Val's Resume
Experience
Kicksled Alaska LLC, Anchorage, AK
Co-Owner • July 2019 - Present
Exclusive importer of ESLA kicksleds to Alaska from Finland.
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Oversee all aspects of the business, from shipping logistics to pricing and marketing.
Valpine Creative LLC, Anchorage, AK
Owner • November 2015 - Present
Provides organizations with specialized marketing and communications strategies, support and design.
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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).
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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.
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Designed annual reports, infographics, websites and countless ads and fliers for for-profit, nonprofit and government clients.
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.
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Created and managed the department budget.
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Developed, managed and implemented marketing plans for the organization and AEDC events.
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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.
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Produced, designed in-house and marketed more than 20 economic reports per year.
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Earned more than $1 million in media value for the organization in both 2013 and 2014.
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.
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Monitored all media related to oil taxes in Alaska and report to campaign steering committee with a daily email recap.
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Participated in two oil spill response drills as a member of the crisis communications team.
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Support daily internal communications for an oil company.
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Earned promotion from Account Coordinator to Account Executive
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.
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Published 2011 Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce Membership and Business Directory.
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Worked directly with nine SUBWAY® Restaurant franchisees to coordinate advertising and sponsorships.
Dynamic Properties, Anchorage, AK
Advertising & Graphic Art Director • August 2008 - November 2009
Worked independently to meet constant deadlines while
multi-tasking many different projects.
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Maintained clear line of communication with more than 130 real estate professionals to create custom marketing materials suitable for each of their target audiences.
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Created various collateral pieces and print ads for publication.
Awards
Public Relations Society of America, Alaska Chapter
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2017 Grand Aurora Award (highest honors) for FisheWear Kickstarter campaign
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2016 Aurora Award, Marketing Communications: Where to Startup Video Series
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2015 Award of Excellence, Social Media: AEDC I Love Anchorage
International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
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Gold Award of Excellence in Economic Development for Website Design, 2015: Redesign of www.AEDCweb.com
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Gold Award of Excellence in Economic Development for New Media, 2014: AEDC I Love Anchorage Instagram
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Silver Award of Excellence in Economic Development for Newsletters, 2014: AEDC Entrepreneurship E-Zine
PR NEWS Social Media Icon Awards (2015)
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Honorable Mention: Instagram | Best PR Campaign
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AEDC I Love Anchorage Instagram
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American Marketing Association, Alaska Chapter (2015)
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Prism Award for Community Development
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AEDC Live. Work. Play. Initiative
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Pinnacle Award for Social Media
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AEDC I Love Anchorage
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Education
Advertising, Creative Design
Bachelor of Science
North Park University
Chicago, Ill.
Skillsets
Mac and PC Platforms
InDesign
Illustrator
Photoshop
Lightroom
Microsoft Office
Shopify
WordPress
Squarespace
Weebly
Wix
Joomla
Prezi
MailChimp
Constant Contact
Social Media Planning
Professional
Memberships
Public Relations Society America, Alaska Chapter
Board Member, 2018 - Present
Member since 2013
Outdoor Industry Women Association
Member 2016 - 2017
American Marketing Association, Alaska Chapter
Member, 2013 - 2015
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.
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
2014 Public Relations Society of
America (PRSA), Alaska
Chapter CommEx Conference in
Anchorage, AK
“The genius of @iloveanchorage" Aug. 2014