Laura Sonday-Westphal
Mankato,MN
Summary
Dynamic marketer and expert project manager with extensive experience in strategic planning and campaign coordination. Track record of fostering collaborative cross-functional team environments, and consistently driving results that enhance brand visibility, as well as engagement from customers and other stakeholders.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Marketing Officer
Bleachr LLC
Minneapolis, MN
01.2025 - Current
- Developed and executed comprehensive marketing strategies to enhance brand visibility and engagement while managing a team of 2-6 people.
- Led 50+ elite partner relationships with tennis tournaments on the ATP and WTA Tours as well as the DI NCAA Tournament
- Directed cross-functional team efforts in quality assurance for 10-15 Web and Mobile engineers to align marketing efforts with product launches.
- Oversaw a 2400% increase of social media channel followers resulting in 80,000 followers across channels
- Managed a 85,000 contact database for email campaigns with a 23% average open rate
- Fostered relationships with sponsors and coordinated up to $250,000 worth of online inventory per year.
- Spearheaded branding campaigns and event marketing initiatives in print, video, web and social media.
Editor-in-Chief
Bleachr LLC
Minneapolis, MN
01.2023 - 01.2025
- Led internal team strategy by attending external partner events to ensure brand voice for tennis tournament clients across social media, web, and on-site activations.
- Maintained a consistent editorial voice throughout all published materials, reinforcing the publication''s unique identity.
- Developed strong relationships with industry experts, conducting interviews and securing exclusive content for the publication.
- Managed publication schedules, and oversaw quality control processes while coordinating contributions from writers and designers to meet deadlines.
- Coordinated special edition publications, showcasing high-quality content tailored to specific themes or events.
TennisONE Content Manager
Bleachr LLC
Minneapolis, MN
01.2021 - 01.2023
- Managed editorial calendar, ensuring instantaneous publication of diverse content across multiple platforms.
- Analyzed audience insights and performance metrics to refine content strategies and improve user experience.
- Consistently met tight deadlines while managing multiple projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks effectively.
- Managed content distribution to online channels and social media platforms.
- Improved social media presence by curating shareable content which generated increased followers and engagement.
- Edited and proofread all written materials, maintaining a high standard of grammar and style consistency.
Media & Marketing Coordinator
Bleachr LLC
Minneapolis, MN
07.2019 - 01.2021
- Streamlined event planning processes to ensure successful tournament app launches and promotional events before, during, and after partner events.
- Attended Bleachr/TennisONE partner events and provided support to clients on-site.
- Boosted brand awareness with target customer demographics with social, print, and email campaigns.
- Improved customer satisfaction by promptly addressing inquiries and concerns via social media and email.
Education
Master of Science - Leadership & Management
Concordia University
Saint Paul, MN05-2024
Bachelor of Science - Double Major: Marketing & Spanish
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN05-2019
Skills
- Project management
- Strong work ethic
- Executor & problem solver
- Relationship building
- Partnership management
- Strategic planning
- Content strategy
- Campaign coordination
2024 Cynopsis Sports All-Star
The Cynopsis All-Star Awards recognize individuals under 30 who drive innovation and excellence in the sports industry, focusing on behind-the-scenes producers, on-air talent, and executives. Selected honorees demonstrate significant impact through creativity, strategic leadership, and engagement, often raising the game in digital content, marketing, or broadcasting.
Timeline
Chief Marketing Officer
Bleachr LLC
01.2025 - Current
Editor-in-Chief
Bleachr LLC
01.2023 - 01.2025
TennisONE Content Manager
Bleachr LLC
01.2021 - 01.2023
Media & Marketing Coordinator
Bleachr LLC
07.2019 - 01.2021
Master of Science - Leadership & Management
Concordia University
Bachelor of Science - Double Major: Marketing & Spanish
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota