Alana J. Mauger – Communications Professional

Objective

With more than 20 years of experience as a professional writer and communicator, I am looking to share my talents in public and media relations, executive communication, social media, crisis communication, journalism, and multimedia production with dynamic individuals and organizations who value creativity and community.

Professional Experience

Communications Specialist and Writer, Self-Employed, Gilbertsville, PA
2016-present
Provide strategic communications consulting and writing services for clients and publications in the greater Philadelphia region. These services include comprehensive marketing and communications strategy; emergency communications strategy; brand development; public relations; media relations; media coaching; social media; multimedia production; business development; event management; writing for film; and copy editing.

Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell/Pottstown, PA
1998-2016

Director of Strategic Communications
2008-2016
Developed and executed all internal and external communications for Montgomery County Community College. My responsibilities included writing and pitching press releases that promote the College’s programs, activities, initiatives, faculty, and students; working with local, regional, national, industry and academic media outlets to get College information to the community; serving as the College spokesperson and Public Information Officer (PIO); developing and managing all crisis communications procedures and executing emergency communications in collaboration with the Director of Campus Safety; crafting messaging for advocacy initiatives, including close collaboration with the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges; writing remarks, talking points and event backgrounders for the College President and Trustees; managing all social media strategies and accounts; developing and facilitating media training workshops for administrators and faculty; writing and managing the Commencement ceremony script and coaching speakers in preparation of the annual event; writing and distributing a weekly news brief to the College’s 1,500 employees; serving as a contributing writer and editorial team member for the College’s quarterly alumni magazine; working with students and staff from the College’s Communications program to write, produce, and edit multi-media audio and video pieces to promote the College; writing and recording all Call Center messages, including the College’s main phone tree; writing and producing annual videos for Alumni Hall of Fame induction; managing a staff of three employees, student workers, and a pool of freelance photographers and writers.

Adjunct Lecturer, Media Studies
2014-2016
Developed and taught Communications courses onsite and online. My responsibilities included developing curriculum for two new courses—History of New Media and Interactive Journalism—as part of MCCC’s Media Studies A.A. program; teaching and mentoring students; and completing coursework and programming required of new faculty.

Coordinator of Media and Public Relations
2002-2008
Executed media and public relations efforts for the College. My responsibilities included writing and pitching press releases that promote the College’s programs, activities, initiatives, faculty, and students; working with local, regional, national, and academic media outlets to get College information to the community; serving as the first line of contact for media inquiries; serving as editor for weekly employee newsletter; writing and producing annual videos for Alumni Hall of Fame induction; and serving as editor of the College’s quarterly alumni magazine.

Radio/TV Production Assistant
1998-2002
Produced multimedia content for the West Campus of Montgomery County Community College. My responsibilities included producing a monthly cable-access television program; producing a weekly AM radio program; writing public service announcements; scheduling guests; preparing guests and hosts for interviews; serving as fill-in host for 30+ episodes of radio and 10+ episodes of TV; and serving as the College’s liaison with local television and radio outlets.

Editor, The Trend Midweek, Broad Street Community Newspapers, Norristown, PA
2000-2002
Served as editor of eight weekly direct-mail newspapers in the Main Line, Pennsylvania region. My responsibilities included developing and managing editorial calendars for each publication; serving as a member of the management team for the Norristown office; writing and photographing weekly feature and news stories and various other community-related events; writing a weekly editorial column; proofreading and editing freelance work; supervising freelance writers and photographers; and designing editorial pages using Quark X-Press.

Production Assistant, WPAZ Radio, Great Scott Broadcasting, Pottstown, PA
1999-2000
Performed a variety of writing and production tasks. My responsibilities included writing advertising copy; producing client ads for radio; producing pre-recorded, in-studio radio programs and content; hosting live on-air programming; and producing and hosting remote broadcasts such as church services, sports events, business openings, and community activities.

Education

Capella University, Minneapolis, MN — Master of Science in Higher Education Administration
Class of 2006
Graduated summa cum laude; completed thesis project on service learning and community outreach in the community college.

Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA — Bachelor of Arts in English / Professional Writing
Class of 1999
Graduated magna cum laude; completed minors in Public Relations and Literature; served as copy editor of The Keystone; served as vice president of PRSSA; inducted into Sigma Tau Delta honors society; selected for Who’s Who Among America’s Four-Year Colleges and Universities.

Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA — Associate of Arts in Humanities
Class of 1997
Graduated summa cum laude; served as editor of The Mustang; served as senator of the Student Government Association; inducted into Phi Theta Kappa honors society; selected for Who’s Who Among America’s Junior Colleges; selected for National Dean’s List.

Select Professional/Volunteer Affiliations

Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation – member, 2009-present; board of directors, effective February 2017.

TriCounty Community Network — member, 2016-present

CUPRAP – The Association of Communicators in Education – member, 2002-2016; board of directors, 2005-2007

National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) – member, 2002-2016; recipient of Silver Paragon Award for blogging, 2012

Habitat for Humanity – Alternative Spring Break facilitator, 2007, 2009

Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy – board of directors, 2010-2012

Appalachia Service Project (ASP) – summer volunteer, 2003, 2004, 2009; Carpenter Club supporter, 2003-present

Select Professional Development

JIS/JIC Planning for Tribal, State and Local PIOs (G291)
Certificate of Completion, FEMA, 2015

Mental Health First Aid USA
Certification through 2018, National Council for Behavioral Health, 2015

President’s Leadership Academy
Graduate, Montgomery County Community College, 2009-2010

Leadership TriCounty
Graduate, TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce, 2008-2009

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Training
Montgomery County Community College, 2004, 2005

Select Publications/Projects

Beyond the Breaker (in progress)
A documentary film about the demolition of the Huber Coal Breaker in Ashley, PA and its impact on the community

“Meet the President: Dr. Kevin Pollock”
bigDreams – The alumni magazine of Montgomery County Community College, cover story, Summer 2016

“Dr. Karen A. Stout: A Transformational Leader”
bigDreams – The alumni magazine of Montgomery County Community College, cover story, Summer 2015

Montgomery County Community College: 50 Years of Thinking Big
The Donning Company Publishers, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-57864-932-7

“Touch Control Systems Empower Faculty to Teach with Technology”
Community College Week, Oct. 28, 2013

“Efficiencies, Learning Outcomes Bolstered by Analytics, Data-Informed Decision Making”
EDUCAUSE Quarterly Review, July 18, 2012

“Harnessing the Power of Nuclear Technology”
bigDreams – The alumni magazine of Montgomery County Community College, cover story, Spring 2011

“Using Technology to Impact Student Retention at Montgomery County Community College”
EDUCAUSE Review Online, Dec. 15, 2010

Select Presentations

“Project Management and Content Creation Across Mediums”
Presented March 23, 2016 at meeting of the Society for Technical Communication-Philadelphia Metro Chapter

“Huber Breaker Photography”
Presented Aug. 8, 2013 at 16th Annual Conference on Abandoned Mine Reclamation

“Integrating a Social Media Program: Two Case Studies”
Presented March 10, 2010 at Annual Spring Conference of CUPRAP – The Association of Communicators in Education

“Preparing for the Pandemic Flu: What Colleges Need to Know”
Presented March 16, 2006 at Annual Spring Conference of CUPRAP – The Association of Communicators in Education

Technical Experience

Basecamp
Google Analytics
Wordpress
Joomla
Microsoft Office/Office 360
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Garage Band
iMovie
Quark X-Press
Mac, Windows and Linux-based platforms

Additional Skills

Digital Photography
Focus Group Facilitation
Project Management