About
30 years of getting the message right.
I started my career as a journalist — launching a community newspaper fresh out of college in a former coal town that had seen better days. That foundation shaped everything that followed.
Matthew Solovey has more than 30 years of communication strategy experience. Starting as a journalist, he launched a community newspaper when he was fresh out of college — an experience that gave him a solid foundation for more than 15 years of community journalism before embarking on a career in marketing and communications in healthcare and academia.
From launching newspapers to directing communications for a university research institute, Matthew has always had an eye for strategy and big-picture thinking, while maintaining a focus on detail for day-to-day execution.
His experience spans writing and editing, press releases, media relations, internal communications, social media, crisis communications, podcasting, video production, advertising, graphic design, and all aspects of communication strategy planning and execution.
Today, Matthew works directly with businesses, organizations, and individuals who need clear, strategic communications — no account managers, no handoffs. Just focused, expert attention on your challenges.
Philosophy
"Audience-focused strategic communication with an emphasis on simplicity and authenticity."
Writing Style
Concise, direct, and simple. Creative writing has its place, but messaging is often lost at the expense of being clever. The goal is always to understand the audience and tailor the message to it.
Experience
Career History
Penn State, State College, PA
August 2022 – Present
Adjunct Instructor — Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
Teaching COMM 260W: News Writing and Reporting.
Highmark Health (Lumevity), Pittsburgh, PA
September 2021 – January 2023
Content Strategy Lead — Enterprise Change
Employee-centered communication strategies for internal change projects; talking points for senior leadership; communication plans for organizational VPs.
Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA
December 2017 – September 2021
Director of Communication — Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Strategic communication across faculty, public, and peer organizations. Supervised marketing and communication specialists. Managed social media, newsletters, website, and paid campaigns.
Penn State Health, Hershey, PA
January 2009 – December 2017
Science Communications Specialist
Press releases, media relations, social media, blog management, clinical research recruitment marketing, crisis communications, and internal communications.
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA
November 2006 – December 2008
Marketing Representative
Marketing and PR support for hospital departments; media pitching; event planning; annual report production.
Journal Register Company / Knight Ridder
1999 – 2006
Senior Editor / Managing Editor
Managed multiple weekly newspapers; supervised staff of 12; editorial strategy, writing, design, and community relations.
LookOut Publishing, Inc., Nanticoke, PA
June 1995 – September 1998
Editor and Publisher
Conceptualized, designed, and launched the Greater Nanticoke News — a twice-monthly community newspaper serving six communities.
Recommendations
What colleagues say
"Matt is a well-organized, creative marketing and communications director for the Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute. He is a talented writer and is knowledgeable about appropriate scope, content, best marketing practices, and latest communications strategies."
Charity Sauder
Administrative Director
"Matt is a pleasure to work with. He helped to organize the recruitment procedures for two complex NIH clinical trials I conducted, and he has also taken leadership in writing news stories to disseminate the research I (and others) have conducted at Penn State Hershey."
Dr. Liza Rovniak
Researcher
"Matt is a great teammate. He brings not only a ton of knowledge, but a willingness to learn and try new things, a desire to improve and innovate, and a great and clear communication style."
Joan Concilio
Web Specialist
"Matt Solovey is a detail oriented professional who has a disciplined approach to writing and editing. His work speaks for itself. If you are looking for accuracy, consistency, and thoroughness, Matt should be the person you go to."
Rod Urand
Instructional Technology Specialist
"Matt is clearly a strong marketer, editor, writer and more. Among his most notable traits is his ability to tackle the details while also seeing the big picture."
Scott Gilbert
Public Relations Team Lead