Rachel West
Savannah,GA
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Assistant Director of Leadership and CE
Georgia Southern University
05.2022 - Current
- Train and mentor team members, fostering professional development and growth.
- Foster strong relationships with community nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders.
- Create, maintain, and promote the Community Engagement Program, SERVE912, by creating nonprofit volunteering opportunities for students each semester.
- Grow awareness of volunteer opportunities in the Savannah community through effective programming, such as tabling, large-scale community volunteer events, and newsletter features for community partners.
- Increase leadership development for the Nick Mamalakis Emerging Leaders Program by creating a tiered program for continued learning and development.
- Facilitate Enneagram coaching sessions for varying departments for professional development.
- Create a new course for alumni leadership students to continue involvement efforts.
- Collaborate with over 50 nonprofits in the Savannah area to bring organizations to Georgia Southern Campus.
- Teach leadership development to students through workshops and class sign-up opportunities.
- Direct Armstrong Campus as the single liaison for the Office of Leadership and Community Engagement.
- Lead all programming initiatives on the Armstrong Campus for Leadership and Community Engagement efforts.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams and conduct varying programs for recruitment to leadership and community engagement, adhering to established guidelines and protocols.
- Hire and train student Executive Board members for Nick Mamalakis Emerging Leaders.
- Manage and allocate the budget for programming each fiscal year.
- Utilize Volunteer Management Systems to record volunteer hours on the Armstrong Campus.
- Organize and plan the Pinning Ceremony for the leadership program, program donors, and university officials.
- Direct campus-wide volunteer event, Treasure Savannah, for Armstrong Campus.
- Manage Operation Move-In volunteer sign-ups, coordination, and scheduling to ensure proper coverage for student and family support.
- Serve on the Celebrate Committee as Volunteer Chair, organizing recruitment, sign-ups, and scheduling for the event.
- Collaborate with University Housing for professional development needs, such as residential housing onboarding training, staff meeting facilitations, etc.
- Collaborate with the Office of Student Conduct and Wellness for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
- Facilitated meetings between faculty and administration to align on strategic goals.
- Analyzed feedback from students to improve service delivery across departments.
- Managed daily workflow of personnel by assigning tasks, tracking progress and providing assistance when needed.
- Maintained close relationships with key stakeholders while managing expectation.
CEO
Bunny and Bee Virtual Assisting
Savannah , GA
01.2021 - Current
- Managed customer inquiries through email and telephone communication.
- Created invoices and tracked payments received from customers.
- Compiled data from various sources to create reports and presentations.
- Conducted research on potential leads for new business opportunities.
- Developed strategies to increase the online visibility of client websites through SEO optimization techniques.
- Provided guidance on best practices in public relations, social media management, and crisis communications.
- Managed the production of all digital content, including website design, SEO and SEM, email campaigns, online advertising, and social media management.
- Advised clients on best practices for social media management, including content creation, and scheduling posts.
- Developed a budget and allocated funds towards various expense areas.
Marketing Manager
SERVPRO of Savannah
Savannah , GA
05.2021 - 05.2022
- Analyzed market trends to identify potential growth opportunities.
- Created content for promotional materials, including brochures, flyers, and websites.
- Managed social media accounts and campaigns.
- Designed graphics and logos for advertisements, newsletters, and other marketing collateral.
- Monitored competitors' activities to keep up with industry trends.
- Coordinated with external vendors to produce promotional items such as t-shirts and mugs.
- Evaluated the effectiveness of marketing campaigns using analytics tools.
- Collaborated with internal teams on product launches and advertising strategies.
- Maintained relationships with key customers through regular communication.
- Developed social media marketing strategies to help brand company and increase sales.
- Represented company at local and trade association meetings to promote products.
Graduate Assistant- Dean of Students Office
Georgia Southern University
Savannah , Georgia
08.2019 - 12.2020
- Assist student assistants in serving the reception area.
- Triage student needs and direct them to student services.
- Meet briefly with students who present in the office to determine their next steps.
