Writing
I earned my bachelor's degree in Communication/PR from N.C. State University, graduating cum laude, in 2014. But I have been writing professionally for more than a decade, first for The News & Observer of Raleigh and then for the N.C. Education Lottery.
On behalf of the lottery, I wrote over a thousand news releases and blogs and crafted countless social media posts. I cultivated relationships with members of the news media and fostered community among the lottery's enthusiastic customers on social media.
Over the course of more than eight years, I drove extensive earned media coverage and reach on social media. In the span of one year, our traditional and social media efforts exposed our messages to an audience of 37 million people.
Tap or click on the headlines below to read a few of the pieces I wrote for the lottery.
Ahead of a major overhaul of the lottery's website, I was tasked with writing new copy and making content organization recommendations for the IMPACT section of the website. This includes how lottery funds make a difference for education and help local businesses. From the IMPACT main page, click on the subsections.
For monthly product roll-outs, I sometimes wrote blogs in the voice of "Mr. First Tuesday" - a character developed by the lottery's agency for TV and radio ads. By inhabiting Mr. First Tuesday's charming personality, we introduced players to new games in a fun and engaging way.
I drafted this release about a novelty scratch-off ticket. Along with events I helped plan and execute, we earned comprehensive statewide coverage. And I pitched it to USA Today to an online editor via Twitter and she picked up the local affiliate's story for their website.
I wrote this media release celebrating the lottery's executive director receiving a professional award. It was a significant accomplishment, as no gaming professional had ever been named the recipient of this particular award.
This customer-facing blog addresses a common question the communications team is asked to explain. By using a topic customers are interested in, we created an opportunity to start a conversation with them about responsible play, part of the lottery's broader commitment to corporate social responsibility.