digital communications professional

(and expert air-drummer)

Resume

Cody Kitaura, digital communications professional. View on LinkedIn

summary

  • I'm a digital communications and media relations professional with experience telling stories in print, through video and on social media. I have worked as a journalist, a public information officer and in internal communications. I'm also a board member for the Sacramento Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association. I've led data-driven reporting projects, trained dozens of editors on how to produce better video, built social media followings and represented my company on panels and at marketing events.

experience

  • News and Media Relations Specialist. UC Davis. 2014 – Present. Write and help guide digital strategies for internal faculty-staff publication Dateline UC Davis and for alumni-focused UC Davis Magazine. Write, edit and distribute key internal COVID-19 communications. Shoot and edit videos, write scripts and more. Pitch stories to local media and respond to media inquiries.
    • Key results:
    • Built reputation as trustworthy editor for high-level administrative announcements.
    • Included diverse voices and perspectives in writing through thorough reporting.
  • Social Media Coordinator. UC Davis. 2015. Managed and guided direction for main social media accounts, advised others on campus on their own use of social media. Guided two interns. Created highly targeted social media advertising campaigns.
    • Key results:
    • Improved web strategy through first-ever analytics effort for faculty-staff publication.
    • Undertook self-directed animation classes and used new skills to produce promotional and informational motion graphics to accompany variety of stories.
    • Identified stories to elevate through social media advertising, successfully targeted interested audiences and obtained useful data for future promotions.
  • Public Information Officer. California State Board of Equalization. 2014. Wrote press releases, fact sheets, strategic communication plans and elected officials' talking points. Helped organize news conferences, oversaw social media efforts. Edited publications, video scripts and other public communications. Responded to media inquiries.
    • Key results:
    • Led a first-of-its-kind statewide outreach plan.
    • Quickly grew social media following and helped to modernize the agency's efforts.
  • Senior Local Editor (2013-2014). Local Editor (2010-2013). Patch. Launched hyperlocal news website and wrote daily news articles in up to 10 communities simultaneously. Took photos; produced video, graphics and interactive maps; moderated comments and responded to reader inquires; recruited bloggers; promoted site at community events.
    • Key results:
    • Grew new site’s monthly traffic to half of town’s population with minimal budget.
    • Led regional data-driven reporting projects and produced stories for numerous sites.
    • Planned and facilitated video-production trainings for all Northern California editors.
    • Had stories picked up by AOL and The Huffington Post for national distribution
  • Staff Writer. Elk Grove Citizen. 2009 – 2010. Wrote articles and produced videos on city government activities and community events.
    • Key results:
    • Developed sources and built trust with city officials and community leaders.
    • Uncovered unique stories with Freedom of Information Act requests.
    • Produced highly popular sports and community-event videos with minimal oversight.

education

  • California State University, Sacramento – bachelor's degree in journalism, Magna Cum Laude.

organizations

  • Asian American Journalists Association – member, June 2008-present; Sacramento chapter secretary, 2011-2012, vice president, 2013-2014, board member 2015-present.
  • Asian American Journalists Association Executive Leadership Program graduate, 2013
  • Society of Professional Journalists – Reporters Institute graduate, 2011

Writing

I love telling the stories of ordinary people, as well as digging through mountains of data to find the interesting stuff.

UC Davis Magazine: "Who Is to Blame for California’s Drought?"

Social media users are playing the blame game when it comes to California’s drought.

UC Davis Magazine: "Farm to Dining Hall"

To the right of Cesar Cienfuegos’ desk, next to a stack of food magazines, is an arrangement of laboratory flasks of various fermenting vinegars, and notes on a whiteboard behind his desk compare the amount of protein in beef and crickets.

UC Davis Magazine: "Educating the Global Citizen"

Liz McAllister didn’t have to wait for the elaborate welcome ceremony of a rural Nepalese village to get firsthand experience of that country’s culture — she got it from a dog barking in the background of a Skype call last fall.

UC Davis News: "Minibrains move a step closer to helping patients"

When brain surgeons sit down with patients, the treatment would be much easier if they could simply offer replacement parts.

Rosemont Patch: "Bringing Elmo to Juvenile Hall"

Some residents in Sacramento County Juvenile Hall improve their reading and writing skills, some earn their GEDs and some learn to play peek-a-boo.

Elk Grove Patch: "In Debate, Lungren and Bera Spar Over Jobs, Healthcare, Washington Influences"

In the first skirmish of a hotly contested Congressional race, Elk Grove resident and Democrat Ami Bera and Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Gold River) traded jabs over medicare, jobs and outside influences on Washington in a televised debate Tuesday in Sacramento.

Contact

Get in touch with me.

Via Email

cody [at] codyk.net


via carrier pigeon

+38° 29' 50.604" -121° 31' 51.3984"


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