Brenda Hu

About Brenda Hu

I am a diverse public relations professional, communicator, and storyteller with nearly a decade of experience working with major corporate brands, well-regarded foundations and nonprofits. During my career, I\'ve had the opportunity to work with Verizon, GE HealthCare, the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Flint Community Schools, Michigan State University, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Doug & Maria DeVos Foundation. My parents immigrated to the U.S. during the Vietnam War. The boat that carried them across the ocean was meant only for fishing and shallow waters. When my mother shares this story of desperation, her eyes water, and she uses a crumpled tissue to dab her tears. In the U.S, my mom and dad never slept. Mom was a cook in a run-down restaurant for those who wanted ‘cheap Chinese.’ Dad bused tables, scrubbed pans, and toilets from one restaurant to another. At night, they crawled outside, the fabric on their knees earning grass stains; picking worms to sell to fishermen for a few extra dollars the next day. Their American dream? To save up for their children’s education in America. As a second generation Asian American, I fulfilled their dream, and earned my M.S. in business communications from Grand Valley State University and B.A. in communications with a specialization in public relations from Michigan State University. Now, it’s time for me to fulfill my own dreams. My dream is to put people first in the world of PR and communications while prioritizing the voices of those who have traditionally been unheard. The stories that I share revolve around social impact, diversity and inclusion, and people. My parent’s have a powerful story that’s worth telling, and I believe you do too. Let\'s chat: B••••••••@gmail.comBrendakimhu.com

Experience

1. Sr Communications Specialist

   Caterpillar Inc.

   May 2024 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

   As a Sr. Communications Specialist, I support Cat Digital, a digital and technology-focused organization in Caterpillar Inc. I work with a diverse team of engineers, data scientists, architects, product managers, developers, and brand experts, to bring digital capabilities to Caterpillar\'s world-famous yellow iron. • Provide internal communications and business partnership across departments. • Support messaging alignment and integration.• Identify proactive storytelling opportunities to give employees visibility into entire portfolio. • Improve employee awareness by supporting VP\'s internal communications to staff and enterprise partners.

Education

• Michigan State University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Communication, Specialization in Public Relations

  2012 — 2015

• Grand Valley State University

  Master of Science - MS, Communication Business

  2017 — 2019

Skills

• Customer Service
• Leadership
• Bilingual English-Vietnamese
• Advertising
• Typing
• Microsoft Excel
• Powerpoint
• Public Relations
• Management
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Recruiting
• Event Planning
• Merchandising
• Social Networking
• Microsoft Office
• Sales
• Microsoft Word
• Retail
• Public Speaking
• Inventory Management
• Social Media