Member Spotlight
Shara Dee - Communications Officer - City of South Portland, Maine
3CMA is shining the spotlight on member Shara Dee, the Communications Officer for the City of South Portland, Maine. Get to know Shara and how she has benefitted from 3CMA membership!
What would other members be surprised to learn about your organization/role?
I am the Communications Officer for the City of South Portland, the fourth largest City in Maine. This is a brand-new role and I'm the first person to ever be in the position.
Can you share a memorable experience or success story that happened because of your involvement with 3CMA?
I started as the City of South Portland, Maine's Communications Officer just over a year and a half ago. I am the City's very first Communications Officer and I had no prior government experience when I started. 3CMA webinars and last year's annual conference helped me hit the ground running, gave me the tools I need to succeed in building a new "information hub" for the City, and enabled me to join a national network of professionals all working to engage, educate and inform the public on local government issues. Thanks in large part to inspiration from 3CMA resources and members, in my first year and a half in my role I launched our brand-new City website; rolled out our new City logo and branding (our first re-brand in over 30 years); re-vamped our Annual Report; collaborated with our Communication Television staff on a brand-new monthly show about our community, and much more. I attended my first 3CMA Annual Conference last year, and the useful tools I walked away with are too numerous to list. I'll be returning this year for sure. Thank you, 3CMA!
How does the collaborative environment within 3CMA enhance your professional experience?
The collaborative environment within 3CMA is a big part of why I thrive in my role of Communications Officer for my city. The ideas and help that members share, the resources 3CMA provides, and the community of others all around the country doing similar work is so critical to helping me succeed in my work. I benefit professionally, and my community benefits by extension. I am so thankful that 3CMA exists and that I am a member. A proud one!
What would you say is the most unexpected benefit you’ve received from being a member of 3CMA?
Tips and tools to cut costs and increase efficiency in my work are the most unexpected benefits I've received from being a 3CMA member. The resources 3CMA offers are consistently excellent, practical, and timely.