Mitch Leonard

• Lead Global Communications AI strategy for a 300+ person function, scaling responsible integration across storytelling, media monitoring, and reporting while defining the roadmap for near- and long-term priorities.

• Increased AI adoption by 153% and community participation by 80% by scaling a cross-functional working group, training 100+ communicators, and deploying governance standards across 7 Centers of Excellence.

• Designed GenAI-enabled experimentation frameworks across owned and social channels, improving engagement by up to 45% and accelerating outcome-driven content optimization.

• Co-hosted "AI Labs," a bi-weekly community of practice with 50+ participants driving peer learning and experimentation.

• Led $400K+ integrated enterprise campaigns, aligning creative, media, executive comms, and PR to deliver cohesive, data-driven storytelling across digital, social, and experiential channels.

• Advised executive stakeholders on messaging strategy for major announcements and policy campaigns, ensuring continuity across media relations, internal comms, and digital storytelling.

• Directed strategy and execution for 30+ campaigns aligned with enterprise priorities, managing a $260K media budget and achieving an 18% average engagement rate, 3X internal benchmarks.

• Led cross-functional content and channel strategy for 5+ marquee events annually including the world's largest industry trade show, driving 9.8M impressions, 15% of event website traffic, and engagement rates 20% above benchmarks.

• Developed and led strategic communications initiatives for enterprise priorities, ensuring message alignment across media relations and executive communications.

• Spearheaded the 'F135 Keep it Sold' initiative and 'Transformative Tech' campaign resulting in a 4% engagement rate and 3% click-through rate, well above internal benchmark.

• Pioneered the use of retargeting strategies within paid campaigns, delivering tailored messaging to key stakeholder groups and increasing engagement rates by 3% in under four weeks.

• Advised leadership on strategic messaging for policy-driven initiatives and trade shows ensuring consistency across internal and external stakeholders.

• Managed social media response strategies for corporate announcements and industry events, collaborating with PR and public affairs teams to align messaging.

• Stretch project: Founding member of Global Communications AI adoption working group, authoring the standard work for the internal GPT-4o AI assistant tool and pioneering best practices to accelerate AI-driven communications. Thought leader on 300+ person global team, providing strategic guidance and hands-on support for AI integration, driving innovative applications of Gen AI for content creation and cross-functional campaign management.

• Improved community management efforts by refining tone of voice for Dairy Foods portfolio earning a 30% increase of inbound messages year-over-year and growing key platforms by 4%.

• Played integral role in the onboarding of social media tool, Sprinklr, across the enterprise resulting in a 30% time savings.

• Aligned insights, data, and social listening to guide content and executions to receive above benchmark results.

• Conceptualized and executed enterprise TikTok rollout strategy.

• Through digital listening and community management, brought opportune content activations forward for Brand Marketing teams to publish on behalf of Land O'Lakes' agriculture business, WinField United.

• Contributed to $650k in sales tied directly to social efforts for outdoor power equipment client.

• Implemented strategic communications and consumer engagement campaigns for major clients on a regional and national level with budgets starting at $350k in order to exceed business objectives.

• Liaised between customer support team and client for national outdoor retailer as community manager.

• Collaborated on the digital listening team to spot threatening social conversations for national agricultural account while rising instances to the attention of client senior leadership and agency team members.

• Served as day-to-day client contact to guide content calendar for paid and organic social activations.

• Oversaw agency social media for all brands including Colle McVoy, Exponent PR, and 10 Thousand Design.

Clients: Cub Cadet, Children's Health, Florida's Natural, Land O'Lakes, Proof Alliance, Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, AGCO, Plano Synergy, Colle McVoy, Exponent PR, and 10 Thousand Design

Winner of the 2021 4A's Twin Cities Pitch Boot Camp. Client: Hippy Feet.

Led a 20 person communications and marketing team focused on creating a full integrated media strategy including social, web, mobile, email, brand, and live programming. In collaboration with BSA CMO/CCO, served as a main point of contact during crisis communications and issues management along with other special events (Presidential visits, celebrity appearances, etc.).

Assisted in leading Event Communications team focused on creating a full communications strategy including social, web, mobile, email, thematics, and branding. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, coordinated organizational messaging for the cancelation of the premiere Scouting event.

Monitored @FinalFour social channels for opportunities to respond and engage with fans. Identified trends amongst attendees for the fan-focused events. Listened to social conversations for pain points that could be elevated to NCAA leadership.

Led a 20+ person production and social media team for the 2019 World Scout Jamboree. Oversaw strategy, creation, and content distribution of all communications to 45,000 Scouts for the 12-day event. Effectively used a global team to translate all pieces into English, French, and Spanish through social media platforms, website, daily email newsletters, and mobile application.

Managed organization's digital presence by facilitating content creation, engagement, and interaction across social platforms resulting in 5% engagement rate among 7,500,000 unique Facebook users and 18% Instagram engagement rate. Increased Facebook following by 22%, achieved 2,650 impressions per tweet, and improved Instagram followers by 435% by fostering the skills of 20 youth content creators. Conceptualized a brand voice and storytelling best practices for Snapchat, accomplishing 100% increase in followers. Strategized with national leadership to employ smart content on their influencer Twitter accounts which averaged 7% engagement rate among 1,800,000 impressions.

Led a 10 person production team for the 2017 National Scout Jamboree. Oversaw the creation, editing, and delivery of content distributed to 35,000 Scouts through CMS-based website, email newsletter campaigns, and livestream broadcasts. Served as the internal communications point of contact for Presidential visit to the jamboree. Aligned and collaborated with the Boy Scouts of America Public Relations Team to implement strategic communications plans regarding controversial rhetoric which received 561,962 impressions.

Led social media for the National Order of the Arrow Conference — the premier event of Scouting's National Honor Society — at Michigan State University with 15,000+ Scouts. Cultivated the skills of a 25 person content creation team earning a 3,086,662 total social reach. Designed voice and message strategy executing an educational, entertaining, inspirational, and fun social identity.

Recognizes 32 standout marketing and advertising professionals age 32 or younger making a significant impact in their field. Selected from a competitive pool of 178 nominees in the 2025 class.

Presented annually to public relations practitioners who have successfully addressed a communications challenge with exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness. Clients: Cub Cadet and Proof Alliance.

Created in 1940 to honor Order of the Arrow members who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. Since 1940, only 1,072 people have been selected to receive this award.

Recognizes Arrowmen who have given outstanding service to their local lodge and who personify the spirit of selfless service as advocated by founder E. Urner Goodman and cofounder Carroll A. Edson.

The highest achievement or rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program. Only 4% of Boy Scouts are granted this rank.

The highest honor the Order of the Arrow can bestow upon its members for service to lodge, council, and Scouting. Reserved for those who have made distinguished contributions beyond the immediate responsibilities of their position.