Obviously, innovation is really important; we all know that. I’m fortunate to work at a company that not only values it as a core principle, but has also built a really legit employee program around it.

The Gist

The Innovation Challenge allows folks to creatively solve an existing problem or to expand into new opportunities. Bonus – it’s a great way to increase an employee’s visibility in the company. It goes something like this:

• Form your team
• Develop your idea
• Submit your proposal
• Pitch the panel
• If selected, watch your idea happen (for real)

This year I was lucky enough to be on the judging panel. ‘Lucky’ because I got to detach from meetings, emails, and memos (awesome) to watch employees at every level, from across the globe, share their ideas to enhance or grow the business that we all work for (super awesome).

Brave Moments at Work

Beyond the ideas themselves, was getting to watch people bravely walk into a room, some of whom have never done a presentation – let alone to executives, who used the platform to make their place of employment better. That takes guts and pride of ownership. For those of us who present on a daily basis, you can forget how nerve wrecking it can be. It was a great reminder that if you are talking about something you truly care about, the ‘presenting’ piece basically takes care of itself. The passion and innate subject matter knowledge shines through.

Challenge To Myself: Get Out and Listen More

I’ve been climbing the career ladder so to speak since kindergarten. Making it to senior leadership has been incredibly rewarding and challenging; but if I’m being totally honest, it can also feel a bit isolating. That’s why I really appreciated being a judge this year. It afforded me the unencumbered time to listen to colleagues at every level around the business. Of course the business is better for it, but so am I personally. I listened, I learned, I pondered, I got energized, and I got inspired.

WCET Webcast Recap from Thursday, April 20, 2017

Strategic Portfolio Development (SPD) is a forward-thinking program planning approach that helps institutions position themselves to more efficiently operate in today’s market while preparing for tomorrow’s. It identifies the most strategic and scalable market-centric digital program anchors, concentrations and certificates to create a series of “suites” that build off of each other, interconnecting current and future content and program areas.

Benefits of the Strategic Portfolio Development Approach

The modular nature of this approach provides schools the ability to attract a larger section of the market to their digital offerings, maximize their use of resources, quickly increase their number of market interesting programs offered and ultimately grow a more robust and long-lasting digital presence.

Panel Speakers

How SPD Works:

SPD involves analyzing trends in the market and understanding where the educational gaps and opportunities exist, not just to identify students, but also to help students prepare for jobs. By doing this, institutions can build efficient, flexible, and relevant online curriculums.

Connect with Wiley Education Services to learn more.

SPD helps institutions:

• Maximize the courses they offer.
• Quickly address changes in the market, without having to redesign an entire program.
• Bridge outcomes with workforce expectations.
• Identify employment needs/gaps to offer programs that will provide students with strong employment opportunities after graduation.
• Make program planning and development more efficient.
• Increase enrollments as students often prefer programs that allow them to focus on a specific, market relevant, specialization.

Strategic Portfolio Development – A Marketer’s Point of View

The approach of Strategic Portfolio Development influences marketing in two main ways:

1. First, is the University’s value story in the market place
2. Second, is the economic benefit to the marketing budget

Let’s start with unpacking how a University builds its value story. We have things like history, mission and credentials – these are long established macro-level brand ingredients. The value story is further made by factors that are rapidly evolving – program differentiation, outcomes, and the online environment itself.

The Intersection of Institutional Competency and Today’s Student Journey.

So where does Strategic Portfolio Development come in to this? In effect, it helps the school become a center of excellence in a set of scalable disciplines, which in turn, helps build competitive differentiation. While SPD has great internal benefits for the school, it’s also a student-centric approach. I like to say that it’s the intersection of institutional competency and today’s student journey. When an institution can market a depth of experience that gives students meaningful choices, the value story further grows in the marketplace.

At Wiley, our strategic marketing direction starts with a solid understanding of the product portfolio and the markets it can serve. We’re immersing ourselves in the university brand and looking to understand the in-depth details of the programs. A competitive analysis is paired with this information to provide perspective on the landscape. It gives us a feel for where to position the program, department, or university at large, that allows for market differentiation. As much as I’ve used the word market differentiation, it’s most meaningful if that is arrived at from the student’s perspective. Gone are the days of using course catalog descriptions to sufficiently describe the program. Gone are the days of the online modality being unique. Students want to know the outcomes and the ROI. If there’s a set of related choices that can better speak to the nuanced need of a chosen career path, it helps build confidence.

