Rae Lyn Hartley

Led, coached and supported a team of three communications professionals who amplified key St. Jude messages while protecting the institution from harm, with achievements including:

Leading major institutional announcements, including the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines and opening of on campus patient facilities like Family Commons and Domino’s Village

Drove intentional and effective storytelling for the brand by working with scientific communications team to break down research and showcase what makes St. Jude unique

Capitalized on breaking health news to position St. Jude researchers as thought leaders (example H5N1, flu, COVID, childhood vaccinations)

• Managed crisis communications effectively to minimize negative impact on company reputation.
• Measured success of media relations efforts through regular reporting and analysis of key performance indicators.
• Cultivated partnerships with external agencies to amplify reach of earned media coverage.
• Provided counsel to senior leadership on effective communication strategies during critical business moments.
• Organized successful press events, including press conferences, product launches, and media tours.
• Drafted timely responses to incoming press inquiries, ensuring accurate representation of company viewpoints.
• Advised internal clients on best practices for engaging with the media, enhancing overall effectiveness of outreach efforts.

• Identify and pitch media opportunities to top-tier and local publications, develop key messaging for press releases and media briefing books, coordinate production and interviews, and perform media training and coaching to company spokespeople
• Serves as key training facilitator for executives, including FedEx President and CEO
• Fosters strong relationships with journalists, including reporters at the national and local level, with a keen ability to find relevant media opportunities based on their unique needs
• Serves as a point of contact for reporters, editors, and producers for multiple news beats
• Successfully manages and coaches team members and agency resources to achieve business goals for enterprise-wide initiatives, including major corporate announcements, partnerships and acquisitions, campaign launches, and earnings releases
• Eleven time “Rising Star” recipient, an internal award presented to those who demonstrate commitment to success
• Collaborates with team members and agencies across the enterprise, including global social media, internal communications, government affairs, crisis communications, advertising, marketing, and regional communications teams to build layered, data-driven stories that reach audiences across channels
• Proficient in both earned and owned story placement across local and top-tier media channels
• Experienced in successfully mitigating various crisis situations to protect the company’s reputation with advanced aviation crisis training from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
• Led media for response teams during mass shooting incidents, workplace fatalities and injuries, international government affairs crises, and major customer service issues

• Company Overview: Memphis, Tennessee
• Under my leadership, doubled the ratings within three years and received Emmy nomination in 2008
• Produced 2 ½-5 hours of daily newscasts every week, making strategic decisions on the placement of news stories and the overall feel of broadcasts
• Coordinated with executive management, news anchors, reporters, photographers, and technical crews to ensure tactical execution of news stories
• Worked closely with all Nexstar Broadcasting and ABC-affiliated news stations across the country to collaborate on material and ensure accuracy of content
• Managed the information gathering and dissemination of critical information that directly impacts hundreds of thousands of people in the Mid-South, including urgent weather and traffic-related updates required to maintain public safety
• Manage breaking news, instructing reporters and anchors how best to capture story, always working in a fast-paced, split-second decision-making process
• Report features and lifestyle content, overseeing everything from the identification of relevant stories to the reporting those stories live on-air
• Memphis, Tennessee

• Company Overview: Norfolk, Virginia
• Responsible for producing hour-long weekend evening newscasts
• Duties included associate producing three times per week and updating station website
• Norfolk, Virginia

• Company Overview: Wichita, Kansas
• Responsible for covering news for the entire western half of Kansas
• Duties included reporting for KAKE-TV Wichita, producing and anchoring Western Kansas Newscast editing, shooting, and brainstorming story ideas
• Hired as a Producer and was promoted to Good Morning Kansas Producer within six months
• Also promoted to KAKE News Weekend/KAKE News at 6:00 Producer
• Wichita, Kansas