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Stacy Jagodowski

Strategic leadership through Marketing & Communications

Work experience

2020Present

Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications

Tabor Academy, Marion, MA
  • Restructured, rebranded, and grew the previous communications office, creating a skill-based strategic marketing and communications team to better meet the short and long term needs of the school.
  • Launched multiple branding exercises and initiatives to create a stronger brand for Tabor, including messaging and visual representation, with work to be introduced to the community in Fall 2023
  • Improved Tabor's digital presence with automated updates to the Tabor Academy website using the Blackbaud CMS, and later launching Phase I of a website upgrade on Finalsite, with Phase II in progress
  • Overhauled the Tabor Today magazine to create a narrative publication for improved storytelling, stewardship, and historical documentation of the school's past, working in partnership with the Archives
    • Revamped the Tabor Today magazine digital presence, creating a microsite to complement the print piece and boost SEO, which increased traffic to the digital magazine by over 143% in the first year, with 182% increase in new page visits
  • Streamlined and improved current parent, faculty, and student communication processes, with regular enhancements to better meet the needs of our constituents via email and constituent portals
  • Revamped the accepted student experience, including the creation of a new award-winning microsite 
  • Partnered with the admissions team to develop new outreach opportunities for prospective families, while developing plans for a comprehensive inbound marketing campaign to be launched in 2023.
  • Successfully navigated multiple crisis situations, keeping constituents informed and at ease, while protecting our school reputation. Implemented standardized crisis communications policies.
20182020

Director of Marketing and Communications

Sinai Akiba Academy, Los Angeles, CA
  • Streamlined school communications and promoted key programs in order to maximize exposure in the Los Angeles education market and support revenue goals, improve user experience 
  • Implemented new communication and marketing strategies to generate leads and nurture and engage prospective, past and current constituents in order to support fundraising and recruiting, resulting in record inquiries in year one of the marketing program
  • Redesigned the school's website twice due to major institutional crisis events, and introduced improved internal components of the current constituent portal to improve usability and make it easier for families to find pertinent information
  • Overhauled the use of social media for general school promotions, as well as fundraising, recruiting and event promotion initiatives, improving constituent engagement, in particular, by more than 130% 
  • Implemented new Crisis Communication efforts and successfully supported the school through several crisis situations including natural disasters, head of school leadership changes, an unexpected renaming (and subsequent rebranding) of the school, and the COVID-19 pandemic
20172018

Director of Marketing & Communications

Milken Community Schools, Los Angeles, CA
  • Streamlined school communications, solidified the brand, and promoted key programs in order to maximize exposure in the Los Angeles education market and support revenue generation
  • Developed an inbound marketing program with initial results showing a 17% increase in inquiries
  • Implemented new communication and marketing strategies to nurture and engage both alumni and parents, including annual fund marketing that delivered a total 965% ROI for print and digital combined
  • Successfully managed multiple crisis situations, maintaining the message and keeping constituents informed while reducing and/or eliminating potential negative publicity 
20162018

Freelance Writer and Content Updater

Thoughtco.com (a vertical of Dotdash.com, formerly About.com)
  • Writer: Regularly published and edited articles related to general education, private schools, marketing, teaching, literature, and composition
  • Content Updater: Regularly edit and update articles to ensure they are well written, adhere to company style guide and contain complete information that is accurate, relevant and interesting
20132017

Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications

Cheshire Academy, Cheshire, CT
  • Developed an award-winning Strategic Marketing & Communications team modeled after an internal marketing agency that implemented successful content marketing and inbound marketing strategies in an effort to foster stronger relationships with current and past constituents.
  • Implemented successful development & alumni marketing with the following results:
    • Increased online giving participation by 76% in one year
    • Increased traffic to the online giving page by 60% 
    • Streamlined the online giving form to reduce the time spent on the page by 23%  
    • Increased total funds raised via online giving by 95% in one year
    • Increased annual fund participation by 20% in one year
    • Increased overall annual fund donations by 15% in one year
    • Led the creation of a successful #GivingTuesday marketing program, raising $60,000+ in year one, $90,000+ in year two, and over $104,000 in year three
    • Developed outreach strategies to reconnect with and nurture disengaged alumni
  • Increased social media engagement significantly over three years
    • Web traffic increased with 25% of all referrals coming from social
    • YouTube: 477% increase in year one, with the continued growth of 50%+ every six months
    • Facebook: more than 200% increase in engagement
    • Twitter: 187% increase in engagement
    • LinkedIn: 239% increase in engagement
  • Implemented successful admission marketing program with the following results:
    • Increased enrollment by more than 30% in three years
    • Increased admission inquiries by 20% in the first year alone
    • Developed a successful blog with more than 125,000 visits in the first six months
    • Landing pages earned an average 11% conversion rate in the first year alone
  • Developed a marketing internship program for current students
  • Involved in successfully managing several Crisis Communications efforts, developing crisis communications plans that worked to keep the immediate community informed while managing media outreach resulting in positive outcomes for the Academy
20092013

Director of Communications

Derby Academy, Hingham, MA
  • Managed WhippleHill CMS website, produced weekly e-newsletter; launched a redesign of the website in spring 2013; streamlined communication efforts and increased readership of the weekly newsletter from a 30% open rate to 85% open rate.
  • Introduced social media marketing strategies for Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, doubling Facebook followers in just one year with the continued growth of 10% or more annually
  • Implemented SchoolPress blogging for teachers and administrators to improve communication with current families and better tell the story of the school.
  • Studied the ethical use of social media regarding middle/primary school students and held educational presentations for parents.  and responsible for digital photography and design work.
  • Created a new logo and graphic identity in 2009 to better represent an elementary school, maintaining a youthful yet professional aesthetic. Involved in viewbook and logo redesigns
  • Worked closely with development/alumni and admission to create targeted outreach to constituents, including annual fund outreach, friendraising endeavors, and event planning and promotion.
  • Managed all media relations, writing, editing and design work including the production of publications such as postcards, brochures, magazines, invitations, and advertisements. 
  • Teacher (digital photography, yearbook, public speaking), student advisor.
20062009

