Acclaro 

Acclaro is a global translation and localization company that was seeking a better way to engage managers in the onboarding and retention process. Virginia collaborated with Acclaro’s executives and team leaders to design a digital onboarding system for staff and freelancers, the latter numbering over 3,000 professionals. Integrating the system within MS Teams, she included innovative elements like team leader intro videos and tips for better collaboration and connection within a remote, global work setting.

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eDriving

eDriving’s mission is to improve driver safety worldwide. Fortune-250 clients like Amazon and Johnson & Johnson were concerned about their 200+ global fleet drivers’ safety and a related rise in insurance costs. We found that attitude and drowsy driving were the biggest culprits. As Creative Director of Content, I led the development of behavior-centered, action-oriented coaching content for their smart-phone-based SaaS product Mentor, contributing to a 67% decrease in crashes with the test fleet, EcoLabs. This and additional studies enabled the company to confirm a direct correlation between the app content delivered and engaged with on a daily basis,  and the drivers’ FICO-based safe driving score.

 

The International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The IRC works to empower displaced people in regions of the world affected by conflict and natural disasters.  Gender-based violence increases exponentially in times of social strife. Seeking to mitigate that, the IRC engaged me in Côte d’Ivoire, Chechnya, and South Sudan to develop and direct nationwide social norms marketing campaigns for which I created tailored, contextual strategies. We saw increased help-seeking and support behaviors for thousands of domestic violence survivors in three countries, realized greater support of survivors by law enforcement, and moved the needle towards lessening the stigma of domestic violence.

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One Drop

The One Drop Foundation provides access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene. They sought to templatize and scale their social art program, as well as demonstrate its effect on global communities. I advised on and co-developed their Social Art for Behavior Change Approach, a process that engages whole communities on the importance of clean and hygienic Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) practices. The data-informed approach includes behavioral research (barrier analysis and Knowledge, Attitude Practice (KAP) studies) an action plan, and content guidance adapted to target groups, influencers, desired behaviors, and local contexts. Participating communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America have seen measured increase in water tariff compliance and improved clean water and hygiene practices since implementation.

 

The Faith Effect 

The Faith Effect was a joint initiative by the Center for Interfaith Action (CIFA) and the Nike and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations.  In Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia, deeply entrenched harmful traditional practices (HTPs) of early marriage and FGC are perpetuated as cultural and social norms, often using religious pretexts; further HIV prevention is often mired in a dangerous “don’t ask, don’t tell” attitude. I led content creation for a set of faith-based behavior change communication toolkits for Muslim, Catholic and EOTC faith leaders to use in Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia, to stimulate positive action on three issues: ending the harmful traditional practices (HTP) of child marriage (CM) and  female genital cutting (FGC), and encouraging the use of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) by serodiscordant couples to prevent HIV. The percentage of faith leaders involved in this project who opposed CM and FGC more than doubled as a result of our intervention. For the PrEP project, faith leader toolkits were instrumental in informing and engaging religious leaders in promoting a proven method of HIV prevention. 

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The Centers for Disease Control

Public health experts at the Centers for Disease Control Office on Smoking and Health were concerned that the quit rate for young women smokers was declining. I led the development of the online social marketing campaign Seven Deadly Myths, addressing the common misconceptions that women have about smoking and quitting, such as: “If I quit I’ll get fat,” or “I’m young, I can quit later and it will be fine.” Reality-style micro-videos countered every myth, featured former Supermodel and public  health advocate Christy Turlington, and called for action via a quit hotline that was run and monitored for 18 months post-launch. The campaign led to an over 60% increase in uptake of quitting assistance materials and counseling via the established national hotline.  In addition to this particular campaign, I led the development of several other online tobacco education campaigns targeting youth, including one of the  reality-style campaign series for the Legacy Foundation/J Walter Thompson called “Mary Quits,” where Washington, DC resident was followed for 30-days during her pledge to quit smoking.