Pepperdine University

Regis University

Orange Coast College

California State University, Fresno

Lifestyle Curator, #AskValerie problem solver, creator of the Little Black Dress Experiment™

Brixton+James

Lifestyle Curator

Valerie Elizabeth, LLC

President

Led grassroots election campaign, targeting 4 million voters countywide. Developed campaign strategy; created development and marketing themes and messages; worked with a team of volunteers; directed campaign staff and contractors. 

•  Grew campaign database from inception; created/managed relationship and data profiles for 500K+ constituents.
•  Created and executed all solicitations and marketing scripts; segmented data—strategically targeted donors, media contacts, elected officials and voters—in each email, direct mail and telemarketing campaign. 
•  Created/executed pre-election, telemarketing campaign, targeted 400K active Los Angeles County voters. 
•  Coordinated campaign events from idea to execution; including fundraising launch dinner for 700+ guests, in week three.
•  Designed campaign logo, marketing materials, and website; oversaw production and distribution of all.
•  Managed dynamic budget, developed strategy to pace campaign expenditures with incoming contributions.
•  Managed media relations, candidate's schedule, speaking events and televised appearances. Wrote/distributed press releases.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Director of Development and Campaign Operations

Funded role, created at the behest of the Board of Directors, to lead public relations and development efforts. This challenging position called for complete rebranding in response to a recent public relations and financial crisis. 

• Rebranded imagery, creating wide-range of new print, digital and web-based marketing, program and development materials.
• Managed development efforts/strategy; corporate partnerships, direct mail solicitations, warm asks and event sponsorships. 
• Created media list and developed media partnerships/relationships; crafted/distributed media communication.
• Coordinated weekly outreach events; quarterly newsletter; holiday Adopt-A-Family program and Ornament solicitation campaign.
• Managed pending/post-award foundation communication and update reports in cooperation with contracted grant writer.
• Worked with Occupational Therapy Program, an internal nonprofit enterprise; developed program materials, solicited and managed revenue-generating service contracts, serviced by our program members.
• Created strategy for 20th anniversary campaign; Coordinated gala, arranged event logistics and staffing, developed themes, secured host committee, solicited auction items and event sponsorships.
• Worked with Board and all agency departments including the medical clinic, food pantry, soup kitchen, thrift shop, Occupational Therapy, housing and educational programming. Managed four staff members and large contingency of volunteers.

Trinity Works

Director of Development

Progressively responsible role; Managed business partnership accounts, soliciting funds, resources and volunteers from area corporations; identified, developed and cultivated relationships with individuals, foundations and media representatives. 

• Managed Annual Giving/Board Campaign	
• Established Matching Gift Program
• Secured CRA funding	                        		
• Developed Volunteer Incentive Grants program
• Facilitated donor/prospect research/development 
• Created/executed all direct mail solicitation campaigns
• Intensive reworking of ACT! Database— cleansed data, introduced relationships, developed data segmentation strategy.
• Researched, identified, profiled 75 past Presidents and notable alumni for the 75th Anniversary Gala.
• Established/maintained donor giving society, donor tracking system, and gift processing system.
• Designed/produced marketing/promotion pieces, donor recognition items, awards and event signage.
• Served on 75th Anniversary Committee; assisted with planning and development efforts for 800-person gala.
• Produced multiple annual fund development events—corporate golf tournament, celebrity golf tournament, bowl-a-thon.
• Developed nationally implemented solicitation strategy and associated training program.
• Produced 4-day BBBS Southwest Regional X Conference; secured funding for training of 250 internal development teams members; designed/produced all printed promotional materials; solicited/secured all expo vendors; Led national solicitation strategy rollout and training for all regional directors and development teams.
• Advised attorneys for multi-agency dissolution/merger board to preservation funding eligibility of 501c3 post-merger agency.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star

Annual Giving Officer and Manager of Partnership Development

Newly created position, the goal of which was to eliminate the expense of contracted telemarketing and mail-house services, and provide auxiliary support for development events. Was able to meet and exceed the expectations of the position and expand the role for the replacement I recruited and trained upon my relocation.

• Produced/processed ten, in-house, direct mail solicitation campaigns, targeting 100K constituents each.
• Coordinated/monitored external telemarketing campaign reaching 80K constituents.
• Developed to bring telemarketing in-house, utilizing student volunteers, in subsequent campaigns.
• Managed student interns and volunteers to facilitate in-house production and processing of solicitation campaigns.
• Developed and expanded donor giving club, annual fund program and donor recognition program.
• Wrote and edited solicitation letters and publications.
• Provided event team support; invitations/RSVP mail-outs; assisted with strategic seating for donor cultivation and gala events.
• Provided database management support; facilitated prospect research, generated mail-merges, processed gifts, updated information and reviewed existing data for relationship linking and data cleansing.
• Advised Blackbaud—at inception of University database software onboarding— reviewed existing system limitations, areas for growth, donor management and report generation needs.
• Received the Helen Pepperdine Award for Volunteer Service, for commitment to service in the community.

