Kiyana Dubard
Strategic communicator and systems thinker designing research-driven approaches to complex problems.
I analyze how people interact with systems and translate those insights into product strategy, user research, and clear communication.
Lionsgate Entertainment — Strategic Communication Plan (capstone assignment, Towson University, Spring 2022)
For my senior-year strategic communication course, I developed a full-scope campaign plan for Lionsgate Entertainment centered on a real business challenge: driving American consumer interest in the company's newly launched attractions at Motiongate Dubai. Rather than treating it as a hypothetical exercise, I approached it as a working strategist would — conducting a competitive landscape analysis against Disney and Universal, building out a SWOT, defining a target audience with psychographic depth, and constructing a multi-channel tactics framework with measurable objectives tied to impressions, engagement, and ticket sales.
The deliverables I produced included a press release, a media pitch targeted to a specific journalist at Variety with a rationale for that choice, and an op-ed positioning VR and augmented reality as a promotional asset for theme park brands — each piece written in a distinct voice for a distinct purpose and audience. What ties it all together is that every content decision in this plan was made in service of a positioning argument: that Lionsgate could compete in a space dominated by Disney and Universal by leaning into nostalgia, adult audiences, and earned media rather than budget.
"Globalising Voice, Vision, and Value" — Strategic Communication Plan for USF's MAPC Program (graduate capstone project, University of San Francisco, Spring 2025)
As part of a collaborative graduate team, I co-developed a comprehensive Strategic Communication Plan for USF's Master of Arts in Professional Communication program — a self-funded program that depends on donor support and strategic outreach to sustain its growth and global reach. The plan was grounded in three months of primary and secondary research, including a stakeholder survey distributed to current students, alumni, and faculty, a platform audit of MAPC's existing Instagram and LinkedIn presence, and a comparative analysis benchmarking the program against peer institutions like USC, Northwestern, and UCLA. From that research foundation, the team built out a full SCP covering internal communication systems, external brand strategy, a platform-specific content calendar, SMART objectives with defined KPIs, risk management protocols, and a targeted admissions communication strategy designed to address the conversion drop-off between admitted and enrolled students — particularly among international applicants navigating visa uncertainty and cost concerns.
My specific contribution centered on event strategy and external communications. I authored the official press release for MAPC's after-hours fundraising event — a curated evening designed to connect industry leaders, global communication agencies, health organizations, and nonprofits directly with students — framing the event as both a showcase of student talent and a critical fundraising vehicle for international scholarship support. Writing the press release required me to balance the program's academic identity with the persuasive, audience-centered language needed to attract external stakeholders and donors, all while maintaining the professional tone appropriate for an institutional announcement. Together, these contributions reflect my ability to move fluidly between strategic planning and audience-facing content — thinking at the systems level while still writing with intention and clarity.