IABC Atlanta: Golden Flame Awards Panel: 2019 Best in Show Winners

ALLYSE DENMARK

Allyse leads a team of communications professionals who are responsible for all global internal communications, the firm’s corporate social media presence and elevating Invesco as an employer brand of choice. She and her team help keep Invesco’s employees informed and engaged on key business topics such as strategic plans, corporate responsibility, acquisitions, and other priorities. In addition, Ms. Denmark oversees the global internal distribution channels, such as the intranet, the website, Invesco Ltd. social media, and internal global town halls. Prior to joining Invesco, Ms. Denmark held senior corporate communications roles with Cox Enterprises and other large global firms.

Ms. Denmark is past president IABC Atlanta and currently serves as a board member and chair of the Communications and Marketing Committee for EarthShare Georgia.

KATE LEE

With more than 20 years’ experience in corporate communications, Kate Lee is known for developing strategies, building relationships, and implementing tactics to ensure successful and actionable communications. Currently, Kate is a communication director at Invesco Ltd., headquartered in Atlanta, where she focuses on executive and strategic communications. Prior to joining Invesco, Kate owned CommuniKate LLC and provided communications strategy and support to Fortune 100 companies, including McKesson, Cox Enterprises, and HD Supply. Her work in communications began at MCI, where she moved from financial roles through a variety of technical and marketing roles, culminating in leading internal communications for the 36,000-employee Technology & Operations organization. Kate holds a Master of Business Administration from Emory University’s Goizueta School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators Atlanta and president of the Penn Alumni Club of Atlanta. She resides in Dunwoody, Georgia with her dog, who is fondly known as the devil in the cute dog suit.

“Invesco / Oppenheimer funds Combination: Internal Communications” Overview

When Invesco announced the intention to acquire OppenheimerFunds, it would become the largest transaction in our industry, growing our assets under management to $1.2 trillion and making Invesco the 6th largest asset management firm in North America and 13th largest in the world. During the 7 month integration period from October 2018 – May 2019 when the transaction was finalized, Invesco’s Corporate Communications team utilized a multi-channel approach to ensure employees from both firms understood the strategic rationale for the acquisition, how critical integration decisions would be made and to generate optimism for the future organization using the theme of “Greater Possibilities Together.”

ASHLEY M. COUNCIL

Ashley is a skilled communicator with more than ten years of professional experience. Her career interests and highlights include internal communications planning and execution, project management, digital platforms, and content creation. Ashley’s professional career also includes demonstrated success in education, training and curriculum development. In her current role, Ashley manages the content and social engagement strategy for the internal website at Piedmont Healthcare, a not-for-profit healthcare system with more than 23,000 employees. Ashley holds a master’s degree in mass communication from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree in comparative literature from the University of Georgia. In her spare time, Ashley enjoys traveling and spending time with her nieces and nephews.

“If You Build It, They Will Come” Overview

Piedmont created an internal social strategy for sharing internal content, employee engagement and encouraging employee adoption of the updated intranet platform. Piedmont took the initiative to model appropriate internal social behaviors through the use of a company mascot profile and other educational materials and campaigns.

SONJI JACOBS

Sonji Jacobs is Assistant Vice President of Corporate Communications at Cox Enterprises. Jacobs leads the company’s internal and external communications team and provides communications counsel to Cox’s chief executive officer and its senior leadership team.

Prior to joining Cox, Jacobs served as Director of Communications for the City of Atlanta. She was Vice President of Crisis, Issues Management and Public Affairs for Edelman in Atlanta. Jacobs was a journalist for a decade, covering politics for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and metro news and education for The Miami Herald. She began her career in marketing and advertising at Leo Burnett in Chicago.

Jacobs received a bachelor’s degree cum laude in History and Literature from Harvard College and a master of science in journalism from Columbia University. She serves on the board of directors of the North Carolina Outward Bound School and Zoo Atlanta. She was recognized by Georgia Trend and the Atlanta Business Chronicle on their ’40 Under 40′ lists and is a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2016. She lives in East Atlanta with her 15-year-old daughter, Sonali.

KARA BULLOCK

Kara Bullock is a director of corporate communications for Cox Enterprises. In addition to leading the employee and business communications team, Bullock oversees the design and management of Cox’s Discovery Center, the corporate and Cox family archives, and the internally focused Cox mobile app.

She joined Cox in 2013 as a manager of technology communications at Cox Communications, supporting the company’s chief technology officer.

Prior to joining Cox, Bullock had more than 10 years of agency experience. She led strategic sponsorship activation for companies such as UPS, SunTrust and Domino’s Pizza. In this role, Bullock developed consumer and employee marketing programs to blend people’s passion for sports and entertainment with the client’s objectives. This included experiential and hospitality programs, print and radio advertising, as well as press events and social media.

Actively involved in the community, Bullock is a member of IABC, PRSA, volunteers at her children’s school and teachers at her local church. She is a graduate of West Virginia University with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management and a minor in Communications Studies. She lives in East Cobb with her husband Matthew and their three children, Erickson, Kinley, and Marilyn.

“Cox Enters New Era with Purpose” Overview

When Alexander C. Taylor stepped into the role of president and CEO of Cox Enterprises on Jan. 1, 2018, he faced a challenge like no other company leader before him. Taylor took the helm of the 120-year-old company with two of its three primary divisions facing significant disruption and the company’s workforce in a state of transformation. Through in-depth research and tailored communication strategies, we charted a unifying, forward-thinking vision for 54,000 employees and the company’s stakeholders and enlisted them in living that new Purpose: Empower People Today to Build a Better Future for the Next Generation.