My name is Elizabeth Thomas. Also known to my friends, family and former coworkers as ET, Ebeth or E 🙂
With more than 25 years of experience in public relations, I spread my wings and started my own communications and consulting company. Off-site Communications and Consulting, LLC was launched in the fall of 2024.
I am a member of the Jackson Business and Professional Women (JBPW) as well as the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Experience
When I first started my career in communications, the advertising agency I worked for represented several entertainment companies. One of our goals was for our clients to be featured in the positive news segments at the end of broadcasts or highlighted in articles about fun area activities.
After earning my master’s degree, I focused on the political arena and working to inform the public about activities at the capitol …as well as get my candidates (re)elected. Those six years taught me a lot about working as a team toward common goals.
For the following 15 years, I worked as the communications director for a trade association. There I honed my skills in internal and external communications, crisis management and member relations.
Now, as I begin my own company, I would like to once again focus on the positive. That includes merging my skill sets to help your social media followers see the great things your company is doing or producing copy to inform your stakeholders about successes and achievements.
I am currently based out of Jackson, Michigan.
Education
I have my undergraduate degree in advertising from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in campaign management from George Washington University.
Off-site
What does working off-site mean to you?
For me, freedom.
The freedom to work from my home office or anywhere else in the world with internet service is a gift.
Recently, I was on a 14-day, once in a lifetime trip to Alaska. During that time, I was able to keep two clients’ social media accounts updated and responsive, revamp a website and put together a marking timeline for yet another client.
Could I have taken this trip while working in a traditional office environment? Maybe. It would have used up 10 vacation days at once. How many office jobs would have allowed that? Plus, how many days would I have had left for the year?
Instead, working “off-site” allowed me to have location flexibility while continuing to serve my clients and be responsive to their needs.
The freedom to work with accounts that I enjoy, from any location, is a privilege.
Working in the hotel lobby in Fairbanks, Alaska. It was almost 9:30 am EST but 5:30 in Alaska. I pretty much had the place to myself as even the coffee shop was still closed.