Greater Boston
Margaret Callahan is a communications and public relations pro skilled at media relations, reputation management and crisis communications. She graduated from Boston University's College of Communication with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. Since then, she has worked in communications at Boston University and at various divisions across Amazon.
I lead media relations for all sustainability topics for Amazon, including human rights and social impact, energy, water, and carbon.
I led media relations for PxT (HR) functions (Benefits, Compensation, Career Growth & Development, Upskilling, Mentoring, Performance Management, Talent Evaluation, Accommodations & Leave, Hiring, Talent Acquisition, Work Authorization and more) for Amazon's corporate workforce.
I led external, internal, and executive communications, as well as thought leadership, for Amazon Care. Amazon Care was a hybrid virtual and in-person health care solution operating across the entire United States.
• Launched, designed, and implemented a “live activation” social media campaign to publicize research and faculty at the University, utilizing Facebook Live broadcasts and Reddit AMAs to reach an audience of over 750,000 people • Created and managed the University’s first-ever content marketing Facebook page, growing its audience by over 10,000% through paid and organic strategies. Since its creation, the page has driven more than 65,000 clicks to BU-owned editorial properties • Managed the University’s sole media relations Twitter handle, increasing the channel’s engagement rate tenfold • Produced a daily Executive News Briefing email of University mentions and features, articles quoting faculty, and important higher education news to distribute daily to BU’s president, senior leadership, trustees, deans, department chairs, and other relevant stakeholders • Managed the University’s “BU Experts” program, maintaining an online database of faculty experts and connecting them proactively and reactively with reporters • Media trained University faculty and staff to prepare them for broadcast, radio, and print opportunities. Served as a consultant for academic deans, professors, researchers, and other BU communication and marketing staff members on social media best practices and personal online branding • Successfully placed op-eds and articles in publications including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Conversation, Futurity News and Science360
• Write and publicize media alerts, blog posts and press releases for the department's digital platforms • Pitch Boston University-owned content and professor expertise for breaking news stories to members of the media to increase awareness of University initiatives and faculty members • Create traditional and out-of-the-box content marketing opportunities for Boston University-owned content and professors online and on social media • Manage the department's media relations Twitter and Instagram accounts, as well as its editorial Facebook and LinkedIn pages • Report on success of said channels, compiling and analyzing data to show ROI from paid promotions and to highlight impact of marketing efforts on readership, content reach and engagement • Media train (and social media train) University faculty and staff to prepare them for broadcast, radio and print opportunities • Arrange and tailor-make press tours for journalists visiting campus to best showcase research and professors • Continuously monitor print, online and broadcast media as well as blogs and social media for University mentions/features • Search for, and produce, a compilation of stories on higher education issues noting Boston University in the news and distribute mentions and stories in the Executive News Briefing daily email to senior leadership
• Pitched content to journalists • Handled press and media coverage of University events • Wrote press releases and media alerts • Created and posted content daily for department's Instagram • Facilitated print and broadcast media opportunities for University figures
• Used Salesforce to track marketing efforts and follow deals from start to finish • Copy-edited ratings reports, research papers and marketing materials • Researched competing firms and potential investors • Created databases of issuers' hierarchical structures to improve communication efforts • Aided executives with press releases and media relations work
• Created media lists for distribution • Completed media audits on potential clients • Worked on new business pitches and existing projects • Planned and executed events, large and small, for clients • Drafted social media calendars with daily posts
• Oversaw entirety of campus news section (for a daily publication with a readership of 16,000) and managed dozens of staff writers and two associate editors • Edited and fact-checked more than 300 articles on tight deadlines • Ran pitch for writing staff and budgeted all news content • Live-tweeted important campus events and helped manage social media and WordPress • Maintained relationships with important University figures and student groups
• Covered breaking news as it happened • Fact-checked and edited staff writers' stories and help them during the writing process • Wrote headlines for online stories • Wrote 5-7 articles per week — frequently wrote more
• Student Government beat reporter responsible for weekly articles and related breaking news • City and campus general news reporter • Responsible for pitching original content and identifying newsworthy trends