Resume
WORK EXPERIENCE
Director of Communications, Community Foundation Sonoma County
10/2017 – present
- Major Projects: Talented storyteller, fundraiser, and explainer of complex projects. Lead communications for the Sonoma County Resilience Fund, the foundation’s long-term disaster recovery fund, raising over $25 million, and sharing powerful stories of impact.
- Executive Communications and Speechwriting: Draft speeches, articles, and a book foreword for CEO. Prepare talking points for media interviews. Coach CEO ahead of public speaking engagements. Lead CEO transition communications.
- Media Relations: Develop and maintain media relationships, pitch stories on foundation news, serve as media spokesperson in radio and print interviews.
- Public Speaking: Serve as spokesperson at public events and speaking engagements, represent the foundation with corporate donors (e.g., Facebook, Genentech, Goldman Sachs), facilitate Zoom events for donors, nonprofits..
- Marketing & Design: Design, photograph, write, and produce annual reports and all marketing materials. Manage all digital media. Redesigned website using stakeholder feedback process.
- Internal Communications: Lead internal communications for staff, including a weekly update news email. Facilitate learning, reflection, and strategic planning sessions to set department and org-wide goals, reflect on stakeholder survey feedback, plan events.
- Management: Directly manage communications interns. Draft annual communications plans and marketing budgets. Manage creative and marketing contractors, including a re-branding project.
Communications & Marketing Manager, Social Advocates for Youth
08/2009 – 07/2017
- Major Projects: Planned and executed communications for $10 million capital campaign for the SAY Dream Center – a project to build 63-units of affordable housing for homeless youth at the site of an unused 69-bed hospital in Santa Rosa.
- Crisis Communications: Led crisis communications during construction and pre-construction phase of project, in face of neighbors’ concerns for having a youth housing program in their neighborhood.
- Executive Communications and Speechwriting: Drafted speeches, developed policy positions, wrote op-eds for CEO and executive team.
- Media Relations & Public Speaking: Developed relationships with key media. Sought and received regular press mentions for organization and programs. Served as spokesperson at public events, speaking engagements, tours.
- Marketing & Design: Promoted fundraising events, bringing in over $400,000 annually. Managed photography, design and production of collateral. Managed all digital channels.
- Management: Supported team of 10 colleagues, directly managing one graphic designer. Led $125,000 signage design project for the Dream Center Campus, managing multiple contractors. Stewarded agency rebrand.
Freelance Design & Photography caitlinchilds.com
2008- present
-
Visual storytelling: portrait, wedding, and documentary photography, with featured work on CNN and KTVU, print newspapers, magazines.
-
Graphic design: web and print design for nonprofit clients based in Sonoma County, San Francisco.
ACTIVISM & COMMUNITY SERVICE
- Cake Baker & Decorator, Cake4Kids 04/2021-present
- Board Member, City of Santa Rosa Board of Community Services 04/2016 – 7/2017
- Co-founder/Board Member, KWTF Radio 10/2010 – 07/2017
- Cook/Server, Food Not Bombs 12/2001 – 12/2006
- Community Health Outreach Worker, Face to Face 09/2001 – 09/2005
EDUCATION
San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA
B.A. in Political Science. Graduated Cum Laude.
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
-
Graphic Design: Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Lightroom)
-
Web Design: WordPress, HTML, CSS
-
Photography: Optimistic photojournalism-style imagery and portraiture
-
Public speaking: for large and small groups, both formal and informal, with routinely excellent feedback
-
Writing: outstanding interviewer, writer, and storyteller