Management, External Agency Management

Technical:  Microsoft Office, Workfront familiarity, Google Analytics, Canva Design, Wix Web Design, ChatGPT