Formerly @ATT, social care manager for a Fortune 500 telecommunications company. Owner of Sharx Digital: public/media relations and social media services for events, businesses, and brands. Download my resume here [PDF].

Forced into ‘early retirement’ by cancer, I am currently seeking freelance opportunities ONLY in digital marketing, social media management, social care, and copywriting.

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E D U C A T I O N & C E R T I F I C A T I O N

W O R K E X P E R I E N C E

AT&T Social Media Customer Service Manager

I put nearly a decade of experience with AT&T and predecessor Cingular Wireless to work as a manager on the company's social media customer service team, answering inquiries from the public and resolving consumer issues via the company's social media properties, including Facebook, Twitter, and the corporate email account.

Job duties included, but were not limited to:

Social media monitoring and response on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and corporate/executive email.
Perform root cause analysis for high impact or repetitive issues via social media.
Assist customers regarding product and service problems and inquiries via social media properties.
Work with corporate communications and legal on a daily and weekly basis to ensure proper message is being delivered via social media.
Provide business updates and recommendations to senior-level management regarding current and future state of social media operations.
Develop scripting for use via social media channels and company website.
Write effective, professional correspondence via email.

Social media customer service involves customer relations issues that have often been escalated to the highest levels of the company before finding their way to the company's social media. Many concern legal and regulatory issues involving research and communication with various divisions. During my time as a member of the company's social media team less than 1% of AT&T's customer service was handled via social media; that is a number that is sure to grow over time across the industry as companies invest more in their digital care infrastructure.

Prior to being promoted to social media manager I served as a member of the company’s Manager Support Team in the finance department, serving as a 'subject matter expert' on customer service and finance issues, handling escalated calls and chats with the customer service team.

Awards included:

Winners Circle Q1 2015 - Top-Ranked Social Media Manager nationwide for March 2015
Winners Circle for 2013 - Top Ten Department-Wide For Year of 2013
Platinum Circle Award, Second/Fourth Quarters 2013
Go for the Gold Awards, Multiple Months
Director's Spotlight, January 2008, February 2008

During my time with AT&T’s digital care team as a social media customer service manager the company was ranked #1 by J.D. Power in digital care among the nation’s wireless carriers. AT&T outsourced its digital care functions in late 2015. In 2020, J.D. Power ranks them #7, ahead of only Sprint and Virgin. Outsourcing is the scourge of customer service, and pretty un-American, as well.

Invest in your employees, and your investment will pay off…

Musselman Triathlon Coordinator, Public Relations & Media

Also: The Seneca7 / Freshwater Trust Portland Triathlon / Fly By Night Duathlon

I headed up the public and media relations effort for the Musselman Triathlon since the event was founded in 2003 until its sale to the parent company of Ironman Triathlon in 2019. I took over media relations for the Seneca7 in 2012, and continue to handle those. I was also responsible for media relations for the Freshwater Trust Portland Triathlon in Portland, OR in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

My responsibilities related to media relations for these and other events include the following:

Develop successful strategies for public and media relations.
Advise core committee on communications and community relations issues.
Develop and maintain a media contacts database.
Develop and distribute press releases and media guides preceding the event.
Pitch stories to media, including human interest stories likely to generate press.
Lead press conference for International Triathlon Union/ITU's Pan-American Cup events, 2007 and 2008.
Record or appear live with television and radio stations.
Create content for newspaper inserts, official websites, and other forums.

A cover story written by me appeared in the Finger Lakes Times in July 2009. Articles I've written have appeared in the newspaper in July 2012 and July 2013. In 2015 I authored the special insert section. I also wrote featured article and/or cover stories for Finger Lakes Woman Magazine in 2012, 2014, and 2015.

Notable coverage through the years has included:

Triathlete Magazine
Inside Tri Magazine
Bicycling Magazine
Runner's World Magazine
Sports Illustrated (Website)
Women's Health Magazine (Website)
The Oregonian

In 2008 I was asked to author a media guide for race directors by the then-communications director of USA Triathlon. I was present and helped present this at the organization's annual race director symposium in Colorado Springs, CO in January 2009.

