Carmen Collins, Digital Communicator of the Year

Sure, lots of communicators use employee-generated content.

How many of them, though, teach their colleagues the full, 16-bar “Thriller” dance at a Halloween costume party, record the performance, and post it on social media to wide acclaim?

Here’s one: Carmen Collins, social media and talent brand lead at Cisco, selected as Ragan and PR Daily’s Digital Communicator of the Year.

Collins sought greater accessibility features for social media users, owing to her own injury—a broken elbow—and her teaming up with a vision-impaired intern, both of which made her more cognizant of voice-recognition software online. Her efforts in that area resulted in enhanced accessibility for Cisco team members and consumers, and they resulted in enhanced practices on Sprinklr, including greater use of alt tags.

Her boldness extended to other online efforts, as well. Let staffers run the LinkedIn account? Sure! Unscripted? Why not? The resulting authenticity was a winner for Cisco and an example for others to emulate.