Hi, I’m Riley.

I’m a digital content strategist and creative project coordinator based in Austin. I turn research, people and ideas into stories an audience can connect with, then organize the contributors, feedback and details that bring the work to life.

At UT Research, I manage content across 7+ channels. My background also includes brand and website projects, restaurant photography, live events and conference creative.

I’m drawn to the human side of a story: asking good questions, finding the interesting detail and helping people feel comfortable contributing. My interest in music, pop culture and the people behind it is guiding my next chapter in entertainment content, production and talent-facing coordination.

Freelance work: For SPAP’s 2026 conference, I create promotional content, videos and production materials and coordinate contributor submissions and delivery. See the SPAP case study →

Download résumé (PDF) →

Portrait of Riley McDermott.

Experience

Digital Content Strategist

UT Research

March 2025 to present

I manage story research, content development, approvals, publishing and reporting across 7+ digital channels. I work with researchers, university leaders and communications teams to make complex subjects accessible.

During the first-year reporting period, shared channel impressions grew 148.6% to 1,361,037 and link clicks grew 114.4% to 13,524. Total audience size increased 56.7%.

March 3, 2025 to March 3, 2026, compared with the prior reporting year. See work and reporting context →

Marketing Specialist

Moby Capital

July 2024 to February 2025

Coordinated website and digital creative for Moby Capital, Orca Capital and Everest Point Capital. I supported WordPress updates, visual direction and user experience, organized contributor feedback and revisions and tracked delivery in ClickUp.

Marketing & Events Coordinator

Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park / The Groove

December 2023 to July 2024

Created social content, photography and email campaigns for a family attraction and restaurant while coordinating events and guest-facing programming. Reported results included a 152.3% increase in reach for Wonder World and $5,214 in email-attributed sales for The Groove, representing 5.7% of sales in the campaign report.

Historical campaign reporting from my 2023–2024 role; the original reporting windows are not available here.

Marketing Intern

Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park / The Groove

May 2023 to December 2023

Supported campaign research, content development, and digital execution. Materials contributed to 93.4% growth in social reach during the internship period.

Marketing Intern

Texas State University Hockey

December 2022 to August 2023

Supported promotional efforts tied to team events through graphics, social content, and outreach. Helped strengthen visibility and engagement around games and team programming, contributing to a 576% increase in reach, 551% increase in accounts engaged, and 272 new Instagram followers over a two-month period.

Education

Texas State University

B.S. Public Relations, Minor in Studies in Pop Culture

August 2020 to August 2024

Strengths

Story research · Social copy · Visual storytelling · Creative coordination · Contributor communication · Accessibility · Performance reporting

Platforms

LinkedIn • Instagram • Facebook • X • Bluesky • YouTube

Tools I use

Asana • ClickUp • Notion • Buffer • Zapier • Canva • Adobe Creative Suite • WordPress • Google Workspace • Microsoft Office

Résumé & experience

Download a concise two-page overview of my digital content, creative coordination and event experience.

Brands I’ve supported

UT Research
SPAP — Society for PAs in Pediatrics
Moby Capital
Wonder World Cave and Adventure Park
The Groove
Flow Coworking
Texas State Bobcat Hockey