Community Engagement: Jobs Landed

I serve as the first-ever Director of Social Media and Interactive Marketing for the State of Michigan’s economic development agency, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. MEDC is responsible for executing Governor Snyder’s economic development strategy and directing the popular Pure Michigan campaign, promoting Michigan as a great place to live, work, and play.

I hold a Bachelors Degree from the Michigan State University School of Hospitality Business and bring over eight years of hotel sales experience to the position. I was most recently employed with Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in Detroit working in the State Association, Entertainment and Pharmaceutical markets. Prior to that, I successfully handled similar sales responsibilities for the Hyatt Regency Dearborn Hotel. My role with the GLCVB will be to bolster the existing state association sales staff in an effort to draw additional meetings business to the region.

As an International Investments Project Specialist, I focus on opportunities to attract international investments into Michigan and explore international export/investment opportunities for Michigan based companies abroad. There are two major projects I work on at the Prima Civitas Foundation that involve crucial opportunities for Michigan-based companies internationally. First, is the Michigan-Iraq Consortium for Housing Development (MICH Development); an initiative to facilitate the involvement of financial institutions and Michigan-based companies in the Republic of Iraq National Investment Commission’s reconstruction effort. Second, is the Great Lakes International Trade and Transport Hub (GLITTH); an initiative to merge export and trade strategies in order to maximize the economic benefits of freight that is transported to and from Canada, specifically in Ontario and Nova Scotia, and the Midwest region including Michigan and Ohio.

I love my job because it allows me to apply my knowledge of political science, economics, and public policy in an incredibly creative way, while also helping to grow the economy of Michigan; a state I have lived in for over twenty years and have grown quite fond of. As a full-time graduate student, as well, this job allows me to integrate what I am learning in the classroom with the work I’m performing at PCF to improve Michigan’s economic state of affairs. We have an eclectic staff of vibrant young professionals and experienced, well respected leadership at the Prima Civitas Foundation. PCF CEO, Steve Webster, manages this organization in such a way that every member feels as vital a part of the team as their superiors by maintaining an unparalleled standard for autonomy in one’s own project(s). Many people cringe at the thought of attempting to solve the economic woes of the Great State of Michigan. I, on the other hand, smile as I have the opportunity to tackle this difficult issue daily. The Prima Civitas Foundation is a beacon of economic optimism during these difficult times.

I have had plans to move to the area and so was looking for a job in the public relations field, my field of study. I've worked in Lansing before and am excited to be back working for CADL. My main responsibilities include managing social media, communicating with local media and maintaining content on the website. My role at CADL really compliments the skills I've learned in past positions as well as at CMU. I worked in a nonprofit art organization at my previous job where I had similar responsibilities. Now I work at a much larger scale and that really fits my personality and skills.

I bring over two decades of hospitality sales experience to the position. I was most recently employed with Greenleaf Hospitality Group, the management entity for the Kalamazoo Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites, Holiday Inn West Kalamazoo and K-Wings Stadium. My role with the GLCVB will be to drive sales initiatives and foster the overall growth of Greater Lansing's market share for convention business.

I graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Family Community Services. I knew from an early point that the Human Service field was a perfect fit for me because I would be able to find a position that allowed me to directly work with individuals in the community where I lived. I was fortunate through networking with friends to find out about an employment opportunity within Capital Area Michigan Works!. I was hired and worked for several years in Workforce Development as a case-manager for the different programs served at Capital Area Michigan Works! prior to transitioning recently to the Quality Assurance Officer role.

This position has been an ideal match for my skill set as it allows me to oversee the monitoring, reporting, and compliance for several programs at Capital Area Michigan Works and also to work with the various federal grants managed in our office. One of the things I like best about my current role is that I am able to provide direct assistance to the different agencies and contractors that service the grants in our office. It's very rewarding to know that the programs we offer at Capital Area Michigan Works! directly impact the lives of individuals in our community and assist them in returning to the workforce.   

