JEROME A. MONTES
Lawrenceville,NJ
Summary
Communications professional with extensive experience developing and executing strategies for nonprofits and advocacy campaigns. Strategic leader who builds and manages teams that produce high-impact deliverables. Eloquent writer known for expertise in media relations and press engagement.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Communications, Outreach and Marketing
New Jersey Citizen Action
Highland Park, NJ
12.2023 - Current
- Plan and implement communications strategies for statewide nonprofit engaged in both political advocacy and direct service programs. Drive earned media and social media narratives for federal and state advocacy campaigns involving healthcare affordability and access, consumer protection, and social, economic, and racial justice. Oversee direct outreach, advertising campaigns, and community engagement for service programs that include healthcare enrollment, loan counseling, fair housing, and enhanced benefits for seniors. Support development and fundraising efforts with print and digital material.
- Recruit, train, manage, and motivate communications and outreach team responsible for media relations, digital outreach and social media, advertising campaigns, and direct community engagement. Oversee workflow, professional development, and strategic evolution of team as its role expands. Integrate external consultants, designers, advertisers, and vendors into key campaign roles.
- Develop and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, and producers of online, print, radio, and television media outlets. Write and pitch press releases, op-eds and statements, arrange interviews, coordinate press events and rapid responses to changing media cycles.
- Oversee integration of organizational branding, consumer databases, online fundraising, and mass communications into NationBuilder website platform. Manage digital clipping service and online social media management platform. Oversee grant and budget reporting for senior services, fair housing and small landlord education grants.
- Communications Director, 10/2021 – 11/2023 and 04/2018 – 10/2020
Board Member
New Jersey Civic Information Consortium
, NJ
10.2024 - Current
- Serve on board of statewide nonprofit that addresses New Jersey's local news crisis by investing in local journalism and civic information projects.
- Assist with developing strategic plans. Evaluate and vote on grant proposals. Assisted with candidate search and hiring of organization executive director.
- Provide communications expertise and assist with advocacy efforts.
Senior Account Executive
Mike WorldWide (Formerly MWW PR)
Trenton, NJ
10.2020 - 10.2021
- Worked with agency senior staff to develop and implement public relations strategies for a wide variety of corporate and nonprofit clients. Generated media interest in client articles, op-eds, letters to the editor, bylines, and blog posts. Developed impactful material for interviews, webinars, exposits, press events and paid and social media content. Account work touched on environmental engineering, workforce training, disability advocacy, and sustainable supply chain management.
Business Representative
New Jersey Main Street Alliance
Highland Park, NJ
05.2015 - 04.2018
- Coordinated political advocacy campaigns for progressive statewide coalition of more than 1,600 independently owned businesses as a project of New Jersey Citizen Action.
- Wrote op-eds, letters to the editor, blog posts, press releases and media advisories. Developed and maintained relationships with a wide variety of media contacts and outlets. Successfully generated media hits on every issue Main Street Alliance campaigned on.
- Mobilized small business owner turnout for legislative hearings, press conferences, forums and other public events. Recruited and trained new business owner members in political advocacy.
High School / Hi Tech Coordinator
Easter Seals New Jersey
East Brunswick, NJ
11.2012 - 05.2015
- Created New Jersey pilot of successful youth employment program serving four public high schools that promotes science, technology, engineering and math-related (STEM) careers among high school students with disabilities.
- Developed internships for participants in a wide variety of fields, including accounting, the health sciences, HVAC, the culinary arts, IT, broadcast media and marketing.
- Taught participants career development skills ranging from resume writing to interview preparation. Assisted with connecting participants to other social services as needed.
- Assisted in fundraising and grant writing efforts to sustain program. Grants awarded included a combined $45K from the MetLife Foundation, the Provident Bank Foundation and the Kessler Foundation.
Reporter
The Press of Atlantic City
Vineland, NJ
01.2004 - 01.2005
- Exposed unsafe working conditions at the Salem Nuclear Generating Station through several feature articles.
- Helped provide comprehensive coverage of the Delaware River oil spill of 2004.
- Wrote daily news stories on politics, education, crime, and community affairs in the city of Vineland, NJ.
Reporter
The Bridgeton News
Bridgeton, NJ
01.2003 - 01.2004
- Delved into the executive compensation and marketing costs for south Jersey hospitals, authored newsletter commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Bridgeton News.
- Wrote daily news stories on politics, education, crime and community affairs in the city of Bridgeton, NJ.
06.2026
Education
Bachelor of Arts - History
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PAMaster of Arts - Journalism
Temple University
Philadelphia, PAPersonal Information
Title: Communications and Outreach Director
OTHER SKILLS
Tagalog (Filipino), Basic Spanish
Timeline
06.2026
Board Member
New Jersey Civic Information Consortium
10.2024 - Current
Director of Communications, Outreach and Marketing
New Jersey Citizen Action
12.2023 - Current
Senior Account Executive
Mike WorldWide (Formerly MWW PR)
10.2020 - 10.2021
Business Representative
New Jersey Main Street Alliance
05.2015 - 04.2018
High School / Hi Tech Coordinator
Easter Seals New Jersey
11.2012 - 05.2015
Reporter
The Press of Atlantic City
01.2004 - 01.2005
Reporter
The Bridgeton News
01.2003 - 01.2004
Bachelor of Arts - History
Swarthmore College
Master of Arts - Journalism
Temple University