Astrid Sandell
St. Paul
Summary
Accomplished writer and corporate communicator with broad experience in internal and executive communication, event planning and execution, marketing communications and editorial and creative direction across a variety of industries and audiences.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Communications Consultant
Securian Financial
Saint Paul
05.2019 - Current
- Created multimedia content for digital campaigns, including videos, infographics, and webpages.
- Provided support during crisis management situations by crafting appropriate messaging.
- Edited copywriting materials to create a cohesive story arc across multiple platforms.
- Developed communication guidelines to ensure consistency across all channels.
- Conducted research on current trends in the communications industry to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Worked with stakeholders from different departments to coordinate messaging efforts across various channels.
- Planned and executed public outreach campaigns using traditional and digital methods.
- Drafted speeches for high-level executives attending important functions.
- Developed and implemented strategic communications plans to promote organizational initiatives.
- Updated employees on communication protocols.
- Maintained professionality and efficiency while working closely with leadership.
- Developed plans or materials to communicate organizational activities beneficial to environment, public safety or other important social issues.
- Conferred with other managers to identify trends or key group interests or concerns.
- Coached client representatives in effective communication with public or employees.
Communications Manager (Internal and Marketing Communications)
MERRILL CORPORATION
St. Paul
12.2016 - Current
- Company Overview: Global provider of SaaS-based technologies and professional solutions focused on financial and corporate markets.
- Responsible for Marketing Communications and Internal Communications planning, project management and execution for global employee and client base.
- Maintain strategic internal communications program including intranet, internal social media and traditional communication channels through close collaboration with a variety of business partners.
- Plan, develop and execute marketing communication programs including public relations/media, vendor partner relationships, product-based sales collateral and thought leadership.
- Maintain and execute content and editorial content calendars.
- Manage creative agency and act as liaison between agency and Field Marketing, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing and Sales.
- Traffic all content activity using Kapost content management system. Leverage platform functionality to create comprehensive global content accessibility for Sales team, improve metric reporting and maintain a single source of truth for all client-facing collateral.
- Global provider of SaaS-based technologies and professional solutions focused on financial and corporate markets.
Senior Communications Consultant
MERRILL CORPORATION
St. Paul
09.2014 - 12.2016
- Company Overview: Global provider of SaaS-based technologies and professional solutions focused on financial and corporate markets.
- Established new function to support departmental and strategic communications.
- Direct engagement with C-Suite and senior-level management internationally.
- Developed, launched and maintained new employee intranet using SharePoint Online.
- Drove internal brand launch, including first global employee meeting in company history.
- Led communication through significant company transformation including leadership changes, restructuring and divestitures.
- Enhanced employee engagement through internal social media, special events and traditional tactical development.
- Global provider of SaaS-based technologies and professional solutions focused on financial and corporate markets.
Communications Consultant
XCEL ENERGY – Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant
Red Wing
08.2013 - 08.2014
- Company Overview: A leading electricity and natural gas energy company.
- Provided communication support within a highly regulated industry.
- Collaborated with site and corporate leadership for daily program of newsletters, informational videos and supplemental media.
- Developed programs for office/desk-bound employees and line/production employees to carry turnaround messaging and industry-required information.
- Created collateral for external stakeholders focused on strategy, transformation, education and community engagement.
- A leading electricity and natural gas energy company.
Manager, Executive Communications
SUPERVALU INC.
Eden Prairie
03.2010 - 07.2012
- Company Overview: A Fortune 100 national retail grocery and supply chain services company.
- Established new function to set and support senior-level communications objectives.
- Stewardship of short- and long-term strategy messaging.
- Direct engagement with C-Suite and senior-level management.
- Close collaboration with media, investor and internal teams to ensure message consistency for strategic, crisis and business change.
- Speechwriting and venue guidance for internal and external engagements.
- Key accomplishments: planning and executing the company’s award-winning all-store-director summit meeting; engineering executive visibility programs; integrating social media into executive communication programs.
- A Fortune 100 national retail grocery and supply chain services company.
Manager, Creative Services
SUPERVALU INC.
Eden Prairie
09.2006 - 02.2010
- Company Overview: A Fortune 100 national retail grocery and supply chain services company.
- Created, staffed and trained new four-person Creative Services team that supported Corporate Communications, Human Resources and Investor Relations strategies through tactical development.
