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Freelance Executive Thought Leadership Writer Position

Interview Question Responses (Part 2)

Prepared by Liana H. Meyer for Sam Medalie-Tuck

PART 1 – PERSONAL NARRATIVE
 

Can you tell me more about your experience working directly with senior professionals such as Fortune 1000 executives, public company board directors, CEOs, presidents, founders, private equity partners, or other C-suite leaders?

 

While my career has not been centered in the Fortune 1000 context, it has been built in environments where executive communication carried significant reputational, political, institutional, and stakeholder risk. Across 20+ years in strategic communications, public affairs, and advisory roles, I have supported senior leaders operating in high-stakes settings, including U.S. Ambassadors, embassy and Mission leadership, senior NGO executives, government officials, faith-based founders, and global development leaders.

 

My experience is best understood not only through the materials I have produced, but through the strategic systems behind them: message discipline, stakeholder awareness, editorial governance, clearance processes, reputational risk management, and the translation of complex policy, technical, and institutional priorities into clear, credible, human-centered narratives.

 

The foundation of my work includes:

 

  1. Strategic message discipline — aligning communications with organizational priorities, leadership voice, public affairs protocols, brand standards, and long-term institutional goals.

  2. Executive voice and positioning — preserving a leader’s authentic voice while strengthening clarity, authority, audience relevance, and strategic intent across speeches, talking points, public statements, internal communications, and thought-leadership platforms.

  3. Risk-informed communication — managing reputational exposure, political sensitivity, clearance requirements, operational security, and sensitive or pre-decisional materials in complex public-sector and mission-driven environments.

  4. Cross-functional strategy development — working with senior leaders, subject matter experts, policy teams, technical staff, and communications teams to turn complex information into executive-ready narratives and actionable messaging.

  5. Editorial governance and capacity building — developing workflows, templates, review systems, style guidance, and training resources that improve quality, consistency, compliance, and efficiency across distributed teams.

  6. Ethics and human dignity — applying a respectful, do-no-harm editorial approach, especially when working with beneficiary stories, development programs, faith-based institutions, and vulnerable communities.This background has strengthened my ability to operate beyond content creation.
     

I help leaders clarify what they should be known for, where their voice is most credible, how their ideas connect to institutional priorities, and how thought leadership can support stakeholder trust, partnership development, donor engagement, public influence, reputational resilience, and long-term positioning.

 

I am known for combining conceptual thinking with editorial precision: seeing the larger strategic frame while strengthening the sentence-level execution that makes leadership communication clear, persuasive, and trustworthy.

A Note on AI

As a writer, painter, and creative professional, I was initially cautious about AI’s role in communications. Over the past year, however, I have intentionally developed both a technical and strategic understanding of AI, including prompt engineering, LLM use cases, data ethics, model bias, governance, safety, and responsible implementation. I have also completed training through the University of Helsinki, the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business, the Linux Foundation, and Google.

 

This work has strengthened my interest in the ethical, social, and policy implications of AI, particularly around bias, access, healthcare equity, hiring practices, synthetic voice, and human-centered governance. It has also informed practical work, including the development of an internal AI policy for an organizational engagement and case studies on AI governance and decision support.

 

In my own writing practice, I continue to originate first drafts myself to preserve craft, judgment, and original thinking. I use AI selectively as a collaborative tool: to test readability, identify gaps, refine work plans, synthesize large volumes of information, and support research.

 

In all cases, I maintain human-in-the-loop oversight, editorial judgment, and fact-checking. In professional engagements, I defer to each organization’s AI policies, risk tolerance, and disclosure expectations, using

these tools only with appropriate transparency.

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PART 3  – CAREER ARC (In the context of Executive Communications + Strategy)

2004 – 2012: Development Officer promoted to Communications Manager

Taller San Jose (now called Hope Builders)​

1) Who are the most senior executives you have worked with?

 

2) What was your role in those engagements?

This early chapter introduced me to the strategic power of storytelling, stewardship, and stakeholder-centered communications. Initially hired to manage donor data and basic communications, I quickly grew into a trusted communications partner as senior leadership recognized my ability to interview students, including young people with histories of gang involvement, and help shape their stories for major fundraising galas of 500+ attendees, donor communications, video features, and public-facing campaigns.

 

Through direct exposure to board members, corporate sponsors, donors, creative partners, and executive leadership, I learned how to prepare stakeholders for high-visibility moments, understand what mattered to them, and translate individual transformation into narratives rooted in universal values: dignity, real job skills, contribution, second chances, and giving back to society.

 

3) Did you conduct executive interviews and develop thought-leadership strategy, or were you primarily responsible for content creation?

 

Yes. While the role included content creation, it also involved executive interviews, stakeholder discovery, and early thought-leadership development. I interviewed the organization’s Founder and CEO to develop speeches, donor notes, fundraising letters, and other leadership communications that reflected his voice, priorities, and vision for the organization. In collaboration with senior leadership, I also helped identify high-value stakeholders — including major donors, employers of program graduates, board members, foundations, and community partners — whose perspectives could strengthen newsletters, website features, media opportunities, and donor-facing communications.

