Carleton College

University of Nevada, Reno

Fargo North High School

Writer  -  Corporate Communicator  -  Executive Social Media Consultant

Skills: Editorial Strategy · Writing · Web Content Writing

Shiny Bright Content

Writer & Content Strategist

Thrivent is a membership-owned, holistic financial services organization that is committed to providing financial advice, investments, insurance, banking and generosity programs to help people make the most of all they’ve been given.

I led Thrivent's content marketing program. Our mission was to deliver expert, relatable guidance that educates and inspires readers, helping them make important financial decisions. My team executed a digital content strategy driven by SEO insights (the path to our front door) and illuminated our product offerings and brand differentiators (making readers feel like they're home). Thrivent Magazine, our quarterly print and digital publication, reaches more than 1 million readers with stories about our clients, employees and the communities Thrivent serves.

Thrivent

Director of Content

The Personalization Studio was an interdisciplinary team dedicated to solving a complex problem: How do we help people make better financial decisions to achieve the future they want? 

Our team included behavioral scientists, data scientists, writers, visual designers, marketers, digital developers, coaches, financial experts, and business leaders. We applied behavioral design and Agile methodology to build a platform of human and digital experiences delivering personalized, goal-based advice to U.S. Bank customers. 

In my role, I worked at the convergence point of science and art, leading the creative team who translated behavioral insights into memorable marketing campaigns and sparkling bits of customer-facing curriculum. As portfolio owner, I was accountable for marketing, communications, creative strategy and content development for our program.

U.S. Bank

Creative Lead, Personalization 

In this leadership role, I grew our social media program with a strong focus on cultivating an authentic brand, beginning with empowering and amplifying employee voices. 

I launched and led a company-wide employee advocacy program and developed a new digital communications training curriculum including web-based training, in-person workshops, webinars, and executive coaching. 

I also worked with agencies and internal teams to develop campaigns for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Snapchat. I managed complex, high-profile social media campaigns including the Power of Possible brand launch in 2016, the #TourPossible music competition in 2017, and the Minnesota #NiceOff during Super Bowl LII.

Vice President, Social Media & Brand Marketing

I led the team that published company news and corporate communications for U.S. Bank's 65,000+ employees.

Under my leadership, U.S. Bank’s Internal Communications team drove major improvements to our intranet, integrating social networking technology, online employee communities, and company‐wide blogs. We developed and curated a rich mix of content including corporate messages, company news, and employee perspectives. Each year, we met or exceeded our goal of increasing readership by 5% over the prior year.

My proudest accomplishment was cultivating the skills of bloggers and storytellers within our company. I developed and facilitated blogging classes, ran a company-wide storytelling campaign in honor of U.S. Bank's 150th anniversary, and I provided one-on-one mentoring to many aspiring writers and social media novices. I believe that everyone has a story to tell, and my calling is to help each person find and refine the voice to tell that story with confidence.

Director of Internal Communications

SocialMedia.org is the community for social media leaders at the world's greatest brands. As a Board Member, I represented U.S. Bank in high-level, confidential discussions with other senior leaders at major organizations.

SocialMedia.org

Board Member

Introducing social media and online collaboration tools to an organization isn't just a technology initiative; it's a new way of working and communicating.

In this newly created role, I helped the Human Resources department collaborate using internal social networking tools, and I was part of the company-wide initiative to introduce internal and external social media. My work incorporated change management, community management, training, and communications.

Collaborative Tools & Process Consultant

Intuit is best known as the company behind Quicken, QuickBooks, and TurboTax. I spent five years supporting employee learning and development. I worked on every part of the training process including needs analysis, project management, instructional design, facilitation, and assessment.

I discovered my passion for teaching when I was a supervisor; I loved being part of that moment when a new idea takes hold, when the light bulb turns on, when a connection is made.

In my time as a learning professional, I watched Intuit's approach to learning evolve from on-the-job-training to classroom sessions to web-based modules to self-organizing communities. It was exciting to be part of this evolutionary shift, while always keeping the same goal in mind: to respect each learner's style and approach, to facilitate the natural learning process, and to always aspire to those transformative moments.

Intuit

Learning & Development Consultant

From Shakespeare in the Park to Chippendales at a casino, I spent my leisure hours documenting the local theater scene for Reno's alternative weekly paper.

Reno News & Review

Theater Reviewer

I never aspired to be a payroll tax specialist, but sometimes you don't find the perfect job - sometimes it finds you.

In my entry-level position, I learned about payroll taxes, Intuit's systems, and the importance of having a manager who cares about and invests in her employees. I learned that, with the right type of leadership and work environment, even the most monotonous job (my apologies to the hardcore payroll tax enthusiasts among us) can be an exciting, engaging, and vital way to spend one's time. After 2 years, I was promoted to a supervisory role, leading teams of up to 18 employees.

Above all, this job motivated me to learn. I took payroll accounting courses and attained my CPP, but I still wasn't satisfied. I started an MBA program so that someday I could be the type of manager who inspired people - even tax people - to wake up and come to work every morning with unabashed enthusiasm.

Payroll Tax Specialist/Supervisor

What an adventure! My first job out of college took me to a tiny, remote desert town, where I explored everything and brought my notebook and camera along for the ride. My primary beats included schools, courts and cops, hospital board, and city council. I interviewed prominent visitors to our dusty little town, including U.S. Senators John Ensign and Richard Bryan, and tire magnate Les Schwab. 

My curiosity took me on a variety of spontaneous journalistic adventures - being an extra in the movie Joy Ride, hobnobbing with the ladies of Winnemucca's Red Light District, and meeting a 98-year-old miner who attributed his longevity to a lifetime of exposure to radioactive isotopes. 

Articles that I wrote during my tenure were republished by the Associated Press and a German news organization.

Monica Wiant