Executive Communications · Reputation · Strategic Advisory

Clarity.
Influence.
Impact.

I develop communications strategies that strengthen reputations, elevate leaders and help organizations connect with the audiences who matter most. My work combines editorial judgment with a clear understanding of business priorities.

KAYLA COLLINS
Communications executive and strategic advisor

Founder, CommVision Consulting
Detroit, Michigan
The portfolio

Selected
work.

Selected work across corporate communications, public affairs, executive positioning and brand strategy. Each project reflects a different challenge and a focused approach to delivering results.

Additional work and coverage

Selected media & work.

A broader selection of published work across consumer brands, finance, technology and community issues. These links complement the leadership-focused case studies above.

Consumer products & innovation

Corporate, financial & economic development

Community, lifestyle & public health

Selected MCCMH brand guidelines and impact report pages, the DTE Foundation impact report and the portfolio-safe CMHA-CEI research adaptation are available above. Additional internal strategy materials remain private.

Energy and infrastructure communications

What I believe

Strategy first.
Stories that deliver.

Strong communications start with sound strategy. I bring together organizational priorities, audience insight and executive perspective to build messages that resonate and support meaningful outcomes.

10+Years across corporate and agency communications
30+Brands supported directly and through agencies
10+Agency and strategic partners engaged across consulting and client leadership
Kayla Collins, communications executive and strategic advisor
Meet the strategist

Meet
Kayla.

I'm Kayla Collins, a communications executive and strategic advisor with more than a decade of experience shaping how organizations communicate, lead and build trust. I enjoy the challenge of making complex ideas clear and finding fresh perspectives on familiar issues.

My career spans in-house leadership, agency work and independent consulting. I've advised executives, built communications functions and led campaigns across energy, public health, technology and consumer brands. That range has taught me to balance creativity with judgment and to understand the business behind every message.

I care about the work behind the headlines: the research, relationships and decisions that make communications effective. Through CommVision Consulting, I also partner directly with leaders and brands that value thoughtful counsel and ambitious ideas.

Education
Master of ArtsStrategic Communication · Michigan State University
Bachelor of ArtsIntegrative Public Relations · Central Michigan University
The practice behind the perspective

CommVision
Consulting.

CommVision Consulting provides strategic communications counsel for organizations and leaders building visibility, managing reputation and navigating change. I bring senior-level thinking, practical execution and an agency-trained editorial perspective to every engagement.

Executive advisory

Executive positioning, thought leadership and messaging that reflect each leader's voice and organizational priorities.

Reputation & issues

Proactive reputation strategy, issues management and communications planning for sensitive or high-stakes situations.

Brand & visibility

Brand narratives, media strategy and launch communications designed to reach the right audiences and support business goals.

Start a conversation

Let's talk about what's next.

Get in touch
← Selected work
Agency leadership · Automotive & economic development

Introducing a global engineering leader to Michigan

Positioning a North American headquarters opening as a story of investment, innovation and regional opportunity.

The challenge

What was at stake.

ATESTEO’s North American headquarters opening needed to reach automotive, business and Michigan audiences while coordinating a high-profile event involving state and company leadership.

My role

Where I led.

Director of Client Solutions and Media Relations at Piper & Gold. Led media strategy and coordinated communications around the grand opening.

The approach

How the work came together.

  1. Built the announcement narrative around Michigan investment and automotive engineering.
  2. Coordinated media outreach and event messaging involving senior corporate leaders and state officials.
  3. Developed targeted pitches for regional business, industry and broadcast outlets.
The impact

Results that matter.

39Reported media placements
2.6MReported earned media views
39Earned media placements for North American headquarters launch
Explore the work

Source materials.

Selected direct coverage and public sources. Additional campaign deliverables can be shared upon request.

Agency work · Piper & Gold. Case study content adapted from supplied portfolio materials. Project visuals use editorial typography in place of client logos.
← Selected work
Agency collaboration · Venture capital & technology

Launching a $50 million fund into a crowded news cycle

A focused media introduction for a new investment firm during an exceptionally difficult news environment.

The challenge

What was at stake.

Basis Vectors was preparing its public debut and the launch of a $50 million fund in 2020, when COVID-19 dominated the business news cycle.

My role

Where I led.

Communications consultant through Perfectly Pitched in an agency partnership with Trust Relations. Supported launch messaging, founder positioning and media outreach.

The approach

How the work came together.

  1. Worked with the founding team on targeted messaging for the fund announcement.
  2. Developed tailored outreach for financial, technology and business publications.
  3. Secured founder interview opportunities and launch-day coverage, including two mentions in The Wall Street Journal.
The impact

Results that matter.

$50MFunding launch, the firm's largest at the time
10Reported media placements
5.7MReported earned media views
Explore the work

Source materials.

Selected direct coverage and public sources. Additional campaign deliverables can be shared upon request.

