CATHIE  SCHAU  |  305  Parkland  Terrace;  Portage,  Mich.  49024  |  269.330.2700  |  cathieschau@gmail.com      

 CREATIVE,  FOCUSED  COMMUNICATIONS  PROFESSIONAL  Helping  community  leaders  deliver  key  messages  to  stakeholders  by  crafting  vivid,  agile  messaging.  Writing,  editing,  web/social  media  content,  public  relations,  newsletters,  mail  appeals,  advertising,  reporting,  research,  interviews,  organizational  communication,  targeted  marketing  campaigns,  project  management  and  strategic  planning.  Proficient  in  Office,  Facebook  Pages,  WordPress,  Wix  Editor,  Eventbrite,  Canva,  Pixlr,  Animoto  and  other  digital  tools.   EXPERIENCE  Current:  • Dec.  2016-­‐Present:  Social  Marketing/Communications  Coordinator,  Kalamazoo  Community  Mental  Health  &  Substance  Abuse  Services.  

• Sept.  2016-­‐Present:  Writing  Tutor,  Kalamazoo  Valley  Community  College  Writing  Lab,  Texas  Township  Campus.  • May  2014-­‐Present:  Owner  &  Communications  Consultant,  GoodPoint!  Projects  include  assisting  with  The  Learning  Network’s  communication  efforts  (as  a  subcontractor  for  WordPlay  Marketing  Communications),  developing  awareness  campaigns  for  Kalamazoo  Community  Mental  Health  &  Substance  Abuse  Services  and  coordinating  speaking  engagements  for  ONEplace.  

• May  2015-­‐Present:  Board  Member/Social  Media  Coord.,  InterCom  (Kalamazoo  Association  of  Communication  Professionals).  • October  2014-­‐Present:  Freelance  Writer,  Second  Wave  Southwest  Michigan.  Features  and  business  stories.  • August  2013  to  Present:  Public  Relations  Committee  Member,  Kalamazoo  County  Ready  4s.  Prior:  • January  2015-­‐June  2016:  Writing  Tutor,  Kalamazoo  Valley  Community  College  Writing  Lab,  Arcadia  Commons  Campus.  • August  2013-­‐May  2014  (plus  freelance  work  through  2015):  Communications/Public  Information  Specialist,  Kalamazoo  Regional  Educational  Services  Agency.  Publicized  programs  and  events,  wrote  newsletters  and  web/social  content,  developed  overall  communication  plans,  coordinated  advertising  (including  print  copywriting,  radio  scripts  and  cinema  ads),  served  as  public  relations  and  media  contact;  coordinated  fund  development/donor  relations  for  KRESA  Foundation.  

• January  2011-­‐July  2013  and  1990-­‐2002:  Advanced  Communications  Specialist,  DENSO  Manufacturing  Michigan,  Inc.  (DMMI).  Supported  key  business  functions  by  developing  and  delivering  strategic  corporate  information  and  employee  communication  materials  (including  writing  and  editing  a  weekly  newsletter  for  2,000+  employees)  to  engage  the  workforce  in  meeting  company  goals;  worked  closely  with  company  leaders  to  achieve  improvements  in  key  performance  indicators.  

• 2002  to  2006:  Communication  Specialist,  The  Arcus  Foundation.  Writing,  editing,  PR  (full-­‐time  until  2003,  then  freelance).  • Occasionally  from  1988-­‐2010:  Freelance  writer  and  copy  editor  for  the  Kalamazoo  Gazette:  Wrote  faith  coverage,  cultural  features  and  movie  and  theater  reviews;  on  the  copy  desk  I  proofed  stories  and  produced  page  layouts.  

 CAREER  HIGHLIGHTS  • Helped  boost  membership  in  InterCom  by  increasing  social  media  presence,  coordinating  Facebook  advertising,  developing  marketing  themes,  promoting  events,  arranging  media  appearances  and  editing  web  and  email  content.  

• Developed  and  coordinated  Neonatal  Abstinence  Syndrome  public  awareness  campaign  for  KCMHSAS,  including  billboards,  mall  signage,  news  releases,  public  relations  activities  and  media  appearances  for  program  experts.  

• Helped  develop  multi-­‐faceted  marketing  campaign  for  the  new  Kalamazoo  County  Pre-­‐K  collaborative,  resulting  in  full  enrollment.  Created  marketing  plan  for  group,  worked  closely  with  graphic  designer  on  collateral  materials,  wrote  advertising  copy,  coordinated  radio  ad,  produced  news  release,  etc.  

• Expanded  KRESA’s  media  outreach  and  advertising  resulting  in  positive  local  news  coverage  and  increased  foundation  donations.  • Researched  and  created  KRESA  media  contact  protocol,  developed  a  digital  content  writing  aid  for  employees  and  implemented  online  giving  for  foundation  donors.  

• Helped  create  and  execute  strategic  communication  campaign  in  2012  for  nearly  2,000  DMMI  employees:  Marketed  corporate  "game  change"  to  turn  around  negative  profitability.    

• Won  two  writing  awards  (International  Association  of  Business  Communicators’  Silver  Quill  Award  and  the  Apex  Award  for  Publication  Excellence)  for  a  special  edition  newsletter  responding  to  DMMI  employees’  concerns  about  excessive  overtime.  

• Served  as  the  Arcus  Foundation’s  first  communications  specialist  and  initiated  its  newsletter,  Ascent.    EDUCATION  • Magna  cum  laude  graduate  of  Kalamazoo  College,  with  honors  in  Theater  and  Communication  Arts.  Winner  of  English  Essay  Competition,  O.M.  Allen  Prize  in  English  and  Women  in  Communications  memorial  scholarship;  Department  Fellow.  

• Professional  Training:  Organizational  communication,  nonprofit  marketing,  PR,  employee  benefits  communication,  etc.    ON  THE  SIDE  Creator  and  host  of  KalaSalon,  a  monthly  conversational  group  open  to  the  community  that  aims  to  revive  the  art  of  “big  talk.”