Portfolio
Veena Johnson
I hold a master’s degree in communication with specializations in social media, health advocacy, and strategic communication. I’m a versatile communications professional with a strong background in public relations, messaging strategy, and audience engagement. Currently, I’m focused on collaborating with mission-driven organizations and nonprofits that are driving positive change. I’m drawn to roles where I can contribute to meaningful causes through effective communication—whether it’s storytelling, community outreach, or strategic messaging that helps amplify impact.
Awards and Accomplishments
Outstanding Graduate Award - College of Arts and Communication, 2025
Best in Major - Public Relations, 2023
Outstanding Junior Award - College of Arts and Communication, 2022
Education
Master of Science in Communication
Mass Communication Emphasis - Certificates: Social and New Media, Strategic Communication, Health Advocacy, 2023-2024
Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Public Relations Emphasis, Digital Marketing Minor, 2021-2023
Associate of Arts and Sciences
Integrated studies, 2019-2021
Associate of Applied Science
Audio Visual Systems, 2013-2015
Work
I’m an academically award-winning public relations professional with a proven track record in strategic communication, media relations, and campaign management. I earned “Best in Major” honors in Public Relations and have led successful initiatives across the higher education, arts, and nonprofit sectors. From coordinating impactful gallery exhibits to managing social media for regional PR organizations, I bring a strong blend of creativity, leadership, and media savvy to every project. I am dedicated to utilizing my skills to support mission-driven organizations that make a positive impact through thoughtful storytelling, inclusive messaging, and meaningful community engagement.
Press Releases
During my time as a Public Relations Specialist for Roberta’s Art Gallery, I wrote numerous press releases to promote a wide range of exhibits and events. Each release required me to capture the essence of the artist’s work, communicate the gallery’s vision, and appeal to both campus and community audiences. I tailored my messaging to reflect the unique themes of each show, from cultural heritage and social justice to contemporary art and student-led projects. This experience sharpened my writing, media relations, and strategic communication skills while reinforcing the power of storytelling in building community interest and engagement.
Strategic Communication Planning
As part of my Strategic Communication graduate certificate, I gained hands-on experience developing comprehensive communication plans rooted in research, messaging strategy, and audience analysis. One of my key projects was creating a full strategic communication plan for the Walk of Feats fundraiser—an event concept designed to celebrate perseverance and community impact. I crafted messaging frameworks, stakeholder engagement strategies, media materials, and a rollout timeline to build awareness and support for the event.
Additionally, I developed a detailed crisis communication plan designed to prepare an organization for unexpected challenges. This included identifying key risks, outlining internal and external communication procedures, and drafting holding statements for various scenarios. These projects not only deepened my understanding of proactive and responsive communication strategies but also strengthened my ability to lead with clarity, empathy, and structure during times of uncertainty.
Substance Abuse Advocacy campaign
As part of my graduate coursework, I developed an advocacy campaign focused on raising awareness about global substance abuse. The campaign highlights the interconnected social, economic, and health challenges caused by substance misuse, particularly in underserved communities. It combines compelling visuals, data-driven insights, and a strategic communication approach to advocate for increased access to treatment, education, and prevention resources worldwide.
By emphasizing empathy and understanding over stigma, the campaign seeks to humanize those affected and mobilize support for more equitable, community-centered solutions. Through this project, I strengthened my skills in health communication, research synthesis, and digital advocacy—all while tackling a critical public health issue with compassion and clarity.
Website Creation and Management
I’m a skilled communications professional with experience in website creation, content strategy, and digital engagement. While my background includes public relations and strategic communication across higher education, the arts, and nonprofit sectors, I’ve also done freelance work in website design and management—helping small businesses and individuals build effective, user-friendly sites.
From writing compelling web copy and organizing content to maintaining updates and ensuring a cohesive visual identity, I bring a thoughtful and strategic approach to each project. I’m passionate about creating websites that not only look great but also communicate clearly and serve a meaningful purpose.
Social Media Content Strategy
I conducted a comprehensive digital content audit for McKay Nursery, analyzing their online presence across websites, Social Media Platforms, and video channels. I identified audience demographics, created a buyer persona, and pinpointed customer pain points to inform content direction. Using competitor and keyword research, I uncovered content gaps and developed a mind map of ideas organized into topic and subtopic clusters.
From there, I developed content concepts designed to build brand awareness, increase trust, and ultimately generate sales leads. This project demonstrated my strengths in research, strategic content planning, and aligning messaging with customer needs.
Social Media Management
Veena Media
Veena Media is my personal brand and creative platform that showcases my work in music production, content creation, and visual storytelling. With a focus on authenticity and digital creativity, I’ve built an Instagram presence that emphasizes originality, connection, and engaging multimedia content. My content spans music performances, visual art, personal storytelling, and interactive campaigns like Catallegro—a series where I turned audience-submitted cat names into live music compositions.
Currently, my Instagram account (@veenamedia) has over 1,000 followers and continues to grow through consistent branding, curated visual highlights, and community-focused reels. I’ve achieved over 4,500 profile views in the last 30 days, indicating strong engagement and discoverability.
