About Beth Wagner

       It's about the words. Message matters.

Education

 

The written and spoken word is and always has been my passion. It began when I was a child, and it was stoked further in high school when I started reading contemporary and classical literature. From diagramming sentences to participating in animated discussions about readings, and from writing papers to helping others write theirs, I knew words were for me.

In college I pursued an English degree - first at Miami University, then at the University of Cincinnati, where I graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in English (with a minor in natural science).

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Work Experience

 

I began my writing career as a free-lance reporter for a community newspaper chain around Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. This quickly became permanent part-time and eventually full-time staff writer positions. As a community journalist, I covered a little bit of everything: municipal, county, and state government; preK-12 education; business and entrepreneurship; nonprofit and charitable organizations and activities; medicine; religion; and so on.

 

After more than seven years as a reporter, I became editor for specialty publications, working closely with the advertising and prepress/press staff on as many as 70 publications a year. It was in this role that I learned about graphics and graphic editing, layout and design, prepress and press functions, and especially managing multiple projects on sometimes very tight deadlines.

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As a journalist and as a mother of two, I discovered my deep-rooted respect for public education. I am a strong supporter of preK-12 public education; I believe it's the only way our society can ensure all have an equal chance in life.

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I decided to take my writing and communications skills to the world of public education, serving as the communication/community engagement director for four school districts over the course of my career. I loved it. From photography to newsletter writing, and from website content management to districtwide message development and management, I'd found my niche.

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I also worked for several years with a Boston nonprofit, supporting the development department; writing and managing multiple newsletters and annual reports; fostering relationships with the media; networking with local, state, and federal administrators and elected officials; and working agencywide on high-quality and consistent professional messaging.

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In 2016, I decided to start my own communications consulting business. Almost the next day, my school district hired me back as a consultant to implement a districtwide comprehensive digital communications platform: new website, mass notification system, social media manager, and district mobile app. My communications vision for the district was coming true - I'd been lobbying for the platform for years, and I was very grateful that once the funds were identified they looked to me to manage the project.

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After moving from Boston in 2017, I continued my consultant/free-lance work in the greater Philadelphia area. I've helped numerous small businesses and nonprofits with project-based communications work: new website content development, brochures, "elevator speech" development, messaging and branding, event promotion, professional social media presence development, and more. Clients have included web designers, a landscaper, a tree service, a message therapist, a travel agent, a commercial property owner, a communications firm, a bank, a promotional products business, a dentist, a chiropractor, a portrait photographer, a workforce development nonprofit, a greater Philadelphia township, and more.

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For me, it's all about the words. Message matters.

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Memberships/Affiliations

 

• Member, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce

• Member & Co-Organizer, Queens of Prussia Ladies Networking Group

• Member & Advisor, Women's Independent Networking Group for Success

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