Joy Brown

Professional Experience

Findlay Family YMCA | Communications Director | 2024 - Present

Oversee internal and external communications and marketing, including public relations, social media, executive communication, change communication, and website administration. Duties such as development messaging, video production, and event planning are also part of this role.

• Managing integrated, strategic marketing and communication. Designing, applying, and analyzing recurring and new initiatives that enhance national and local strategic plans is an ongoing priority.

• Targeted campaign creation. Stratified promotion for fundraising events, program launches, and more is focused on audience and ROI-targeted goals.

• Tech-focused leadership. Supervising a website upgrade and a social media management platform shift is providing plenty of upskilling!

• Capital campaign communications. Vital messaging for a multi-phase, $40 million campus building project provides opportunities for creative publicity and strategic development.

• Relationship building. YMCA projects, fundraising, and volunteer opportunities are facilitating valuable connections and partnerships with local community leaders from sectors such as business, nonprofit, healthcare, and education.   

​

Ohio Northern University | Associate Director of Media Relations 

2020 - 2024

Produced, promoted, and supervised media content and strategies for the Office of Communications and Marketing. Oversaw communication projects and introduced emerging technology for enhanced creativity and departmental efficiency.

• Managed promotional content creation and distribution for external and internal audiences. Projects such as press releases, targeted media pitching, university newsletters, executive communications, administrative speechwriting, and occasional Advancement messaging were under my purview.

• Writing, editing, copyediting, and proofreading. I guaranteed grammatical correctness, AP Style and internal style book adherence, and brand alignment; and ensured that content was tightly constructed and creatively presented.

• Content strategy and project management. I supervised editorial and digital campaign ideation, integration, and workflow. I led the department’s weekly Content Team meetings and facilitated collaborative workflow and relationship building. I’m also serving on Public Relations Society of America’s Strategic Planning Committee.

• GenAI implementation. I led the department’s generative AI exploration for appropriate use and was spearheading policy creation.

• Software mastery. I regularly worked within Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Wrike, Drupal, G Suite and Critical Mention for team building, data analysis, and project execution.

​

Western Michigan University | News & Communication Specialist 2019 - 2020

Enhanced earned and owned media content and strategies for the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communication.

• Content creation and strategic communication. I generated story ideas, wrote press releases and crafted long and short-form news and feature articles for WMU News, WMU Magazine and other University publications. Beats included the Colleges of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Health and Human Services, Education and Human Development, Graduate College, and Lee Honors College.

• Copy editing. I assisted with copy editing WMU Magazine and other office content ranging from executive-level communications to web pages.

• Video production. I produced videos to enhance written stories.

​

University of Findlay | Media Relations Coordinator | 2015 - 2019

Produced and led earned and owned media content and strategies for the Office of Marketing and Communication, and Enrollment Management and Advancement divisions.

• Primary storyteller. I managed UF’s online newsroom (WordPress), wrote press releases, provided marketing specialists with writing assistance, assisted with social media posting, and analyzed media performance using Meltwater. After my hire, UF newsroom posts increased by more than 100 annually, and user totals increased by 40%. In fall 2018, I oversaw website redesign.

• Departmental editor, copyeditor, and proofreader. Larger projects included serving as FindlayMag (alumni) and Faculty Focus magazines editor.

• Crisis communication. My journalistic insight enabled administrators to take effective approaches that met the needs of the university and its stakeholders, the media, and the public.

The Courier | General Assignment Reporter | 1998 - 2015

Covering breaking news, government, local and regional politics, crime, courts, and education; and wrote features and columns. Earned eight Ohio Associated Press awards.