Samantha Durnford

 samie.durnford@gmail.com   twitter.com/samiedurnford   samanthadurnford.com

About me

I love digital marketing, public relations, and social media. I enjoy producing content for the web in any way possible — specifically content marketing and social media. Deadlines, fast-paced projects, collaborating with my team– this is where I thrive. I want to talk to people, listen, and be the voice of exciting and innovative campaigns. I love thinking outside of the box and excel in customer service. I never say no to a client because I know I can brainstorm my way out of any problem. I know what gets media attention (because that used to be me!) and I know how to amplify your reach on social media, build your brand, and make campaigns that work.

Education

George Brown College – Toronto, ON

Currently completing a Certificate of Marketing with an expected graduation date of mid-2016.

University of King’s College- Halifax, NS  September 2007-May 2011

Combined Bachelor of Journalism and Political Science Honors.

Experience

Scotiabank – February 2016 – Present

Senior Manager, Communications, Customer Value Proposition

Currently working on an exciting new project for Scotiabank that will be launched this summer.

Responsibilities include:

• Creating and managing customer communications
• Implementing and overseeing all employee internal communications related to the project
• Working with mass marketing to ensure project messaging is synced and overseeing media plan execution
• Creating executive presentations, key messages, and speaker notes

LCPR – October 2015 – June 2016

Public Relations Intern

LCPR is an Electronic Dance Music boutique public relations agency founded in 2013 by Lindsay Cabrera.

My responsibilities include:

• Write press releases, track reviews, pitches, and interviews
• Develop media lists and complete media monitoring/clippings search
• Create media reports for clients
• Work on social media coordination as well as research on industry events and artists
• Event coordination with the team for our artists
• Update LCPR website and Godzilla Disco blog

Travelling – September 2014 – Sept 2015

I took a year off to travel South East Asia and Europe. While travelling, I wrote a travel blog and freelanced for VICE/THUMP.

To fund our travels, I also worked as an English as a second language kindergarten teacher at Adam Khoo English Centre, as well as at POLY Foreign Language Centre. I spent six months in Vietnam teaching the cutest and smartest kids in the entire world. I was responsible for lesson plans, games, testing, and receiving the best hugs.

ScribbleLive – October 2013 – September 2014

Client Success Manager

Scribble is the leading end-to-end content engagement platform that enables brands, sports organizations and media companies to drive engagement on their digital assets resulting in improved retention and acquisition of customers.

My role:

• Worked with a portfolio of media and corporate clients to maximize the value they get out of the ScribbleLive platform.
• Consulted and created real-time editorial content strategy, syndication and monetization strategies with media companies such as CBC, W Network, and Rogers Publishing.
• Held client-training sessions, created best practices, and consulted on always-on digital content marketing strategy for brands such as Ironman International.
• Was project manager for the implementation of our platform for new clients, which included onboarding, training, technical elements and development of a strategy that aligns with client goals (including increased engagement, SEO, time spent on page, and page views).
• Identified upsell opportunities and assisted our sales team with renewal deals while maintaining the client relationship.
• Worked with the content marketing team help connect media with brands.

Sun Media – November 2011 – October 2013

National Online Editor

• Wrote headlines, chose stories, edited and posted content on Canoe.ca, Sun Media’s SUN newspaper sites, and also community news websites across the country.
• Enhanced stories with tools such as polls, galleries, maps, videos, and related links with the objective of keeping our reader interested, on our site, and engaged.
• Wrote a weekly reality TV column every Saturday, which was featured in SUN papers across Canada.
• Wrote daily news write-ups, blog posts, and webhits.
• Ran live-blog events, created breaking news bundles, and worked with social media tools.
• Was responsible for using Google Analytics and choosing top stories based on data.

Check out all of my stories I wrote for Sun Media here.

88Creative – November 2011 – September 2013 (Contract)

Social Media Manager

• As one of the first employees of 88Creative (then, SoMeDev), I worked with real estate clients creating and managing social media campaigns.
• Responsibilities included: Creating a social media calendar, writing blog posts, populating social media feeds, creating analytic reports, and meeting with clients.

Enflick Inc. – May 2011-Sept 2011 (Contract)

Community Manager

• Maintaining and posting content for three Twitter accounts (@enflick, @pingchat, @textnowapp)
• Maintaining and moderating three Facebook accounts (/Enflick, /PingChat, /TextNow)
• Maintaining and moderating two company blogs (WordPress).
• Creating video content for our YouTube channel (youtube.com/Enflick)
• Creating contests and engaging users.
• Customer support on a daily basis.
• Updating and creating content for the company webpage (HTML/SEO).
• Updating Google analytics for each page, blog, and specific analytics for each social media account.

The Dalhousie Gazette – September 2010- April 2011

News Editor

• Coming up with story ideas, running story meetings, assigning stories and photographers, making priority lists, and staying in contact with contributors to ensure any problems are resolved.
• Editing stories, making headlines, subheads, cutlines, and choosing pull quotes.
• Writing stories, interviewing, taking photos and writing for my news stories, column writing, reviews, and arts stories.

Skills

• Anything and everything social media, such as: Blogging (WordPress, Tumblr), Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, ScribbleLive (live streaming and live blogging), timelines, Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, Vine, Vimeo, YouTube, Google Maps, iMovie … did I miss something?!
• Analytical tools and metrics such as Google analytics, Facebook Insights, Hootsuite Insights, Tweetdeck, SproutSocial, and Chartbeat. I can read and report on results and provide analysis.
• Trained in SEO/SEM, as well as Google Adwords.
• Able to write press releases, media lists, and communications/marketing reporting.
• Strong copy writer and copy editor.
• Managing social media and online communities, specifically in building brand loyalty and customer service.
• Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS.
• Audio editing using Adobe and Audacity.
• Copy editing using CP style.
• Proficient in Microsoft programs such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc.
• Video editing using iMovie and Final Cut.
• Fast and efficient research.

Assets/Personal

• Outgoing, and friendly, strong public speaking.
• Extremely efficient copy writer and editor, able to adapt to many different tones, voices, and styles of writing.
• Driven, passionate, and hard working.
• Specific interest in start-up companies and innovative teams
• Addicted to the Internet. Up-to-date on all things Reddit, Tumblr, meme-worthy, cats, viral videos, etc. The important stuff, right?
• Can create content and write insanely fast (it often creeps people out while impressing them at the same time, much like a hot dog eating competition).