Mary Nguyen
Sr. Communications Specialist, Center for Good Food Purchasing
Build Connections, Not Campaigns: Asset Framing and Dignified Engagement for Impact
Conventional nonprofit narratives rely on deficit-framing, which diminishes trust and impact over time. Where as asset-framing is meant to restore and build trust between teams, partners and other stakeholders. To be successful, this approach requires cross-functional engagement and alignment, which makes story development more effective and efficient. Asset framing helps break silos and allows audiences (and teams) to build empathetic connections and relationships. When stories are co-created and collaboratively constructed, what you get isn't just a campaign, it's a community.
About Mary
An information design and communications specialist with more than 20 years experience as a professional storyteller/content producer/strategist/manager in newsrooms, such as The Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Columbus Dispatch and Columbia Missourian, as well as nonprofits, including Heifer International, United Way, Cultivate KC, True/False Film Fest, and the Center for Good Food Purchasing. I specialize in crafting evidence-based narratives, weaving qualitative and quantitative context with emotional resonance. My passion for communications and design comes from being the daughter of refugees and a lifetime of learning how to listen, interpret and translate not just words but meaning and aligning intent with impact.