Former DNR comms lead joins WCER as director of communications & marketing

August 30, 2024   |   By WCER Communications

Katie Grant joined WCER's leadership team as the center's new director of communications & marketing on Aug. 12.

Grant is a communications professional with a focus on organic social media strategy and community engagement, marketing strategy, and crisis communications. She excels in executing forward-thinking, long-term strategies that get results, with experience amplifying social media reach and engagement in government and the grocery, restaurant, and online coaching industries.

In 2018, she joined the communications team for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), working in a series of progressively responsible roles—from digital media coordinator to deputy communications director to communications director, starting in 2022.

Grant mentored and supervised a team of 10 content creators/public information officers as communications director at the DNR, while coordinating with external partners, other agencies, and the governor’s office. She led DNR marketing campaigns with annual budgets over $1 million, in addition to a $1.2 million commercial fishing campaign in 2023 that she worked with external public relations agencies to create, shape, and execute.

Grant’s work at the DNR also included developing and executing communications strategies that led to a 397% increase in organic social media impressions and securing over $50,000 in grants to promote diversity and engagement within DNR’s target audience.

“These experiences have not only strengthened my strategic thinking and project management abilities but also instilled in me a deep commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, a core aspect of WCER’s strategic goals,” she says.

Grant also developed crisis communications plans for the DNR and used innovative approaches to promote Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine on social media, increasing paid subscriptions to the print product and generating brand awareness for the free digital product. She authored and edited DNR news releases, magazine articles, contributor feature articles, and newsletters, garnering media coverage in all 50 states and 49 countries. She also developed new standard communications procedures, a brand style guide and a writing style guide.

Prior to the DNR, Grant worked as a social media strategist, consultant, communications manager, and senior marketing specialist for businesses including Whole Foods Market, Metcalfe’s Market, and Metcalfe’s World’s Largest Brat Fest.

Grant earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish language and Hispanic Studies from UW–Madison. She also was the Midwest Council Representative and Vice President of the Government Social Media professional association from 2022 to 2024 and was a finalist for best podcast and best Facebook presence awards from that organization in 2020.

At WCER, Grant will lead the communications team in developing, executing, and measuring strategic communication and marketing campaigns, while producing news stories and features about center happenings and advancing WCER research through channels including email, web, print, video, and social media. This position also will oversee media relations and bolster brand development in keeping with WCER’s strategic goals.