Agency collaboration · Trust Relations / Perfectly Pitched. Case study content adapted from supplied portfolio materials. Project visuals use editorial typography in place of client logos.
← Selected work
Agency leadership · Behavioral health

Building community trust ahead of a new crisis care resource

A research-informed approach to introducing a crisis stabilization unit and addressing the questions that come with change.

The challenge

What was at stake.

A planned Crisis Stabilization Unit in Lansing required more than launch publicity. Neighbors, people seeking care, health care partners, first responders and community leaders had different needs and perceptions.

My role

Where I led.

Director of Client Solutions / Account Director at Piper & Gold. Directed the strategic communications work supporting stakeholder research, message development and community engagement.

The approach

How the work came together.

  1. Segmented stakeholder audiences to understand distinct information needs and concerns.
  2. Guided community needs and perceptions research, including surveys, focus groups and messaging considerations.
  3. Developed recommendations for trust-building, referral partner communications and sensitive issue response.
  4. Connected research findings to the launch communications strategy and community-facing materials.
The impact

Results that matter.

3.15MEstimated media views generated by crisis care center coverage
15+Focus groups with community, public health and government stakeholders
Research-ledLaunch positioning and community engagement approach
Explore the work

Source materials.

Selected direct coverage and public sources. Additional campaign deliverables can be shared upon request.

Agency work · Piper & Gold. Case study content adapted from supplied portfolio materials. Project visuals use editorial typography in place of client logos.
← Selected work
Independent consulting · Beauty & biotechnology

A science-led beauty brand finds its next chapter

Translating a complex biotechnology story into a compelling brand repositioning and media narrative.

The challenge

What was at stake.

Codex Beauty Labs was preparing to reposition as Codex Labs Corporation. The launch needed to explain the brand’s science, sustainability credentials and evolving identity to distinct beauty and business audiences.

My role

Where I led.

Communications consultant through Perfectly Pitched, now CommVision Consulting. Partnered with the founding team on messaging and earned media strategy.

The approach

How the work came together.

  1. Developed targeted positioning for the rebrand announcement with the founding team.
  2. Tailored outreach for beauty, wellness, sustainability and business journalists.
  3. Secured founder interview opportunities and developed relationships with influential industry media.
The impact

Results that matter.

10Media placements
337.7MReported earned media views
Thought leadershipFounder interviews and features across beauty and business outlets
Explore the work

Source materials.

Selected direct coverage and public sources. Additional campaign deliverables can be shared upon request.

Independent consulting · Perfectly Pitched / CommVision. Case study content adapted from supplied portfolio materials. Project visuals use editorial typography in place of client logos.
← Selected work
In-house communications · Energy & philanthropy

Making corporate community investment visible and meaningful

Connecting the Foundation’s investments and partnerships to the communities, leaders and outcomes behind them.

The challenge

What was at stake.

The Foundation’s community initiatives span multiple issues and audiences. The communications opportunity was to make those investments understandable, relevant and visible without losing the human dimension of the work.

My role

Where I led.

Senior Communications Consultant at DTE Energy. Supported Foundation storytelling, executive visibility and integrated communication for community initiatives.

The approach

How the work came together.

  1. Developed executive and social content that connected Foundation priorities to tangible community impact.
  2. Supported press and stakeholder communications for community partnerships, including a Fire Safety Month event with the American Red Cross.
  3. Coordinated messages and storytelling across Foundation programs, community events and owned channels.
  4. Supported audience-focused newsletters and performance-informed communications.
The impact

Results that matter.

25%Foundation LinkedIn follower growth, Q1 reporting
35%Engagement on top-performing Foundation LinkedIn posts
9%Improvement in click rate following newsletter location targeting
Explore the work

Source materials.

Selected direct coverage and public sources. Additional campaign deliverables can be shared upon request.

In-house role · DTE Energy. Case study content adapted from supplied portfolio materials. Project visuals use editorial typography in place of client logos.
← Selected work
In-house leadership · Public health

Building a communications function from the inside out

A unified communications strategy for an organization whose work touches thousands of lives across Macomb County.

The challenge

What was at stake.

MCCMH needed a clearer, more consistent way to communicate with the people it serves, its workforce, partners and the public. Brand standards, executive communications and media relations needed a shared direction.

My role

Where I led.

Communications Manager. Led the communications function, partnered with the CEO and developed the strategic framework for internal and external communications.

The approach

How the work came together.

  1. Developed the 2024–25 strategic communications framework to align messaging with organizational priorities.
  2. Created the organization’s first brand guidelines and first annual impact report.
  3. Improved website content and accessibility, built proactive media relations and established crisis communication protocols.
  4. Prepared leadership messaging and coordinated communication for sensitive policy and service updates.
The impact

Results that matter.

30%Increase in media visibility in the first year
FirstBrand guidelines and annual impact report
BuiltOrganization-wide communications framework aligning internal, executive and external messaging