 

This work required more than producing content. It involved understanding what mattered to different audiences, identifying stories that advanced organizational priorities, and shaping stakeholder narratives around themes such as dignity, workforce development, second chances, public-private partnership, and social impact.

 

4) Are there any examples, case studies, testimonials, or anonymized success stories you can share?

 

5) What measurable outcomes were achieved?

  • Developed communications strategies and fundraising campaigns that supported a $3.1 million annual operating budget, raising awareness of the organization’s workforce development mission and social impact.

  • Helped raise up to $500,000 net annually through donor-facing storytelling, gala communications, sponsorship engagement, and fundraising campaigns.

  • Supported a live fundraising program that engaged 500+ guests and generated $100,000 in Amigo scholarship pledges within minutes.

  • Managed public narrative during a leadership transition from a long-standing founder to an emerging executive leader, preserving community goodwill while strengthening the successor’s visibility and credibility.

2014 – 2014: Lead Writer, USAID Philippines, Pacific Islands, and Mongolia

1) Who are the most senior executives you have worked with?

 

2) What was your role in those engagements?

Building on my early foundation in storytelling, donor stewardship, and stakeholder communications, my work in international development expanded those skills into larger, more complex, and higher-risk environments. Communications in this context carried diplomatic, institutional, political, and human consequences.

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Through my work with USAID and related international development programs, I grew from a communications writer and editor into a trusted public affairs partner supporting Mission leadership, U.S. Embassy teams, Washington, D.C. bureaus, technical experts, and implementing partners. The role required more than content creation; it demanded message discipline, strategic judgment, clearance awareness, and the ability to translate complex policy and technical material into leadership-ready communications.


My executive communications experience deepened through speeches, talking points, press materials, congressional-facing content, public statements, success stories, and strategic narratives for senior U.S. government and development leaders. I learned to preserve leadership voice while aligning messages with institutional priorities, diplomatic sensitivities, technical accuracy, and public trust.

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This chapter strengthened the core competencies I now bring to executive thought-leadership strategy: synthesizing complex information, identifying the strategic value of a leader’s perspective, managing reputational and institutional risk, coordinating across stakeholders, and developing communications that are purposeful, credible, and aligned with organizational priorities.

 

3) Did you conduct executive interviews and develop thought-leadership strategy, or were you primarily responsible for content creation?

 

Yes. My role regularly involved executive communications strategy for high-profile public appearances, project launches, completion ceremonies, partnership announcements, regional engagements, and events involving Mission leadership or the U.S. Ambassador.

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As scrutiny of U.S. government spending and development outcomes increased, these appearances required careful prioritization. Our team helped determine which events best aligned with messaging priorities, policy relevance, optics, geographic visibility, stakeholder value, and areas where the Mission wanted to strengthen engagement.

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This evolved into a strategic executive visibility model, including quarterly regional tours across the Philippines and Pacific Islands. These visits combined speeches, social media, press outreach, local radio interviews, courtesy calls with officials, and meetings with partners and community stakeholders.

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Drafts were often prepared by implementing partners or USAID technical teams, then came through my team — often through me as lead writer/editor — for strategic and editorial review before final clearance, including Embassy Public Affairs coordination. I also supported executive preparation for a Mission Director during their first assignment in that role, helping strengthen public remarks, speech delivery, and overall presence in high-visibility settings.

 

4) Are there any examples, case studies, testimonials, or anonymized success stories you can share?

5) What measurable outcomes were achieved?

  • Edited 10+ speeches per month for U.S. Ambassadors, USAID Mission Directors, senior staff, and Washington, D.C. visitors, strengthening executive messaging for high-visibility public engagements.

  • Directed social media campaigns that increased engagement by 800%, from 72,000 engagements in 2017 to more than 630,000 in 2018, while maintaining an editorial calendar aligned with Mission priorities.

  • Led press release writing for U.S. Embassy distribution across the Philippines and Pacific Islands, consistently securing prominent media mentions from major news outlets.

  • Produced Mission-cleared talking points and materials for congressional testimony and Washington, D.C. requests, supporting high-level government communications under tight deadlines.

  • Trained 500+ staff and project partners on messaging, storytelling, style, and communications standards, strengthening organizational capacity across distributed teams.

2020 – 2025: Strategic Communications Advisor, URC-CHS; RTI International, Manhattan Strategy Group

1) Who are the most senior executives you have worked with?

2) What was your role in those engagements?

From 2020 to 2024, my advisory and consulting work deepened my experience in communications strategy, executive messaging, and high-stakes institutional positioning. I was initially brought on by University Research Co., LLC to advise communications leads and project Chiefs of Party on communications strategy, messaging, and the quality of public-facing outputs before submission to USAID.

 

This required strategic judgment, editorial discretion, and a strong understanding of USAID communications expectations. I helped ensure materials were clear, accurate, compliant, audience-appropriate, and aligned with donor priorities, organizational positioning, and project outcomes.