I am also responsible for the social media behind the Musselman Triathlon and the Seneca7. Each event has its own Facebook page, Facebook group, Twitter account, and Instagram. Duties related to social media include:

Establish and direct social media efforts year-round, including social media marketing and digital care.
Main point of contact for social media during events: 'always on' social for immediate resolution of customer service issues throughout race weekend, monitoring for emergencies, and the like.
Utilization of a wide variety of social media features, including cutting-edge tools whenever possible. For 2019 that’s meant Instagram stories, Facebook 3D photos, etc.
Livestreaming/broadcasting on a variety of platforms, including Facebook Live, Instagram, Periscope, and YouTube.
Work with community volunteers to cross-publicize community events and organizations through social media channels.

We regularly hear that our events’ overall social media experience on event weekends exceeds those of competitor events, and I am especially proud whenever local organizations cite the digital media of the Musselman and the Seneca7 as the standard they expect their own events’ social media will be judged by.

My work over 14 years heading up communications for the Musselman Triathlon culminated in an offer by World Triathlon Corporation, owner of Ironman Triathlon races, to purchase the event. I invite you to visit my portfolio to read more about my work with both the Musselman and the Seneca7.

S T O R Y T E L L I N G

I've told the stories of the Musselman Triathlon, the Portland Triathlon, and the Seneca7 for more than fifteen years. I like to say that, with hundreds of swim caps bobbing in the water and cyclist after cyclist racing by on two wheels, it's easy to forget that each individual athlete has their own unique story. I seek out life experiences as part of my job as head of publicity, and share the ones that are especially compelling, both in the event's annual media guide and in articles written for newspaper and magazine publications.

Six examples of my work are included below. Wondering what I can do for you? Contact me.

WRITING EXAMPLES - PDF: [Get Adobe Reader]

M E D I A R E L A T I O N S

From backgrounders to media guides, press kits to press releases, my media relations chops have been cut over more than a decade as head of publicity for a number of nationally-recognized multisport events.

Below you'll find several examples of my work:

E A R L Y C A R E E R

Before PR/Media: Program Development for Residential Treatment

Between graduating from college and beginning my work in event PR and telecommunications I worked in the field of juvenile residential treatment for several years. I began my career as a direct-care worker in a juvenile treatment program, and was later promoted to senior staff and, later, management.

My career in residential treatment ended more than a decade ago, so it doesn't appear prominently on my resume. But the experience one acquires - both professional experience and life experience - working in that type of environment, is incomparable to most other jobs.

On a phone interview with a recruiter for a public relations agency I was once asked what, if any, benefit having worked in direct-care might have in an agency job, and I'll always regret not having a better answer. The truth is, if you've successfully sold learning about independent living skills to incarcerated youth - and actually managed to make them enthusiastic about learning - you can probably sell just about anything to just about anyone.

As a program manager, I:

Responsible for operations of facility, including supervision of employees and residents.
Responsible for scheduling of staff to ensure smooth operations twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Supervised a staff of ten direct-care and recreation workers; direct supervisor to five or more.
Responsible for staff development, in part through weekly supervisions and individual training and materials.
Interviewed potential candidates, both new-hires and those seeking promotions.
Regularly 'on-grounds supervisor', charged with operations of entire campus (ten or more units).
Member, Campuswide Rules & Expectations Committee; co-authored Campuswide Expectations document adopted by all centers.

As a senior direct-care staff responsible for pyschoeducational group programming development, I:

Worked with a treatment team consisting of unit supervisors, therapists, psychiatrists, and case managers.
Developed life skills groups from scratch, including Wilderness Living, Community Integration, Express Yourself!, and Freedom of Expression!
Developed CAPS: Client Accountability Packets, consequence packets designed with behavior improvement through education.

Turnover is high in the field of juvenile residential treatment, and I couldn't imagine myself doing it today. Still, the experience was invaluable, and lends itself to many of the challenges I've faced in subsequent positions.

C A N C E R

I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in the summer of 2020. As a result of that, I am no longer working full-time. I am currently seeking freelance opportunities only - preferably projects that are challenging and enjoyable. I am especially open to events marketing and cause marketing.

CD Henderson

CD Henderson

CURRICULUM VITAE

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