online portfolio of
jenifer daniels
nonprofit public relations
i have held various public & community relations positions at the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Kalamazoo County Chamber of Commerce, the Detroit Historical Museums and Wayne State University. my professional highlight includes my time as the former Assistant Director of Community Relations at Wayne State University, a PACE research institute, where I was integral in promoting the urban mission of the University through building, developing, and sustaining partnerships in the Detroit metropolitan area.
throughout these positions, I have gained the moniker of ‘the friendraiser’, one the I define as the art of creating communication strategies designed to help organizations earn friends, educate them about your mission, mobilize them to act on your behalf and acknowledge their efforts in doing so. i wish to conduct even more specialized research in hopes of developing my theories and applications for friendraising.
public speaking
as a public speaker, I have developed my own copyrighted life skills and training materials and have been a featured panelist /speaker for the Detroit Public School System, Detroit YWCA, Detroit Youth Foundation & American Business Women’s Association. i have also served as a Diversity trainer for the Anti Defamation League and a youth Entrepreneurship trainer for Mack Alive, the Inner City SubCenter, New Detroit’s Camp Enterprise.
i am currently on staff at Limestone College and Central Piedmont Community College teaching public speaking and I must say that love the interaction with the students. to see most arrive on day one, scared to stand in front of their peers and watch them leave on the day of the final a more confident speaker is something that brings joy to my heart. iwould love to learn more about techniques to help students become more effective speakers; giving them the confidence they need to become a success in the workforce.
political communication
i also lead an active life in political communication. as a graduate of the White House Project’s ‘Go Run’ training (2009) and a conference scholarship recipient of Democracy of America, I have learned from candidates the best practices in political rhetoric. as an e-activist, I blog on websites such as Everyday Citizen and Daily Kos. i am also a member of the National Women’s Political Caucus and Emily’s List and campaigned for the open Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools District 2 seat in late 2008. i have communication director for three city council and two state representative campaigns; leading several candidates to victory.
eRhetoric/social media
most folks today don’t know what to call it – web 2.0, social media, the interwebs, facepages or twittering. the thought of taking your message online can be a daunting one. and while it’s not just about ‘tweeting’ or ‘blogging’ – its about the strategic way in which it is done. every medium is not for every brand. i am interested in studying more about eRheotoric and social media because it is the present and the future; greatly affecting the way news and information is distributed. i haven’t waited to start studying as i am currently enrolled in UNC-Chapel Hill’s Technology and Communication graduate certificate program and anticipate graduating in Spring 2011.