 

What began as a targeted advisory role evolved into a trusted professional relationship. A Vice President I supported at URC later brought me into her subsequent roles with RTI International and Manhattan Strategy Group, reflecting confidence in my strategic perspective, reliability, and ability to help teams communicate complex technical work with clarity and credibility.

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Across these engagements, I worked with senior leaders, subject matter experts, communications teams, and proposal teams to strengthen executive-level content, donor-facing narratives, technical materials, and strategic positioning. This period reinforced a key through-line in my career: leaders repeatedly trusted me to improve not only communications outputs, but the strategic thinking behind them.

 

3) Did you conduct executive interviews and develop thought-leadership strategy, or were you primarily responsible for content creation?

 

I supported VP communications across internal and external materials, including strategic emails, presentations, leadership messaging, and donor/client-facing communications. A major focus was developing and refining executive summaries for multimillion-dollar U.S. government proposals, where the goal was not simply to summarize content, but to clarify the strategic value proposition, align messaging with donor priorities, and present complex technical approaches in a concise, persuasive, executive-ready format.

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While some work involved content development, much of the value was strategic: helping senior leaders and proposal teams identify the strongest narrative, sharpen positioning, and communicate organizational capabilities with clarity, credibility, and impact.
 

4) Are there any examples, case studies, testimonials, or anonymized success stories you can share?

  • See letter of recommendation from Dr. AlMossawi
     

5) What measurable outcomes were achieved?

  • Contributed to proposal and communications efforts that helped secure more than $100 million in U.S. government funding for public health and health security projects across Southeast Asia and Jordan.

  • Helped senior leaders and proposal teams translate complex public health, global health security, and technical content into concise, persuasive, donor-aligned messaging.

  • Produced executive-level communications, including talking points, letters, presentations, and VP-level messaging, ensuring senior leaders had polished, strategic, and audience-appropriate materials.

  • Designed and led writing and branding workshops for 200 staff, strengthening organizational communications capacity and improving the quality of technical and donor-facing materials.

2025– present: Public Relations Specialist and Communications Director, Marquette L. Walker Ministries

1) Who are the most senior executives you have worked with?

2) What was your role in those engagements?

Although I formally resigned from my role in May 2026 to focus on my own venture, the founder asked me to remain involved in a strategic advisory capacity for communications. I agreed, and I continue to serve as a trusted behind-the-scenes advisor on messaging, communications strategy, and organizational visibility.

 

Since 2025, my role evolved from a formal communications position into a selective advisory relationship. In the original role, I supported the Ministry’s public voice, internal communications, media positioning, devotional content, thought-leadership development, and stakeholder-facing materials. I helped clarify the Ministry’s voice, identify story angles for faith-based and community audiences, and develop repeatable workflows for outreach and public messaging.

 

I also helped build communications infrastructure, including an internal AI policy and one-page briefer on ethical use, governance, risk mitigation, human oversight, and responsible implementation. Beyond external visibility, I supported internal strategy by analyzing staff survey responses, identifying core organizational values, and translating those insights into communications themes and devotional concepts.

 

Overall, my role was to help the Ministry communicate with greater clarity, consistency, ethical discipline, and strategic purpose — a contribution the founder valued enough to ask me to remain involved after my formal resignation.

 

3) Did you conduct executive interviews and develop thought-leadership strategy, or were you primarily responsible for content creation?

 

Yes. This role involved thought-leadership strategy, PR strategy, executive voice development, and stakeholder engagement — not only content creation. I developed and executed thought-leadership and PR strategies for the founder, actively pursuing visibility opportunities across podcasts, blogs, articles, and other media channels. This included identifying relevant platforms, shaping story angles, preparing outreach materials, and aligning external visibility with the Ministry’s mission, audience, and credibility-building goals.

 

I also supported executive voice development by creating communications in the founder’s voice, including values-based messaging for a remote, worldwide organization. A key part of this work was helping articulate the Ministry’s core values in a way that could foster trust, alignment, and engagement among staff, supporters, and external audiences.

 

While I did create written materials, the larger value was strategic: helping the founder clarify what she wanted the Ministry to be known for, how to communicate that consistently, and how to build visibility through values-driven thought leadership.

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4) Are there any examples, case studies, testimonials, or anonymized success stories you can share?

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5) What measurable outcomes were achieved?

  • Developed and implemented a thought-leadership and PR strategy that secured or supported a dozen+ visibility opportunities in less than one year, including podcast appearances, blog features, articles, and other media placements.

  • Increased the founder’s public visibility by identifying relevant platforms, shaping outreach angles, and preparing messaging that aligned with the Ministry’s mission, values, and audience.

  • Created repeatable media outreach and communications workflows, making it easier for the organization to pursue future visibility opportunities with greater consistency and professionalism.

  • Supported internal alignment by helping articulate the organization’s values in the founder’s voice, contributing to trust, clarity, and engagement across a remote, worldwide team.

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