Resume

CONNIE KOTTMANN, M.S., APR

SUMMARY

I am an experienced, nationally accredited public relations professional who excels in delivering high-quality marketing communications for mission-driven organizations. As a creative leader and adept project manager, I bring a wealth of expertise to the table.

KEY SKILLS

Integrated marketing communications strategy
Brand identity development and oversight
Issues management and public relations counsel
Website design, build, deployment, and analytics
Social media strategy and planning
Content development and copywriting
Team leadership, training, supervision, and mentoring
Campaign project and budget management
Web and social media analytics and ADA compliance
Event planning, implementation and facilitation

EXPERIENCE

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, Richmond, Virginia

Division of Student Affairs
Marketing Communications Manager, August 2021 - present

VCU Recreation and Well-Being
Marketing Communications Manager, June 2018-July 2021
Assistant Director for Marketing, January 2016-May 2018
Marketing and Member Services Coordinator, October 2003-December 2015

Strategize annual integrated marketing communication campaigns for a department that offers over 40 programs and services across five programmatic areas, serving a diverse campus community of more than 40,000 individuals.
Provide public relations guidance and support to department leaders in brand identity, issues management, user-generated social media, and copywriting.
Direct over 200 client projects annually, encompassing a broad range of communication functions such as branding, social media, editorial calendars, website management, advertising, press releases, media relations, member email communications, student activities portal, app, and digital displays.
Recruit, guide, and assess the performance of a creative team comprising full-time, part-time, and student staff, and have effectively provided mentorship to over 130 student graphic designers, writers, illustrators, and photographers.
Created and executed communication strategy for the merger of two departments and designed the website, which attracts more than 200,000 annual user sessions.
Developed and implemented external advertising campaigns, which included print advertisements distributed through four local publications, reaching more than 50,000 households, and city-wide billboards with over 1,000,000 views.
Editor-in-Chief of Rec Sports Magazine, a 32-page print publication aimed at campus partners, administrators, and potential donors.
Managed $125,000 annual marketing budget.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, ITHACA, NY

Community and Rural Development Institute
Communications Coordinator October 1995 – September 2003

Oversaw communication efforts, member database management, and outreach initiatives to local government officials and Cornell Cooperative Extension staff across 57 counties in New York State and New York City.
Implemented event logistics and marketing for multi-day institutes hosted on campus and a statewide conference that welcomed more than 500 attendees.
Managed the creation and updating of the Institute's website and online resource library, edited and designed monthly print newsletter and Institute white papers.
Assisted with implementation of online video training for statewide community development staff.

LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

VCU and VCU Division of Student Affairs

Division of Student Affairs Strategic Plan Committee, 2023
Co-facilitated Division of Student Affairs DEI Summer Reading project: The Racial Healing Handbook, 2022
Leaders Unleashed student conference planning committee, 2022
Division of Student Affairs Ram Spirit Award, 2019
Co-facilitated Division of Student Affairs Anti-Racism Discussion Group, 2020
Recreational Sports DEI Committee, 2019-21
VCU Communications Career Community, 2019
VCU Student Services Career Community, 2018
Recreational Sports Rewards & Recognition Committee, 2018-20
Disney Institute at VCU Planning committee, over 200 local participants, 2017
Session facilitator for follow-on Quality Customer Service training for 250 Division of Student Affairs staff, 2017
VCU Great Place to Work Initiative Career Ambassador, 2017
Recreational Sports Strategic Planning Committee, 2016
VCU Great Place to Work Faculty/Staff Recognition Subcommittee, 2013-14
VCU Governor’s Holiday Hoops Food Drive committee (raised over $100,000 worth of food donations), 2013

Public Relations Society of America (member since 2013)

Board of Directors, Public Relations Society of America, Richmond, VA Chapter
Chair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, 2023
Member, ad hoc Bylaws Review Committee, 2023
Chair, Special Events Committee, 2022
Judge, National PRSA Anvil Awards, 2019-2023
Judge, PRSA Atlanta Phoenix Awards, 2019, 2020

National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (member 2003-2021)

Awarded NIRSA Foundation 2019 Conference Scholarship
Co-Chair of planning committee, NIRSA/ACUI Collegiate Marketing Institute, New Orleans, LA, 2018
Convener, NIRSA Marketing Community of Practice, 2017
NIRSA Region II Communication Committee, 2017

PRESENTATIONS

“Everybody Can: Celebrating Inclusion, Diversity and Unique Experiences Through Storytelling,” NIRSA National Conference, 2019
“Riding the Big Wave of Program Marketing,” NIRSA Region II Conference, 2017.

CERTIFICATIONS

Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), Public Relations Society of America, 2018 - present
History and Health: Racial Equity Digital Badge, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, 2022
Creating Healthy Communities Digital Badge, University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine, 2022
Becoming an Antiracist Educator Level 1, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education, 2021
Disney Institute, Quality Customer Service, Disney Institute, Orlando FL, 2016

EDUCATION

Virginia Commonwealth University Wilder School of Public Affairs, Richmond, VA
Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management (In Progress)
Cornell University, Ithaca NY
M.S. Communication
Purchase College, Purchase NY
B.A. Art History