Laurie Callsen

I lead our United Way's efforts to enhance messaging and narratives across various channels. My responsibilities include developing strategic communications that align with our brand objectives, supporting our Leadership team with crucial communications, navigating crisis situations, and building our capacity to support media relations efforts.

In this Brand & Content Marketing role, I lead a number of projects that spread the word about the incredible work United Way is doing in the community. These projects include: writing executive communications work such as speaking notes on behalf of our President & CEO; editing, writing, and evaluating our monthly newsletter; managing, compiling and writing reports for donors, such as organizational and program annual reports; planning, writing, interviewing, and producing impactful storytelling multimedia content; executing internal communications through Microsoft tools like Teams and Sharepoint;

In this role, I'm responsible for strategizing, developing and disseminating content across various social media platforms and managing the online reputation and brand awareness of United Way. I'm the first point of contact when engaging current and potential customers on social platforms. I also work to develop social media strategies and plans for marketing, communications, events and campaign support, and provide social media support and training to staff and advocates.

The mission of United Way of the Alberta Capital Region is to mobilize collective action to create pathways out of poverty. As a SCR, I support United Way’s communications initiatives and community engagement programs by coordinating, scheduling and attending volunteer activities and by providing social media content and general communications support.

Develop and maintain a consistent, authentic online voice for Premier Rachel Notley Develop and implement social media strategies, campaign, and content Engage with Albertans on Premier’s digital properties, including moderating and reporting harassment Measure, analyze and report social media performance, offering insight into public’s perception of the government’s work Advise cabinet ministers and ministerial staff on social media best practices Collaborate with Premier’s photographer, providing creative direction and photo editing Engage with Albertans to encourage them to share their stories and experiences through the appropriate channels (social media, op-ed, newspaper sources, etc) Liaise with Public Affairs Bureau staff who manage social media for YourAlberta properties and Alberta.ca, and with Premier’s Correspondence Unit to ensure content messaging is up to date and correct

I am a vintage lifestyle blogger, focusing on the Edmonton vintage scene. I strive to write daily at Retro-Reporter.com, my blog that follows my trials and tribulations of living a vintage lifestyle in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada's largest urban area in northern Canada. Since starting Retro Reporter in April 2011, I have received over 110,000 page hits, have worked to procure sponsorship and faithful international readers, and have over 300 subscribers.

- Manage Leader Rachel Notley’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, including moderation - Manage Alberta NDP Opposition Twitter and Facebook accounts, including moderation - Develop content for the leader’s digital properties and the Alberta NDP caucus digital properties, including designing social media graphics - Update and maintain the Alberta NDP caucus website - Respond and engage with Albertans on the leader’s and the caucus’s digital properties - Advise MLAs on social media best practices - Write news releases, with a focus on statements regarding significant days - Assist in pitching news stories to journalists and setting up interviews with MLAs - Write material for Question Period, including questions, Members’ Statements and responses to Ministerial Statements - Write and edit newspaper columns for community newspapers - Coordinate marketing for the caucus, including designing and producing leaflets, newspaper advertising, posters etc - Advance press events, including backdrop set-up, photographing event and live-tweeting

- Manage Leader Rachel Notley’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, and the Alberta NDP Twitter and Facebook accounts including moderation - Develop content for the leader’s digital properties and the Alberta NDP digital properties, including designing social media graphics - Update and assist in maintaining the campaign website - Respond and engage with Albertans on the leader’s and the party’s digital properties - Advise candidates on social media best practices

I have several years experience in the diverse world of content creation. I write newspaper articles and creative non-fiction, edit articles for SEO and grammar, and am always looking for unique, interactive ways to tell stories. I offer a number of consulting services, including but not limited to: Writing: creative non-fiction, blog posts, company profiles, social media posts, press releases, advertising copy Editing: search engine optimization, CP Style, grammar and spelling Administration: data entry, transcription, filing, data organization Design & interactive media: Interactive maps, infographics, photography, videography, advertising design, layout

As Koch's first dedicated social media coordinator, I manage all social media communities by engaging with new, returning and prospective customers over social media channels. I also am constantly developing and updating Koch's social media strategy, as well as providing social media training for staff. Duties include: - creating internal and external newsletters - shooting videos and photos for social media and print marketing - designing print advertising and promotional material - write and curate content for blog posts, Koch website and newsletters - assisting with event coordination - develop and deploy social media strategy - assist in the development of a marketing strategy - create print advertising, as needed

As Metro Edmonton's digital reporter, I updated and maintained Metro's social media channels, including Facebook, Google+, Twitter and YouTube. I also maintained Metro's website, which is run on a Wordpress platform. I also wrote web articles, created web style guides and perfected search engine optimization tactics for the newsroom. The position was eliminated in March 2013.

At the Camrose Canadian, I was one half of the news room and I concentrated on post-secondary institutions, provincial and civic governments, as well as “people” stories. I also worked to bring the Canadian into a new era by establishing and maintaining Facebook and Twitter pages and updating the website with new content daily, instead of weekly after the paper was published.