Andrea Knotts Bona

8309 Ramsgate Court

Alexandria, VA 22309 P
Phone: 703-799-4158
abona@bona.net
Marketing and Communications Executive
* Trusted management partner with more than 15 years of experience in synchroniz
ing marketing and communications strategies with corporate goals. Organizational
stability booster, an expert in diplomatically facilitating cross-functional gr
oups and building consensus.
* Respected leader of marketing and creative teams, multimedia divisions, editor
ial and corporate communications departments. Conceptualize strategic communicat
ions direction and orchestrate marketing and communications campaigns that effec
tively reinforce and build brand images.
Skills
* Team Leadership & Consensus Building
* Internet and Social Media
* International Marketing & Branding
* Budgeting and Strategic Planning
* Message & Campaign Development
* Internal and External Communications
* Strategic Marketing
* Proposal, Web & Print Copy Writing
Professional Experience
ONE ORANGE FEATHER, Alexandria, VA 2009 a" Present
President and CEO
Provide strategic marketing and communications expertise to create multi-channel
programs and campaigns for clients. Create marketing strategies and tactical de
ployment plans. Tactics include: social media, media relations, message developm
ent, speech writing and content creation and collateral material development. Cl
ients included golf resorts and spas, nonprofits, high tech, DoD contractors, pu
blishers and financial services companies.
Selected Accomplishments
* Project managed and edited multi-million dollar DoD proposals for wireless eng
ineering firm; created process documentation to streamline future proposal creat
ion and submissions.
* Executed social media strategy and created organizational social media guideli
nes for two clients, increasing brand visibility and expanding communications st
rategy. Built new Web site and created multi-channel marketing campaign to drive
new business for a telecom consulting company, increased Web site traffic 60% d
uring a two-month period.
THE MORTGAGE BANKERS ASSOCIATION, Washington, DC 2004 a" 2009
Vice President Strategic Marketing
Aligned corporate marketing strategy with organizationas business goals and dire
cted brand management. Established and led a skilled centralized marketing depar
tment of 15, including marketers and graphic designers, who completed more than
2,700 marketing projects annually to promote education products, meetings and co
nventions, membership and government relations. Managed a $3.5 million budget, d
ecreased expenses and increased sales 18%.
Selected Accomplishments
* Leadership enhanced marketing departmentas image across the organization, impr
oved morale and increased productivity 100%.
* Improved timea"toa"market for Web site launches by 50%; translated clientsa go
als into Web requirements and leda"cross functional development team.
* Leveraged strengths in cost-effective marketing management and reduced expense
s by 50%. Increased marketing campaign response rates by 30% through an integrat
ed marketing strategy that leveraged the Internet, social media, cross marketing
and print media tactics.
* Deployed $1.5 million media spend for radio, print and outdoor media to increa
se associationas brand recognition and advance organizationas issue agenda on Ca
pitol Hill.
* Instituted Web best practices in designing the information architecture for co
nsumer Web site homeloanlearningcenter.com, increasing page views from 350,000 t
o 1.5 million consumers monthly.
MCKINLEY MARKETING PARTNERS, Alexandria, VA June 2004 to November 2004
Interim Marketing Manager
Managed marketing activities for clients to include marketing plan development f
or a new product launch, as well as project managing 14 tactical marketing campa
igns during a 12-week period, generating more than $2.3 million in revenue. Cli
ents included: Network Solutions and US Pharmacopeia and Healthcare Management D
istribution Association.
CELLULAR TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, Washington, DC 2
001 a" 2004
Publisher, Internet, & New Media
Transformed daily news operations into a profitable business division, managed t
wo direct report employees.
Built strategic business and marketing plans and associated budgets, led 15a"mem
ber crossa"functional Web Task Force, provided competitive analysis and manage d
ivisionas P&L.
Selected Accomplishments
* Developed innovative multi-channel product marketing campaigns to drive sales
and subscription renewals; increasing renewal rates to 65% and increasing revenu
e by $125,000.
* Leveraged collaboration skills to lead 15-member cross functional Task Force t
o overhaul antiquated and unproductive Web site, successfully increasing product
ivity and increasing content volume, transforming association Web site into cutt
ing edge Web portal with e-commerce capabilities.
THE STRATEGIS GROUP / COMMNOW.COM, Washington, DC 1997 a" 2001
Vice President and Publisher of CommNOW.com
Led first U.S.a"based subscription daily online news company. Recruited, hired,
and managed staff of 12, including editorial, Web development, technology, sales
and customer service. Managed $1 million budget, reported to the CEO and was a
member of the executive management team. Developed first of its kind email news
distribution system in 1997.
Selected Accomplishments
* Led market launch of three subscribera"supported online daily news products an
d one commercial telecom news portal, increasing revenue 166%.
* Enhanced editorial productivity and operational efficiency, achieved a 32% pro
fit margin and increase subscriber base from 3,500 to 40,000 customers, with 20%
international, through launch of integrated, multi-channel print, web, direct m
arketing and sales campaigns.
* Negotiated subscription site licenses with Nortel, Ericsson and Nokia.
* Established international publishing brand with significant brand equity throu
gh highly visible media opportunities and a strong message platform.
Vice President Marketing & Communications 2000a" 2001
Drove sales growth through corporate marketing and communications functions. Man
aged a $500,000 budget and a 3-member team to provide strategic marketing direct
ion to offices in Singapore, London, D.C., and Sao Palo. Directed brand manageme
nt, media relations, corporate positioning, product launches and sales collatera
l development.
Selected Accomplishments
* Increased international brand recognition by 40%, planned and executed a globa
l branding campaign in partnership with international office.
* Reduced marketing spend by 50%, increased campaign response rates from 0.02% t
o 5% by deploying multia"channel marketing programs and integrated strategic cam
paigns for 125 products.
Other Professional Experience
AKB CONSULTING, Alexandria, VA 1996 a" 1997
Communications Consultant/Magazine Editor and Speech Writer
PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, Alexandria, VA 1994 a" 1996
Director of Publications / Editora"ina"Chief Newaves Magazine
PHILLIPS BUSINESS INFORMATION, Potomac, MD 1990 a" 1994
Senior Editor/Writer
WADDILL AND ASSOCIATES, Alexandria, VA 1989 a" 1990
Assistant Editor and Conference Coordinator
Education and Professional Development
BA, Communications and Sociology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, Cu
m Laude
Executive Education Program on Negotiation, Harvard Law School and MIT, Boston,
MA, 2006
Professional Affiliations
American Society for Association Executives