Vincent Kinara

Personal Statement

I am a charismatic, persuasive Public Relations professional with a zeal of strengthening the public profiles of organizations. My commitment is to bring expertise of excellent writing skills and communications experience, manage organization brands, build communication materials through developing communication deliverables in many forms, including events, media interviews, blog posts, speeches, op-eds, quotes and interview responses.

The experience of working closely with many teams, organizational partners has over time inculcated a compelling signature of advocacy and aptitude. Consequently, I am an adaptable, detail oriented professional able to work effectively and professionally in managing multiple narratives and communications.

A superb curious writer and editor who is excited by the prospect of storytelling in oral expression, vocalization, discourse and talk for a mission- driven organizations.  My focus is to protect the digital commons and bring forth equity by being able to produce communication materials to allow access of knowledge. 

My focus is to achieve new accomplishments in life and career, develop a vast communication deliverable from a wide exposure to different external communications opportunities. This with intend, will infer numerous opportunities for growth, a process of co- creation and partnerships from a collaborative and supportive team.

Work experience

18th March 2019 – 10th August 2022 ­– Senior Media Officer at Optiven Foundation 

I have 4 years work experience as a Senior Media Officer at Optiven Group Foundation- a private charitable Organization registered in Kenya to advance idea and support institution to promote a better world. My role was to assist in developing all media publicity, marketing and fundraising messages and creating communication materials around them through updating existing collateral and presentations, creating new design templates for internal stakeholders, email templates, electronic/social media graphic production, and website updates 

Being my first job, I proudly appreciate and celebrate many achievements brought forth by the zeal of my hard work, resilience and determination. This include; time management, wide exposure to different internal and external communication opportunities in philanthropic projects, media interviews, events, and social media campaigns. This experience has shaped me with organizations skills in the media and communication industry and growth in my career & passion. 

Achievements 

• Networking through partnerships and price philanthropists
• Excellent Marketing and communication skills
• Video editing skills with premiere pro
• Innovation through strategic campaign design templates
• Brand Management through strategic development of media campaigns.
• Preparing and submitting reports by knowing how to collaborate with the internal teams within the organization.
• Media Relations by tracking media coverage events & liaising with communication units.  
• Documentation of communication materials by writing stories, briefs and articles about events as well as current affairs on philanthropic project activities.
• Desktop printing and publishing techniques
• Positive attitude, team player and working under deadlines on simultaneous projects

July 2018 – Present   Freelance Media (personal blog) with Graphic Design

Using my personal blog, I have been able to write stories and documentaries. This made me realize that media is central to the experience in modern life and therefore I can use media to build and connect cultures both locally, nationally and globally with the goal of shaping our views of the world, our identities and fantasies. It is my innermost passion writing heart-felt stories & I always mention to my God for grace. 

Achievements.

• Research skills and creativity through reading and surfing.
• Video Editing skills through adobe premiere pro.
• Proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop and illustrator
• Community Engagements through interactive interviews.
• Filter, Size, crop, and perform basic retouching on digital photos 

January 2017 - April 2017 – Internship at Egerton Electronic Media Studio

Throughout my entire training I gained diverse skills in using music instruments for news production, troubleshoot broadcasts, entertainment, editing and reporting, Video shooting, Transcription and scripting, Graphic design and Radio production. I was also able to interact with the society and reach out to many people. This diversity made me use media to project our wildest fantasies in our daily lives alongside our darkest truths to the global community hence to shape our society.

Achievements 

• Desktop publishing skills
• Package/prepare files for release to printers, media partners or freelancers
• Video editing and rendering on adobe premiere pro
• Designing relevant templates and communications projects, including editing existing layouts and creating new layouts for concert programs, brochures, flyers, posters, promotional items, website, email blasts, and social media
• Content Development and Management by conducting vox pops, interviews and also trending topics of public interest.
• Knowledge of and experience in instrumental music including idiophones, membranophones, chordophones, aero phones, & electrophones.
• Prepare images for online and mobile applications

Relevant skills

• Proficiency in adobe creative suite including Photoshop, illustrator, Acrobat and InDesign
• Print production and Publishing techniques
• Creating suitable layouts for email, websites and social media
• Excellent skills in marketing and resource mobilization
• Interpersonal communication and visual communication.
• Photography & videography 
• Media Relations Development
• Brand Management.
• Digital Media content development.

 Hobbies and Interests

• Photography - I love the challenge of capturing the energy of a live performance and working with constantly changing light
• Playing Musical Instruments - guitars are inherently cool in throwing off cobwebs
• Cake Decorating 
• Reading Motivational stories/Books; favorites are Dr. Wale Akinyemi –Secrets of the Billionaire Within, The alchemist - Paulo Coelho. 
• Corporate Social Responsibilities- I love spending time with the vulnerable children on weekends
• Bullet Journaling updates on my blog
• Watching Commercials and Promotional Adverts.
• Knitting and Crotchet 

Educational Background & Qualifications

March 2021 – September 2021 – George Wachiuri School of Mentorship (GWSM)

• Marketing and communication skills
• Strategic Corporate Communication and Brand awareness
• Organizational Structure
• Innovation, Partnership and Philanthropy 
• Organizational core values

February 2020 – August 2020 - Convertas College

• Leadership and Communication Workshop 
• Interpersonal Communication in strategic marketing 
• Proposal writing and Project evaluation
• Resource Mobilization 

January 2019 – July 2019 – Africa Digital Media Institute (ADMI)

• Graphic Design 
• WordPress and video editing 
• Print media
• Graphic design layouts
• Digital Innovation

October 2013- August 2018 ~ Moi University.

• Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics Media and Communication. (1st class upper Division)

April 2014-June 2014 - Moi University Computer Students Association. (MUCSA) 

• Proficiency in 14 Computer packages certificate.

February 2009- November 2012 - Maranda High School.

• Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education (A-)

January 2004 – November 2008 - Eronge Adventist Boarding School

• Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (388/500)