Katelin Kight, who serves as the public relations specialist for the Dare County Public Relations Department, was named Dare County’s Employee of the Month for February 2022 at the Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting that was held at 9 a.m. on Monday, February 7, 2022.
She was presented the award for this prestigious honor by Dorothy Hester, who serves as the county’s public information officer. During her presentation, Hester highlighted the substantial contributions that Kight has made through her efforts to collaborate with staff members from numerous departments since she initially started working for Dare County.
“Katelin has been working for the county since November 2020, and in that time she has had a tremendous and positive impact on the county’s communications efforts,” said Hester.
In her role as public relations specialist, Kight focuses on a wide array of tasks that range from web development, photography, social media and graphic design to determining the most effective ways to enhance the county’s overall branding and ultimately improve its outreach to Dare County residents, visitors and property owners.
Kight consistently works with virtually every department in Dare County to perform updates and implement design changes on various departmental web pages, prepare and schedule social media posts, and design an assortment of print and digital communication materials—such as newsletters, brochures, posters, banners, signage, social media graphics, program flyers, forms and listings, and event invitations—among many others.
“Everyone enjoys working with Katelin. She is patient, kind, creative and efficient—and her knowledge and work ethic are beyond measure,” said Hester. “Her ideas and designs are effective. The libraries, the Dare County Center and [the Dare County GIS Department] have all reported increased effectiveness in their outreach efforts due to Katelin’s efforts to prepare graphics and help promote their events and initiatives.”
One of the most significant and impactful contributions Kight has made in her first 15 months as a county employee is the creation of the official Dare County Facebook and Instagram accounts. Launched in April 2021, these platforms make it possible for the county to expand its presence and reach a wider audience—and to share a wealth of important information about a variety of topics with individuals who are located within Dare County and beyond.
This information includes everything from Pet of the Week posts promoting animals that are available for adoption at the Outer Banks SPCA to weather-related watches and warnings, meeting notices, and details about the many unique programs and events that take place at Dare County facilities.
In addition to developing an editorial calendar used to schedule upcoming posts, designing graphics and creating engaging content specifically for these two channels, Kight is also responsible for monitoring the social media accounts of other departments—and for assisting with their ongoing efforts to promote initiatives and increase engagement.
Recognizing the importance of elevating Dare County’s communication with the public, Kight was also instrumental in the development and subsequent launch of the county’s new and improved email notification system, a web-based platform called GovDelivery, which is designed to provide government agencies with an efficient, secure and effective way to distribute information to subscribers.
Via GovDelivery, users have the ability to subscribe to receive updates on an assortment of Dare County topics that range from current and upcoming county projects, beach nourishment, essential/workforce housing, dredging and trash collection schedule changes to library events and activities, youth and senior center classes, Parks and Recreation Department programming, as well as messages created by Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard, among others.
In addition to managing Dare County’s primary social media platforms, Kight is also tasked with leading the Public Relations Department’s redesign of the county’s website, www.DareNC.com, which is currently underway and expected to be complete later this year.
“This is a huge undertaking that involves working with all departments to organize and share their information in a way that will make it most accessible to our residents, property owners and visitors,” said Hester.
Despite having only served in her position as public relations specialist for less than a year and a half, Kight has already had a profound and positive impact thanks to her dedication to improving Dare County’s existing methods of keeping the public informed—as well as her efforts to find new brand-new ways to effectively communicate with the thousands of people who call the Outer Banks home or visit the area for vacation each year.
“This is just a sampling of Katelin’s work,” said Hester. “But no matter what the task at hand, Katelin is willing to jump in and give it her all with a great attitude and a smile.”
For more information about the Dare County Public Relations Department, visit DareNC.com/PR.