Strategic Planning
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it." - Immanuel Kent
Strategic planning is crucial for organizations as it provides a clear roadmap for achieving long-term goals and objectives. I am proud of the work that I have done in this important realm, including both organizational and communications-specific strategic planning for the City of Oak Creek.
Strategic Communication Planning
In 2021 and 2022, I had the privilege of participating in the Texas Christian University (TCU) Certified Public Communicator® program. This intensive 95-hour, post-baccalaureate, graduate-level residential program, led by professors from TCU’s Department of Strategic Communication, is tailored for public information managers and communications professionals working for cities, counties, school districts, and other public and public-private organizations.
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I successfully completed the program, equipped with a substantial knowledge base and resources covering communication standards and policies, social media law, leadership, human-centered design, reputation management, media relations, crisis communications, and internal communication, among other crucial aspects of public communications.
During the program, I also undertook the development of a draft three-year strategic communications plan for the City of Oak Creek. This comprehensive document serves as a dynamic workplan aimed at enhancing the organization's internal, external, and crisis communication efforts. It stands as a living document, continually evolving to expand our existing capabilities and establish new engagement and listening initiatives with our diverse audiences.
Organizational Strategic Action Planning
In 2015, I joined a team of staff and residents tasked with leading the City of Oak Creek's first strategic planning initiative since the 1980s—an essential undertaking that was long overdue. With the guidance of a facilitator, we collaborated to define a mission, vision, and values. Additionally, we identified "critical success factors"—the key elements our organization needed to prioritize to achieve our vision.
Once this foundational work was complete, we collaborated with elected officials and department leadership to formulate our Strategic Action Plan. This comprehensive document outlined strategic goals, objectives, and action steps that would guide our organization for years to come.
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As a dynamic document, the plan underwent a thorough update in 2022 and 2023. Facilitated by the Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies, this process involved a review of our existing framework and the establishment of new organizational goals and objectives. I had the privilege of being actively involved in every stage of this process and was responsible for designing the publication that will serve as our guidebook for the next five years.