About Carolyn E. Kerr

Ms. Kerr is a consultant and free-lance writer, producer and instructional designer specializing in corporate communications and training.

Her print portfolio encompasses the full spectrum of communications materials including: annual reports, capabilities brochures, training manuals, articles, direct mailers, and print ads.

In addition to her print qualifications, Ms. Kerr is a respected speechwriter, scriptwriter and video producer/director. Her video library includes programs addressing: Corporate Image, Marketing, Orientation, Training, Continuing Management Education, Assessment and Selection, Broadcast Commercials and How-To Programming.

Her client list is as varied as her experience. A partial list is located on the Portfolio page.

In addition to founding the Communications Academy, she has also created or co-created workshops for clients including Ford Motor Company, Koppers, PNC, Equitable Resources, Bayer, Medrad, Hillsborough County (FL) Sheriff’s Department and AT&T Alliance. Workshops focused on areas including interviewer and assessor training, new hire orientation, crisis communications, performance management, business writing skills, strategic positioning, team building and investing. In addition, she has written the participant materials for Toyota’s Leadership training workshops and Chrysler’s new hire orientation program.

On the academic side, Ms. Kerr is a part-time lecturer in the University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business Administration. For a number of terms she taught Oral Presentation Skills, a course she designed and implemented. She is currently course coordinator for Fundamentals of Business Communication, which focuses on such areas as: interpersonal skills, written communication, presentation skills, intercultural communication and other key business communication challenges. She authored the reference guide for that course.

Also at the University of Pittsburgh, during the Katz Leadership Series for Women, Ms. Kerr was the instructor for a half-day session touching on several aspects of business communication.

Additionally, she writes and produces how-to videos for the general public including “Understanding the Basics: The Stock Market” and “Understanding the Basics: Mutual Funds”, which assist investors (at all knowledge and experience levels) in taking control of their own investments. She also directed and produced the how-to video “Conquering Computers.”

Prior to pursuing her career as a full-time consultant and free-lance writer/producer, Ms. Kerr was Copy Director for a mid-size advertising agency. Earlier in her career, she served as Marketing Coordinator for GBH Productions, a division of WGBH-TV in Boston, the largest program producer for the Public Broadcasting Service. She has also served as Associate Editor and Senior Writer for a general interest magazine and as Writer and Features Editor for a trade journal.

Ms. Kerr earned a Master of Arts degree in Radio-Television with a minor in Journalism from Ohio University. Her area of specialization was Cross-Cultural Communications. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Duquesne University.

Ms. Kerr is a member of the American Society for Training and Development and the Society for Human Resource Management.

She has served as Second Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross as well as Chair of the Board of the South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM). She also served on the boards of Family Services of Western Pennsylvania and The Pitt News at the University of Pittsburgh. Her past community service includes time as a volunteer tutor with the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council. She is an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Ms. Kerr has been listed in Who’s Who In Entertainment.