Barbara Brooks

About Barbara Brooks

As Director of Publishing and Communications at the Morgridge Family Foundation and solopreneur at Flamingo Strategies LLC, I help organizations stand up and stand out-through content strategy, great writing, and building sustainable teams that communicate stories of impact and purpose. At my blog, I share my own stories of truth and beauty, and I inspire others to live and speak out with clarity and confidence.First and foremost, I am a writer-of persuasive, sticky content that is memorable and truthful. I\'ve got decades of experience as a senior leader, strategist and business generator, focusing on message strategy, media relations, community engagement and crisis management. In New York, I served clients in the hospitality, financial services, restaurant and retail industries. I built and managed high-functioning account teams, successfully won new business, and retained clients long-term.My full-time university leadership work included a small, mission-driven college serving mainly first-generation students, an elite liberal arts college, and a complex urban institution. I led capital campaign communications strategy, enrollment messaging, and strategic plan roll-outs.After five years as a consultant, I joined the Morgridge Family Foundation in 2022 as Director of Publishing and Communications, where I lead the storytelling strategy and am helping get a nascent publishing division off the ground. In that role, I’m working with social innovators tell important stories of generosity and impact, through polishing and preparing their books, blogs and presentations for the public eye. I continue to consult on special projects. My own writing is eclectic. Prior to starting my blog, I published short stories, author interviews and profiles in literary journals, consumer magazines, newspapers, and on the web.

Experience

1. Principal

   Flamingo Strategies, Llc

   Jul 2017 — Present · Denver, CO, US

   I am a fearless storyteller and communications strategist. As founder and principal at Flamingo Strategies, I work for clients every day at my highest and best use - connecting ideas and creating content that is cohesive, intelligent, truthful, and persuasive. My clients include nonprofits, schools and colleges, as well as individuals who want to create a compelling personal brand in order to successfully navigate transition or express their creativity in new ways. My blog - Hacking away at Happiness - is the way I \"talk the walk.\"

Education

• Northwestern University

  BSJ, Journalism

  1977 — 1981

• Bennington College

  MFA, creative writing, fiction

  2000 — 2003

Skills

• Copywriting
• Journalism
• Crisis Communications
• Writing
• Marketing Communications
• Facebook
• Editing
• Higher Education
• Web Content
• Creative Writing
• New Media
• Ap Style
• Creative Strategy
• Public Relations
• Content Development
• Media Relations
• Publishing
• Editorial
• Writing Skills
• News Writing
• Higher Education Administration
• Press Releases
• Publicity
• Publications
• Newsletters
• Strategic Communications
• Advertising
• Magazines
• Blogging
• Speech Writing
• Copy Editing
• Marketing