Hey!
Nice to meet you.

Not sure if you heard, but I’m Caroline. I’m from the distant lands of upstate New York and have been telling stories and making things since I was little. My work and career have always focused on the collective. I have always felt my best when I’m investing in the people around me.

I studied New Media and Digital Design at Fordham University, with a minor in Peace & Justice Studies. I also completed an Honors Concentration in American Catholic Studies. When I tell people that they are stunned. I guess it is a bit weird, but I’m fascinated by theology and have seen firsthand what a spiritual commitment to justice movements can provide.

There was a defining moment in my college organizing days that set me on the path I’m on now. I was working in the Brooklyn Housing Court, supporting unrepresented tenants navigating their first nonpayment cases. I met a woman who was in a terrible situation. She couldn’t speak English, she and her children were not safe, and she was facing eviction with zero resources.

She needed money, protection, and trauma-informed support. I didn’t have those things,but I did have answers to her questions in housing court. We sat on the floor and pieced together her options. I found a shelter for women who spoke her language that would accept children, and wrote out the information using Google Translate. When she left, she was connected with social workers and a law student who was authorized to represent her in court.

I didn’t want her to leave. I was scared for her, and knew I likely would not see her again. She hugged me and we both had tears in our eyes. I told her that she was brave and that her kids were lucky to have her as their mom. She pointed at my heart and said, “Good.”

The thing is, I’m not perfectly good. I’m stumbling my way through life, learning and unlearning. We make each other good. Together we find a way forward, through the mess and fear and grief.

Resume

Brooklyn, New York✹518-956-4659✹crgrondahl@gmail.com✹@carogrondahl✹LinkedIn✹carolinegrondahl.com
Creative Project Management & Digital Marketing Specialist✹Passionate✹Playful✹Organized✹Team Player

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
International Rescue Committee (New York, NY)

Project Manager - Content & Creative Studio (April 2021-Present)

  • Spearhead creative projects across key fundraising stakeholder groups (US, UK, Sweden, Germany, South Korea, +over 30 satellite country offices)  in IRC's in-house creative agency. Projects have driven over $16.5 million fundraising dollars across stakeholder regions through paid ad/F2F/telemarketing/direct mail acquisition. Portfolio emphasizes focus on digital retention.

  • Launched first ever digital supporter journey content strategy for Mass Market fundraisers, including producing/project managing 8 original supporter journey videos, raising engagement/reinstating +2,000 lapsed monthly donors to date in FY24..

  • Optimize resource allocation by managing fast paced stakeholder requests and efficiently distributing Studio resources across video, design, photography, and editorial projects. Manages a fluctuating budget of $500k-$1mil. 

  • Authored and executed +1,000 project plans through tenure, navigating complex stakeholder maps, simultaneous timelines, scope creep, and full vendor management. Provided effective communication of deliverables, schedules, and resources. 

  • Ensure quality and timely creative campaign strategies and brand alignment for high profile and mission-critical campaigns, including World Refugee Day, Child Malnutrition, and crisis/emergency response through tracking and managing the production and release of creative assets, securing executive approvals - driving over $1 million for each annual, key moment campaign.

  • Lead domestic and international content collection through management of content trips across the US and Latin America, including collaboration with local program staff and producers to capture and integrate high-quality content into the digital asset management system, increasing digital content repository for said regions by nearly 20%.

Amnesty International USA (New York, NY)
Direct Response Coordinator (June 2017-April 2021)

  • Promoted from Direct Response Assistant, managed end to end development and production of Amnesty USA’s direct mail fundraising content, overseeing campaigns such as Write for Rights, Year End, and emergency response, seeing over 35% increase in donations through role, hitting goal of increasing annual individual fundraising to $1 million.

  • Assisted in strategy for digital fundraising communications, via SMS and email, including launch of first peer-to-peer fundraising campaign and developing asset review system adopted by development team.

  • Assisted in managing the Planned Giving program, including developing acquisition strategies through existing donors, seeing an increase of 75% in planned bequests. 

  • Managed donor services on a team of 2, answering donor and public outreach via phone and email. Constant data analysis of cancellations, monthly gift upgrade/downgrades, and feedback on F2F donor experience attributed to larger fundraising campaign strategy and enhanced donor experience.

Digital Engagement Intern (November 2016-June 2017)

  • Produced content for socials, totalling over 4 million followers (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, LinkedIn) including highest engaged social post of 2016. Collaborated with digital engagement/events team to create compelling strategies to mobilize and engage audiences in signing petitions, contacting reps, and advocacy actions (annual Get on the Bus and Annual General Meeting).

Housing Court Answers (Brooklyn, NY)
Housing Court Navigator (January 2016-May 2016)

  • Supporting unrepresented tenants navigate their first non payment cases in the Brooklyn Housing Court. Assisted Housing Court Answers in city-wide campaign to educate tenants on their rights through direct support and city-wide advocacy.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES: PM Software (Monday.com, Asana, AirTable, Adobe Workfront), CRM (ROI, Salesforce), Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft/Excel, Google Suite, HTML, Squarespace/Wordpress, DAM software (Smartsheets, Branfolder, QNAP, Adam), Canva, Social Channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, SnapChat, TIkTok, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, digital/film photography, conversational in French. Writing, photography, and references available upon request. Further professional experience available on LinkedIn.

EDUCATION: Fordham University Lincoln Center (2017)

  • Bachelors of Arts, Major in New Media and Digital Design, Minor Peace & Justice Studies - GPA 3.7 - Honors concentration in American Catholic Studies, multi-media research thesis: We Belong Here: How to Build and Protect LGBTQ+ Spaces in the Catholic Church 

  • Clubs/Activities: Global Outreach Board (Events Coordinator 2015, Co-President 2016-2017), led student service immersion project to Immokalee, Florida to learn from advocates for migrant farmworker justice, It’s On Us 2017 Summit lead organizer, Vagina Monologues Creative Director (2017).


INTERESTS: US/Global grassroots advocacy, LGBTQIA+ advocacy, humanitarian aid, new and emerging media, writing & poetry.

My cat Pez, the day he limped into my arms on the sidewalk in Brooklyn. Love that guy so much.