Impacts the Efficiency and Scale of Budget

Let’s move on to the way Strategic Portfolio Development impacts the efficiency and scale of budget.

At The Onset of Research, Not Every Student Knows Exactly Which Degree to Pursue

Sometimes there’s an assumption that every graduate student knows exactly which program they want to pursue. The reality is, many of the initial searches higher up in the funnel are very broad. Students start looking for program comparisons. This often leads to uncovering a specialization, or even a different program, that the student didn’t know existed. I’ll give you an example. I was recently looking at search index that compared the terms ‘accounting masters’, ‘accounting MBA’ and ‘business masters’. On average, there’s 76% more searches for the broad term ‘business masters’ than searches for an ‘accounting masters’. And, ‘accounting master’s has 147% more searches than typing in ‘accounting MBA’. {for all you data scientists, I know you can slice the data in infinite ways and there’s conversion impacts at every level – this stat is to help get a broad point across}.

Now let’s imagine that the school could compete with any of these phrases. That’s exactly what happens with SPD if there’s a program suite that can be co-marketed today. Even if it’s messy internally because the programs come out of different colleges, there is real strength in marketing relevant choices together. Instead of building many one-off marketing assets that support a single program, you can consolidate. The speed to market is quicker because you can add a tangential option to an existing set of assets and marketing campaigns rather than start from scratch. From a paid media perspective, digital marketing efforts can be initially targeted to a larger audience which can result in a lower cost-per-inquiry.

See a Real Example of SPD in Action

Check out the WCET Webinar to see how this plays out in Scranton’s real world portfolio example. In the marketing section, we talk about how to market at the individual program level while bringing down costs in aggregate by marketing the suite at large. Market demand then dictates how inquiries shake out by program.

At Wiley, we underpin this strategy with sophisticated media technology that allows performance targeting and conversion modeling – but that’s a webinar for a different day.

Online learning has secured its place as a leading knowledge-transfer vehicle. During my tenure as Director of Client Services at Intellavia, I led quite a few e-learning projects. They ranged from financial association credentialing courses to hospitality courses for travel agents to adequately sell and role play to construction fundamentals.

This post refers to an interesting project aimed at young students. I was heavily involved in every aspect of the coursework and then developed the PR surrounding its launch. Here’s an excerpt…..

Commercial construction veterans Timothy H. Bernardi and Jose D. Amaya selected the orlando-based multimedia experts at Intellavia to create a unique construction simulation e-learning platform.

BUILDING THE BUILDING is a web-based, interactive education program teaching the fundamentals of commercial construction project management to a middle school thru high school audience. Using a rich multimedia environment and a challenging Construction Simulation Experience, students are introduced to commercial construction – learning the language of the trade and gaining an understanding about the day to day challenges that come with the management of a commercial construction project.

Executive Summary

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) officially granted Florida Hospital for Children Magnet Recognition status, as part of its Magnet Recognition Program®, which honors hospitals for excellence in nursing. The Magnet designation makes the Walt Disney Pavilion the only hospital in Central Florida to receive this prestigious recognition. Moreover, only seven percent of the nation’s hospitals have earned this distinction. The Magnet Recognition Program honors the outstanding contributions of patient care clinicians as demonstrated through excellence achieved in leadership, clinical practice, innovations and positive outcomes. In addition to the Magnet recognition, Florida Hospital for Children was also cited for exemplary status in six areas, including community and educational partnerships, and analysis and tracking of nurse satisfaction.

The Challenge

In previous years, the 700+ pages of the documented submission were compiled and delivered in hard copy format. For efficiency, the hospital wanted to streamline the delivery process without sacrificing quality or the incredible amount of hard work that goes into preparing the tangible documents and meticulous compilation of corresponding resources.

