Qualifications

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Work Experience

With experience spanning publishing, agency, and nonprofit sectors, I bring a versatile skillset to every project, including data-driven content strategy, management, and development, keen attention to detail and thorough editing and proofreading, deadline-driven time management and organization, and more. I'm dedicated to crafting narratives that connect, inspire, and drive positive change.

My background includes working with diverse clients, from animal health and consumer goods to B2B publications and community organizations. I'm also a passionate advocate for small businesses and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

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Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cincinnati
June 2023 - December 2024
Nationwide organization that provides the public with information on businesses and charities

As Senior Writer/Content Manager, I was responsible for the strategy, content creation, and brand equity for Cincinnati BBB on multiple platforms, setting the bar for quality across all marketing collateral and some operations/acquisition deliverables.

Projects included:

  • Spearheading an annual scholarship program, researching and implementing new software and ways of working, ideating and crafting essay prompt, developing all content and webpages, leading an external creative team in creating a new look and feel, and managing two rounds of judging in a fair, unbiased manner

  • Improving local website by learning AEM and developing a website strategy, creating easy-to-navigate landing page hubs and child pages, adding visuals and CTAs to increase engagement, and more

  • Developing first-ever accredited business user journey, mapping out all touch points across platforms and departments, pinpointing pain points, and developing high-level strategies to address them

  • Led end-to-end creative direction for a nine-commercial media campaign, from concept development and storyboarding through production and multi-channel content delivery. Managed stakeholder relationships, talent coordination, and campaign messaging while overseeing creative content across advertising, social media, and web platforms

  • Created and maintained marketing team calendar encapsulating all comms, events, media, content, and more in a searchable database

  • Evaluated and streamlined processes to better allocate marketing team capacity across all departmental needs through the introduction of tools including Airtable and Miro

Four people sitting around a table collaborating with laptops

Barefoot
July 2019 - February 2023
Now ORGANIC, digital creative and brand experience agency on a mission to end meaningless moments between consumers and brands

As Content Manager and then Senior Content Manager, I served as editorial lead for various clients including Elanco Animal Health, Mars Pet Nutrition, Mars Food, Bayer Consumer Health, and Ford Motor Company.

I helped my brands tell a cohesive, compelling story through content planning, development, and optimization, connecting the dots across the entire digital ecosystem and different content platforms from site to social. I collaborated with strategy, SEO, account, and creative teams to develop content strategies, yearly brand plans, content scoring methodologies, site migration recommendations, presentations, and more.

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ST Media Group International
January 2017 - July 2019
Now SmartWork Media, producer of market-leading B2B media  products and trade publications

As Assistant Editor and then Associate Editor for Big Picture and Screen Printing magazines, I:

  • Researched and wrote features and departmental articles for the print and digital magazine editions

  • Edited and fact-checked articles and columns from contributors

  • Developed and managed weekly/monthly e-newsletters

  • Attended and covered industry events and tradeshows

  • CMSed website content utilizing SEO and keyword best practices

  • Managed 10 social media accounts

  • Led monthly website and and social media analytic meetings

  • Brainstormed new and creative ways to boost brands and revenue, from submitting content to industry award contests to creating magazine companion playlists on Spotify

Women of Cincy
January 2017 - Present
Nonprofit media organization dedicated to creating more connected, empathetic and inclusive communities through storytelling

As a Founding Partner of Women of Cincy, I’ve served various roles for the organization including Features Managing Editor, writer, editor, Social Media Director, and Assistant Editor Director. It’s been a pleasure shaping the nonprofit’s mission, structure, and trajectory over the years and interviewing influential locals to produce long-form Q&A articles telling their stories.

I managed dozens of volunteer writers, editors, and photographers as Features Managing Editor, creating and maintaining a content calendar to achieve representation targets. I coordinated, managed, and grew our social media presence as Social Media Director, overseeing a team of 10, leading social campaign initiatives, and collecting and analyzing website traffic and social analytic data.

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Awards & Honors

  • Selected as a Folio: 2019 Rising Star honoree. The annual list recognizes the top innovators, entrepreneurial thinkers and up-and-comers in Publishing for the tangible impact they’ve had in moving our ever-changing Industry forward.

  • Barefoot integrates 10 "people values" into the agency’s work culture. Each year, staff nominate coworkers who encapsulate each value. I was honored to receive the "Bounces Back" award for handling curveballs and unexpected challenges with a smile.

    Excerpts from award nominations:

    “Kelsey’s calm, thorough nature is a breath of fresh air. She can handle all kinds of curveballs and is one of the most proactive members of our team.”

    “Kelsey is awesome at every project she touches. She can join a project with limited context, limited time, limited direction and simply kill it. I love working with her because I know I can trust her to get it done!”

    “Kelsey is a glittering, calming, and grounding individual who I am very thankful to have on my team! … She constantly proves herself as a valuable asset to the team by always staying on top of work and tuning in to assist, even when it’s not asked — but always needed.”

  • Dean's List and Semester Honors: Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016

    Brian Lamb School of Communication Lamb Scholar, Jan. 2015: Based on academic performance and commitment to studying communication.

    Purdue University College of Liberal Arts Kendra Becker Lewis Scholarship Recipient: Jan. 2015, Jan. 2016

    Brian Lamb School of Communication Distinguished New Communication Major, Jan. 2015: Scholarship awarded annually in the spring to a new Communication major who has received an A or an A- in all of their pre-communication courses with no retakes.

