Nicole Cassis
INTERIM CMO | SVP COMMUNICATIONS & CONTENT
Communications & PR
Samples of Communication Strategies & Plan
Internal & Employee Communications
Deep experience creating communications programs to support organizations and values and cascading them via myriad mediums, including: email, internal news portals / intranet, video, print collateral, podcasts, meetings/town halls and events.
Notable Project: At ASU I developed a new internal channel for communication: a weekly podcast featuring research. I also created, launched, analyzed and optimized school newsletter with a mixed audience (internal/external) that resulted in above average industry open rate averaging 28.95% (average for education-related newsletters is ~8.5%).
External Communications
I’ve spent much of my career translating complex subjects into clear communication for customers, partners, prospects and the broader public. Those subjects have ranged from NASA missions and university research to hosting, cybersecurity, domains and AI products. I start by understanding what the audience needs to know and what we want them to do next.
My work spans customer email, websites, product announcements, educational materials, social media, partner communications and media outreach. I’ve explained product enhancements and platform migrations, created supporting training materials, developed social media strategies and built relationships with local and national journalists. I’ve also promoted and represented organizations at industry events, conferences and speaking engagements.
I personally create a wide range of materials, including press releases, media alerts, press kits, executive quotes and bios, talking points, backgrounders, annual reports, video scripts, white papers, look books, marketing plans, sales decks, pitches and proposals. At Arizona State University, I developed collateral, presentations and tours to build strategic relationships with aerospace industry leaders, including Orbital and Honeywell.
Corporate Communications
Since 2019, I’ve been the primary corporate communications owner for many of Newfold Digital’s major company moments, including a large merger, acquisitions such as Dreamscape, divestitures, partnerships, funding and investor announcements, and leadership changes.
I work directly with senior leaders to shape the company’s narrative and coordinate how a development is communicated to employees, media, customers and other stakeholders. I personally write press releases, internal announcements, executive talking points, employee FAQs and social posts, and coordinate interviews and video when they help tell the story. Working across both corporate and commercial communications gives me a clear view of how company decisions affect our brands and the people they serve.
Executive Communications
I’ve served as a close writing and communications partner to three consecutive CEOs, providing strategic counsel and helping each communicate in a voice that feels like their own. I personally write speeches, letters, op-eds, bylines, video scripts, talking points and town hall presentations, and prepare executives for media interviews and employee conversations.
Strong executive communication starts with listening. I get to know how a leader thinks, what matters to them and how they naturally speak, then help shape their ideas into messages that connect with employees, customers and other stakeholders. I also stay close to developments across the organization, gathering stories and accomplishments so leaders have useful examples at hand. Audience feedback helps me refine both the message and how it is delivered.
I created Above the Fold, a CEO-led video series that launched in 2021 and grew to 149 episodes and six additional sub-series over four years. I handled guest planning, pre-interviews, CEO scripts, interview questions, recording flow and episode communications. The series gave employees regular access to leadership and a closer look at the people, work and priorities across the business.
Media Relations
My media relations experience spans local, national, trade and international outlets. Having worked as a journalist and magazine editor, I understand the importance of a credible angle, useful sources and timely responses. I’ve managed proactive pitching, incoming requests, spokesperson preparation, press events and relationships with reporters covering very different beats.
At Arizona State University, I wrote more than 200 press releases during a five-year period that resulted in upwards of 700 media articles. Coverage included Forbes, Scientific American, The Wall Street Journal, TIME, NPR, BBC and NBC. More recently, I developed a research and data-journalism program using customer insights and external surveys to create original stories, earning Tier 1 coverage, including Inc.
Crisis Communications
My work across corporate communications, PR and reputation has involved helping leaders respond to sensitive issues under pressure. I created Newfold Digital’s crisis and outage communications playbook to give teams a clear framework for communicating during incidents. I focus on establishing what we know, identifying who needs information and developing clear messaging that can be updated as the situation evolves.
My experience also includes reputation-focused communications at Florida Coastal School of Law and sensitive company developments at Newfold Digital. I bring hands-on writing, executive counsel and coordination across internal and external communications. The language needs to be accurate, acknowledge the audience’s concerns and hold up beyond the immediate response.
Change Communications
I’ve led communications supporting mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, rebrands, leadership transitions and changes to customer products and platforms. These situations require more than an announcement. Employees and customers need to understand the reason for the change, how it affects them and what happens next.
Examples include communications supporting Newfold Digital’s major merger, the Web.com for Enterprise rebrand, the Network Solutions brand modernization and the migration of enterprise customers from Yext to Moz. My work has included communications plans, messaging maps, employee FAQs, customer notices, training decks and materials for client-facing teams. I work across functions to anticipate questions and keep the explanation consistent as the change moves from planning into implementation.