Val's Resume

Experience

Kicksled Alaska LLC, Anchorage, AK

Co-Owner • July 2019 - Present

Exclusive importer of ESLA kicksleds to Alaska from Finland.

  • Oversee all aspects of the business, from shipping logistics to pricing and marketing.

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Valpine Creative LLC, Anchorage, AK

Owner •  November 2015 - Present

Provides organizations with specialized marketing and communications strategies, support and design.

  • Developed and launched an award-winning communications and marketing campaign that successfully crowdfunded more than $66,000 in four weeks for a client (132 percent funded).

  • Executed and designed a strategy to grow online presence for a retail client that increased sales by nearly 100 percent and the Facebook follower count grew by more than 400 percent.

  • Designed annual reports, infographics, websites and countless ads and fliers for for-profit, nonprofit and government clients.

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Anchorage Economic Development Corp., Anchorage, AK

Communications Director • October 2012 - November 2015

Oversaw all communication for the organization, ranging from

press releases and media relations to social media, newsletters and

website management. Worked directly under President & CEO and

supervised one staff member.

  • Created and managed the department budget.

  • Developed, managed and implemented marketing plans for the organization and AEDC events.

  • Promoted and marketed the largest annual business luncheon in Alaska; successfully selling out the event three years in-a-row with more than 1,500 attendees.

  • Produced, designed in-house and marketed more than 20 economic reports per year.

  • Earned more than $1 million in media value for the organization in both 2013 and 2014.

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MSI Communications, Inc., Anchorage, AK

Account Executive & Account Coordinator • October 2011 - October 2012

Provide account service and support to clients in a variety of

industries, ranging from native corporations to State projects, oil

companies and an airline.

  • Monitored all media related to oil taxes in Alaska and report to campaign steering committee with a daily email recap.

  • Participated in two oil spill response drills as a member of the crisis communications team.

  • Support daily internal communications for an oil company.

  • Earned promotion from Account Coordinator to Account Executive

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Northwest Strategies, Anchorage, AK

Account Coordinator • February 2010 - October 2011

Directly work with Account Executive and clients to strategize,

create and execute all types of advertising for clients including

agencies, a quick-serve restaurant chain throughout Alaska and a

retail client.

  • Published 2011 Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce Membership and Business Directory.

  • Worked directly with nine SUBWAY® Restaurant franchisees to coordinate advertising and sponsorships.

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Dynamic Properties, Anchorage, AK

Advertising & Graphic Art Director • August 2008 - November 2009

Worked independently to meet constant deadlines while

multi-tasking many different projects.

  • Maintained clear line of communication with more than 130 real estate professionals to create custom marketing materials suitable for each of their target audiences.

  • Created various collateral pieces and print ads for publication.

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Awards

Public Relations Society of America, Alaska Chapter

  • 2017 Grand Aurora Award (highest honors) for FisheWear Kickstarter campaign

  • 2016 Aurora Award, Marketing Communications: Where to Startup Video Series

  • 2015 Award of Excellence, Social Media: AEDC I Love Anchorage

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International Economic Development Council (IEDC)

  • Gold Award of Excellence in Economic Development for Website Design, 2015: Redesign of www.AEDCweb.com

  • Gold Award of Excellence in Economic Development for New Media, 2014: AEDC I Love Anchorage Instagram

  • Silver Award of Excellence in Economic Development for Newsletters, 2014: AEDC Entrepreneurship E-Zine

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PR NEWS Social Media Icon Awards (2015)

  • Honorable Mention: Instagram | Best PR Campaign

    • AEDC I Love Anchorage Instagram

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American Marketing Association, Alaska Chapter (2015)

  • Prism Award for Community Development

    • AEDC Live. Work. Play. Initiative

  • Pinnacle Award for Social Media

    • AEDC I Love Anchorage

Education

Advertising, Creative Design

Bachelor of Science

North Park University

Chicago, Ill.

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Skillsets

Mac and PC Platforms

InDesign

Illustrator

Photoshop

Lightroom

Microsoft Office

Shopify

WordPress

Squarespace

Weebly

Wix

Joomla

Prezi

MailChimp

Constant Contact

Social Media Planning

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Professional

Memberships

Public Relations Society America, Alaska Chapter

Board Member, 2018 - Present 

Member since 2013

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Outdoor Industry Women Association

Member 2016 - 2017

 

American Marketing Association, Alaska Chapter

Member, 2013 - 2015

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Other Activities

Girls on the Run, Anchorage, AK

Volunteer Coach, Spring 2015

Coached girls in grades 3-6 at Lake Hood Elementary School in a 10-week an after-school running program.

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Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd., Marketing Committee

Volunteer Committee Member

2014 - 2015

Provided advice and guidance for

marketing downtown Anchorage and special events in the downtown area to the Anchorage public at-large.
 

Panelist/Featured Speaker

Anchorage Chamber Young

Professionals Summit

"Crowdfunding 101," March 2018

 

Anchorage Chamber Young

Professionals Group, Panelist

"Personal Branding in the Workplace"
Feb. 2015

 

2014 Annual International

Economic Development Council

Conference in Ft. Worth, TX

“Loving Anchorage, One Photo at

a Time." Oct. 2014

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2014 Public Relations Society of

America (PRSA), Alaska

Chapter CommEx Conference in

Anchorage, AK 

“The genius of @iloveanchorage" Aug. 2014