PORTFOLIO: Samples for Survivors Say
For a website design example, visit stellarstory.com
DEVELOPMENT CAMPAIGN: 1000 Journeys, RefugePoint
Give a refugee the most important journey of their life - the one to safety.
CHALLENGE
Reach RefugePoint’s 2013 development goal by raising $500,000 between Thanksgiving and December 31.
SOLUTION & RESULT
Developed and launched 1000 Journeys, a campaign inviting existing and new donors to give $500 towards a goal of supporting 1,000 refugees along their resettlement journey. The campaign educated people on the resettlement process, featured stories of refugees arriving in the U.S. over the six-week period, and highlighted the nonprofit’s annual impact.
The campaign exceeded its goal by approximately $35,000, with more than $50,000 raised in the final hours of December 31, as donors were asked to top up their gifts to reach the goal of 1000 journeys.
MY ROLE
Campaign strategist, art director, and producer for all web, email, and social media content.
PUBLIC SPEAKING COACHING: New England Innocence Project
“We are so grateful to Cheryl for partnering with people impacted by wrongful convictions to tell their powerful stories authentically and with confidence.” - NEIP Executive Director
CHALLENGE
In 2022, the New England Innocence Project (NEIP) needed a public speaking and storytelling coach for its annual gala, Voices of the Innocent. The presenters were people who had been wrongfully convicted and their loved ones. For many, this would be their first time speaking on stage.
SOLUTION & RESULT
Provided ten hours of coaching per person in an environment where the person felt most comfortable. This included traveling across the state and working with people in their homes, libraries, and community centers. Their stories were not easy to tell, and every effort was made to reduce people’s anxiety and bolster their confidence throughout the process. At the event, everyone delivered a powerful seven-minute story without notes and reported feeling proud. NEIP also reached its fundraising goal, with guests citing the storytellers as most memorable.
NEIP continues to request storytelling workshops for the exoneree network and coaching for Voices of the Innocent. Voices alum Jabir Pope also performed on Stories from the Stage. Jabir spent 41 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Watch his story.
MY ROLE
Client manager, storytelling coach, workshop instructor, and SFTS director of curation.
SPECIAL PUBLICATION: Financial Literacy for Newcomers, LIRS
Financial literacy is an essential survival tool for American families, especially as the tapestry of U.S. financial systems becomes increasingly complex. For many low-income families, particularly newly arrived immigrants, financial literacy can be a stepping stone out of poverty.
CHALLENGE
For years, RefugeeWorks provided comprehensive training for service providers across the country on refugee employment. In 2007, the team recognized that understanding the U.S. financial system and effectively managing personal finances are just as vital as job placement for newly resettled refugees.
SOLUTION & RESULT
RefugeeWorks conducted six months of research on financial literacy for newcomers, including literature reviews, interviews with financial literacy specialists, and program evaluations. The result was a 28-page publication summarizing the research with recommendations and resources for improving financial literacy education for newcomers. The report was distributed to every U.S. resettlement agency and state coordinator. RefugeeWorks also integrated lessons into trainings and presentations.
MY ROLE
Project manager, co-author, and art director.
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ORGANIZATIONAL BRANDING: Center for Preventing Hate
OLD LOGO AND WEBSITE DESIGN
CHALLENGE
Approaching its 10th anniversary in 2010, the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence felt its brand, website, and marketing materials were outdated and failed to reflect the nonprofit's culture or impact.
SOLUTION & RESULT
Shortened the name from the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence to the Center for Preventing Hate. Rebranded the organization from logo to website design.
Hosted a complementary 10th-anniversary event celebrating the nonprofit’s important milestone and new image. Replaced a traditional cocktail reception with an interactive art installation. The exhibit mirrored activities led in workshops and how the nonprofit moves communities from hate to respect.
MY ROLE
Communications director and event coordinator.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT: Suitcase Stories®, IINE
“I used to be very shy. Telling my story gave me confidence. Now I present for large audiences where I tell people that no matter what happens in life, we should keep moving forward, fight for our dreams, and always be hopeful”- Zalaikha Wahid
CHALLENGE
Following the 2016 presidential election, IINE experienced a dramatic increase in public interest to support the organization and its clients. Regional offices mobilized volunteers, but staff and the broader community also sought to counter rising anti-immigrant rhetoric and offset declining federal funding.
SOLUTION & RESULT
Organized with volunteers a series of events featuring U.S. and foreign-born residents sharing personal stories on global migration. Branded the program Suitcase Stories® and recruited experienced storytellers to perform and coach emerging refugee and immigrant speakers. The inspiring stories covered themes of belonging, identity, and resettlement.
IINE held six events in nine months for audiences of 200 to 450 people, including one filmed for PBS. Forty individuals from diverse nationalities shared stories, attracting significant press coverage, raising over $100,000, and rapidly growing IINE's following.
Given the response and demand for more, IINE trademarked the brand, and Suitcase Stories® became a signature program presented in communities, schools, and workplaces. By 2025, over 500 people from eighty countries had shared a story, and thousands more experienced them live or online.
MY ROLE
Creator, director of program, curation and coaching, story coach, and event coordinator.
VIDEO PRODUCTION: Meaningful Moments, Bunker Hill Community College
“Implicitly, the student was also telling me, Dean, can you please share my gratitude with others. Can you pay it forward?” - Maria Kathleen Puente
CHALLENGE
Develop meaningful content for Bunker Hill Community College's 50th anniversary that captures the school's impact on students, staff, faculty, and alumni.
SOLUTION & RESULT
Working with leadership and a videographer, launched a Meaningful Moments library, a collection of videos featuring people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives recalling memorable moments from their time at BHCC.
BHCC featured a compilation at multiple anniversary events and requested additional testimonials. For the second engagement, students from BHCC's honors program were recruited as collaborators, mentored in media and storytelling, and guided in conducting on-camera interviews. Twenty-four people participated, and 18 videos were produced.
MY ROLE
Project director, story curator and editor, instructor, and student mentor.
URGENT APPEAL: All Together Campaign, IINE
CHALLENGE
Provide emergency relief funds to clients during COVID by adding an additional fundraising campaign to the annual development plan.
SOLUTION & RESULT
Similar to stories from hospital frontline workers at the time, IINE shared stories from frontline staff about how they were pivoting to continue supporting the most vulnerable clients. The tone was deliberately casual and highlighted relatable experiences for readers, like juggling work and family.
Nearly tripled the $15,000 goal. One individual donated $10,000 within hours of the launch and urged IINE to send more emails of a similar style.
MY ROLE
Story curator and writer.