A Little More About Me

Into the Real World

Right out of college in 2014, I worked in web design and social media, followed by a contract position as a junior web developer for 18 months in Philly. I learned new skills, met new people, and really started to stretch my wings. I was sad the contract had to end.

After that, I found myself at a creative agency in the suburbs for about 4 years. Here, I got more experience in email marketing and HTML emails. I also worked on countless landing pages, learned to work smoothly within the confines of a client’s brand, and even had an occasional full site to build for a client, including a few with custom WordPress templates. Once in a while, if my work was already done, I’d help the design department with tight deadlines.

During my time at this creative agency, I also expanded my volunteer endeavors, lending my skills to a local cat rescue as events coordinator and operations team member. You can read more about that below.

ATS

In 2021, I was approached by nonprofit Alaska Tribal Spectrum with a job opportunity. I gave my two weeks notice, left copious notes on my work and tips and tricks to help the next person in my role, and said my goodbyes. (Sometimes I really miss working there. I do not miss the way the office dog would howl when someone stopped by though! But he was cute.)

I’ve been with ATS for 4 and a half years as Marketing Communications Manager. As a small nonprofit, I ended up filling numerous roles in the creative/design/marketing fields, as well as operations. Anything from building a full site, to member training video voiceovers, to making flyers and collateral, to email campaigns, to tracking grant information and outreach – I did it all. I even found myself taking on responsibilities supporting upper management. I took ownership of the main scheduling calendar, created complex workflows with detailed documentation, and supported grant application processes.

I expanded my skillset greatly at ATS with a heavier lean into marketing, communications, and operations. There was a definite need for my design and development skills, but I was excited to add new marketing tools and other skills to my toolbox.

Volunteering

Whenever I am able, I downright treasure the opportunity to help make the world a better place. One of my long-time volunteer ventures is with Andy’s Friends Cat Rescue and Adoption. I started volunteering to help with cat care at the adoption center before college, and kept in touch throughout. After college, I returned to cat care, and also took up some new mantles!

The first was being trained on adoptions themselves, and how to vet a potential adopter. But, knowing my skillset, the owner of the rescue soon approached me to assist with graphic design, flyers, social media, and event marketing. I even found myself not only marketing the events – but planning and running a few myself! The role even expanded to a place on the core operations team. I managed people and projects (events, campaigns) in this role.

I’m happy to say I helped run some of our most successful fundraiser events before Andy’s Friends’ owner had to downsize. (We were, in her words, “too successful”, and the rescue had grown immensely, almost too well).

During the height of COVID, and due to personal reasons, the owner decided to dial it back a bit, refocusing on helping cats in other ways. We still meet for lunch sometimes, and I still help her with fundraising appeal letters and other projects when she needs.

Aside from Andy’s Friends, I also have volunteered with Citizen’s Climate Lobby, a nonpartisan massive multichapter group working to combat climate change. I met many wonderful people there, and I thoroughly miss my old chapter in Chester County. I was the go-to girl for events – always ready to show up with a clipboard, a smile and a shade tent!

I’ve also done a few one-off volunteer ventures, such as helping to make medical face shields during the early pandemic. A company out near Conshohocken pivoted to manufacturing them, but needed hands to clean the molds and printed items.