Raymond Willhoft
Dallas, TX | (504) 908-5480 | rwillhoft@outlook.com
Website: https://authory.com/RayWillhoft
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-willhoft
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Strategic communications and marketing executive with a track record of leading enterprise-wide initiatives that advance culture, engagement, and growth. Experienced advising C-suite leaders and directing multi-channel strategies across healthcare, higher education, and corporate sectors. Storyteller, builder of high-performing teams, and trusted partner driving organizational branding, reputation, and performance.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Senior Manager, Health System Communications
UT Southwestern Medical Center – Dallas, TX (Hybrid) | May 2024 – Present
- Develop and oversee internal communications strategy for an academic health system serving 30,000+ employees, increasing engagement through enterprise-wide digital platforms and targeted messaging.
- Create comprehensive and integrated communications plans supporting organizational priorities, change management and awareness initiatives, recognition programs, and major announcements.
- Serve as a key partner to executives by crafting speeches, talking points, scripts, presentations, and leadership messaging aligned with institutional goals.
- Increase efficiency and completion of projects by 20% with introducing clearer intake processes and prioritization frameworks, ensuring consistent messaging, strong collaboration, and timely delivery across departments.
- Manage content strategy and production for intranet, newsletters, mobile apps, campaigns, events, and executive initiatives.
Senior Communications Manager
Medical Solutions – Omaha, NE (Remote) | June 2022 – Oct. 2023
- Led internal communications strategy, including launch of a new intranet, that strengthened employee engagement and alignment by 25% with organizational purpose, vision, and values across a fast-growing national organization.
- Directed integrated external communications and marketing initiatives that supported a 25% increase in recruitment, B2B/SaaS sales, brand awareness, and thought leadership.
- Managed and mentored a team of six external communications and public relations writers, establishing new workflows, editorial standards, and project management processes that increased efficiency by 20%.
- Oversaw content creation across ads, blogs, articles, emails, websites, social media, press releases, sales collateral, videos, and white papers.
- Partnered cross-functionally with sales team and leadership to ensure consistent, audience-driven messaging that resulted in securing several multi-million-dollar accounts.
Director of Communications
Texas Woman’s University – Denton, TX (Hybrid) | April 2019 – June 2022
- Directed communications and marketing strategies for the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership, College of Business, and College of Health Sciences that increased brand visibility, enrollment, and event participation by 25% through integrated campaigns, SEO-driven digital strategy, and targeted storytelling. • Led development and production of marketing collateral, websites, and social media channels, ensuring brand consistency and accessibility.
- Wrote, edited, and distributed executive communications, newsletters, press releases, and success stories while cultivating media relationships and securing national coverage.
Senior Communications Strategist
University of North Texas – Denton, TX | July 2017 – March 2019
- Created integrated marketing and communications plans that strengthened brand recognition and engagement (20% across campus) for the Division of Student Affairs, including building and leading the marketing team and supporting 30+ departments and programs.
- Oversaw creative services including graphic design, photography, video, web, and social media and produced executive communications, donor solicitations, digital content, and marketing materials for internal and external audiences.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Freelance Communications Manager
Self-employed | Oct. 2016 – July 2017
- Provided strategic communications consulting, content development, and project leadership for corporate clients.
Associate Director of Marketing
The University of Texas at Dallas | May 2013 – Oct. 2016
- Managed teams and budgets ($200,000+) for internal and external marketing campaigns, print and digital advertising, and communications strategy, resulting in a 34% increase in enrollment interest for the School of Management.
Director of Editorial Services
Loyola University New Orleans | July 2006 – May 2013
- Led editorial strategy and production for hundreds of university projects, including an award-winning alumni magazine, website content, and donor communications.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in English; Loyola University New Orleans
TECHNOLOGY & TOOLS
- ChatGPT, Copilot
- Adobe Acrobat, Canva, Pixlr
- Dreamweaver, Drupal, Terminal Four, WordPress
- Simpplr, SharePoint, Staffbase
- Constant Contact, Mailchimp, Hootsuite, Raiser’s Edge
- Microsoft Office, Google Workspace
- Microsoft Teams, Zoom