Michelle Messenger Garrett – Resumé
614-315-4037
michelle@michellegarrett.technicaltod.com
KEY SKILLS
- Accomplished writer, editor and public relations professional with more than 20 years of experience.
- Proven ability to take technical subject matter and communicate it in a fashion understandable to any audience.
- Skilled at organizing complex projects, defining project priorities, and delegating tasks.
- Demonstrated record of high performance standards, including attention to schedules, deadlines, budgets, and quality work.
- Able to communicate and interact effectively with individuals of all levels.
- An experienced team player, bringing enthusiasm and energy into group efforts.
WORK EXPERIENCE
| Garrett Public Relations | Columbus, OH/Sunnyvale, CA |
| Public Relations Consultant/Writer | March 1999 to Present |
- Independent consultant offering services such as media relations, writing, training, strategy, planning and counsel. Current and former clients include: HP, Adobe, BriskHeat, Auditoria, The Ohio State Bar Foundation and the Columbus College of Art & Design.
- Monthly contributor to Muck Rack and frequent contributor to other sites, such as Entrepreneur, Ragan’s PR Daily, Meltwater and more.
- Frequent speaker on public relations and related topics.
- Wrote press releases, contributed articles, marketing collateral, backgrounders, web copy, speaking abstracts and newsletter articles; provided counsel on tactics and strategy; managed projects, including customer reference and reviews programs; conducted media and analyst relations through traditional channels as well as social media; managed speaker and awards programs; managed vertical public relations programs; provided media training; staffed press meetings; prepared reports and planned events.
| Citigate Communication Inc. | Palo Alto, CA |
| Account Manager | March 1998 to March 1999 |
- Served as account manager on Adobe graphics product division and Hewlett Packard enterprise storage server and high-performance server divisions.
- Managed three full-time associates, as well as multiple contractors and administrative support, up to a total of nine people at any given time.
- Managed annual budget of more than $1million and monthly budget ranging from $60,000-$90,000.
- Managed multiple concurrent product launches.
- Developed relationships with key press and analysts through media relations and press tours.
- Provided strategic counsel to client contacts, including product managers, directors and general managers.
- Conducted media training for general manager of HP enterprise storage solutions division.
- Developed reviews program approach and managed four concurrent reviews programs with overwhelmingly positive results.
- Secured briefings with more than 300 contacts at 182 publications and analyst firms in a six-month period.
- Secured more than 280 placements for Adobe graphics products in a six-month period.
- Specialized in promoting Adobe Web products, including Photoshop, ImageReady and ImageStyler.
- Planned and supported industry trade show efforts, events and conferences, including Web Builder.com, NAB, PC Expo, SIGGRAPH, Seybold and Internet World.
- Developed press releases, reports, plans and Q&A documents.
- Led weekly team meetings and coached team members daily.
| Silicon Graphics, Inc. | Mountain View, CA |
| Public Relations Specialist |
- Developed relationships with key trade press editors and industry analysts, with a focus on those in the manufacturing, CAD, automotive, aerospace/government, AEC, and printing and publishing industries.
- Created, pursued and prioritized opportunities for coverage of products and technologies, including application programming interfaces (APIs) such as OpenGL and complex data management (CDM) solutions.
- Planned, wrote, edited and coordinated production of press releases and technical white papers; qualified and placed customer application stories.
- Managed outside public relations agency relationships.
- Managed public relations associate.
- Planned and supported industry trade show efforts, events and conferences, including SIGGRAPH and Autofact.
- Planned and hosted press visits; responded to media inquiries in a timely and professional manner.
| Edison Welding Institute (EWI) | Columbus, OH |
| Marketing Communications |
- Managed projects, including coordination and integration of information and long-range planning and design.
- Wrote, edited, designed and produced publications including brochures, newsletters, ads, and case studies for print and electronic media; formulated production schedules and set deadlines.
- Developed and launched successful public relations program, including developing press releases and placing articles, to generate publicity and increase visibility.
- Created and executed publicity plan to promote international conference, resulting in a 25 percent increase in attendance.
- Planned special events including Vice President’s Al Gore’s visit, as well as trade shows, seminars, receptions and employee functions.
EDUCATION:
| The Ohio State University | Columbus, OH |
| B.A. in Journalism/Public Relations and Political Science |
- Graduated with honors, Cum Laude.
AFFILIATIONS:
- Former member of the executive board of the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce.
- Former member of the executive board of the American Marketing Association, Columbus chapter. Served as VP of Programming for three years.
- Former president of Silicon Valley Chapter of IABC (International Association of Business Communicators). Served on board two additional years as Vice President of Communications and Past President. 300 members.
- Member of Kappa Tau Alpha National Journalism Scholarship Society.
References: Available upon request.
