Jobs Landed

I lead the change communications for a multi-year project to standardize the back-office systems of Amway's 58 affiliates to improve and enable more efficient business operations globally. Working with executives, directors, managers and international team members to develop informative communications is my day-to-day job description. Integral to my daily activity is creating compelling communication tactics in line with the project's change management strategies. Whether that be through video, intranet, podcast, newsletters or billboard tactics, I'm able to utilize a wide range of skills learned in college (verbal and written communication, video production & editing, graphic design, public relations, and even the six-week class I took on writing HTML code) while learning and applying new knowledge. I definitely landed a great opportunity with a great company in a great city!

 

I oversee all branding, public relations and inverstor relations activities for CornerWorld and all of its subsidiary companies.

 

As a partner and communications consultant at DVQ Studio, I help lead our growing company and assist clients with every aspect of their brand, from their identity and messaging to their print materials and website. My background is in communications planning and strategy, writing, and project management. Coupled with my team's strengths in brand development, graphic and web design, and web development, we have grown DVQ Studio into a full-service shop.

I love my work, because our team believes in using communications to make social change. We work exclusively with mission-driven clients, including non-profits and businesses with a social purpose. My business partner Gretchen DeVault and I started out in the non-profit sector and have been involved in this work ever since… we hope to make DVQ Studio an example of how a business can be used for social good.

 

I recently joined the team and will be representing the company in customer growth and business expansion. I have cultivated my skill set through years of serving a diverse group of clients in fortune-class, not-for-profit, and the entrepreneurial industries. My years of experience range across a variety of mediums, including print, broadcast and digital media. I am excited to be a part of a company that is growing and continuously looking for new ways to fulfill their customer’s expanding needs.

 

I'm an attorney and partner at Cunningham Dalman, P.C. I focus my practice in the areas of business law (with a subspecialty in technology law), and estate planning/elder law.

 

As an extension of the Human Resources Department with Hope Network, I am the Lead Recruiter on a team of 4 who are responsible for attracting, sourcing, screening and interviewing potential new employees for our 170 locations across Michigan.  I recruit for direct care staff, clinical staff and professional positions, through traditional job posting methods as well as planning and attending job fairs and social and professional networking.  I also work closely with the Marketing Department to help position Hope Network as an employer of choice in Michigan.

 

I am employed at Wondergem Consulting, Inc, a boutique public relations and government relations firm located in downtown Grand Rapids. As a public relations associate, I assist our senior consultants to represent clients in the for-profit and non-profit sector throughout West Michigan, and specialize in social media, plan and proposal development and media relations.
 
In my free time, I enjoy writing and accepted a freelance position with the Grand Rapids Press in 2008 as a fashion contributor and columnist. I’m pretty active in the community and serve as a GVSU Young Alumni Council member, a board member of Interchange West Michigan; I chair the Mentor Program for the West Michigan Public Relations Society of America; sit on the  Grand Rapids Downtown Alliance’s marketing committee and The Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts communications board.

 

As the Public Relations Specialist, I serve as the key media contact for the organization which involves coordinating media interviews, conducting media interviews and press conferences, and responding to all media requests. I write and distribute news releases, develop PR campaigns, monitor all news about the organization and proactively pitch stories about Meijer Gardens. I also oversee all social media outlets for the organization.

 

I am responsible for developing the strategy for our marketing initiatives including catalog/brochures, print advertising, web content, blast emails, inside sales promotional programs, tradeshow artwork and coordination, internal branding, and the look of packaging and labeling.

 

I provide vision and direction for the use of technology to further the educational and strategic goals of Davenport University, a private university based in Grand Rapids with 14 campuses across Michigan.  My primary objectives are to hire world class IT professionals, align technology solutions with university strategy, measure the success of technology in helping the university achieve its goals, design and adjust technology standards for the university, and to manage the cost of our substantial investment in technology resources.  In short, the CIO role is a blend of technology evangelist, people manager and business strategist.  
 
As a relatively young CIO, my focus lies in the use of the web, social media and cloud computing to help Davenport continue to recruit quality students, reduce the cost of IT solutions, and ensure that we stay ahead of the curve in terms of the technology we provide students.  Social media provides us a means for communicating with students (and prospective students) in a more personalized manner than we get with traditional advertising.  Similarly, cloud computing removes some of the barriers to adoption for new technology (in terms of cost and infrastructure and spin-up time) that existed a few short years ago.

 

I am responsible for the day to day operations of the accounting department at a religious not for profit agency. I perform month end duties which includes allocating agency costs to the various programs, budget to actual monitoring and cash management. Additionally, I oversee the accounts payable and payroll functions, as well as have a hand in contract billings. My job is constantly changing and adapting to the various services that Catholic Charities provides. I really do enjoy getting up and going to work as I know that I am indirectly helping families in need throughout West Michigan

 

I develop, assist and implement all marketing/advertising and many sales initiatives for the Amway Hotel Corporation, which include the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, J.W. Marriott - Grand Rapids and the Downtown Courtyard by Marriott.  Each separate hotel and separate restaurant or lounge has a distinct brand which I assist in creating and maintaining.  This involves, but is not limited to: website development, menu creation, email distribution, ad campaigns, commercials, in-room amenity creation and anything which may assist in providing a unique guest experience.  Special projects, such as: SOLACE magazine, ArtPrize, photo shoots, dining memberships, promotional parties, etc... are also under my responsibilities.
 
At the Amway Hotel Corporation, we strive each and every day to make a guest's stay the most enjoyable they have ever had.

 

I am working in the Durables R&D, Advanced Technologies department at Amway.  The Durables department focuses on products that will last a long time, such as cookware, cutlery, and water and air purifiers.  My department is a spin off of Durables where we work on technologies for future applications, one being a new wireless power technology coming to the market soon.  I work with the materials side of Advanced Technologies, doing research and design for potential materials that could be used as components in future products.  I will be a part of a rotation program in my first two years at Amway that allows for exposure in different departments and in different business roles.

 

I work for OtterBase, one of the fastest growing supplemental staffing companies in the country with a rapidly expanding list of Fortune 500 clients. We attribute our rapid growth to unwavering focus in three key areas: our clients, our people, and our services.  As a recruiter, I work with candidates looking for new opportunities to find a position that is a fit with one of our clients; continuously networking and understanding the needs of the individual and the client. Working out of the Grand Rapids Corporate Headquarters, I mainly focus on recruiting efforts for our clients in West Michigan; however, we have offices/clientele in Chicago, Livonia, Minneapolis, Boston and Nashville.

 

My job duties include counseling students in special education who have emotional, behavioral, or social issues; developing, implementing, and reviewing Functional Behavioral Assessments and Positive Behavior Support Plans; developing Individual Education Plans and participating in initial and three year special education evaluations; conducting social developmental, emotional, and behavioral assessments; and collaborating with teachers, administrators, parents, outside professionals to enhance students' educational experience and academic success.