About Me
Kimberly Harrington is a storyteller at heart with 30 years of experience as a reporter, editor, columnist, and media and public relations director. She is an award-winning writer, having won first-place awards for breaking news reporting and news writing.
Kimberly merges the traditional practices of journalism with strategic digital and social media communications. She is good at finding the humanity in the headlines and successfully pitching content to the media to promote the brand awareness of her clients. Her inspiration is found in the idea: “The flood is the news. Noah is the story.”
She has covered the gamut from national political leaders and celebrities to local school board meetings and community activists.
Her public relations work has included the health industry and higher education institutions, where her employers realized increased earned media and social media engagement.
She received her undergraduate degree in mass communications from Winston-Salem State University and her master’s degree in public relations from Full Sail University.
She enjoys traveling, particularly to the continent of Africa. She writes a humorous blog that centers around her travels and not-so-funny single life. In her spare time, she enjoys exercising because she enjoys eating out, acting in community theater and attending plays, beach bumming in the shade and trying new things. Her next venture is to learn to play the djembe drum and [.
Keep in touch with Kimberly via the following:
Website: www.onyxlspeaking.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.harrington.315/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onyxlyspeaking/
X: https://x.com/onyxlyspeaking1
Blog: https://onyxlyspeaking.blogspot.com/
Email: onyxlyspeaking@gmail.com
More about me
Knowledge is power - but so are words.
Everyone has a story. Let me write yours.
For the past 30 years, I have worked in the communications industry as a reporter, editor, marketing specialist, and public and media relations director. I know a good story when I hear one, read one and write one. I know what it takes to get your story published and it all begins with a great press release.
This is where I come in. I take the 5 Ws - who, what, when, where and why – and turn them into a pitch that will grab the media’s attention. I can sit down with you over a cup of coffee or on a 30-minute Zoom call and gather enough information to formulate a press release for your next event, service, program, or new hire.
Just like any profession today, newsrooms are understaffed, too, and they will often ask companies to send in a story of their newsworthy events with photos to boot.
This is where I come in again. I’m your reporter. Let’s get started telling your story.
I specialize in press releases, feature writing and ad copy.
Email me at onyxlyspeaking@gmail.com
Timeline of my career
1992
Graduate of Winston-Salem State University with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications and Spanish.
1994
My career in journalism began with my weekly hometown newspaper, where I was the only reporter. I covered and wrote about everything from weddings and obituaries to crime stories, new businesses, health trends and education.
1998
I was promoted to a daily newspaper, where I rose through the ranks from staff writer to columnist and news editor.
2006
My first job as an editor of a weekly newspaper in South Carolina.
2007
I transitioned into public relations and marketing for a healthcare facility, where I was director of marketing, public relations and volunteer services. I also worked as a columnist for a Charlotte, NC, newspaper.
2014
I became editor of another weekly newspaper in South Carolina.
2017
My first job in higher education for a four-year private university in North Carolina as director of communications and public relations.
2023
Currently employed as director of communications and media relations for a public four-year university in North Carolina.
2024
Graduated top of my class with Master of Arts in Public Relations from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla. - Valedictorian 4.0 GPA
Accolades
I’ve won several writing awards for Best News Writing, Breaking News Writing and Column Writing, and authored a chapter in a community newspapers guidebook.
Graduate of Leadership programs in three North Carolina counties: Anson, Richmond and Rowan.