Laz Benitez

About Laz Benitez

Accomplished professional with exceptional skills in high-impact communications, including the creation of communications programs and leveraging strategic employee relations plans to positively grow an organization’s impact. Areas of expertise include:⇒ Writing and Editing⇒ Change Management Communications⇒ Executive-Level Communications Counsel⇒ Speech Writing⇒ Project Management⇒ Crisis Communications

Experience

1. AVP, Senior Change Communications Specialist

   Cadence Bank

   Jul 2023 — Present · Houston, TX, US

   In this role, I am a key member of the communications team at a bank with nearly 5,500 employees spread across multiple states. My duties and accomplishments include:⇒ Lead enterprise-wide change management communications for 5,500+ employees and stakeholders, delivering daily strategic messaging that increased employee engagement and improved customer service delivery across all regions.⇒ Manage multi-channel messaging for critical system conversions, successfully transitioning teammates to new digital tools, including employee work request and service systems, as well as customer-facing systems, such as digital and online mobile banking.⇒ Execute end-to-end communication strategies for high-priority digital transformations, which included a year-long enterprise migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365.⇒ Lead business continuity management messaging for internal and customer-facing system disruptions, such as technical outages and weather-related bank branch closures. Manage the flow of critical information from initial impact through resolution for all lines of business and the branch network.⇒ Develop and deploy enterprise-wide fraud and cybersecurity awareness communications to mitigate financial losses by educating staff on emerging threats, including business email compromise, phishing, and impersonation scams. Tactics used include long-form content, short-form content, infographics, and visual storytelling.

Education

• Baruch College

  BA, Corporate Communications

Skills

• Writing
• Video Production
• Spokesperson
• Events Coordination
• Strategic Communications
• Website Content
• Press Conferences
• Government
• Nonprofits
• Crisis Communications
• Public Relations
• Media Relations
• Social Media
• Editing
• Sports