In addition to social media, I’ve implemented foundational SEO practices on my website, veenamedia.com, to increase visibility across Google search. This includes keyword-rich copywriting, proper meta tagging, and high-performing alt-text for visuals. As a result, Veena Media appears in relevant search results for creative services, chill music, and niche social campaigns—expanding my reach beyond social platforms.
Veena Media represents my ability to build and manage a cohesive digital identity across multiple platforms—applying principles of branding, strategic communication, SEO, and content planning to drive audience growth and visibility.
Opal Skin and Bodywork
I supported the digital marketing and social media efforts for Opal Skin and Bodywork, a licensed massage therapy practice specializing in sports massage, pain management, and holistic wellness. My work focused on creating a cohesive online brand identity, improving visibility, and developing content strategies that align with the business’s mission of self-improvement and transformation.
I managed and optimized the business’s Facebook and Instagram profiles, built out key profile features, and designed branded visuals to maintain consistency across platforms. I also wrote tailored content to highlight services, educate clients about the benefits of massage therapy, and increase engagement.
In just a short time, the Facebook page gained 325 followers and achieved a 100% positive recommendation rate based on 9 client reviews. My contributions helped position Opal Skin and Bodywork as a trustworthy, professional, and wellness-centered brand in the local community.
PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin: Social Media Chair & Paid Media Campaign
As the Social Media Chair for the PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter, I oversee digital strategy and content development for the chapter’s Facebook and Instagram platforms. My role involves creating compelling, timely posts that highlight events, celebrate members, and promote professional development opportunities for public relations professionals and students across the region.
One of my major accomplishments was leading the paid social media campaign for the 2025 PRSA Midwest District Conference. I developed and managed a targeted advertising strategy across Meta platforms to increase awareness, boost ticket sales, and expand the event's reach beyond our existing network. The campaign featured tailored messaging, branded visuals, and demographic targeting to engage our core audience of PR professionals effectively. This experience showcased my skills in digital campaign management, audience engagement, and strategic communication within a professional association setting.
Roberta’s Art Gallery Instagram
During my tenure at Roberta’s Art Gallery, I launched and managed the gallery’s official Instagram account to enhance its digital presence and foster stronger connections with students, artists, and the broader campus community. I developed a content strategy that highlighted current exhibits, featured artists, behind-the-scenes moments, and interactive stories to encourage engagement.
Under my leadership, the account quickly gained traction, reaching over 1,100 accounts monthly and significantly increasing event visibility and attendance. My work helped establish a consistent brand voice for the gallery and fostered stronger connections with the campus audience through visually engaging and mission-aligned content. This initiative demonstrated my ability to build a successful social media presence from scratch and utilize digital tools to drive tangible, real-world impact.
Willow the Forever Foster
Willow the Forever Foster is a heartwarming and successful TikTok channel I created to share the story of my rescue cat, Willow. Through consistent posting, a relatable tone, and visually engaging videos, I grew the account to over 1,300 followers and 22.8K likes, with multiple videos reaching 1,000+ views organically.
The account’s content strategy centers on authenticity and emotional connection. I use storytelling, soft visuals, and community-driven captions to spotlight Willow’s personality and rescue journey. Each video is carefully timed, captioned, and edited to resonate with pet lovers and build a loyal audience.
This project showcases my skills in content creation, branding, platform growth, and niche engagement. Willow’s account is more than just cute cat videos—it’s a successful example of audience building, pet influencer strategy, and mission-driven digital storytelling.
Team Leadership
James R. Connor University Center - Roberta’s Art Gallery
As the Graduate Assistant and Communication Specialist for Roberta’s Art Gallery, I held a dynamic leadership role overseeing gallery operations, marketing communications, and student employee development. I supervised and empowered a team of five to seven undergraduate student employees, managing scheduling, task delegation, and hands-on training to ensure operational efficiency and exceptional visitor experiences.
I led initiatives that significantly enhanced the gallery’s public presence—including launching its Instagram account, which grew to reach over 1,100 accounts monthly. My strategic communication efforts and event promotion contributed to a 65% increase in exhibit foot traffic and a 25% boost in reception attendance.
In addition to gallery management, I played a key role in campus-wide events, including helping coordinate and lead a professional development day for over 250 student employees at the University Center.
I founded Veena Productions as a live audio engineering company dedicated to enhancing events and performances through professional-grade sound solutions. Since its inception, I’ve worked tirelessly to create immersive auditory experiences that elevate the artistry of musicians, performers, and event organizers. With nearly a decade of hands-on experience, I’ve built Veena Productions into a trusted partner known for delivering exceptional sound quality and technical precision.
Veena Productions - Business Owner
Accomplishments:
Partnered with numerous independent musicians and bands to ensure flawless performances.
Provided sound engineering for large-scale events, earning acclaim for reliability and expertise.
Built a strong reputation as a leader in the audio production field, known for professional integrity and creative problem-solving.
Rockford Music Industry Award nominee
