Krista Guthrie (she/her)

Communications Systems Manager
Conway, AR/CST (GMT-8)

Work History

Krista previously utilized her Bachelor of Science in Public Administration as a Public Information Officer for both the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and Department of Transportation. She worked with local, state, and federal government agencies and representatives, responded to media inquiries and issued press releases, managed social media and email outreach efforts, updated and maintained websites, staffed the state emergency management center during disaster activations, and conducted outreach to citizens and stakeholders.

Prior to that, she served full time in the U.S. Army Arkansas National Guard as both Public Affairs and Military Police. Krista led teams during typical monthly and annual training exercises, pre-mobilization training, mobilization during the Iraqi Freedom Campaign, post-mobilization, and re-acclimatization training. During this time, she regularly performed tasks and responsibilities more appropriate to a senior-level leader and was commended for her service.

She started as CALSTART’s first Social Media and Community Manager but was promoted to Digital Communications Manager within six months, where she oversaw the strategic design and execution of campaigns across CALSTART’s entire portfolio via email, social, video, graphic design, digital advertising, and websites. Recently her work has shifted to the development and maintenance of the marketing and communication teams’ technology, tools, processes, systems, and project management.

Education & Certifications

• BPA in Public Administration from Park University
• Certificate: Project Management Professional Training from PMI
• Certificate: Association Digital Marketing from Association Academy
• Certificates: Incident Command System from FEMA

Work Approach

One message, one voice. Goal-oriented communication. Lead with compassion. Learn better, do better.

When you communicate for a living, you find efficient ways to convey important ideas, but storytelling is being able to take those small, quick phrases and turn them into emotions, which then transform into actions.

Good storytelling touches people at a deep level, stirring something at the core of what it means to be human. Great storytelling allows humans to dream of doing and becoming more.