Nichole L. Ballard - Resume

NICHOLE L. BALLARD

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Nichole.L.Ballard@gmail.com

I find creative solutions under pressure from clients and deadlines, and I enjoy the challenge.

From online-only content to print magazines to community and student newspapers to business marketing and public relations, I have a diverse background in communications to offer.

EXPERIENCE Columbia, MO

Linkedin.com/in/nicholeballardprofile

www.nicholeballard.com

EXPERTISE Multitasking & Project Management Deadline Killer Content Creation Reporting Photography Editing Collaboration Creative Storytelling

EDUCATION BACHELOR OF ARTS Religious Studies (Multicultural Certificate) University of Missouri-Columbia 2012 ASSOCIATE OF ARTS Southwestern Illinois College Journalism Emphasis 2009

AUCTION MANAGER Black and Gold Auctions, Columbia, Missouri / 2014 – Present Coordinate and manage business office and auctions. Apply communication experience, software know-how and photography skills to create, market, manage and execute online and live auctions that receive more than $1.5 million in bids annually.

• Photograph/video auction items and products for online sales • Create Facebook and MailChimp campaigns to promote events with above-industry open rates • Update Facebook page to engage customers, increased average page actions by 84% in last month • Developed a new website for the business in 2016 • Create promotional materials from brochures to flyers • First point of contact for clients and bidders • Manage a small team of employees, addressing their concerns and taking action to make operations more efficient and organized • Developed office communication system to organize and schedule events FREELANCE JOURNALIST/EDITOR Self-employed / 2011 – 2017 Contributed to several publications as an editor, writer and photographer. Collaborated with designers and team members to produce content for digital and print platforms.

Some of the publications that I have worked with are: • Edible Artists Network Magazine • Missouri Life magazine • Columbia Business Times • Columbia Home & Life (now Columbia Home) • Professional Daym magazine SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Missouri Life Media, Boonville, Missouri/ 2015 Managed special projects at Missouri Life Media including the state chamber of commerce magazine, the magazine for the Missouri Pharmacy Association and the Missouri Motorcycle Guide 2015. Worked with writers, designers and photographers to best represent the client’s voice and maintain publishing guidelines as the managing editor. Assisted in editing Missouri Life magazine.

• Managed multiple projects daily on tight press deadlines • Collaborated with a team of contributors and designers • Produced and coordinated a variety of publications from ads to special sections to complete magazines for digital and print publication

NICHOLE L. BALLARD

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

TECHNICAL SKILLS Microsoft Office Suite Adobe CS (Premiere, Photoshop, Lightroom, etc.)

Social Media Wordpress MailChimp AP & Chicago Styles Digital & Print Media Camera/Video Equipment Operation

EXPERIENCE continued REPORTER/PHOTOJOURNALIST Rawlins Daily Times, Rawlins, Wyoming / 2012 – 2013 Wrote stories and took photos for community newspaper in rural Wyoming.

• Once wrote the entire newspaper when all the reporters took a sick day • Averaged two articles daily • Frequented the front page • Multiple articles picked up by AP and published in the other newspapers • Cultivated relationships with diverse sources and key influencers • Maintained confidentiality with sources and key information • Covered outlying towns within the Carbon County, Wyoming • Used multi-media to engage the community including video, photography, and social media platforms

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE VOLUNTEER WORK Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue, Columbia, Missouri / 2016 – Present

REFERENCES

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MARYNELL CHRISTIANSON

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“I'm very pleased to recommend Nichole as a multi-skilled journalist and editor.

I’ve worked alongside Nichole while we worked at Missouri Life and Missouri Business magazines. Not only has she been a key player on the Missouri Life team, but she’s also become a close personal friend. Nichole's skills and leadership qualities would make her an invaluable addition to any organization.

Nichole can plan, create, and market content and build a strong presence for companies that need quality marketing, editing content. She’s an excellent writer, editor and photojournalist with a facility for translating information into engaging content. Nichole marries her writing skills with a working knowledge of digital marketing. She works across social media, email campaigns, and other public relations outreach to effect viral engagement. In addition to her professional qualifications, Nichole has personal qualities that make her well suited to project management.”

Foster and train dogs that have been chained and abused or neglected and help find them a new home Take photos of the dogs available for adoption for Petfinder and other events Post updates and news on the rescue’s blog Advise on redesign and organization of the website Represent the rescue at adoption and fundraising events

VOLUNTEER WORK Franklin School, Belleville, Illinois / 2007 •

Developed and implemented after-school science program for elementary students

INTERNSHIP Missouri Life magazine, Boonville, Missouri / 2011 • Wrote and photographed assignments as an editorial assistant INTERNSHIP Columbia Home magazine, Columbia, Missouri / 2012 • Assisted publisher and wrote articles as an editorial assistant STUDENT PAPERS • The Maneater, University of Missouri-Columbia / 2009 – 2011 • Eye of the Storm, Southwestern Illinois College / 2007 – 2009