Coordinator of Donor Services and the Annual Fund Campaign

19 years experience leading an ever-evolving luxury consignment and procurement company; grown organically from a college dorm through social media marketing and the power of relationship building.

•  Manage consignment accounts for 100+ clients; sold $5M+ in consumer goods; to 20K+ customers.
•  Broker sales domestically and internationally, between clients, auctions houses and online marketplaces.
•  Manage network of staff, contractors, vendors, clients and customers.
•  Manage inventory database, online sales and fulfillment; crafted product descriptions, developed pricing and sales strategies.
•  Television style commentator for ABC, NBC, CBS, WB, and FOX; featured spreads in Glamour Magazine and D Magazine for Coldwater Creek and Max Factor.
•  Keynote Speaker, Midland Petroleum Club; Business of Blogging Panelist, Retail Camp Los Angeles; Judge, Miss Dallas USA, Women’s Council of the Dallas Arboretum Mad Hatter’s Tea, Lee Park Conservancy Kentucky Derby Day at the Races.
•  Led Society Stylist style blog; managed team of writers, provided coverage for 200+ fashion shows over nine seasons of New York Fashion Week; online content contributor for Lucky Magazine.
•  Coordinated New York Fashion Week show for Project Runway alum Althea Harper; Styled GrandLuxe Magazine cover shoot, featuring Real Housewives of Dallas star D’Andra Simmons
•  Created campaign strategy for Little Black Dress Experiment; profiled by Associated Press, garnered national and international exposure in all major markets; Executed follow-up campaign with 31 bloggers/influencers; secured national corporate partnerships with Ann Taylor—Fortune 500, Michelle Watches—Fortune 1000, Spanx, Saddleback Leather, Heely’s, Donni Charm and Hard Night Good Morning. Campaign recognized in WWD, “Marketing’s New Rage: Brands Sponsor Influential Bloggers.”

*2008-12: Company included styling division; employed creative public relations strategies to grow exposure/build brand confidence.

Society Stylist, LLC

Chief Executive Officer

Worked with Fulbright Professor, Dr. Roy D. Adler, PhD, on a selection of his research, development and publication projects. 

• Reviewed proposals and manuscripts; did the initial edit of his book Get Your Dream Job! published in 2005.
• Wrote and secured 501c3 and California Articles of Incorporation paperwork on his behalf for the Glass Ceiling Research Center Academic Assessments and the Malibu Pacific Auto Club. Designed and coordinated the website development for each nonprofit.
• Conducted donor/prospect research, facilitated direct mail campaigns, performed database maintenance.

Executive Assistant to Fulbright Professor

Brought onboard as Executive Assistant to AVC after one month as student intern. 

• Coordinated scaled speaking engagements and events on behalf of the AVC including the semi-annual Seaver Board of Visitors meeting; created agendas, facilitated arrangement logistics, provided onsite management of events and staff.
• Coordinated with University departments for CPO, tour coordination, boardroom reservations, shuttle services, public safety, food services, ordering supplies, arranging of printing and mail-outs.  
• Wrote/edited development letters; liaison for AVC, responded to correspondence, provided phone/email support to board members and campaign donors; compiled Board introduction notebooks for new Board members.
• Created and maintained extensive custom dossier for AVC profiling current and prospective board members.
• Managed database profiles for SBOV members and AVC contacts; mined existing data for relationship and prospect development.
• Coordinated creation, mail-merge, printing of direct mail solicitation pieces; managed mail-out processing by student interns.

Executive Assistant to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of the Seaver Board of Visitors

Developed and maintained a client base through strategic relationship development. Worked with high profile clientele in the Men's, Women's, Home and Footwear departments providing customer service and styling services in addition to product merchandising. Top 25 Sales Consultant.

Polo Ralph Lauren

Client Relations Associate

Managed the development of the corporate database for a diverse multi-location, international company. I maintained the dynamic contact information for all clients corporately, researched information on VIP clients to complete their profiles and upgraded the database structure to create accurate data segmentation output for optimal customer targeting in ongoing solicitations and promotions. Also provided customer relations assistance at the Brea storefront, as needed.