The Solution

Intellavia was contracted as the technology partner that developed the electronic version of the Magnet submission to the ACNN. Intellavia quickly understood the magnitude of the project and worked closely with the Magnet Leadership Team to ensure all technical requirements were met. This included developing a highly-organized content delivery system with an index that followed all guidelines – along with a one-click PDF export for printing. There were over 700 pages of text and nearly 500 corresponding resources and digital assets.

Results

Intellavia leveraged the proven techniques and philosophy of User-Centered Design (UCD) to create effective web-based business solution. At the heart of this, and every project, was ensuring usability goals were met – a critical undertaking with the organization of 700+ pages of content. Ultimately, Intellavia created a highly searchable, user-intuitive, secure and protected website to deliver materials validating the outstanding contributions of patient care clinicians at Florida Hospital for Children.

Multimedia Links

• FH TV News – Official Magnet Announcement Video
• Intellavia @ Florida Hospital for Children ACNN Magnet Designation Call video
• News Release: Intellavia Celebrates Florida Hospital for Children’s Winning Magnet Submission {Read quotes from Intellavia’s leadership team}
• Intellavia’s Healthcare Marketing Website

Client: Florida Hospital Foundation
Service: Copywriting for Trifold Brochure
Campaign: “Generosity Heals”
Desc: Patient Testimony
Project Overview: Project started with me interviewing the family one-on-one and asking them questions that I developed to create their story. From there, I listened to the audio file of the interview to draft the text in support of Florida Hospital Foundation’s campaign entitled: Grateful Patients.

“My heart goes out to those who are suffering from any illness, but I highly encourage you to never give up. Trust that your time of healing will come.” If anyone is able to passionately convey these words, it’s Ivana Gibbons – wife and mother of what many refer to as “the miracle family”. Their true and inspiring story recounts the pain and heartache of several life-threatening medical challenges and describes the wondrous triumphs and victories they encountered at Florida Hospital.

It all started with Gabriella, the oldest child, who was born via emergency c-section 14 weeks premature. New dad Michael Gibbons was faced with every new parent’s worst fears. “I had been conditioned by movies to believe that the doctor’s delivery of news of a recent birth was always a joyous occasion. I will never forget the first words the neonatologist told me – ‘your daughter has a 50% chance of survival and she weighs only 1 pound 10 ounces’.” Gabriella was placed in the level III NICU at Florida Hospital, where she stayed for 3 months. The doctors, nurses and clinical staff became like a second family. Their trust in the medical team and strong faith carried them through and their prayers were answered with Gabriella finally coming home.

Several years later, Gabriella became a big sister to Rafaella, another beautiful daughter who was luckily born after an uneventful pregnancy. When news of a third pregnancy revealed a son would soon join the family, the Gibbons were ecstatic. But the excitement would soon end when Elijah, the youngest child, was diagnosed with a large tumor at 17 weeks gestation. “Our Florida Hospital perinatologist told us to ‘keep praying whatever you are praying’ and that’s exactly what we did”, commented Michael. After being given a 50% chance of survival, Elijah was born at 34 weeks with a football-sized tumor. “Right before surgery, I leaned down and felt the warm soft skin of my son’s abdomen on my lips. Then they rolled him into the operating room and I was left to pace the floor wondering whether that kiss would be our last”. Fortunately, their prayers were once again answered and that kiss turned out to be the first of many.

11 months after Elijah’s tumor was successfully removed, Ivana – who at the time was a 37-year-old healthy mother of three young children – suffered a debilitating stroke. Though she knew something was very wrong, she was surprised to hear the diagnosis. “How can I have a stroke at such a young age”, she wondered. Ivana was transferred to the neurological wing of Florida Hospital, where she had to learn basic skills like walking and eating all over again. “At the time I was not sure how, but I knew I had to come home to my children. So, I put my faith in God’s healing powers and trusted my medical team as I had done so many times before.” At the time of her discharge, her body was weak but the spirit within her was strong, and so with hard work and months of rehabilitation, she overcame yet another major obstacle.

