About Me
I'm a communications specialist with five plus years of professional experience and an M.A. in Professional Communication and Leadership from Georgia Southern University. I was born in Savannah and raised in a small town just outside of the city. I'm from a family of porch-sitters and storytellers, which inspired my choice to pursue a B.A. in journalism and eventually a career in corporate communications. I love connecting with others, discovering their interests, learning from their experiences, and finding commonalities.
I've taken an unconventional path to where I am today, but every unexpected turn taught me something new about myself, and where I want to be five, ten, or twenty years from now. I'm currently working as a freelance writer under my newly created brand, Southern Oaks Marketing.
My Experience
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
I've worked in both internal and external communications as a marketing communications specialist for AFL. Many of our team's projects received awards from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) in South Carolina, including United Way campaigns, corporate events, trade shows, product launches, and branding campaigns.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT
To celebrate AFL's 30th anniversary, the company purchased a Habitat for Humanity house, recruiting AFL associates and their families to build the home. I coordinated volunteers for each build day, provided catered breakfast or lunch for every shift, and took photos for marketing. The project required over 250 volunteers, 4,250 volunteer hours, and took four months to complete.
WRITING & CONTENT CREATION
I've written news articles for Georgia Southern University's student newspaper, The George-Anne, press releases, website copy, and an internal newsletter for AFL, as well as countless collaborative writing assignments as both a graduate student and professional communications associate. I'm familiar with AP style, APA style, and plain language guidelines.
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AFL TRADE SHOW MANAGER
AFL's trade show program was my most significant responsibility while working for the telecommunications company. I coordinated shows across North America, Europe, and Asia with a budget of $850,000, managing logistics, vendors, public relations, advertising, social media, on-site events, lead generation, and ROI analysis.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Since my internship with AFL, I acted as an in-house photographer for their marketing communications department. I captured associates volunteering in their communities, local non-profits receiving grants, internal and external events, and more. My photos were used across AFL's platforms, including their website, intranet, and social media pages, and featured in their print and digital marketing.
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STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
I committed to one year of service as the graduate student representative on Georgia Southern University's Strategic Planning Committee. As a committee, we coordinated forums, focus groups, town hall meetings, and surveys to gather data, and used that information to create a five-year strategic plan for GSU and its three campuses. The plan focuses on student success, inclusive excellence, teaching and research, community engagement, and operational efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability.
kelseyelam@gmail.com | 912-844-4289