Apr 2024 – Present · 2 yrs 1 mo · Milwaukee, WI · On-site

• Versiti is a fusion of donors, scientific curiosity and precision medicine that recognizes the gifts of blood and life are precious. We are home to the world-renowned Versiti Blood Research Institute, we enable lifesaving gifts from our donors, and we provide the science behind the medicine through Versiti's diagnostic laboratories. Versiti is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
• We are on a mission of service to improve patient outcomes, to advance the field of personalized medicine, and to strengthen the health of communities everywhere. We make discoveries that contribute to better patient care. And we are a beacon of hope, care and innovation in the communities we call home.

May 2021 – Apr 2023 · 1 yr 11 mos · Grafton, Wisconsin, United States · Hybrid

• As Chief Learning Officer my focus is a passionate pursuit of the learning and development and social impact vision for Kacmarcik Enterprises, a privately held corporate portfolio with interests in the manufacturing, automotive, entertainment, sports, and philanthropic sectors.
• Achievements:
• Conceptualized and launched the Kacmarcik Center for Human Performance, managing a $4M budget to activate the vision within 18 months: authoring the organization’s first full-focus corporate learning platform; educating hundreds of community residents with a mission of cost-free wellness and human flourishing; and opening a 27,000 sq ft. state of the art learning center.
• Designed and implemented a proprietary corporate learning experience, scalable to serve 500+ employees across six corporate entities, achieving in year one a 51% voluntary workforce enrollment with a sustained average 50%+ course completion rate, and earning a finalist placing at the 2023 Corporate Learning Network international conference.
• Authored and implemented a research-based new-hire learning experience tracking employee learning and motivation, achieving a 6% increase in new hire retention.
• Secured early-stage donor and in-kind support, ensuring cost free education, wellness programs, career development and coaching for underemployed and underrepresented individuals in Ozaukee County.
• Innovated and led the market launch of the Level UP™: Performance Accelerator, an app-based learning and development tool propelling Milwaukee Bucks Gaming through an historic winning streak on their way to claim the 2022 2K league championship and delivering measurably improved individual flourishing to 46 mid-level corporate managers through the 12-week experience at Kapco Metal Stamping.

Feb 2014 – May 2021 · 7 yrs 3 mos · Mequon, WI

• Engineered and achieved organizational culture, brand, and marketing communications strategies to maximize Concordia’s opportunities, ensure change readiness, and leverage the University's significant revenue and investment assets for future higher education growth and expansion.
• Accomplishments:
• Increased exposure within higher education market segments improving the University's peer rankings, resulting in a 23-point gain from the 2019 to 2020 U.S. News & World Report rankings (placing in the top tier of nationally ranked colleges and universities).
• Led integrated marketing and communications to improve lead volume across geographic markets with a new brand identity ("Live Uncommon"), successfully merging two independent higher education brands (Wisconsin/Ann Arbor) resulting in year-over-year historic enrollment gains in all key student market segments from 2020 to the present.
• Conserved $200K in operational expenses while achieving increased key metric success (lead volume, cost per lead, exposure, and engagement) through restructuring of University marketing, branding, and communications functions, including the addition of the University’s first inquiry management function resulting in 16% year-over-year gains in graduate lead generation.
• Delivered a strategic plan performance rate of over 90% quarter-to-quarter in the 2018-2021 cycle through a reimagined integrated planning process across two residential campuses, 18 higher education divisions, and extension campuses.
• Advanced campus-wide equity and inclusion through the establishment of the University’s first cabinet-led committee for Diversity and Belonging
• Increased workplace engagement through transformational strategies resulting in the University's recognition as a 2020 Top Milwaukee Workplace.
• Spearheaded CUW's introduction of legislation to expand the Wisconsin G.I. Bill to benefit student veterans at state independent colleges and universities (S.B. 537 signed March 2019).

Apr 2010 – Apr 2014 · 4 yrs · Saint Charles, MO

• Improved strategic branding, planning, and organizational culture, achieving growth outcomes for thirty-plus nonprofit and select for-profit clients across education, humanitarian, healthcare, financial, and public sectors.
• Achievements:
• Increased by 25% net gifts received through comprehensive strategic brand plan for LWR Gifts, a program of global humanitarian non-profit, Lutheran World Relief.
• Expanded capacity of the U.S. Heartland China Association, an international public policy organization, to attract donor, member, and advocacy support through a comprehensive, strategic program and communications restructuring.
• Elevated social engagement strategy to achieve quarter-over-quarter gains in engagement and contributions for the Lutheran Malaria Initiative, an international aid campaign produced under partnership with the United Nations Foundation, successfully merging the needs of the project partners, including a global relief agency and an international religious denomination.
• Increased key metrics (leads, attendance, engagement, and brand awareness) through strategic program and end-to-end stakeholder communications efforts for The Holden Public Policy Forum at Webster University, led by former Missouri Governor Bob Holden (D).

Apr 2008 – Apr 2010 · 2 yrs

• Led as a key member of the CEO cabinet to invigorate and elevate the mission-centric brand of a 150+ year denominational global publishing company.
• Achievements:
• Developed the company’s corporate communications function, increasing its brand perception within key market segments.
• Spearheaded a branding refresh, inspiring the imagination of the company’s marketing and sales presentation within its core market and beyond.
• Orchestrated the comprehensive brand launch of The Lutheran Study Bible, the first English-language Bible to be developed as distinctively Lutheran, resulting in the achievement of marketing and sales goals.
• Earned as part of the company’s executive team the 2009 Missouri Quality Award, which positioned CPH to secure the 2011 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Aug 2001 – Jun 2002 · 10 mos

Jun 2001 – Apr 2008 · 6 yrs 10 mos · Greater St. Louis

• Advocated for the youth of the (then) 2.5 million member LCMS through the development and implementation of national programs and services.
• Achievements:
• Elevated and maximized an historic, globally known youth brand for the 2004 and 2007 National LCMS Youth Gatherings tresulting in goal breaking crowds of 32,000+ participants each event.
• Planned and produced thESource for Youth Ministry (youthEsource.com), piloting its inaugural launch in 2005 as a first-ever online Lutheran youth ministry resource, which continues to serve the denomination in 2020.
• Enhanced the content and promotion of the department’s annual youth worker event to create the National Lutheran Youth Worker Conference, doubling the event’s attendance in one year.

Aug 1997 – Jun 2001 · 3 yrs 10 mos