Communications and Marketing Executive | C-Suite Consultant | Reputation, Issues and Crisis Management | M&A | Media Relations | Internal Communications | Public Affairs | Brand Strategy

- Communications and marketing leader with experience in a range of sectors: healthcare, insurance and financial services, construction services, social services, mining and metals, paper and forest products, and chemicals and plastics.
- Record of developing comprehensive communications and marketing plans, building authentic, purpose-driven reputations, navigating high-stakes issues and crises, counseling senior executives, and building effective community relationships.
- Significant experience leading communications strategy for high-profile initiatives, including corporate mergers and acquisitions, business launches, industry partnerships, new initiatives, and operational changes.
- Skilled in navigating and operating within highly matrixed public and private organizations.
- Leader who strives to inspire, empower and develop team members and foster a collaborative culture.
- Abundance of curiosity, resourcefulness, creativity, organization and project management capabilities.
- Advanced proficiency in Spanish (speaking, reading, writing, translating).

⦁ Provide strategic communications, public relations, public affairs and marketing consulting and project services, including research, analysis, planning, development of messages, content and creative, implementation, and measurement, for clients across a range of industry sectors.

Principal Consultant

⦁ Helped lead and drive enterprise-wide marketing and communications strategies during a period of substantial growth, organizational changes, and other challenges. 

⦁ Led brand reputation strategy that helped solidify Intermountain as a respected brand among national healthcare leaders, consistently recognized among the nation’s most innovative health systems. 

⦁ Directed cross-functional teams in developing and executing communications plans for mergers and acquisitions. 

⦁ Expanded services and increased patient volumes in regional markets by increasing brand awareness through advertising, sponsorship, social/digital, public relations, and community outreach strategies.

⦁ Provided communications counsel and thought leadership support to Executive Leadership Team members, helping position them internally as trusted leaders and externally as industry innovators. 

⦁ Led and coached a team of managers and specialists who provided marketing and communications services for Intermountain Health subsidiary companies, ventures/business development team, philanthropic foundation, and various shared services functions, including IT, supply chain, compliance, finance, legal, payer contracting, and others.

Director, Communications and Marketing

⦁ Developed internal and external communication plans to enhance USAA’s corporate reputation, including a third-party awards and recognition strategy.

⦁ Advised executives in regional markets on internal and external communications and facilitated media and community outreach, building positive, collaborative relationships with key stakeholders.

⦁ Represented USAA during natural disasters, sharing response strategies and claims procedures with media and affected communities.

⦁ Served on the Arizona Insurance Council to manage issues at the state level and increase understanding of insurance processes among government officials.

Director, Communications

⦁ Led communications and branding strategies to support aggressive organic growth.

⦁ Served as a member of the Senior Management Team and provided one-to-one coaching and counseling to the President/CEO on communications strategies.

⦁ Conducted extensive research on customer behaviors and brand perceptions, leveraging information to focus the development of campaign creative content.

⦁ Collaborated with regional operations and sales leaders to develop plans and templates for store openings and customer events.

⦁ Served as a corporate spokesperson with media and industry analysts.

⦁ Promoted nonprofit organization at national, regional, and local levels, organizing successful fundraising, public awareness, education and community engagement events.

⦁ Led initiatives and events to effectively keep the issue of child abuse in the public dialogue, promote the National Child Abuse Hotline, and tell the Childhelp story.

⦁ Planned and managed a highly successful Washington, D.C./Capitol Hill awareness event in conjunction with National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

⦁ Created and managed public service announcements and collaborated with partner companies on cause-related marketing programs.

⦁ Partnered with state child welfare agencies, media outlets, and organizations on communications to highlight programs working to prevent child abuse and help victims.

⦁ Managed internal and external communications, including media relations and crisis management.

⦁ Navigated a challenging phase that involved a prolonged, severe market downturn, cost-cutting measures, legal actions by federal authorities, and major environmental liabilities.

⦁ Led community outreach, including open houses and public meetings, for several site remediation and restoration projects at legacy manufacturing locations, addressing community concerns and questions.

⦁ Engaged and consulted regularly with corporate staff at Mexico-based parent company.

Manager, Corporate Communications

⦁ Managed global internal and external communications, supported regulatory initiatives, and oversaw corporate media relations.

⦁ Guided communications through a hostile takeover, acquisition, and integration.

⦁ Led crisis communications planning and response, including crisis preparation, drills and real-time communications during live crisis events.

⦁ Orchestrated communications and community outreach strategy to address significant environmental regulatory change with potential to jeopardize ongoing operations at key U.S. locations.

⦁ Served on industry trade association committees at federal and state levels.

⦁ Developed and executed environmental, sustainability, issues and crisis communications plans. 

⦁ Produced annual corporate social responsibility and sustainability reports, highlighting goals, progress and areas for improvement.

⦁ Led crisis communications planning and simulation exercises at corporate and local facility level.

⦁ Helped establish local citizen advisory panels in communities with major manufacturing operations.

⦁ Served on trade association communications/public affairs committee and shaped industry standards for sustainable forestry practices.

Manager, Environmental Communications

⦁ Selected as one of six college seniors for Dow’s prestigious Communicator Development Program.

⦁ Held various roles in marketing, corporate, and community communications, focusing on sustainable development, environmental and issues communications. 

⦁ Provided executive communications support to C-level executives, including speechwriting, on topics related to environmental justice and sustainable development.

⦁ Worked on cleanup projects, product stewardship training, and federal sustainable development initiatives, including the launch of President Clinton’s Council on Sustainable Development.

⦁ Participated in extensive crisis communications planning, training, and practical application.

Senior Communications Specialist

Clay Allen: Communications and Marketing Executive | C-Suite Consultant | Reputation, Issues and Crisis Management | M&A | Media Relations | Internal Communications | Public Affairs | Brand Strategy in Salt Lake City, Utah