curriculum vitae

Valerie Crook is a communications professional and educator with a background in journalism, multimedia production, and strategic storytelling. She has spent the last five years leading nationally recognized student publications while teaching courses in journalism, design, photography, digital storytelling and print publications.

With additional experience in higher education and nonprofit marketing, Valerie brings a strong eye for narrative, a collaborative leadership style, and a deep commitment to connecting communities through meaningful content.

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research interests & skills

Valerie has a wide range of interests -- including but not limited to:

Rhetoric of Political Discourse

Science and Health Communication

Media Literacy and Digital Ethics

Gender and Racial Representation in Media

Storytelling as Civic Engagement

Public Memory and Visual Memorialization

Strategic Communication in Non-Profit Contexts

Strategic Communication in Educational Contexts

Intersections of Sociology and Science Communication

Visual Rhetoric and Design in Journalistic Practice

WRITING & EDITING

COPY WRITING

FEATURE WRITING

EDITORIAL DEVELOPMENT

ACADEMIC WRITING & RESEARCH

SCRIPT WRITING

REPORTING

INTERVIEWING

SOURCE DEVELOPMENT

APA STYLED WRITING

ASSOCIATED PRESS (AP) STYLE

MULTIMEDIA & DESIGN

VIDEO PRODUCTION

AUDIO PRODUCTION

PODCAST EDITING

ADOBE CREATIVE SUITE

GOOGLE SUITE

MICROSOFT 365

SNO SITES, BLACKBAUD & WIX

CANDID PHOTOGRAPHY

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

LAYOUT DESIGN

COMMUNICATION & STRATEGY

PUBLIC SPEAKING

STRATEGIC CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

BRANDING

BRAND MANAGEMENT

STYLE GUIDE PRODUCTION

MESSAGE DESIGN

CROSS-PLATFORM INTEGRATION

DIGITAL LITERACY

GRAPHIC DESIGN

EVENT & TRAVEL COORDINATION

LEADERSHIP

CURRICULUM DESIGN

INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

DEADLINE COORDINATION

DELEGATION

ORGANIZATION

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

CONFERENCE PRESENTATION

PEER MENTORSHIP

TEACHING & COACHING

EDUCATION AND RELEVANT COURSEWORK

M.A.

COMMUNICATION

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Graduated Magna Cum Laude

Relevant Coursework

Graduate Study of Communication

Reading Foundations of Communication Theory

Advanced Research Methods

Digital Storytelling

Applied Communication

Organizational Communication

Feminist Epistemologies

Current Issues and Debates in Women's and Gender Studies

National Student Advertising Competition

B.A.

COMMUNICATION - journalism and media

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Graduated Magna Cum Laude with multiple semesters on the Dean's List

Selected Coursework

General Psychology

Multiplaform Journalism

Feature Writing

Editing

Studio Production: News Magazine

Theory of Free Expression

Media and Society

Human Communication and Culture

Introduction to Philosophy: Self & Reality

Creative Writing: Screenwriting

Public Speaking

Graphic Design

Jewish Life and Thought

experience

2016-PRESENT

FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC DESIGN

Provides freelance photography, videography, and graphic design services using a Sony mirrorless AR7 with a 50–70mm lens and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, After Effects).
- Projects include family and senior portraits, wedding videography, and event photography.
Also collaborates with university or high school theater and art departments to design show logos, posters, and promotional materials using Adobe Illustrator and InDesign.

2020-2025

JOURNALISM TEACHER & PROGRAM ADVISOR AT NOTRE DAME DE SION HIGH SCHOOL

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

Served as journalism instructor and publications advisor at Notre Dame de Sion High School.
Lead a multi-platform, award-winning student media program as a one-person department.
Taught students ages 14–18, adapting instruction across experience levels to develop foundational and advanced skills in journalism, design, and digital storytelling.
Managed and mentored editorial teams to write, edit, design, and publish five to six issues of a print newsmagazine, post almost daily to an online news site, and produce a 232-page yearbook.
Developed project-based coursework to train and prepare underclassmen for future editorial roles.

2019-2020

VIDEOGRAPHER AT ZETA TAU ALPHA INTERNATIONAL OFFICE

CARMEL, INDIANA

Served as videographer for Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity, a nationally branded nonprofit organization, producing video content that highlighted collegiate and alumnae chapters across the U.S.
Traveled independently with equipment to capture footage, and conduct interviews.
Scripted, animated, and edited content using Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects.
Collaborated with a five-person communications team on multimedia strategy, internal branding, and campaign storytelling.
Earned certification in Adobe After Effects and contributed to internal communications initiatives and office committees.

2017-2019

GRADUATE PROGRAM PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANT AT SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Held a graduate assistantship in the Web Development department of the College of Arts and Sciences at Saint Louis University while completing a master’s degree in communication.
Produced written features and video profiles for over 30 academic departments and programs, managing content from research and interviews to final publication.
Led a successful revamp of the College’s social media strategy, shifting focus from Facebook to Instagram and developing a media calendar that increased followers by 700% and boosted engagement from an average of 12 likes to 60 per post.
Created social media best practices and documentation to support future assistants.