Jaime Dunkle, APR
Metairie,LA
Summary
Dynamic public relations professional who specializes in data-driven and strategic communications intersecting with equity, diversity, and inclusion. Restorative practices, continuous improvement, and a keen sense of ethics guide my work in fostering an informed, fair, and harmonious professional community.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
2
2
Certificates
Work History
Assitant Director, Communications & Marketing
Campus Services at Tulane University
New Orleans, LA
12.2021 - Current
- Streamlined internal communication processes, fostering better collaboration among team members.
- Elevated brand reputation by developing and implementing strategic public relations campaigns.
- Guided clients through critical messaging development, refining key messages for various audiences.
- Enhanced social media presence by creating engaging content that resonated with target audiences.
- Collaborated closely with marketing teams to create synergistic promotional efforts across multiple channels.
- Led cross-functional teams to ensure seamless execution of comprehensive PR strategies.
- Mentored student interns, providing guidance on best practices and professional development opportunities.
- Managed crisis communications effectively, mitigating potential damage to client reputations.
- Delivered persuasive presentations to clients and stakeholders, securing buy-in for proposed PR strategies and tactics.
- Collaborated with other departments to develop integrated branding and public relations strategies.
- Researched latest market trends and analyzed data to develop public relations strategies and tactics.
- Reviewed marketing materials and documents for brand accuracy and trending design.
- Wrote engaging and successful press releases to control information and public opinion.
- Overhauled website content to improve user experience while maintaining consistent branding across digital platforms.
- Contributed to significant policy and corporate culture updates by writing internal manuals and memoranda.
- Provided strategic counsel to senior leadership on matters related to corporate reputation management.
- Collaborated with internal stakeholders to design strategies for messaging and communications.
Communications Director & Board Secretary
Henjyoji Shingon Buddhist Temple
Portland, OR
1 2020 - 09.2023
- Managed all temple communications for 200+ members
- Collected, documented and managed all online donations
- Assisted with the budget for events and projects
- Wrote a stormwater grant in partnership with the Bureau of Environmental Services in Portland and received an award for $14,000 to assist in keeping Oregon’s watersheds clean by installing dry wells and rain gardens on the temple property
- Managed, archived, produced, and communicated all membership and elections information and data
- Lead the creation and dissemination of the Code of Conduct policy
- Practiced strategic planning to maintain goodwill with publics
- Content writing, copy editing, photography, internal/external public relations, event planning, social media management, web content management, enews production and distribution
- Rebuilt the website with new design, content writing, photos, graphics, and messaging: Shingonpdx.org
Data and Communications Specialist, Strategic Engagement
Multnomah Education Service District
11.2017 - 11.2021
- Primary responsibilities: internal/external public relations, speechwriting/superintendent messaging, crisis communications, research, data collection, data analysis and reporting for an education service district with 700 employees who serve eight public school districts and approximately 100,000 students, most of which have special education plans
- Planning and producing content writing, copy editing, multimedia production (photography, videography and editing, graphic design), web content management, social media management
- In my last year I produced 20 videos, 84 newsletters and elevated 3 social media accounts
- My tactics increased enews readership by 40% in my first year
- In 2019, I wrote two grants that awarded $215k to the district and have supported the process for 3 additional grant awards
- Coordinating and connecting programs and community partners
- Event planning
- Facilitating meetings, delegating tasks to my team, and training school leaders on comms techniques
- Supporting component districts and their PR needs
- State accountability reporting
- ADA compliance support for digital and print media
- Started as an administrative assistant and was recruited twice for promotions in data analysis and communications that led to my final role
Online Editor
Oregon Business Magazine
- Web content management for multiple websites
- Daily news aggregation via enews, website, and social media
- Social media management for multiple accounts
- Event planning.
Transportation Shuttle Driver, Transportation Reaching People
Clackamas County
09.2016 - 01.2018
- Safely and efficiently transported seniors and people with disabilities to and from appointments
- Provided excellent customer service
- Some dispatching, data entry, filing, scheduling
- Answered and documented calls
- Created a manual and checklists for office work tasks to be used for training and onboarding in the future.
Contributor
Digital Trends
05.2016 - 05.2017
- I wrote articles on photography, social media, and cool tech for one of Oregon’s fastest-growing businesses
- Search engine optimization.
Online Editor
Portland State Vanguard
03.2014 - 02.2016
- Managed multimedia reporters (a section I initiated and curated)
- Taught quarterly digital media workshops to new reporters
- Assigned, tracked and electronically filed developing stories for myself and multimedia reporting team
- Created and/or uploaded multimedia to articles on the Wordpress-run site
- Edited all articles before they posted online; web content management using CSS/PHP/HTML coding skills
- Produced socially aware and ethical multimedia news
- Produced social media content for multiple platforms
- Recorded, tracked and filed web metrics each quarter for budgeting agenda.
Peer Advisor/USAC Ambassador
Portland State Education Abroad Office
09.2014 - 10.2015
- Advised and prepared students going abroad
- Built the Ed Abroad Facebook and Twitter pages
- Crafted newsletters and fliers to promote events and workshops
- Added web content to the PSU Ed Abroad website using Drupal
- Data entry and data tracking of students abroad
- Answered phone calls about general education abroad questions
- Recorded, tracked and electronically filed demographics and needs of students I advised
- Scheduled appointments with students
- Helped students find appropriate resources.
