Carol Voss

Hi, I'm Carol Voss, an experienced communications and community affairs professional. Welcome!

---

Carol Voss is a savvy connector, with expertise in community and sponsor relations, marketing and management leadership in nonprofit and health settings.  2011 Winner of The Business Journal of Greater Milwaukee "Woman of Influence" Award (Community Category), 2012 BMA Awards (3) for Excellence, presenter on social media topics, TEMPO Milwaukee member, innovative business professional involved in the community.  Carol Voss has a unique skill set: a PR professional with new ideas, enthusiasm and positivity as well as a broad business network with natural ease in business development, outreach and presentations to a wide variety of audiences from C-Suite to service staff. A big picture thinker known for innovation and follow-through, Carol Voss has digital native capabilities as a social media strategist, content marketer and community manager with expertise in: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, FourSquare, Pinterest, Quora, blogging. Additional experience with Instagram, Tumblr, Storify. Professional Goals: identifying new opportunities where innovation and strategy is valued to address challenges; tapping digital creativity mixed with traditional methodology in communications; being a thought leader and trend early adopter as it relates to business advantage; sharing knowledge and streamlining practices for best outcomes; building mutally-beneficial bridges; using expertise and energy to gain marketshare, maximize brand awareness, leverage partnerships and affect positive change for the company and community at large.  Experience across health and community sectors with advanced business management degree and with background in digital and traditional communications, public speaking and community relations, innovative leadership, fundraising, sales. Specialties: Community relations, branding, content marketing, innovation, event planning, coordination for VIP celebrities, public speaking, PR, public relations, media relations, spokesperson, social media, board development, sponsorships, cause-related marketing. Skills derived from working in health care sector: medical staff relations, rehab management, universal design-products and aging environments consulting, speaker on social media engagement. Digital inclusion of customers w/age-related or other disability. Access.

Director of Communications & Special Projects at Creative Alliance Milwaukee

June 2015 - Present | Milwaukee. WI

PR/Media Relations, conference planning and operations planning and implementations for a Downtown placemaking pilot project supported by a national Southwest Airlines Heart of the Community grant.

PR/Marketing Director at IndependenceFirst

July 2004 - Present | Milwaukee, WI

Community relations with key community and business leadership, sponsorship, board. Media relations/spokesperson, marketing activities (print, radio, event-related, online, video productions, out of home, TV), special event planning and promo, media purchasing with budget responsibility, community relations. Social media strategy, content creation and implementation across YouTube, Flickr, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook Channels. Corporate Blogging Rollout. Content management CMS. Total website revision project conception and management. Vendor relations, branding and differentiation strategy and implementation. VIP speaker negotiations, management.

Ad Hoc Instructor at UWM

1997 - December 2005

Taught a variety of college courses in the Occupational Therapy and Recreational Therapy Programs including "Administration and Management" and "Media." Helped advocate for, create and teach "Disability: Society and the Person." Not consistent role but on/off semesters as needed. Highly rated instructor by college students in classes.

Fund Development and Marketing Manager at IndependenceFirst

2001 - 2004

Grant writing, donor development and special event management responsibility. Foundation relations, donor relations, campaign design and dissemination, database management, CRM. Advertising, marketing, public relations, key community and business leader relations, VIP Hosting and management. Position evolved into 4 FTEs - grant writer, PR/Marketing Director, Fund Development Director and PR/Marketing/FD Coordinator positions.

Executive Director at Laureate Group-Howard Village

September 2000 - May 2001

In charge of sales, hiring and startup of a new construction retirement community.

Senior Research Associate at Medical College of WI

March 1999 - August 2000

Qualitative research on independent living topics for people with spinal cord injury. Presented 2 posters at national conference, primary author on research paper for peer reviewed journal, secondary author on research paper for peer reviewed journal. Community outreach and stakeholder relations.

Interim Rehab Services Director/Occupational Therapy Director at Vencor

1996 - 1999

Managed occupational (OT), physical (PT) and speech (ST) therapists in two subacute facilities in 9 month interim position in addition to OT Director role. Medical staff relations, referral relationship, outreach, Rehab department PR activities.

Occupational Therapy Director at Hillhaven Inc.

1994 - 1996

Managed occupational therapy staff and served as staff lead in southeastern WI locations. Subacute rehabilitation. Long term ventilator rehabilitation. Long term care.

St. Mary's Academy

HS Diploma

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Concentration: Occupational Therapy, Assistive/Augmentative Technology and Rehabilitation Engineering

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - School of Business Administration

Master of Science (MS)

Concentration: Business, Healthcare Management

Public Relations, PR, Media Relations, Advertising, Marketing, politics, social media, aging, disability, health, management, networking, leadership, innovation, education, travel, booking entertainment, Chill on the Hill concert series, local music, event planning, Milwaukee, soccer, Bay View.