Marketing | Communications | Creative Development | Brand | Leader | Detail-Oriented | Positive | Strategic

Dynamic communications and creative development leader with over 15 years of diverse experience across private and non-profit sectors, most recently driving impactful initiatives as the Advancement Marketing and Communications Director at Central Washington University. I possess a unique blend of marketing, communications, and graphic design expertise, and I orchestrate campaigns to foster alumni and constituent relationships. As a leader, I empower individuals and teams to excel, inspiring exceptional results.

Lead comprehensive marketing and communications campaigns to enhance alumni and constituent relations, supporting the CWU Advancement mission of fostering engagement, promoting philanthropy, and strengthening connections with the university.
•  Campaign Management–Develop and execute multifaceted communication campaigns and signature projects, ensuring alignment with CWU’s brand standards; collaborate with UA teams and campus stakeholders to enhance campaign effectiveness and outreach.
•  Partnership Development–Cultivate strong relationships across university units to support collaborative marketing efforts.
•  Strategic Planning–Create and implement robust marketing and communication strategies; utilize various channels including social media, digital advertising, direct mail, and email to reach target audiences.
•  Project Execution–Deliver high-quality marketing content and campaigns within tight deadlines and budget constraints.
•  User Experience Management–Oversee user interface (UI) to ensure seamless online transaction experiences.
•  Team Leadership–Recruit, onboard, and train both full-time and student staff to build a skilled and effective team.

Marketing and Communications Director, Advancement

Responsible for strategic management of comprehensive donor stewardship program for CWU Foundation donors, including directing efforts to enhance the overall giving experience for CWU donors and demonstrate the impact of their support. 
• Collaboration with advancement to manage a program of donor recognition which may include a variety of gift societies, donor engagement, and stewardship events.
• Work with donors to effectively build relationships to improve donor experience and engagement with the university and manage donor information and preferences. 
• Manage database to support scholarship awarding including student thank you information, in addition to donor information.
• Support transition and onboarding for new director.

Interim Director, Donor Relations

As Interim Sr. Director for Advancement Services, led the team that supports donor relations and stewardship, gift processing, data management, and analysis. During this time, also acted as donor stewardship director and hiring committee chair for the donor stewardship officer position and supported managing the annual giving program.
• Manage advancement services staff, including analytics director, program coordinator, and gift processors.
• Hire and onboard advancement services staff.
• Manage vendor to analyze data systems to ensure accuracy, accessibility, and security, including organizing, updating, and reviewing data to maintain accuracy and relevance.
• Support hiring and onboarding for a new senior director.

Interim Sr. Director, Advancement Services

Collaborate with Advancement staff and key vendors and partners to manage annual giving program for CWU. Align key university priorities and integrate into solicitation calendars, and plans.  
•  Work with Advancement colleagues and vendors to develop and execute a strategic and multi-channel annual giving program focused on successfully executed mass solicitations and special projects 
•  Manage a complex annual solicitation calendar comprised of many mini-campaigns and ensure campaigns are implemented on time.
•  Manage annual giving vendor, in addition to driving creative development for annual giving campaigns.
•  Work with schools, colleges, Athletics, and other programs as appropriate to support annual fundraising goals for their programs
•  Represent University Advancement goals when working with university partners on annual giving projects and strategies
•  Manage crowdfunding efforts for CWU.
•  Manage reporting needs to track and share annual giving performance.
•  Identify new and creative solicitation strategies by analyzing data from past performance.
•  Work with Advancement stewardship staff to ensure annual giving donors are stewarded appropriately. 
•  Hire student employees to help initiate engagement efforts to support the annual giving program.

Interim Director, Annual Giving Program

Manage creative development and execution of In Store Marketing & Visual Merchandising for the Microsoft Retail Stores
• Manage Store Set planning and execution process throughout multiple store layouts via frequent and complex store sets
• Drive creative development of in store materials with creative agency
• Development of materials across various production and execution vendors
• Manage budgets and drive efficiencies – cost savings in 2015 of over $1M to date
• Direct store-set execution via store communications; partner with planogram team to deliver in store marketing elements
• Support new Retail stores via New Store Opening (NSO) store set plans, layouts, and unique marketing elements; manage development and execution of NSO in-store elements
• Work across multiple teams, all levels to bring store sets and visual merchandising to life
• Refine and/or develop necessary processes

Marcom Manager, Microsoft Retail Stores

Manage Merchandising Development through planning and execution of in store merchandising and collateral for Retail locations
• Team Leadership and Development
• Drive and Manage systems for process efficiencies and improvement 
• Budget planning and adherence 
• Build and maintain Vendor and Agency relationships
• Support asset management and other development systems and processes
• Coordinate and track projects, brainstorms and surveys

Sr. Manager, Merchandising Development

• Manage Creative Development Managers and Traffic Manager for creative strategy and execution of in store merchandising and collateral for Retail locations
• Creative direction for product development for various promotions and for entire brands - layout, design, content, imagery. Major product launches, including the T-Mobile G1 with Google -- the world's first Android-powered handset.
• Budget, vendor and agency management

Sr. Manager, Creative Development Team – Retail Merchandising

Creative Development Manager 2006 - 2008
• Creative strategy and execution of in store merchandising and collateral 
• Creative direction for product development for various promotions and for entire brands - layout, design, content, imagery 
• Project Management for multiple projects and deadlines - including legal approvals, Senior Leadership approval, brand adherence 
• Coordinate, schedule and track projects, brainstorms and surveys 
• Budget adherence 
• Vendor and agency relations

Creative Development Manager – Retail Merchandising

• Design, illustration, creation and production of catalog product and catalog page layout 
• Creative art direction for product development 
• Art direction of entire brands - catalog layout, Internet design, photography, copy
• Manage Brands on multiple channels, including Internet, Email Broadcasts, Print, Direct Mail 
• Perform additional creative and production tasks 
• Coordinate, schedule and track special projects, brainstorms and surveys 
• Create and manage department budget of $1.6M 
• As Advertising Manager, lead group of 27 employees

Manager, Creative Services

• Art Direction and production for all internal communications pieces, including Retail Visual Merchandising — oversee layout, design, computer production
• Supervise interns and temporary employees 
• Perform bidding and maintain excellent vendor relations 
• Schedule and track all projects, coordinate special projects 
• Perform color correction of digital photography

Associate Art Director

Responsibilities for this personal marketing group included: 
• Creative layout and design for brochures, flyers and direct mail pieces 
• Managed pre-press functions (camera-ready or disk-to-film output, paste-ups, mechanicals) and scheduling 
• Performed customer service, order processing and production scheduling duties

Graphic Designer

Annie Young is a Marketing at Central Washington University in United States. View their experience, skills and work history on Malakye — the professional…

Annie Young — Marketing at Central Washington University

Annie Young

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Education history

Digital Marketing Institute

University of Arkansas

Central Washington University