Objective

Rotary is an international organization with a commitment to global humanitarian projects and their innovation and ethics in business. Their goal is to attract new members from the larger global audience, as well as inspire and inform nearly a million and a half current members around the world. This requires determined storytelling and visual and verbal content that is relevant, accurate and international.

Execution

My goal is to provide Rotary with a “strong cultural vocabulary,” not just a “stronger voice.” One that is globally diverse and inclusive. With “People of Action” as Rotary’s positioning statement, stories must focus on the individuals doing the work around the world.

Working with an internal communications and marketing team that includes writers, photographers, and artists, I manage a diverse range of contributors that support the storytelling; direct global photography and video remotely; and create engaging and sophisticated visuals to support lively written stories for print, web and social media channels. For profile stories, I create a “cast” for each story with “a principle and supporting/actors.” In some narratives, an object or place plays the lead (a river; or a hospital) and the discourse and photo direction elevates that person or origin.

In all instances, you must find photographers and writers who can connect easily with their subjects. I seek individuals who put people at ease while paying close attention to their words, body language and gestures. This means different collaborators for different assignments all the time, then finding the best environment that highlights the subject’s experience, or the story that is being told, and then working closely together on all photo editing.