- Consult with the Dean of Students, or Associate Dean for Student Advocacy, as appropriate.
- Refer students to appropriate campus and community resources.
- Connect students to the university's complaint, grade appeal, and withdrawal procedures.
- Plan and execute DOS programs, events, and professional development opportunities, as advised by the Dean of Students.
- Accomplish special projects as assigned by the Dean of Students and/or the Associate Dean for Student Advocacy.
Sales Manager
Michael Kors
04.2018 - 12.2020
- Created weekly and monthly reports on store performance and sales objectives.
- Managed staffing schedules, interviewed potential employees, and provided training for new hires.
- Conducted regular inventory checks to ensure accuracy of product counts.
- Achieved 70% of client sales through phone calls and in-person appointments.
- Managed and trained a team of 12 employees.
- Lead operational management tasks.
- Trained employees on client management and product knowledge.
- Ensured customer satisfaction by handling inquiries, complaints, and returns professionally.
- Monitored employee performance and provided feedback to improve productivity.
- Reviewed financial statements regularly to track store performance.
- Resolved conflicts between customers and staff members in a professional manner.
Administrative Resident Advisor
Georgia Southern University
Savannah , Georgia
08.2017 - 05.2019
- Enforced residential policy across Armstrong Campus by completing mandatory reporting during duty rounds.
- Organized weekly meetings with supervisors to discuss events related to the Continuing Education curriculum.
- Directed monthly meetings with all staff to discuss updates and progress within each housing community.
- Served 12-hour on-call shifts to actively respond to issues regarding student concerns or safety.
- Reconciled disagreements between residential students by addressing concerns and mediating with roommate agreement forms.
Education
Master of Art - Professional Communication and Leadership
GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
12.2021
Bachelor of Arts - Professional Business Communications
GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
05-2019
Skills
- Coaching
- Management
- Leadership
- Recruitment and hiring
- Program coordination
- Strategic projects
- Marketing and communications
- Partnership building
- Effective communication
- Customer relationship management
- Project Management
- Professionalism
- Meeting facilitation
- Public speaking
- Analytical and Critical Thinking
- Dependable and Responsible
- Collaboration
- Attention to Detail
Certification
- Enneagram Coaching
- Cloverleaf
- Mental Health First Aid
- USG Mental Health Initiative
Accomplishments
- Selected as the sole representative from Student Affairs to complete the inaugural Leadership Development Institute–Emerging Leaders cohort at Georgia Southern University, successfully graduating as part of the first class. Developed cross-campus leadership competencies, built strategic partnerships, and gained recognition for advancing student success through innovative programming and collaboration.
- NASPA Member- Attended Regional Conference in Downtown Savannah at DeSoto Hotel in May 2025
- Designed and launched a two-year leadership development curriculum for the Nick Mamalakis Emerging Leaders Program (NMELP), enhancing retention and engagement by offering students a long-term, scaffolded leadership journey. Program expansion included advanced workshops, alumni mentorship, community engagement projects, and interdepartmental collaborations, solidifying NMELP as a flagship leadership experience on campus.
- Cultivated over 10+ new Community Partner relationships for Nick Mamalakis Emerging Leaders Program resulting in stronger community support.
- Spearheaded the successful planning and execution of the Catalyst leadership program on campus, collaborating with over 6 cross-functional departments to deliver a high-impact leadership development experience that empowered students to become more intentional, values-driven leaders.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Assistant Director of Leadership and CE
Georgia Southern University
05.2022 - Current
Marketing Manager
SERVPRO of Savannah
05.2021 - 05.2022
CEO
Bunny and Bee Virtual Assisting
01.2021 - Current
Graduate Assistant- Dean of Students Office
Georgia Southern University
08.2019 - 12.2020
Sales Manager
Michael Kors
04.2018 - 12.2020
Administrative Resident Advisor
Georgia Southern University
08.2017 - 05.2019
Master of Art - Professional Communication and Leadership
GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts - Professional Business Communications
GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY