Member profile: JoAnne Makela

Traffic Manager and Vendor Coordinator for Creative Services, University Relations

Started working at the University of Minnesota in 2005 and has been in current role since 2012. 

UMCF member since 2008.

What brought you to your current job? 

A colleague brought the job posting to my attention and it was so uniquely congruent with my skill set that I had to apply.

What is your favorite aspect of your job?

I love the people I work with. We all work on very fast-moving news and information on a daily basis, so there's no real routine that is reliable. The people I work with are quick on their feet and must respond professionally in all situations, yet we still manage to laugh a lot.

What excites you about working at the University of Minnesota?

I've worked in higher-ed or non-profits for most of my career and the U is the biggest place I've ever worked. I am proud to be part of a world-changing institution. And yet, it still feels like a small town with people who respect and care about each other.

What is your favorite accomplishment at the U, so far?

I earned my masters degree last year and I couldn't have done that without the Regent's Scholarship.

What advice do you have for communicators at the University of Minnesota?

Keep your eyes open and your head up. You are uniquely situated to tell great stories. So, tell them with enthusiasm and integrity. And then make sure to send them to University Relations so we can promote them for you!

Tell us about one of the coolest projects you've worked on for your job at the U?    

I helped coordinate the 2013 Year-End Video that highlighted U achievements from the past year. I got to meet some fascinating people and learn even more about what goes on here. It was a fun project with a terrific result.

What is your favorite place on campus?      

Farmer's Market on Church Street in the summer. The patio at the Campus Club. Rapson Hall atrium.

What do you consider to be a best kept secret about the U?

That you can get almost anywhere with minimal exposure to the weather. I love walking outside on campus, but during this latest Polar Vortex, I was happy to find as many Gopher Way passages as I did. I'm surprised more people don't use them. And the great restaurants and coffee shops in the Dinkytown and Stadium Village. People who don't work here or go to school here are missing out if they don't eat here.

Your hometown and the first place you lived after leaving your hometown? 

Erie, Pennsylvania. Then I went to college in Painesville, Ohio and grad school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I would live in Pittsburgh again.

What is your dream job (besides the one you have!)?

To own a winery and olive grove in Tuscany or Puglia and write murder mysteries.

I'm happiest when:

Reading a book that I never want to end.

Member profile: Jacqueline Brudlos

Communications Manager for Parking and Transportation Services

Started at the University of Minnesota in December, 2001.

UMCF member since 2001. My boss at the time, Lori Ann Vicich, was a big supporter of the organization. She believed in the value of communicators networking with others on campus.

Connect with Jacqueline online:

LinkedIn

Tell us about one of the coolest projects you've worked on for your job at the University of Minnesota?   

Grand openings are always a lot of work, but they are an opportunity to be really creative. When Parking and Transportation Services brought car-sharing to campus in 2006, our small committee brainstormed ways to make a splash on campus with this kick-off. What did we do? We hired an ice sculptor to carve a car out of ice on Coffman's Front Plaza. The Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, KSTP, WCCO, KARE and Minnesota Daily all sent people to cover the event/story. The successful launch ensured that a majority of students, staff and faculty heard the name Zipcar.  

What is your best/more amusing U-related memory? 

When the Metrodome collapsed in December of 2010, the University had several meetings with the Vikings. I was invited to one of the transportation planning meetings at the last minute. Without thinking, I grabbed my coat and walked into the meeting in my Green Bay Packers jacket surrounded by Vikings communications staff. I'm still surprised that no one made a joke. It was professional, I understand that.  But come on; that was a golden opportunity for a rivalry jab!

What is your favorite place on campus?  

I love to eat! Campus Pizza has the best calzone I've eaten IN MY LIFE and Big Ten Restaurant has fabulous onion rings. For a stunning view of East Bank, you can't go wrong with the fourth floor of Coffman at the Campus Club. I also love a quiet, contemplative moment in the glass elevator in McNamara; I find the mechanics to be fascinating.

Your hometown and the first place you lived after leaving your hometown? 

I grew up in a small town -- Dodgeville, Wisconsin with a population of 4,500 people. After graduating high school with a class of 88 people, I went to St. Cloud State University ("the big city"). I never would've imagined my life bringing me into the heart of Minneapolis with so many people around me.

Some of my favorite things

Favorite author: Kristin Hannah 

Favorite book: a tie between The Bridge Across Forever: A Love Story by Richard Bach and A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux  

Favorite classic: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Favorite website: alpha-shade.com (my artist husband's Web-comic) and for fun/nostalgic purposes, homestarrunner.com

    

Favorite brand? Hard Rock Cafe (I have their t-shirts from Atlanta, Las Vegas, New York, London, and Bahrain)

Favorite food and drink? Crab legs and Coca-cola

Favorite current TV show: "Person of Interest"

Favorite TV show of all time: "Beauty and the Beast" with Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman

Favorite movie: tie between Casablanca and Titanic

Favorite musician or band: Storyhill 

The Top 3 highlights of my life: 

Marrying my wonderful husband Joe; white-water rafting in Idaho with a good friend; and skydiving with the University of Minnesota sky-diving club.

Member drive

All University of Minnesota employees with communication related job codes should be receiving the Communicators Forum annual member drive email on or near February 5. Please share this email with anyone you think would be interested in joining the Forum. 

Wondering if you need to renew your Communicators Forum membership? We will email you when your membership nears expiration.

Conference update

Keynote speakers announced

Our 24th annual conference is right around the corner, June 19 at the Carlson School of Management. This year's theme is "Craft the future" and we are excited to announce the keynote speakers: 

--Ellen Lupton: curator, author, teacher, designer

--Seitu Jones: Joyce Award Winner, visual artist, master gardener

--Dessa: singer, writer, rapper, producer.

Request for vendors

We're seeking vendors for the vendor fair at conference. The vendor fair helps make the low cost of conference possible. If you work with any vendors and think they might be interested in this inexpensive opportunity to raise their profile with potential clients, please contact Karina Carlson at carl2263@umn.edu as soon as possible.

2014 Communicators Forum Awards 

Our annual awards competition, the Maroon and Gold Awards for Communications Excellence, encourages high standards by recognizing excellence in communications at the University. You must be a member to submit an entry. This year's submission process will occur in March 2014.

Any work designed or produced by Communicators Forum member(s) and/or published / used by the University between March 1, 2013 and February 28, 2014 is eligible. Submission period is March 1-21, 2014. 

We revamped the award categories (Gold) and created several new sub-categories (Maroon) to better showcase the excellent and effective work being done by University communicators. 

More to come, but start planning what you want to submit for these 2014 award categories: 

--Design: Expanded the previous print category to include design for non-printed items; applications, infographics, web, video, and display items. 

--Interactive: Expanded the previous electronic media category to include interactive blog, application, single social media. Coordinated social media is now a part of the Campaign/Series category. The website subcategory has been broken into three subcategories: website, web section and web page.

--Writing: Expanded category to include writing for websites, newsletters, and messages. 

--Campaign/Series: The least changed of the four categories, added coordinated social media.

In addition a new maroon award has been added in each of the four categories: Innovator. The innovator award will be given to work in Campaign, Interactive, Design, and Writing that uses new media, techniques, tools, or combinations of communication tools in innovative ways heretofore unseen by the University of Minnesota community.

--Illuminate: Best use of this year's "Driven to Discover" campaign theme: "Discovery Illuminates Everyone." Any communications piece can be submitted for Illuminate award consideration.

--MIKE: The "people's choice" award. Any communications piece can be submitted for MIKE award consideration.

--Margo: Award for the highest impact for the lowest dollar amount. Any communications piece can be submitted for Margo award consideration.

Message from the chair - February 2014

Hello communicators!

Working at a university there's a cycle that feels warm and familiar-from breathing the back-to-school air in fall, to the get-it-done time before "break," to the cold but fresh start of a new year and then a new semester when the buses are back to running regularly and people abound, then to the spring and summer of bikes, bustle, music, sun, and such.

The Communicators Forum cycle brings regular activity each month through the Google group, educational programs, and informal brown-bags and mixers, then a flurry of major happenings in the spring semester and early summer.

This issue of the Communicators Forum newsletter shares updates on these signature activities that are coming together:

Member drive this month

--Awards entry process in March

--Member appreciation event on May 28

--Annual conference on June 19

The volunteers on the Communicators Forum board and committees are excited to see these take shape, filled with anticipation like a tulip bursting through the frozen tundra of a Minnesota lawn.

Thanks,

Rebecca Noran, chair, Communicators Forum, 2013-14

Member profile: Janelle Nivens

Web project manager and content strategist, Academic Health Center Office of Communications

Started at the University of Minnesota in April, 2002 until January 2006 and returned to the University in February 2012.

UMCF member since 2012. 

Connect with Janelle online: 

Instagram: http://instagram.com/janellie23

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/janellie23/ 

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/janellie23/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/janellenivens

What brought you to your current job? 

Prior to becoming a web project manager for the Academic Health Center Office of Communications, I spent twelve years in the field of career counseling. The last six years was at Capella University (online university headquartered in downtown Minneapolis) where I managed the Career Center's web presence, created online career courses and workshops and produced a number of YouTube videos. I grew more and more interested in web work and started a blog (now retired Minneapolis 81) and helped a Minneapolis business council revise their website and build a stronger social media presence. I regularly attended numerous professional development events and activities and eventually had enough confidence in changing my professional identity and applied for my current job. I knew that I wanted to return to the University of Minnesota and I am thankful that I was able to successfully change careers. 

 

What excites you about working at the University and for the Academic Health Center?

Because of its size and complexity, the Academic Health Center has unique opportunities and challenges. I am proud to be part of a web team devoted to making connections between all of the colleges, schools, departments, divisions, centers, institutes, hospitals and clinics. We are working on a number of exciting projects that will help external audiences find the information they need to make important health care and educational decisions. We are also working on ways to help AHC employees manage their online presence more efficiently and effectively. That said, above all else, I'm excited to help hundreds of web contributors pack up and leave UMContent and welcome them to Drupal with open arms. 

What is your favorite accomplishment at the U, so far?

Creating the Academic Health Center (AHC) Resource Hub (http://hub.ahc.umn.edu). This was done in conjunction with a redesign of health.umn.edu. We took this opportunity to extract the faculty/staff section of the old health.umn.edu site, which was in demand but difficult to find, since the site focused on health-related news. The new site provides a much needed, go-to source for employees to find key info and resources to do their jobs. I have created features create a sense of community and a dose of fun within the AHC such as the employee spotlights, screen wallpaper downloads, and announcements.

What is your favorite place on campus?

I love walking around campus and appreciate that we have access to so many beautiful spaces; many with views of the Mississippi River and downtown Minneapolis. Some of my favorites: Campus Club dining room and patio, Washington Avenue Bridge, Science Teaching and Student Services staircase, Education Sciences Building, and McNamara Alumni Center.

Your hometown and the first place you lived after leaving your hometown? 

I can't help but give the long answer. Fun fact: I've moved my belongings 17 times. 

I was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and moved to Sheldon, Iowa at the age of three. After high school, I left home to attend the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Go Big Red! The football team won three national championships while I was there. 

In 1999, I moved to Flagstaff, Arizona to earn a master's degree in counseling from Northern Arizona University. My first professional job was at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa and it only took 18 months to determine this fish needed to be in a bigger pond. Fortunately, the good people of the College of Liberal Arts agreed and hired me as a Career Counselor and pre-law advisor here at the University of Minnesota. 

I lived in St. Paul, St. Louis Park and Hopkins before landing in Minneapolis. I have lived in the City of Lakes for 10 years and feel like I'm finally home.

What is your favorite memory?

Visiting my sister in Namibia. I spent time in the capital city of Windhoek; watched big game in Etosha, dipped my toes in the cold Atlantic ocean in Swakopmund; and hiked the dunes of Sossusvlei. 

What do you do for fun?    

Take long walks. During the warmer months, I can be found on the Grand Rounds Trail with my husband, Scott. During our 10+ mile urban hikes, I enjoy taking photos of beautiful, curious, or unique gems of the city. A great benefit to walking all over the Minneapolis is enjoying its many watering holes. Craft beer is great fuel for more walking! Scott and I also take shorter walks with our Bichon Frise, Stewie.