Associate Director of Admission

Chatham Hall, Chatham, VA
  • Introduced new ways to increase inquiries, applications, and enrollments via direct mail campaigns, additional publications, website enhancements, email marketing, social media, online chat sessions, scholarship programs, and an Early Decision application process.
  • Recruited students throughout the US and Bermuda, including 10-15 weeks of travel per year for school visits and school fairs; students of color recruitment through NJ SEEDS, KIPP, and ABC
  • Responsible for event planning for Opening of School, Open Houses, Revisit, and receptions; implemented nurturing email marketing strategies to increase attendance at Open House events
  • Responsible for publication and advertisement design and layout, design and writing for electronic newsletters and print postcards, and graphics for social networking.
  • Served on financial aid, marketing, admission/retention, and reaccreditation committees 
20042006

Assistant Director of Admission & Marketing

The MacDuffie School, Springfield, MA (now located in Granby, MA)
  • Recruitment of students throughout Western Massachusetts
  • Event planning for open houses, school fairs, receptions
  • Developed key marketing materials to use in admission recruitment efforts
  • Created and implemented an application fee waiver campaign to increase applications and referrals from current families and faculty
  • Increased the school's presence at local recruiting events
  • Enhanced campus events to better connect with applicants
  • Committee member for AISNE reaccreditation self-study
20032004

Communications & Publications Coordinator

Windward School, Los Angeles, CA
  • Developed both internal and external e-mail communications networks with Windward community, designed a new monthly parent newsletter to improve school-wide communications. Worked closely with development for annual fund promotion, event planning, and general constituent outreach.
  • Established a new standard for a monthly student newspaper and helped students participate in workshops and internships, leading one student to receive a college scholarship from the LA Times
  • Played a primary role in WASC reaccreditation self-study
20022003

Assistant Director of Public Relations

American International College, Springfield, MA

Portfolio

A selection of major projects related to general marketing and outreach endeavors in support of fundraising, relationship-building, event promotion and enrollment efforts.

Education & Certifications

B.A., Journalism & Design

Mount Holyoke College

M.S., Communications and Information Management

Bay Path College

Marketing Strategy for Business Leaders Certificate

Cornell University

AWARDS

2021 InspirED School Marketers Brilliance Gold Award, Admitted Student Welcome

2016 InspirED School Marketers Brilliance Gold Award, Magazine

2016 CASE District 1 Silver Award, Annual Fund Marketing Programs

2016 CASE Circle of Excellence Silver Award, Annual Fund Programs

2016 CASE Circle of Excellence Silver Award (top award given, unanimous), Communication Program Improvement

Key Skills

Team Management & Cultivation

Ability to cultivate and retain highly qualified professionals to advance the mission of my department and school as a whole, while maintaining a positive working environment that promotes cutting-edge techniques to successfully create and carry out innovative and effective initiatives 

Public Speaking

Presenter at National and International Conferences, including both preconference workshops and elective sessions at CASE NAIS Annual Conference (2017, 2019, 2020), and elective sessions at WBSA (2020) EMA (2018, 2021), Blackbaud K12 (Annually, 2015-2022), TABS (2015, 2017), NAIS (2015, 2017), NBOA (2017), Cheney & Co. Aim High (2016), SchneiderB Virtual Conference (2016), and TABS NAIS Global Symposium (2015). Links to most presentations available at linkedin.com/in/stacyjago 

Digital Marketing

Website, social media, content, and email marketing expertise:

  • CMS Platforms including Blackbaud K12, Wordpress, Squarespace
  • Inbound Marketing and Hubspot
  • Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, etc.
  • Google Analytics, Webmaster tools
  • SEO, SEM, Paid Digital Advertising
  • MailChimp, Constant Contact, Klaviyo
Thought Leadership, Writing, Editing
  • Guest Author: Educational Directions "The Head's Letter" Newsletter 
  • Developed eBooks, Blogs, Tip Sheets, Podcasts, and Webinars for Blackbaud K12, InspirED School Marketers, EMA and other private school organizations 
Strategic Planning/Project Management

Strategic planning for fundraising, relationship development, events, recruiting and enrollment, school reputation improvement, and branding.

  • Highly organized and detail-oriented
  • Basecamp, Trello, Scrum Project Management tools

Industry involvement

2020 CASE NAIS Annual Conference Planning Committee Member, 2019-2020

Blackbaud K-12 School Board Advisor, 2015-2019; Emeritus Board Advisor, 2019 - present

NABI Advisory Board, Grassroots Committee Member, 2016-2017

NABI 100 Member, 2016

NAIS Connect Communications Community Ambassador, 2012-2013

What I'm most proud of:

TEAM DEVELOPMENT
I have built and led teams of talented marketing professionals who set the gold standard for marketing best practices in private schools. 

HAVING MY WORK COPIED
My annual fund marketing campaign concept, "One Word. One Gift." started appearing at other schools, including colleges. I'm thrilled to know that the campaign was effective for numerous organizations. 

EMOTIONAL REACTIONS 
Our work is designed to target parents making decisions about their children, which requires making emotional connections. It's fulfilling to hear someone say that my work brought tears to their eyes and made them feel connected to my school.