R. Stephen Gracey (@rsgracey)

content strategy & social media

1417 Larchmont Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio 44107
216.246.5709 | rsgracey@gmail.com

linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/rsgracey/
twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/rsgracey/
g+: https://plus.google.com/100961297292444784275
blog: The Content Strategy Noob (http://contentstrategy.rsgracey.com/)
portfolio: http://rsgracey.com/

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profile

R. Stephen Gracey (known in social media circles as @rsgracey) is widely recognized as a content strategist, user experience professional, and community builder. For more than 15 years, he has challenged conventional wisdom and the status quo to solve elusive, systemic problems. As a leader, he fosters high-performance organizations by encouraging shared responsibility, personal engagement, and strong, authentic relationships.

competencies

• Content: Content strategy, content design, and content management.
• Creative: Graphic design, web design, coding, writing, editing, and blogging.
• User Experience: User research, usability, information architecture, user experience design, and web analytics.
• Leadership: Project manager, servant leader, speaker, and mentor.

career highlights

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland (2006 ~ present)

The Federal Reserve System is by nature extremely conservative toward technology. Hired to take charge of all web content and bring a user-centric focus to seriously outdated websites. Selected for highly-competitive “emerging leader” development program after only 4 months of employment.

Manager of Social Media and Content Strategy

• Guided initial forays into social media, leveraging Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube to improve engagement and brand awareness, and implementing processes to enable multiple business lines coordinate their campaigns. Followers increased over 1500% in two years.
• Set governance and monitoring processes to ensure consistency of corporate identity across social media platforms.

Web Content Manager

• Conducted first-ever user research and usability testing during redesign of www.clevelandfed.org.
• Led implementation of Autonomy/Interwoven TeamSite content management system, designing content templates, establishing workflows, training content providers, and devising answers to the system’s inherent challenges.
• Oversaw transition to WebTrends javascript-based SmartSource Data Collector, designing and building custom metrics and reporting.
• Articulated strategic business case that led the Cleveland Fed to be the first regional Reserve Bank in the Federal Reserve System to choose an open source web platform (Drupal) to replace its monolithic content management system.

Episcopal Diocese of Ohio (2000 ~ 2006)

Bishop’s Assistant for Information Strategy

Then 109 parishes comprising 25,000 members and clergy, all diocesan communication was by e-mail or US-mail, with minimal web presence, an outdated newspaper, and ad hoc data management. Clergy and lay leaders complained of information overload and lack of connection.

• Reengineered all diocesan communication systems to improve connection among parishes and clergy, who reported dramatic increases in their ability to stay in touch.
• Built comprehensive relationship management database to anchor all diocesan information services. Reduced redundancy and improved accuracy immeasurably.
• Evaluated, installed, and customized the Joomla! open source content management system to be the primary diocesan communication channel.
• Recognized as communication expert across the Episcopal Church. Spoke at conferences, and consulted to professional peers, other dioceses, and the Church Center.

Ernst & Young LLP (1995 ~ 1999)

Manager

Hired into Professional and Organization Development (P&OD) as a Senior Consultant. Rapidly promoted to Manager and trusted to manage critical programs and strategic, international projects.

• Led successful overhaul of critical initial training for experienced new hires during rapid expansion. Grew programs from 15 to over 30 sessions per year, from 45 participants per session to more than 70, with over 1200 new hires trained and over $1 million budget.
• Spearheaded adaptation of US new hire programs for European consulting firms. Led pilot sessions in Sweden and France, as well as a new partner program in Monaco.
• Managed a large, international team to develop a cutting-edge, web-based course on cross-cultural communication, based on an original, interactive novel. Course served as a longstanding, flagship product to demonstrate organizational capabilities with new clients.

education

• M.B.A., Computers & Information Systems, William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Rochester (1993)
• B.A., French Language & Literature | B. Music, Voice Performance, Oberlin College (1989)
• Coursework toward M.S., User Experience Design, Kent State University

Languages: Fluent in French. Understand Spanish, Italian, and German.