Hello! I'm
Aurie Swartz.

A communications and outreach professional passionate about helping people and organizations build connections and put their best foot forward.

Professional Summary

I have over 8 years of experience in communications and outreach. Through the years, I have gained significant experience in brand management, relationship buildinggraphic design, and IT solutions.

Brand Management

The key to building meaningful, effective relationships.

It all starts with having a firm understanding of what makes your business special. Beyond just the deliverables, it’s how you stand out, how you approach your business and interact with your customers and stakeholders – what makes you you. I have gained extensive experience in both refining and implementing brand identities for various entities to ensure they have a unique voice and a consistent message, look, and feel.

Relationship Building

You’ve got your brand, now let’s find your people.

Building and maintaining relationships is one of my favorite parts of the field I am in! Conducting an audience analysis is critical to finding the most impactful and cost-effective ways of connecting with your desired stakeholders. Time is precious, and money can be tight. Save both by knowing where your audience is and how they like to be engaged.  One of my hallmarks is achieving maximum impact with minimal resources.

Graphic Design

The tools for creating a polished, authentic look for your brand.

Utilizing the Adobe Creative Suite and other tools, I have created a wide range of print and digital media for my clients and employers – everything from drafting press releases to creating entire websites to producing live events and pre-recorded videos.

IT & Web Solutions

The right hardware, software, and infrastructure for doing business.

Having the right tools can have a tremendous impact on efficiency, engagement, and ROI. From designing and hosting websites to wired/wireless network maps,  I can help organizations find the best solutions for their needs that also fits their budget, big or small. 

Portfolio

Here are some of the projects that I am most proud of.

Experience

COMPANY

POSITION

YEARS

Military Family Research Institute / Purdue Univ.

Manager of External Relations

2023 – present

Office of Future Engineers / Purdue University

Assistant Director for Comm & Marketing

2020 – 2023

First Baptist Church of Lafayette / Lafayette, IN

Director of Communications & Technology

2019 – present

Office of Future Engineers / Purdue University

Assistant Director of Operations

2015 – 2020

Office of Professional Practice / Purdue University

Communications & Marketing Specialist

2014 – 2015

Indiana House of Representatives / Indianapolis

Communications Assistant

2014

Awards & Honors

Recipient, Bravo Award

Purdue University College of Engineering

June 2022

Finalist, Professional Achievement Award

Purdue University College of Engineering

December 2020

Inductee, Purdue Engineering Staff Leadership Academy (PESLA)

Purdue University College of Engineering

2019 – 2021

Recipient, Engineering TEAM Award

Purdue University College of Engineering

December 2016

Skills

My skillset goes beyond what you might consider ‘standard’ for a PR professional, making for a well-rounded suite of skills and abilities that allows me to to help in every step from planning, designing, and implementing strategic communications plans.

Brand Management

Graphic Design

Web Design

Public Speaking

Hybrid & Virtual Events

Process Automation

About Me

An ever-curious nerd that’s passionate about communications, technology, and the intersection of the two.

It all started my freshman year of college when I signed up to be a student ambassador for my science major. I had quickly fallen in love with my college and its campus, and I wanted to share that passion with other potential students. In the ensuing years, I developed a passion for outreach – so much so that I completely changed my career path and transferred to a degree in public relations. I loved seeing and sparking passion in other people, and I wanted to do that on a daily basis.

But my passions weren’t simply limited to public relations. I also discovered along the way passions for graphic design, coding, programming, and IT solutions. I’m a huge fan of optimization and finding ways to do things quicker, easier, and more effectively. I’ve created dozens of behind-the-scenes automations and process flows in my time with the Office of Future Engineers that have helped to streamline our operations and provide even better customer service with a small team.

Outside of work, I am an unabashed nerd with a love for space, video games, and Star Wars. I love seeing the world, connecting with people, and expanding my horizons. I’ve also recently been delving into the DIY space through both 3d printing and woodworking, though I’m definitely still a novice at both!

Looking for more details about my professional history? Download a PDF of my resume above, and check out my LinkedIn profile linked at the bottom of the page!

Contact

Feel free to reach out to me with questions or requests for collaboration!