    Brian Lamb School of Communication Distinguished Communication Senior: Jan. 2016

    Brian Lamb School of Communication William Wigglesworth Scholarship Recipient: Jan. 2016

    Purdue University College of Liberal Arts Stone Scholarship Recipient: Jan. 2016

    Purdue University College of Liberal Arts Jill and Robert May Honors Scholarship Recipient: Jan. 2016

    Purdue University College of Liberal Arts Findling Scholarship Recipient: Jan. 2016

What People Are Saying

  • Kelsey is who you want on your team. Tracking data and analytics, writing, and editing come naturally for Kelsey. Her go-getter attitude, positive personality, and growth mindset make Kelsey such a valuable employee.

    Adrienne Palmer, Editor-in-Chief, Big Picture and Screen Printing magazines

  • Kelsey is a sharp, witty, and hard-working addition to any professional endeavor. Not only does she deliver quality work and leadership, but brightens every project with her positive attitude and dedication to enjoying (and improving) the process.

    Danniah Daher, UX Writer, Shetty Media & Coaching

  • Kelsey is a delightful person to have as a colleague and collaborator. She is always brimming with creative solutions for even the most complex problems. She has a drive to produce high-quality results with whatever she sets out to accomplish, which I am certain has no limit.

    Anya Rao, Communications and Marketing Manager, University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science

  • Kelsey is a phenomenal teammate. She is sharp and analytical, in addition to her passion and technical content skills. Kelsey approaches her work with both empathy and expertise, and elevated our results far beyond what could have been accomplished without her.

    Sarah Stewart, Associate Director of Insights & Strategy, BioVid Corporation

  • Kelsey is a fabulous wordsmith, strategic thinker, wonderful collaborator, and much more. On top of her day-to-day contributions, Kelsey brings passion to crucial cultural initiatives. During our time working together, Kelsey was an active participant and leader in DEI work and our company book club. Kelsey brings such an effervescent energy to everything she does.

    Abby Brown Seiple, Senior Copywriter, Barefoot

  • Kelsey is a wonderful partner! She digs into all the information you throw her way during a brief, asks the right questions and provides great solutions. I was lucky to work with Kelsey on a few different client businesses (very different in nature) and was continually impressed by the knowledge she had on each category. Not only is Kelsey good at her job, she's a bright light of a person and a joy to be around.

    Sara Worley, Associate Director of Client Partnership, Barefoot

  • Is there anything Kelsey CAN'T do? Kelsey is insanely creative, insightful, empathetic, and hardworking. Kelsey has an innate ability to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome. Every project she touches is better from having her eyes on it. Working with her was an absolute pleasure and any team would be lucky to have her.

    Lauren Showen, Senior Copywriter, Barefoot

  • Kelsey has demonstrated so much talent, grit, flexibility, compassion and grace in her time working on my team. She is the rare editor who can see both the macro and micro details, internalizing brand objectives, reader insights and strategic approaches alongside grammar rules, style guidance and nuanced word choice. Her attention to detail, editing and writing skills are careful and precise.

    Rachel Randall, Content Director, Barefoot

  • Kelsey has such an unbelievably positive, radiative personality. She cares SO much about everyone on the team and others. Listening to her talk and be the ultimate team player just makes you want to work with her and be around her. She is so kind, caring and supportive of everyone on the team.

    Anonymous review

  • Kelsey is lovely and a breeze to work with. She's always supportive of others' ideas and consistently has great builds to the work. She has great feedback and a real knack for understanding how the client is going to respond. I wish there were six more of her.

    Anonymous review

  • Kelsey is an incredible asset to Mars Petcare and the SHEBA, Temptations and Pedigree team. She is a major reason our team continues to get recognized for all the great work we're doing in social. Her creativity and pulse on trends is the secret sauce to our continued success. I admire her positivity and ability to show up with a smile and a willingness to lean in.

    Anonymous review

  • Kelsey is engaged, excited to contribute her perspective, and committed to an inclusive workplace.

    Anonymous review

Education

Woman with rainbow sash holding diploma standing between two men smiling in suits

Bachelor of Arts
Purdue University, Honor College
August 2013 - December 2016

  • Obtained undergraduate degree in 3.5 years with honors and highest distinction with 3.97 GPA

  • Human Relations major with English and LGBT Studies minors

  • Completed Honors Thesis on Attachment Style and Parasocial Relationships: An Investigation of Avid Harry Potter Readers

  • Inaugural Communication Intern, College of Veterinary Medicine

    Digital Marketing Social Media Intern, Purdue Marketing and Media

    Research Intern and Campus Representative, Foursquare

    Public Relations Director, Lambda Pi Eta Communications Honor Society

    STAR Ambassador and Mentor, Honors College

    Associate Director of Programming, Liberal Arts Student Council

    Chapter Secretary, AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) Purdue

    Intern, Purdue College of Liberal Arts Study Abroad Office

    Modernism and Disability Project Assistant, Margo Katherine Wilke Undergraduate Research Internship

Associate’s Degree
Ivy Tech Community College
August 2012 - May 2015

  • Received an Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts through high school dual-credit and undergraduate summer courses