- Key responsibilities: communicating creative direction to designers; executive event planning and management; re-inventing monthly video programs; implementing and managing communication opportunities for executives and associates.
- A Fortune 100 national retail grocery and supply chain services company.
Senior Coordinator, Corporate Communications
SUPERVALU INC.
Eden Prairie
05.2001 - 08.2006
- Company Overview: A Fortune 100 national retail grocery and supply chain services company.
- Developed and deployed uniform brand messages to key stakeholders.
- Introduced new Home Office and company-wide electronic and print newsletters to improve internal strategic focus.
- Retained and collaborated with designers to create internal visual branding.
- Key accomplishments: introduced a new mission and values statement; coordinated communications throughout a number of acquisitions and divestitures; managed all-associate meetings with the chief executive officer and executive team; supported Investor Relations conferences.
- A Fortune 100 national retail grocery and supply chain services company.
Manager, Marketing Communications
RAINFOREST CAFÉ
Minneapolis
02.2000 - 12.2000
- Company Overview: An environmentally conscious concept family restaurant.
- Developed, coordinated and wrote marketing materials for the U.S. locations of this international restaurant chain.
- Completed projects including consumer product introductions, menu redesign, retail collateral and loyalty club newsletter.
- Facilitated knowledge transfer during acquisition by Landry’s Restaurant Inc.
- An environmentally conscious concept family restaurant.
Editor/Project Manager
LLEWELLYN WORLDWIDE
Saint Paul
01.1997 - 12.1999
- Company Overview: A new age, pagan, divination and alternative health publisher.
- Guided manuscripts through the publishing process, including acquisition, marketing, publicity and sales meetings.
- Edited, designed and typeset 12 to 14 titles each year.
- Collaborated with all company departments, executives and authors.
- A new age, pagan, divination and alternative health publisher.
Editor-in-Chief
WHERE Twin Cities Magazine
Minneapolis
01.1993 - 06.1996
- Company Overview: A local edition of an international network of city guides and visitor information.
- Planned and created all editorial content of monthly publication for upscale travelers (audited circulation 27,000 copies/month).
- Communicated visual creative direction for each issue within WHERE International guidelines.
- Represented the magazine at local and national networking functions and as a member of the board of directors of the Twin Cities Concierge Association.
- A local edition of an international network of city guides and visitor information.
Education
History of Art
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, PennsylvaniaSkills
- Crisis communication
- Copywriting editing
- Strategic communications planning
- Stakeholder engagement
- Internal communications
- Speechwriting
- Communication guidelines development
- Employee engagement
- Team collaboration
- Project management
- Writing
- Multimedia storytelling
- Corporate communications
- Crisis management
- Message development
- Crisis communications
- Executive coaching
- Communications audits
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Self motivation
- Creative thinking
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Active listening
- Excellent communication
Professional Recognition
- 2006, International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Silver Quill Award of Merit, Employee Communications, Introducing a New Business Initiative
- 2007, IABC Silver Quill Award of Merit, Communications Management/Employee Communications, Day One: A New SUPERVALU
- 2011, IABC Bronze Quill Award of Excellence, Employee Communications, What is Fresh? Our New Focus
- 2011, SUPERVALU Human Resources, Game Changer
- 2012, Communicator Award (video), Four Behaviors to Win
- 2012, SUPERVALU Human Resources Excellence Award, 2011 SUPERVALU Store Director Summit
- 2012, IABC Bronze Quill Award of Excellence, Employee Communications, SUPERVALU Store Director Summit
Timeline
Communications Consultant
Securian Financial
05.2019 - Current
Communications Manager (Internal and Marketing Communications)
MERRILL CORPORATION
12.2016 - Current
Senior Communications Consultant
MERRILL CORPORATION
09.2014 - 12.2016
Communications Consultant
XCEL ENERGY – Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant
08.2013 - 08.2014
Manager, Executive Communications
SUPERVALU INC.
03.2010 - 07.2012
Manager, Creative Services
SUPERVALU INC.
09.2006 - 02.2010
Senior Coordinator, Corporate Communications
SUPERVALU INC.
05.2001 - 08.2006
Manager, Marketing Communications
RAINFOREST CAFÉ
02.2000 - 12.2000
Editor/Project Manager
LLEWELLYN WORLDWIDE
01.1997 - 12.1999
Editor-in-Chief
WHERE Twin Cities Magazine
01.1993 - 06.1996
History of Art
Bryn Mawr College