About
Andrew Thigpen
Strategic Communications and Web Strategy based in New Orleans
I am a content strategist and communicator who has spent the last decade helping complex organizations explain what they do and why it matters. My work sits at the intersection of editorial craft, web strategy, and brand.
Today I lead web communications at USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, where I am restructuring more than 100 funding programs into a unified page architecture and integrating a new grants.gov API solution that will make life easier both for grant applicants and those of us who have to keep the website up to date. The work draws on principles I have practiced for years and some I am learning: Create Once, Publish Everywhere; clear governance; plain language principles, AI-readable content, and content that follows the journeys people actually take.
Before NIFA, I spent six years at the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), where I led IFDC's first organizational rebrand in 44 years and rebuilt its website. As executive editor of the 2019 annual report, I moved the publication to a digital-first format and cut production costs in half. I also traveled extensively to collect stories from our field programs in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. One trip to Burundi, during which I interviewed project leads and farmers who were participating in our programs, became the highlighted story of the year.
My career started in journalism. I was the managing editor at a regional magazine, and in college I wrote and edited for my university paper. The habits I formed there were crucial to my professional development, and I carry them with me to this day: find the experts, dig until you have the lede, hit those deadlines. Whether the client is a federal agency or a neighborhood craftsman, I am happiest when the strategy and the story are doing the same work.
Experience
Web Content & Communications Manager
Oct 2022 – PresentUSDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
- Define and own enterprise content strategy for a federal science agency, establishing governance frameworks and planning processes across all channels and regions.
- Lead audit of 5,000+ pages, reducing outdated content by 40% and increasing engagement rate by 6%.
- Translate complex federal agricultural research into accessible narratives for policymakers, academics, and the public.
- Founding member of the knowledge management team that built NIFA's SharePoint intranet from scratch, establishing agency-wide editorial standards and publishing workflows.
- Manage vendor contracts and program budgets exceeding $800,000 annually; chair the Web Advisory Council's Business Evaluation Team.
Public Affairs Specialist
Apr 2021 – Oct 2022USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
- Developed content strategy and produced thought leadership content, executive briefings, and stakeholder communications.
- Supported content planning and editorial alignment across organizational priorities and partner engagement initiatives.
Head of Communications
Feb 2017 – Oct 2020International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)
- Defined enterprise content strategy for an international nonprofit with global operations across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- Led comprehensive organizational rebrand, defining brand positioning and messaging architecture still in use today.
- Managed global content operations across digital, print, social, and media channels; led a team of six and a $400,000 annual budget.
- Increased social media engagement 15% and drove 10% per-quarter subscriber growth; reduced annual report production costs by 50%.
- Managed website modernization strategy and information architecture, coordinating with external developers on platform improvements.
Writer / Editor
Dec 2015 – Feb 2017International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)
- Produced thought leadership content, donor reports, success stories, and stakeholder presentations for international leadership and donor audiences.
- Supported content strategy planning, editorial workflow development, and website information architecture improvements.
Editor
Oct 2014 – Jun 2015SET Magazine
- Served as managing editor, overseeing 20+ writers and photographers across story development, editorial planning, and publication workflows.
- Established and enforced editorial standards and brand voice; expanded digital audience through content strategy and social media.
Skills & Tools
Education
Bachelor of Science in English
Concentration: Professional Writing | Minor: Music | Honors Program
University of North Alabama