VIRGINIA KETTLES
VIRGINIA KETTLES
Storyteller
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PERSONAL PROFILE
Get To Know Me
Stories are powerful. And as a self-starter with a strong background in communications, I know just how effectively a good story can elevate a brand. I want to be a driving force, utilizing my collaborative and organizational skills to make great creative happen. Ping me if you want to connect!
PROJECTS
What I’ve Done
Check out my personal portfolio to see what side projects I’ve worked on.
Quora
February 2015 - Present
I created an account on the question/answer site writing responses to questions, which currently has over 11,300 followers. Several pieces have been requested to be republished on other blogs, websites, and online publications. My writing here has received over 7.4 million views, averaging on 200,000+ views per month.
National Student Advertising Competition
January 2018 - May 2018
I served as a copywriter to create a millennial-targeted ad campaign to pitch to Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. Our final marketing plan was presented at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cary, NC. Click below to see my team's advertising plans book, which won "Best Plans Book" for our region (District 3).
PUBLICATIONS
September 2020
This is an investigative piece I wrote about the death of Vanessa Marquez, a Latina actress who was shot unarmed by police officers outside her home in Los Angeles, California.
September 2020
This is a piece I wrote about popular culture's portrayal, and lack thereof, of binge eating disorder.
April 2019
This is a multimedia piece I created for my Multimedia Storytelling Design class. The story covers the mental health of students at Washington and Lee University, and is part of a larger website, "W&L: A Place Like Home?" which covered different university issues.
July 2018
This is a short piece about advertising and politics, initially for the blog of advertising agency DeVito/Verdi, which was later republished by advertising information provider AdForum on their website.
April 2018
This is a multimedia piece I created, originally for my Digital Journalism class, that was selected to be republished by The Chronicle of Higher Education - Daily Briefing. The piece received over 1,000 reads within its first week.
January 2017
This short, personal piece, which I originally wrote for Quora, was selected to be republished in HuffPost. The piece went viral, with over 700,000 views and 30,000+ shares across global platforms, including India and China. It was also republished in Apple News.
June 2017
This is another short, personal piece I originally wrote for Quora, which was also selected to be republished in HuffPost. The piece received over 10,000 views.
PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS SUCCESS STORIES: ELIZABETH ALATISHE & ASHA LAWRENCE
August 2017
These are two student success stories I wrote for the nonprofit Partnership Schools. They were published on the nonprofit's website and shared across social platforms.
March 2016
This is another short, personal piece I originally wrote for Quora, which was selected to be republished in White Musings, a digital magazine. The piece received nearly 400,000 views.
WORK EXPERIENCE
My Past Positions
ASSISTANT INTEGRATED PRODUCER,
TOWNHOUSE
June 2021 - Present
I serve as the assistant integrated producer for a leading beauty account at Townhouse, the production arm of Grey Group advertising. I help run several projects both in North America and Latin America. The brands whose campaigns I have produced for include Pantene, Gillette Venus, Herbal Essences, and Braun.
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING MANAGER,
ANDES MEDIA, LLC
September 2020 - June 2021
I promoted the Latine film production company’s newest documentary, Siqueiros: Walls of Passion, through self-directed social campaigns on Instagram and Facebook, as well as the design and content of the company's first-ever centralized website. I also prepared application materials for film’s award consideration (Peabody Awards, Emmy’s, Imagen).
ACCOUNT FELLOW,
HAVAS LIFE NEW YORK
June 2019 - June 2020
I coordinated and oversaw new promotional projects for an array of pharmaceutical companies. I also served as the Pitch Pro for New Business, where I organized conference calls, created and sent recaps, and took care of travel arrangements, agency deliverables, and other pitch logistics.
COMMUNICATIONS & SOCIAL MEDIA FELLOW,
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
September 2018 - May 2019
I curate and create content for my university career center's media accounts. I also promote events hosted by the career center on a wide range of social media platforms.
SUBMISSIONS AND AUDIO EDITOR,
SHENANDOAH LITERARY MAGAZINE
January 2019 - April 2019; January 2017 - April 2017
I reviewed 500+ fiction submissions and recommended pieces to the editor for the official literary magazine at Washington and Lee University. I also facilitated and contributed recordings of published poetry for the website.
NEW BUSINESS & PUBLIC RELATIONS INTERN,
DEVITO/VERDI
June 2018 - August 2018
I promoted the advertising agency through think pieces, social media, and promotional emails. One article I wrote, "The State of Pro-Justice Advertising as Justice Kennedy Retires," was selected to be republished by the advertising information provider AdForum.
DEVELOPMENT INTERN,
PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS
June 2017 - August 2017
I solicited and conducted research on donors for low-income students' scholarships and schools. I also spearheaded a marketing campaign by writing stories about two (1)(2) successful students for the organization's website and social media handles. This personalized the organization's mission to generate more donations.
DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN INTERN,
RED HEN PRESS
June 2016 - August 2016
I conducted research to find potential donors for Red Hen Press, as well as drafting grant proposals. I also partnered with the designers of covers for books that were readying for publication.
PROFICIENCIES
Storytelling
Project Management
Spanish Fluency
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
2015-2019
At Washington and Lee University, I graduated with a major in Strategic Communication and a minor in Creative Writing. I used my storytelling skills as the President and Co-Founder of the university creative writing club Half-Baked, and the Literary Submissions Editor of Ampersand, the student-run literary magazine. I also served as a copywriter for my school's entry in AAF's 2018 National Student Advertising Competition.
"We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is learning how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out."
