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 RESUME

ASHANTE R. PATTERSON, MCM

West Orange, NJ 07052• ashantepatterson@gmail.com • (908)-821-6517 • https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashante-r-patterson

Portfolio: https://www.ashanterayapatterson.com

SUMMARY

Communications and development professional with 10+ years of experience driving donor engagement, grant management, and strategic storytelling in higher education, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors. Proven track record of securing funding, increasing engagement by 50%, and cultivating long-term stakeholder relationships through data-driven campaigns and compelling impact narratives. Passionate about using communication to advance social good, particularly in health and education equity for underrepresented populations.


EDUCATION

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey- New Brunswick, NJ

Master of Communication & Media (MCM), specialization: Health Communication

Bachelor of Arts in English, concentration: Business & Technical Writing

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Communications and Marketing Manager

Icahn School of Medicine – Mount Sinai Health System | May 2022 – Present

Lead communications and donor engagement strategy for the Department of Global Health and the Arnhold Institute for Global Health within a major academic health system.

  • Lead integrated communication and fundraising campaigns for the Department of Global Health and the Arnhold Institute for Global Health, increasing donations by 50% through targeted Giving Tuesday and digital fundraising initiatives.

  • Grew social media engagement by 50% by designing and executing comprehensive content strategy to educate stakeholders about global health partnerships and initiatives.

  • Spearheaded launch of institute's first blog and internal newsletter, significantly increasing stakeholder visibility and engagement across multiple audiences.

  • Develop and execute comprehensive donor communication programs including newsletters, impact reports, and quarterly philanthropic donor reports to strengthen relationships and demonstrate ROI.

  • Identify and share grant opportunities with senior staff and clinicians; support grant proposal processes to secure institutional funding.

  • Lead website redesign and content development as primary vendor liaison; formalized branding guidelines for department and institute.

  • Assist with high-profile events (webinar series, grand rounds) in collaboration with senior leadership; supervise team of students and consultants.

Development & Alumni Relations Assistant

Rutgers Graduate School of Education | November 2018 – October 2021

Supported major gift fundraising, donor communications, and development operations within a large public university system.

  • Recognized for restructuring development operations by introducing innovative workflows that substantially increased donor cultivation, annual giving, and operational efficiency.

  • Increased donor engagement by 35% through targeted communications including e-newsletters, impact reports, donor and alumni stories, and thank you letters to re-engage alumni.

  • Led Rutgers Giving Day communications strategy, raising over $7K by collaborating with alumni and stakeholders to support university fundraising goals.

  • Secured $10K–$50K in grants by researching foundation, federal, and corporate opportunities; refined grant applications supporting programs, initiatives, and faculty research.

  • Launched Graduate School of Education Alumni Association website, significantly increasing traffic and stakeholder engagement.

  • Managed donor database to track contributions, created impact reports, and ensured alignment with university branding guidelines.

Freelance Content Writer/Manager

MarkellMedia, LLC- Remote | May 2018 – May 2019

  • Developed and managed targeted content for various clients’ websites using SEO best practices, metrics, and WordPress. 

  • Discussed the scope and intended purpose of the clients’ websites from conceptualization through production to ensure the clients’ vision for their websites was brought to life. 

  • Provided expertise to clients advising them on the creation of targeted communication and marketing plans designed specifically for their business needs to improve customer engagement with their brand. 

Development Assistant

National Bleeding Disorders Foundation | January 2017 – November 2017

Supported fundraising and communications efforts for a national health nonprofit serving patients with bleeding disorders.

  • Expanded health partnerships by 25% through strategic communications and stakeholder engagement initiatives.

  • Managed grants calendar to ensure proposal and report deadlines were met; drafted letters of inquiry and donor acknowledgments.

  • Streamlined development communications by creating targeted messaging for press releases, social media, and grant applications supporting hemophilia research.

Fundraising Coordinator

All Stars Project of New Jersey | February 2016 – December 2016

Supported fundraising operations for a statewide nonprofit organization, strengthening foundation relationships and executing donor communications to advance youth development programming.

  • Coordinated all fundraising administration including grant applications, reports, and correspondence with private foundations and government agencies.

  • Increased community outreach by 25% by revamping the website and launching email campaigns via Mailchimp.

LEADERSHIP & CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT

Co-Chair/Special Advisor, Rutgers Global Health Institute Student Council Alumni Committee Oct 2019-April 2021

  • Served on the Alumni Engagement Committee raising awareness of global health issues and assisted with facilitating alumni events to strengthen involvement with the institute.

Co-Vice President, Master of Communication & Media Graduate Student Organization Oct 2019-July 2020

  • Created a system to streamline effective communication strategies for student involvement and spearheaded the organization of campus-wide events.

CORE COMPETENCIES & SKILLS

● Special Event Planning ● Content Management Systems (WordPress, Squarespace, Drupal) ● Project Management ● SEO ● Communication Strategy ● Writing & Editing ●Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator) ● Public Relations ● Raiser’s Edge ● Marketo ● Mailchimp ● Constant Contact ● Social Media Tracking Tools ● Google Suite & Google Analytics ● Ellucian CRM Advance ● Grants Administration ● MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access) ● Cvent ● ScaleFunder ● Campaign Management