A Regular feature highlighting the individuals who make up the membership of BMA Colorado. This month we'll meet Jessie Van Gundel - Global Content Specialist, Cochlear

Background: Jessie Van Gundel grew up in northern New York State and moved to Colorado through San Diego, Calif., on a whim: an idea floated by her Navy-employed husband who has family here. Long before that, her career in video content development started from a fondness and talent for writing in high school. A self-proclaimed introvert at heart, her road to fame, nevertheless, was traversed by a determined and inquisitive achiever who earned a bachelor of science degree from the State University of New York College at Fredonia and is pursuing a master’s in professional studies at the University of Denver; studied abroad in Australia and Italy, where she concentrated on communications studies; and earned multiple communications awards along the way.

Prior to working at Cochlear, Van Gundel was media production specialist at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Co., where she managed visual storytelling projects and founded a Digital Marketing Committee. At Cochlear, she continues to advance her career with a strong penchant for research and storytelling, depicting conditions, products and training “in their own words and in a way that they can’t.”

Family: Married, living in Denver, Van Gundel has one daughter.

Current Position: Global Content Specialist, Cochlear, the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, pioneered by Australian physicians. Van Gundel creates resources and tools that support customers’ needs, including videos, blogs and other materials such as tutorials on how to manage hearing loss, how to take care of implants and how to advocate for oneself in the classroom and other environments.

BMA Membership: One year.

How BMA Has Helped Her Career: Van Gundel is content co-chair this year for the Colorado BMA. She looks forward to networking, learning best practices and improving her craft. She expects that BMA seminars and speakers will help her keep Cochlear up to speed on marketing trends and how best to reach and educate its audiences.

Advice to Marketing Professionals:  When starting off in the industry, Van Gundel suggests doing the work in any capacity to show that you already are in the field instead of just communicating a desire to do it. Don’t wait for the opportunity, she says, be proactive with an internship or finding a need and fulfilling it. “The more you do,” she says, “the more you learn.”

Thank you, Jessie Van Gundel and all volunteers, for all you do for the BMA.

By Jill Lewis, president and marketing director for Integrated Writing LLC, a consultancy providing integrated marketing strategy, public relations and content, as well as social media and crisis communications services.