Promotions Assistant
Music Millennium
03.2013 - 03.2014
- Recorded, tracked, and filed monthly sales data for listening stations; data entry
- Tracked and recorded store inventory
- Created a cohesive manual for my successors in the future
- Wrote, designed and maintained web content, email blasts and social media content
- Scheduled ads with local newspapers
- Booked in-store performances with local and out-of-town artists
- Designed, promoted, tracked and managed contests and giveaways
- As event coordinator, I brought in twice as many food and beverage donors for the annual barbecue than the store was used to, and I procured more donations than the store had seen in years for the annual Kids Day.
Education
Master of Arts - English
05-2026
- Awarded Best Presentation from the Tulane University School of Liberal Arts at the Tulane Creativity, Innovation, and Research Summit, 2024
Bachelor of Arts - English
03-2016
- French
- Writing
- Juvenile Justice Capstone served at the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention facility
- Completed the Student Media Fellows certification
- Participated in the Model U.N. student board
- Volunteered at the Women’s Resource Center
- Graduated Cum Laude
A.A. in General Studies - undefined
Predominantly studied journalism, computer graphics, and juvenile corrections
Skills
Message alignment with strategic plan
Content production, writing, editing, leading
Web management (Weebly, Blackboard, WordPress, Drupal, Joomla)
Producing data reports and analyses
Multimedia
Infographics
Layout & Design (Adobe Suite, Canva)
FEMA PIO training
Trauma-informed care
Equity, diversity, and inclusion
QPR
Why Try? Youth Resiliency
Youth Mental Health First Aid (former trainer)
Budget management
Fundraising
Project Management
Training Teams
Stakeholder Engagement
Restorative Justice
De-escalation & Conflict Resolution
Languages
English
French (conversant)
Awards
- Willamette Writers FILM LAB: screenwriting finalist, 2021
- Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association Collegiate Newspaper Contests: 2015 Second Place Best Website for psuvanguard.com; 2011: First Place Best Writing for “White water”; 2010: Second Place for Best Spot News Photo for “Forum fills with memories”
- Priscilla L. Buckley Award for Excellence in Journalism, 2012
References
- Kelly Venable Carroll, Assistant Vice President Customer Relations & Staff Support, Campus Services, Tulane University, kvc@tulane.edu, 504-247-1122
- Laura Conroy, JD, Director of Strategic Engagement, Multnomah Education Service District, lconroy@mesd.k12.or.us, 541-619-5405
- Christine Otto, Bars to Bridges Project Director; Instructional Services Coordinator, Multnomah Education Service District, cotto@mesd.k12.or.us, 503-260-1138
- George Kosho Finch, JD, Head Minister, Henjyoji Shingon Buddhist Temple, kosho@shingonbuddhism.org, 971-336-3780
- Kathy Henderson, TRP Program Coordinator, Clackamas County, KHenderson@co.clackamas.or.us, 503-341-5636
- Alyse Collins, Assistant Director, PSU Education Abroad, ayc@pdx.edu, 503-725-8256
- Terry Currier, Owner, Music Millennium, terry@musicmillennium.com, 503-231-8943
Projects
Ride Together, A strategic internal communications campaign, The #RideTogether campaign focused on employee/internal relations during the 2020-21 school year and was developed by using the public relations four-step process: research, plan, implement (execute and communicate) and evaluate. In the beginning of the 2020-21 school year, educators reported concerns about reopening school buildings in the employee surveys conducted at the school district I work for, and these concerns were echoed in local news media coverage. However, some families reported they wanted students back in their classrooms for in-person instruction, mainly citing a lack of resources to support learning at home. There was a disconnect between what each group expected from each other, and there was a perception that confidences were waning. Therefore, the goal of the #RideTogether campaign was to inspire and demonstrate competence and confidence in school employees who provide excellent education services and resource support to students and families. This plan included informational, motivational and behavioral objectives that were measurable and had a specific timeframe. I’m currently evaluating the effectiveness of this multi-strategy campaign to determine its level of effectiveness and would be willing to share content and metrics with the hiring committee.
Leadership Experience
- Current board member at the NOLA Aikido dojo
- Volunteer public relations consultant for the New Orleans Zen Temple board
- Former Communications Director and Board Secretary at the Henjyoji Shingon Buddhsit Temple in Portland, OR
- Former member of the Equity and Inclusion Advancement Committee at MESD
- Former Data & Communications Chair at East Metro STEAM
Certification
Accreditation in Public Relations
Accomplishments
- Increased the Tulane faculty book order participation rate by 16% in the first year of applying the strategic public relations process. This fall, we reached a 98% total participation rate before the first day of classes which is 21% more than last fall semester and also a benchmark never reached before.
- Co-designed the Bars to Bridges program at Multnomah Education Service District.
Timeline
Assitant Director, Communications & Marketing - Campus Services at Tulane University
12.2021 - Current
Data and Communications Specialist, Strategic Engagement - Multnomah Education Service District
11.2017 - 11.2021
Transportation Shuttle Driver, Transportation Reaching People - Clackamas County
09.2016 - 01.2018
Contributor - Digital Trends
05.2016 - 05.2017
Peer Advisor/USAC Ambassador - Portland State Education Abroad Office
09.2014 - 10.2015
Online Editor - Portland State Vanguard
03.2014 - 02.2016
Promotions Assistant - Music Millennium
03.2013 - 03.2014
Tulane University - Master of Arts, English
Portland State University - Bachelor of Arts, English
Clackamas Community College - A.A. in General Studies,
Communications Director & Board Secretary - Henjyoji Shingon Buddhist Temple
1 2020 - 09.2023
Online Editor - Oregon Business Magazine