I grew up in St. Johns, attended MSU and have become very passionate about the Greater Lansing area, so the opportunity to work at GLCVB is very exciting for me! My role includes assisting with content management for our multiple websites, coordinating e-newsletter correspondence, maintaining our community calendar and media lists, supporting media relations activities, and assisting with the design and production efforts for a variety of marketing pieces we develop to assist our sales and services departments. I’ve come on just in time for GLCVB’s biggest event of the year, Be A Tourist In Your Own Town. The community and visitors alike are invited to purchase a passport for $1, which opens the doors to over 60 area attractions, local businesses and special activities. CATA offers special routes during the event and you can ride a bus to most attractions for just 50 cents all day. I’ve participated in the past, but it’s been an amazing experience to help plan this year’s event. There has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes over the past few months to make this event a success. I’ve had the privilege of working with our sponsors to donate passports to non-profit organizations within the community that work with children and are involved in their neighborhoods. I encourage everyone to get involved with this amazing annual event!

A major focus for the GLCVB’s marketing department is to educate the community about the importance of local tourism and our role in marketing the Greater Lansing region as a destination for meetings, events and leisure travel. Shortly after I started my new position, I completed a certification program that was created to inspire front-line hospitality employees and volunteers to work together to turn every visitor encounter into a positive experience. The Greater Lansing Tourism Ambassadors Program is a relatively new program presented by the GLCVB where candidates receive the designation of Certified Tourism Ambassador™ upon successfully completing a four-hour training and pre-class reading materials. In order to maintain the designation, CTAs must renew their certification on an annual basis to maintain their knowledge and skill base. The GLCVB has partnered with Mickey Schaefer and Associates LLC to present this nationwide certification program that is rapidly being adopted by CVBs across the country.

In addition to my passion for Lansing and tourism, I am also very engaged with emerging technologies and social and digital media. My goals include assisting with the continued growth of GLCVB’s web presence while focusing on how our audiences are using our sites, creation of video content to promote our special events, members and services, as well as finding new ways to better reach our potential visitors and meeting planners. I bring tourism experience to my current position as a former marketing specialist with Travel Michigan and I also worked for eight years as a marketing manager in the commercial real estate industry. I am a member of the WKAR Radio & Television Community Advisory Board and, when I’m not working or online, I enjoy reading, photography, camping, biking and Michigan road trips!

Follow me on Twitter @mwygnal

I am responsible for administrative and clerical support to the Senior Vice President and the Visitor Services Department. I also serve as the administrative liaison to the Certified Tourism Ambassador program.

I am responsible for managing event planning, media relations, writing, and assisting various councils with communications efforts.

Follow me on Twitter @CamilleDagorn

I am responsible for designing, coordinating and editing a variety of print and electronic publications and communications materials.

I am the new sponsorship and marketing coordinator for Lansing Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority (LEPFA), Lansing's premiere authority on entertainment in and around the capital area. In my new role, I will coordinate event marketing and revenue procurement for all LEPFA-managed properties and events.
 
I was formerly an external relations graduate assistant at Michigan State University in the Athletic Department and an advertising and promotions analyst for General Motors Corporation.
 
I am currently working on my master's at Cornerstone University.

I write and distribute all press releases for the zoo, establish and maintain media relationships, coordinate marketing campaigns, and assist with the zoo's web presence.

I work with a small but brilliant team of writers, graphic designers, and media experts waging the eternal struggle of communicating the mundane messages of the pension business with clarity, accuracy, and appeal. It is our duty to handle the charts, numbers, and instructions of financial investments and retiree benefits, lend to them a unified voice that makes them resonate with our audience, and polish them with style and imagery that makes the dull interesting, the complex clear, and the important meaningful. As design work goes, it is not a particularly glamorous niche but it’s made worthwhile by the dedicated and talented people I work with every day who are committed to working hard and delivering the best possible results for our customers.

I am currently the Coordinator of the Michigan Rural Network, which is affiliated with Community Economic Development Association (CEDAM).  The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan advances community-based economic development to revitalize and rebuild Michigan communities and neighborhoods.
 
The Michigan Rural Network links individuals and organizations in rural communities to develop a unified voice around common concerns, share resources and expertise, and promote a rural policy agenda that benefits all of Michigan.  I coordinate the efforts of the Network by convening bi-monthly member meetings, facilitating information sharing between and among members, managing communications via email newsletters, social media, etc. and overseeing the day to day functions of the Network office.  I have lived in the Lansing area since graduating from Michigan State and I can’t imagine living anywhere else so I feel lucky to work for such a great organization here.

Follow me on Twitter at @kari6044

I manage CEDAM's communications (everything from social media, e-newsletters, print newsletters, videos and soon our television show). As a trade association for nonprofits, another large part of my job is working with our members to share resources, best practices, and to ensure that we are meeting their needs.