Karen Buckley Washington

1030 Grace Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30043

770/828-8370
e-mail: buckley_karen@hotmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/karenbuckleywashington

WRITER ~ EDITOR ~ PRESENTER ~ PUBLIC RELATIONS/PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROFESSIONAL

Professional Profile

• Highly effective communications professional with exceptional writing, editing, speaking,

and promotional skills.
• Creative, innovative presenter, teacher, instructor, trainer, and coach.

Highlights of Professional Experience and Accomplishments in Writing, Editing, Public

Relations, and Public Affairs

Played a key role on communications team of the state U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural
Resources Conservation Service staff. Advanced the State Conservationist’s agenda by:

• Writing dynamic, well-received, quarterly newsletter columns for State Conservationist, to

be read by varied public constituencies;
• Arranging press coverage, as well as writing press releases and media advisories;
• Achieving excellent track record in writing and placing press releases;
• Writing and editing articles and publications to promote State Conservationist’s initiatives.

Successfully promoted an IT training company and a non-profit organization, using innovative

marketing techniques. Contributed these organizations’ success by:

• Producing and writing eye-catching printed pieces: effective newsletter, annual reports,
brochures;
• Developing and implementing comprehensive marketing program to launch new website;
• Establishing effective strategies and launching direct-mail campaign to inform potential
stakeholders of, respectively, IT training class offerings and community renewal
opportunities through real estate donations;
• Organizing special events to promote services and generate good feelings about
organizations;
• Launching effective program of regular press releases and photos; establishing excellent
media contacts;
• Conducting seasonal promotional campaigns; outlining design and writing ads;
• Saving thousands of dollars by typesetting printed pieces on desktop-publishing system;
• Similarly maintaining contact with clients to and crafting direct-mail promotional letters to
expand base of clients;
Technical Exposure

• Internet (Microsoft Explorer/Vista/Google Search/Social Networking), MS Office Suite

(Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), MS Publisher, MS FrontPage, Adobe InDesign,
Photoshop, PageMaker, QuarkXpress, CorelDraw

Chronology of Experience

• Freelance Marketer, Lawrenceville, GA, June 2008 to present.

• Director of Marketing, SeedAmerica, Alpharetta, GA, April 2007 to June 2008.
• Assistant State Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture NRCS, Athens,
GA, July 2005 to April 2007.
• Area Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture NRCS, Rochester, MN,
March 2004 to July 2005.
• IBM Education Marketing Coordinator/Marketing Manager, Exeed Education/TSG
Education, Chicago, IL and Minneapolis, MN, October 1998 to June 2002.
• Marketing Coordinator, National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, IL, May 1998 to
October 1998.
• Marketing Coordinator, Homewood-Flossmoor Park District, January1998 to May 1998.
• Tradeshow Marketing Coordinator, PEMCO, August 1997 to November 1997.
• Marketing Specialist, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Springfield, IL, August
1995 to May 1997.

Education

Graduate Studies – University of Illinois at Springfield

Major: Communication
Graduate Public Service Internship Program
GPA: 3.9/4.0

B.S. – Illinois State University

Major: Public Relations
Minor: Sociology
GPA: 3.2/4.0

Community Involvement

Coordinated PSA for Campaign Literacy Program (Grace Media Network, an online
church and Christian-lifestyles media portal) that aired on KARE 11 television
(Minneapolis).

Established marketing communications plan, tactics and budget for churches and non-
profit organizations.

Served on planning committee for promotion of celebrity golf tournament.