Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaundra Rushton. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Shaundra has been the Communications Manager for Clearfield City since October 2021. She was instrumental in launching a city-wide magazine and planning the city’s centennial year celebrations. Her team’s priority is engaging on social media, and they currently respond to at least 80% of all mentions online with an average response time of 2-3 hours. Shaundra loves working with Clearfield residents and is always looking for new ways to build community. She previously worked for Horrocks Engineers as a Public Involvement Specialist and worked for the Weber County Library System doing PR & events. She earned a Master of Professional Communication from Weber State University in 2022.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There are always struggles and the road is never smooth. Because life is bumpy, Shaundra is a believer in making moments happen instead of relying on opportunities to come. Examples of this include when she created her breakout job in the communication industry while working at the Weber County Library. The library system did not have a communications specialist, and Shaundra was looking for experience in that field. So, she created press release examples for the organization, showed them the Library Director, and asked to assist the library with communications full time. Her career blossomed from there.
Another example was when Shaundra created a new class at Weber State University because a subject she wanted to learn was not offered. The class is still being taught to date. Shaundra was struggling to gain the education and experience she needed to succeed in the industry. Through her struggles, she learned to make her moments instead of relying on outside forces to dictate success.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Working as a communicator for local government is so fun! Every day is different, and you learn to become a jack of all trades. Shaundra’s primary duties include social media content creation, website editing, videography/photography, press pitching, event planning, and community outreach. She loves planning city-wide scavenger hunts, bubble parties, and scaring residents by attaching ghosts to the city drone.
The Communication Department is a small team, and Shaundra succeeds by working smarter, not harder. Her department’s mantra is, “Keep it simple smartie.” Shaundra analytically tracks resources, time, and budget to determine what campaigns best fit the organization. She is set apart from other government communicators by her social media creativity. The more outlandish the post, the better residents engage (hence flying ghost drones).
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
The biggest risks Shaundra takes are on social media. Most government pages are hesitant to post content that might stir the pot. The fear of internet trolls, reputation backlash, and comments about wasted tax dollars keep government pages from creativity.
Shaundra has found that the more outlandish the post, the better residents engage. The job of a government communicator is to engage with residents, and so she strives to create conversation-worthy posts.
Here are some examples of her work:
We’re here to debunk a rumor… there are no dead bodies in Mabey Pond!
HOT DAY-UM! Look at our fine Ash glow-up! 100 years old looks Forkin’ good.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearfieldcity/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClearfieldCity/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClearfieldCity
Image Credits
Shaundra Rushton
