HOLLY BASTA
Annapolis,MD
Summary
Media strategist grounded in journalism, with a track record of content development, audience growth, and brand storytelling across broadcast, digital and podcast platforms. Expert in earned media, crisis readiness, and driving engagement with measurable results.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Podcast Production & Host
Mojo Creative Digital
01.2023 - Current
- Launched The Diligent Leader podcast: Established the editorial vision, meticulously managed the guest pipeline, coordinated all aspects of production to enhance the brand's voice and boost platform engagement, and directed the in-studio production crew during filming.
- Hosted interviews and guided post-production: Conducted insightful interviews, oversaw the post-production process, and implemented an analytics-driven strategy to expand the audience and seamlessly integrate PR messaging across various platforms.
- Partnered with marketing and communications teams: Worked in close collaboration with marketing and communications teams to ensure that the podcast content consistently aligns with the broader brand initiatives and media outreach strategies. This involved regular coordination to integrate key messaging, promotional activities, and strategic goals, ensuring a cohesive and unified approach across all platforms.
Independent Public Relations Consultant
Self-Employed
01.2020 - Current
- Advise clients in healthcare, tech, and professional services: Provide strategic guidance on communications strategy, earn media campaigns, and executive positioning to enhance their public image and achieve their business objective.
- Crafted press kits, messaging frameworks, and pitch plans: Developed comprehensive press kits, created detailed messaging frameworks, and designed targeted pitch plans that secured consistent media placements and significantly elevated brand awareness.
- Delivered reputation management and crisis response support: Expert reputation management and crisis response support offered by drafting media statements, conducting sentiment monitoring, and crafting stakeholder messaging to protect and enhance clients' reputations during critical situations.
Director of News & Multimedia Content / Managing Editor-Arundel News
First Alert Nation & Anne Arundel First Alert
09.2014 - Current
- Built and scaled a public-safety digital brand to over 300,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, and other platforms. Established a comprehensive editorial strategy, implemented advanced multimedia systems, and utilized analytics-tracking to monitor and enhance performance.
- Managed live incident coverage, fostering partnerships with national and local government entities as well as media organizations. Ensured content governance to strengthen community trust and engagement through timely and accurate reporting.
- Continuously drove subscription growth to over 300,000 followers by overseeing branding initiatives, audience growth strategies, and collaborations. Extended the reach and influence of key public-safety messaging, with news coverage and articles frequently receiving over a thousand shares and well over 50,000 hits.
- Trained team members on preferred social media formatting and web-based applications. Provided reporters with best practices to ensure consistency and professionalism in content delivery.
- Leveraging BOLX, WordPress, Sitecore, and other advanced content management systems to architect, develop, and maintain the website, ensuring robust functionality, seamless user experience, and efficient content delivery.
Media Relations Manager
University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center
04.2022 - 11.2024
- Directed media relations: executed proactive story-pitching and journalist outreach, significantly increasing earned media coverage from an average of two stories per year to between 90 and 100 stories annually. This resulted in an impressive, earned media volume increase of 3,000% annually.
- Trained and coached leadership and staff on media-interview techniques, key-message delivery, and on-camera readiness, ensuring spokesperson consistency and confidence during media interactions.
- Led crisis-communications efforts: drafted executive statements, orchestrated both internal and external messaging, and implemented strategies to protect and enhance the institutional reputation during critical situations.
- Developed comprehensive press materials and engaging social content to highlight hospital milestones, showcase community impact, and celebrate service-line achievements, thereby enhancing the hospital's public image and community relations.
Education
B.A. - Communications (Broadcast Journalism)
American University — School of Communication
01.1999
Skills
- Public Relations
- Strategic Communications
- Media Relations
- Crisis & Reputation Management
- Podcast Production & Hosting
- Digital Storytelling
- Brand Development
- Executive Messaging
- Verbal and written communication
- Strategic planning
Personal Information
Title: Communications & Media Strategy Leader
Timeline
Director, Podcast Production & Host
Mojo Creative Digital
01.2023 - Current
Media Relations Manager
University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center
04.2022 - 11.2024
Independent Public Relations Consultant
Self-Employed
01.2020 - Current
Director of News & Multimedia Content / Managing Editor-Arundel News
First Alert Nation & Anne Arundel First Alert
09.2014 - Current
B.A. - Communications (Broadcast Journalism)
American University — School of Communication