North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation
About
Family Forward NC, an initiative of the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation (NCECF), focuses on business led change to increase access to research-based, family-friendly policies—both big and small—that improve workplace productivity, recruitment and retention; support children’s healthy development; and grow a strong economy.
How Change Happens
Through education and engagement of employers, Family Forward NC propels action toward the creation of more family-friendly workplaces across North Carolina. Employer policies and workplace culture adapts to improve supports for parents and caregivers, resulting in healthier, happier children and families; a more loyal and productive workforce; and a stronger economy.
The Work
I am the co-founder of Family Forward NC. I acted as chief strategy adviser, co-leading both short and long-term program strategy in partnership with NCECF staff for more than six years. I also led creation and execution of marketing and communications strategies for the initiative.
Impact:
I authored the original Guide to Family Forward Workplaces, a resource for employers that details research-informed benefits that positively impact child health and well-being and provide a positive return on investment for employers.
I created and executed a successful communications plan that has helped Family Forward NC scale quickly and effectively.
Together with NCECF staff, I engaged more than 10,000 employers throughout North Carolina to share the guide and our research about family-friendly policies and their benefits to business and to child health and well-being.
Since its launch, Family Forward NC has been used as a model to expand similar work in states such as Pennsylvania, Montana, Florida, Kansas and Colorado. I’ve worked with leaders in those states on the expansion.
I worked with NCECF to build and launch the Family Forward NC Employer Certification, a unique distinction that designates employers that offer policies and practices that support the health and well-being of working families and children. More than 125 employers across North Carolina are certified Family Forward NC employers. To build and launch the certification, I:
Worked with NCECF staff, an advisory board of business leaders from across North Carolina, and a fractional human resources firm to design the certification.
Created a comprehensive communications strategy for the certification that included stakeholder feedback, audience research and engaging core messaging.
Executed on the communications strategy, including creating:
a website section for the certification,
a partner toolkit,
a toolkit and materials for certified employers,
press releases and media relations work,
social media content, and
a paid advertising strategy.
Engaged with Action Greensboro and the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce to build and execute a campaign to make the city of Greensboro the first Family Forward NC Certified Community. I worked with business and civic leaders in that city on a year-long campaign to encourage employers to certify and support Greensboro’s efforts to create a family-friendly community for all families.
digiLEARN
About
Co-founded by former North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue and former Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer, digiLEARN is a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating digital learning for all ages with a goal of increasing personal learning options for students and expanding instructional opportunities for teachers and instructors.
How Change Happens
digiLEARN works with educators, administrators and policymakers across the country to create a future-defining educational system that prepares all learners—and our nation—to flourish in an increasingly technology-driven world.
The Work
I worked with digiLEARN for over five years to build awareness and support through communications. I created and executed a communications strategy that focused on positioning digiLEARN and its board members as thought leaders in the personalized learning and education innovation space.
Impact:
I worked closely with digiLEARN and its leaders to write and pitch OpEds and essays in regional and national media outlets, including The 74, Getting Smart and EdNC.
I launched and grew digiLEARN’s social media channels and a new website.
I worked with partners at RTI International, New America, the University of South Carolina and state agency leaders in Wyoming, South Carolina and Arkansas to build and launch the Micro-Credentials Partnership of States. This included creating and sharing a toolkit that partners and funders could use to promote the Partnership’s Quality Assurance Standards white paper and supporting partner additional communications needs, like writing and editing blog posts for their own communications channels.