Our SMS professionals serve as ambassadors for our certification program here at NISM. Not only are they knowledgeable about our curriculum, but they also share our passion for social media. Best of all, their stories help shape our organization and the work that we do here.

Our “Meet and Greet” series introduces you to one of our SMS professionals and shares their story. We hope that by sharing these stories, not only will you learn more about others who share your passion for being an SMS professional, but you also will want to connect with them further. We encourage you to “meet” this featured individual by reaching out to them through your favorite social media platform or by commenting in the section below this article.

And with that, we’d like to introduce you to Amy Peiffer, SMS and her story.

 

Hi, Amy! Let’s start with you telling us a little about yourself and the work you do.

I am the social media lead at Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine, where I oversee the development and execution of leading-edge social media strategies that integrate seamlessly into the patient journey, playing a pivotal role in driving patient loyalty, engaging a patient community, and enhancing brand presence through innovative social media initiatives in academic health care.

Prior to my role at Penn State Health, I used my diverse experience in journalism, design and social media marketing as a dynamic content manager with a passion for storytelling and strategic communication for a portfolio of multibillion-dollar corporations with Bravo Group, a top-rated independent public relations firm in Pennsylvania. With a background in engineering before shifting to communications, I have a unique ability blend high-level analysis and data-driven insights to crafting purposeful narratives that has helped to build award-winning campaigns that drive results.

I have a strong commitment to lifelong learning and professional development and am currently pursuing a master’s degree in strategic communications at Penn State World Campus. When I’m not reading and studying, I’m on the golf course, spoiling my cats, traveling wherever a plane, boat or bus will take me, and raising two teenagers who can interpret what the Internet is saying for this elder Millennial (still trying to understand “skibidi”, please send notes).

The younger generation’s lingo sure is confusing, but at least you have a handle on social media! What is your favorite social media platform?

I love the creativity Instagram inspires for my organic work in health care and higher education! We can take really difficult concepts or dense information and repackage in so many ways to really reach people in new ways that help that content penetrate new markets and drive meaningful conversations on social media. Personally, though, I’m an endless scroller on TikTok sharing all the clips with my kids and my Nana (who’s an even more avid TikTok enthusiast than me). I’d love more opportunities in the future to develop a strategy and content for the channel as it aligns with our brand audience.

TikTok can be a great addition to your strategy, we’re excited to see what you do. What do you love most about the work that you do?

I love the ability to tell the stories about the difference our health system and college make in both patient and their families’ lives, but also to the greater community at large. It is monumentally remarkable to learn first-hand about research that is being used to understand and fight pediatric cancer, addiction and neurodegenerative diseases, all of which have impacted my own life and so many others. Our family has a direct connection to Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, where our first son was cared for throughout his three years battling a terminal illness. The entire staff — from nurses to child life to even the facilities crew — had such a tremendous impact on our experience, and being able to connect with other patients to share how that work has impacted their care and treatment and disseminate that as broadly as social media allows puts so much purpose and meaning to my work.

It’s wonderful to hear your passion for your work. Why was it important for you to seek certification as a social media strategist?

It’s an unfortunate reality that social media is not always viewed as a professional field — we fight a lot as social media experts to help other professionals outside of the field to understand that it’s not “just” posting to channels. I often liken it to playing the piano: yes, anyone can walk into a store and buy a piano, sit down, and start pressing keys. But me — who can’t read music and has no internal rhythm — mashing my tiny fingers on a keyboard will sound a lot different than a classically trained musician, and I can guarantee that people will only stay to listen to one of us. Just because anyone can start a social media account doesn’t mean that account will be an effective strategic communication tool without that education and experience. Having the certification to demonstrate that higher level of experience, education and professionalism helps to signal to others my robust expertise and continues to elevate the field in the realm of strategic communications. I want others to grow their respect for the work the amazing professionals in social media are doing every day.

A lack of understanding and respect for social media practitioners is a sad sentiment we hear often. Kudos to you for fighting against the narritive and focusing on professional growth! What advice would you give someone thinking about certification?

I’d encourage someone considering certification to think about how they want to invest in themselves and their career. Putting the time, energy and effort in is very rewarding, but it certainly requires self-discipline to recognize how much time and resources are required individually to make that commitment. I’d also encourage them to seek out others for information and always be curious! I love having conversations with people in the field, or who are even considering the field, and there are so many supportive people who are willing to share their own experiences. When you’re ready to make the commitment, have those conversations, create a plan, and always remember your why when it gets tough to power through.

That’s great advice, thank you so much for chatting with us today. Before we go, we like to end things with a fun fact. Can you tell us something about you that not everyone would know?

Most people who know me will tell you I’m a pretty open book – I’m very direct and transparent, so there’s not much that you don’t get to see or learn about me given a short time. Besides winning a chicken wing-eating competition in college (my mom would be so proud!), I’d say one of the unique opportunities I’ve had in my travels is I once fed a mountain lion meatballs. I guess not everyone can say that! I also have a small obsession with hot dogs (ask me for my definitive hot dog ranking list), Taylor Swift, and was the women’s long-drive champion for probably an hour once at a golf tournament.

Amy, thank you for sharing your story with us. Keep up the excellent work!

If you’d like, you can connect with Amy on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.