Gabriella and Rafaella are both now honor roll students who delight in playing dress up, Elijah is an adventure seeker with a heart of gold; Ivana is engaged as a full time home maker and Michael continues to practice law as a partner at a commercial law firm. Collectively, they are grateful patients who truly understand the power of faith. For this reason, they give back to Florida Hospital in support of the organization’s mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ. “Through the transforming challenges that we experienced, we learned the meaning of faith, hope and love. We hope we can inspire others to have strength despite long medical odds.”

Client: Florida Hospital Foundation
Service: Copywriting for Trifold Brochure
Campaign: “Generosity Heals”
Desc: Physician Testimony
Project Overview: Project started with me interviewing the physician one-on-one and asking him questions that I developed to create his story. From there, I listened to the audio file of the interview to draft the text in support of Florida Hospital Foundation’s campaign entitled: Generosity Heals.

“A big part of my life is focused on giving back to the community. It not only enriches those on the receiving end, but it greatly impacts my overall sense of purpose as a physician as well.” These are the sentiments coming from Joseph Allgeier, DO, who is not only Director of Medical Residency at Florida Hospital, but also the Medical Director of Shepherd’s Hope. Moreover, he regularly oversees medical mission trips as well as community outreach programs.

While juggling his private practice in 1997, Dr. Allgeier felt the need to do more. This led to his role at Shepherd’s Hope health centers, a unique community partnership initiative that provides quality, non-emergency medical care to those in need. “Every patient in our community deserves the opportunity to tap into resources that are important for maintaining health”, he said. For this reason, he has taken on a critical role to help provide health care to the uninsured. He often encourages fellow physicians to volunteer and is heavily involved in many fundraising programs to ensure the doors are always open.

“We all have an opportunity to positively affect people in this world in each of our own way. I would say to anyone who hasn’t considered giving back before that the reward far exceeds the perceived commitment level. You’ll find that helping others ends up greatly enhancing your own life as well.”

In addition to that community outreach program, Dr. Allgeier also extends his philanthropic philosophy oversees through the Florida Hospital medical residents mission trip. These mission trips are a extraordinary way to combine the human capacity for kindness with the skill to heal. It allows the team to focus on the root of medicine by taking care of patients, all while extending the healing ministry of Christ. It is here that Dr. Allgeier often witnesses a transformation among his medical residents. Whether it’s a patient who leaves an indelible impression or the camaraderie of working together to achieve a common goal, everyone has a rewarding take-away that fosters a compassionate approach to healing.

“One experience I’ve had that solidified the reason I went into medicine is with a patient I treated on a mission trip. At our first meeting, this young gentleman had malignant cancer and his outlook was not good without immediate medical intervention. With no other means to receive care, I knew how critical it was for us to be there. He is now in remission and I see him often for follow ups. His appreciation radiates through any language barrier; his smile truly says it all. Each year that I see that patient, I am humbled.”

As an ardent supporter of Florida Hospital’s mission to administer whole personal healing, Dr. Allgeier trains the medical residents to understand the importance of considering the mind, body and spirit during the healing the process. It begins with an innate understanding that a holistic approach to medicine gives patients the best chance of success. “Evidence has shown this to be true and that’s why I’m proud to be part of the Florida Hospital organization which emphasizes the connection”.

Jourdan Hathaway On Camera

Public speaking? Sure. On camera? Sure. Digital era? I’m all about it.

Here are a few videos to showcase my strategic planning capabilities and comfort level on camera. As with any showcase of my work, these span the course of my career and it should be noted that each was in conjunction to agency collaboration. My role was planning, executing and communicating the various initiatives.

Behind The Scenes 

Jourdan Hathaway / Intellavia – a look at the content development process…beyond the keyboard

Jourdan Hathaway / Intellavia @ Florida Hospital for Children ACNN Magnet Designation Call

Workshops

Entrepreneurial Boot Camp: Introduction to Marketing at WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA – Intellavia

Media Relations

Broadcast News coverage, Good Morning America –  EVOK Advertising

Broadcast News coverage, NBC Affiliate (WESH) – EVOK Advertising

Latin Grammys news coverage, Deco Drive – PUSH

Event Management

Careereoki Finalist Event, Power 95.3 Studios – EVOK Advertising

Long Format Interview
Careereoki 2009. Interview for the Orlando Sentinel.