Dynamic communications strategist with 20+ years of success driving business growth, behavior change, and organizational transformation through compelling, audience-focused storytelling. Recognized for elevating executive, internal, and cybersecurity communications, my strengths include:aperiam

3M | St. Paul, MN (Remote)
Cyber Communications Manager | 7/2024 – 4/2026

• Led enterprise cybersecurity communications and awareness for 65,000+ employees, delivering campaigns, security alerts, phishing simulations, and annual and role-based learning aligned to business risk.
• Partnered with CISO and senior technology leadership to translate security strategy, emerging threats, and policy/standard updates into enterprise messages and leader-ready narratives, toolkits, presentations, and intranet-ready content that drives adoption and accountability across regions and functions.
• Built a centralized cybersecurity hub to simplify employee guidance and connect behaviors to policies and controls.
• Collaborated with IT, HR, Communications, Privacy, Legal, and Compliance teams to strengthen the security posture of the company.

Dell Technologies | Round Rock, TX (Remote)
Executive Communications Manager | 2/2022 – 7/2024

• Directed executive communications for the Chief Security Officer (CSO), including strategy updates, Board of Directors meeting materials, employee communications, and presentations that simplified complex strategy, risk, and investment tradeoffs.
• Distilled sophisticated security and technology topics into plain-language storylines and narratives that enabled decision-making and consistent alignment among executive leadership and the Board of Directors.
• Crafted narratives that optimized the CSO’s influence and led to increased investments in security.
• Partnered with security leaders to shape human risk awareness and training messages for employees and leaders, reinforcing accountability and consistent behaviors.

Caterpillar | Peoria, IL (Remote)
Global Cybersecurity Projects Manager | 7/2021 – 2/2022

• Led a global security awareness and role-based training program for 25,000+ employees, ensuring learning coverage for specialized roles and compliance expectations across business units.
• Created learning roadmaps aligned with industry frameworks, blending eLearning, interactive media, and communications to increase completion and relevance.
• Reported performance metrics and compliance data to leadership and supported audit readiness with clear evidence and documentation.

State Farm Insurance | Bloomington, IL
Senior Communications Strategist | 10/2016 – 7/2021

• Advised executive leadership using insight-driven research communications that supported strategic decision-making and contributed to $20M+ in premium growth.
• Led a human cyber risk management program for 150,000 associates, delivering threat alerts, training content, and security culture messaging at scale, resulting in a 20% increase in reported phishing.
• Developed videos, newsletters, and intranet content to sustain engagement and normalize secure behaviors.
• Led communications for an enterprise initiative consolidating highly regulated legal/compliance requirements into a single GRC platform to centralize requirements, evidence collection, and performance monitoring.

Advocate Health Care | Chicago, IL
Director of Public Affairs and Marketing | 9/2014 – 10/2016

• Led the Public Affairs and Marketing team and drove financial growth, associate and physician engagement, and public relations for the central Illinois region of a $5B+ health care system.
• People leader, responsible for setting objectives, measuring key results, and managing performance to exceed all goals, including securing over $600,000 in earned media annually, increasing urgent care volume by 57%, heart scans by 180%, mammography appointments by 160%, and men’s health appointments by 550%.

State Farm Insurance | Bloomington, IL
Executive Communication Strategist | 1/2012 – 9/2014

• Communication strategy, research, writing, and measurements for the CIO and VP of Innovation, including speeches, reports, and presentations for internal and external audiences.
• Guided a dynamic communications team through an enterprise-wide digital transformation, fostering collaboration and communications that improved employee engagement and drove organizational change.
• Designed communications measurement systems to evaluate the clarity and effectiveness of executive messaging.

State Farm Insurance | Bloomington, IL
Marketing Content Manager | 4/2005 – 1/2012

• Spearheaded strategic planning and execution of marketing communications and advertising materials for TV, print, the Web, social media, and sponsorships, driving impactful cross-channel campaigns.
• Conceptualized and produced numerous award-winning marketing, advertising, and storytelling efforts, consistently delivering compelling narratives that resonated with target audiences, including a teen driver safety campaign for over 15 million teen drivers.
• Pioneered the establishment of State Farm’s social media team, introducing content strategies for growth.

Kozlen Communications LLC | Bloomington, IL
Freelance Consultant | 2005 – Present

• Marketing, public relations, content development, and social media engagement for small and medium-sized businesses.
• Web development and content marketing with multichannel distribution.
• Created and maintain niche websites and services, including https://besecurityaware.com and https://securityawarenesshelp.com.

Master of Arts | Marketing Communications | University of Missouri – Columbia | Columbia, MO
Bachelor of Journalism | Broadcast Journalism | University of Missouri – Columbia | Columbia, MO

• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
• SANS Security Awareness Professional (SSAP)
• Associate in General Insurance (AINS)

• Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI)
• Design Management Institute: DMI Leadership Workshop
• Hillsdale College, Dow Leadership Program

• Executive narratives and leadership storytelling
• Communications strategy development
• Research synthesis and reporting
• Writing for press releases and speeches
• Stakeholder alignment and leader cascades
• Crisis and issues communications
• Program metrics, dashboards, and reporting

• Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premiere, etc.)
• AI tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini, Grok
• Other tools: Articulate 360, Synthesia, Camtasia, Vyond, Videoscribe
• Multimedia content development
• Field and studio video production
• Video production and editing