Lareka Rayborn
Detroit,MI
Summary
Strategic communications professional and corporate storyteller with ten years of diversified agency and corporate experience. Adept at finding and promoting captivating tales from within organizations. Additionally, I bring extensive experience developing strategic and complex internal campaigns, thought leadership content, and building employer brands. I provide practical solutions and measurable results while demonstrating my commitment to excellence through service, a positive attitude and teamwork.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Strategic Internal Communications Manager
Everest Reinsurance
05.2022 - Current
- Successfully developed a global diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) communications strategy that has positioned the organization as a leader in the DEI space, significantly increasing employee engagement in DEI programs and initiatives and helping to attract, recruit, and retain some of the best talent in the re/insurance industry.
- Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to amplify the Everest employer brand with clear and consistent messaging.
- Develop and manage leadership communications strategies for the U.S. and international offices.
- Established best practices for internal communications by staying up-to-date on industry trends and incorporating new ideas into the organization''s strategy.
- Championed transparency by organizing quarterly town hall meetings where leadership shared updates on business performance and strategic direction.
- Improved company culture through targeted messaging and regular communication with all levels of the organization.
Internal Communications Manager
Rock Central
10.2020 - 04.2022
- Successfully created new strategies for communicating diversity, equity and Inclusion (DEI) related goals and initiatives (enterprise-wide), leading to greater team member engagement.
- Positioned Rocket Companies and as a fin-tech leader through strategic storytelling and creative internal marketing activations.
- Partnered with Change Management leaders, External PR and HR partners to plan and execute our large transition from Work from Home into a new hybrid work model, including COVID-19 prevention standards, heighten security and cultural changes.
- Managed and created engaging content, including articles, digital sinage, live streams and videos for the internal website.
- Counseled senior leadership to help manage crisis communications for internal audiences and impacted community partners.
Copywriter
IPG Advertising Agencies
01.2018 - 10.2020
- Recipient of the IEDC Excellence in Economic Development Award for a LinkedIn thought leadership campaign that created awareness of Michigan's mobility ecosystems — successfully targeting tech startups and established corporations.
- Launched two social media campaigns for the charitable partner American Cancer Society and their Making Strides Against Breast Cancer events, which increased social media engagement and boosted public donations for two consecutive years.
- Launched the agency's most significant brand campaign of the 2018 year that elevated and unified the Chevrolet brand message globally, incorporating print, digital and out-of-home ads.
- Developed the client's first employer brand campaign that kept employees aware, engaged, and committed to their employer's goals and mission.
- Chief copywriter of the global website — providing AP-style copy to be translated into four languages.
- Partnered with art directors, strategists and video producers to effectively concept and write compelling copy for social media, print, digital and out-of-home ad campaigns.
- Conducted post-campaign analysis based on response results and present strategic recommendations for future campaign improvements.
- Remained current on cultural trends, gathering opportunities to incorporate them into creative concepts.
Sr. Content Communications Specialist
IPG Advertising Agencies
10.2016 - 01.2018
- Developed and launched an all-new intranet site through WordPress, which helped employees quickly consume vital information — drastically increasing awareness and engagement of company news, events and programs.
- Covered major award events such as the D Show, Consumer Electronic Show (CES) and the 3% Conference to ensure accurate and immediate press coverage for the agency and the participating leader(s).
- Partnered with senior leadership, successfully mastering each leader's voice and writing style for seamless communications to our community of 15 offices in over 13 countries.
- Aided in the development and launch of a new external website, providing expert direction of copy placement, tone, and grammar accuracy based on website optimization and analytics principles.
Communications Coordinator
Redviking
10.2015 - 09.2016
- Led internal, employee-focused communication strategies that delivered solutions for day-to-day
operational and administrative needs, including a new intranet site that engaged employees —
improving manager training participation rates significantly. - Supported HR initiatives by creating a new employee onboard process and orientation, that became
a permanent fixture in the organization. - Partnered with business unit managers and senior leadership to effectively communicate procedures, policies, resources and events.
- Chairman for community outreach activities and created new goals and initiatives for the internal committee and executed them for the most successful year of charitable giving.
- Chief event planner for employees' educational and social events and town halls.
- Developed and edited content for social media, external newsletter articles and trade shows.
Marketing Coordinator
Little Caesars Enterprises
05.2014 - 10.2015
- Manager of local store marketing, sales and performance efforts.
- Developed an outreach marketing program driving sales from a previously untapped market.
- Collected and analyzed consumer data for new store placements, thus successfully opening two new
stores. - Created and distributed an internal newsletter ensuring stores were aware of goals, events and news
from corporate leadership. - Coached local store personnel to peak performance by creating a customer service training, that was later
implemented into the general staff training. - Managed event expenses within or below the approved event budget by negotiating vendor prices
and fees and decreasing overall costs.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Marketing Communications
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL05.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Media Management
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL05.2014
Skills
- Stakeholder Management
- Intranet Management
- Vendor Management
- Communication Campaigns
- Employee Communications
- Microsoft Suite
- InDesign
- InCopy
Timeline
Strategic Internal Communications Manager
Everest Reinsurance
05.2022 - Current
Internal Communications Manager
Rock Central
10.2020 - 04.2022
Copywriter
IPG Advertising Agencies
01.2018 - 10.2020
Sr. Content Communications Specialist
IPG Advertising Agencies
10.2016 - 01.2018
Communications Coordinator
Redviking
10.2015 - 09.2016
Marketing Coordinator
Little Caesars Enterprises
05.2014 - 10.2015
Bachelor of Arts - Marketing Communications
Columbia College Chicago
Bachelor of Arts - Media Management
Columbia College Chicago
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