About
In May of 2023, I graduated from the University of San Francisco’s Professional Communication—Master of Arts program with a concentration in Technical Communication. Before entering graduate school, I had 14 years of professional experience as a writer, editor, photographer, and social media manager.
Considering I have Bachelor’s Degree in Cinema from San Francisco State, movies and episodic television are very dear to me, but I believe that the comics medium is the most creative storytelling medium that there is.
The combined use of words and pictures can be much more impactful than when deployed independently, and taking all of this into account, I view myself as a storyteller. I thrive in collaborative environments, and I am passionate about communicating meaningful messages to audiences. So, in that sense, I also have a knack for solving problems.
I’m an Arrested Development fan, too.
MASCOT SPORTS
Currently, I am the Community Manager for Mascot Sports, an endurance sports production agency. That is to say, we organize marathons, 5Ks, triathlons, and such. Livermore Valley Half Marathon & 5K, Oakland Turkey Trot, Marin Triathlon, Bay Bridge Half Marathon, and Golden State 5K are some of our local Bay Area events, and others like Diplo’s Run Club and Run Travis Run are more expanded tours.
Similar to a utility player in baseball that can play multiple positions on the field, I work cross functionally with marketing, operations, and business development teams. In turn, I have constant interactions with many different internal and external stakeholders. Among many duties, I have assumed ownership of the firm’s customer service organizational flow. This is where the whole storyteller and problem solver crossover comes in really handy.
You can find the Diplo’s Run Club FAQ articles that I created for the 2025 Philadelphia event here.
Below are a few public facing social content that I helped create:
STORY ELEMENTS
I’m also a Bay Area sports fan that claims the Warriors and 49ers, and in the last several years I found myself ever conflicted with my A’s fandom. In the midst of the the A’s final season playing in the midst of the hallowed Oakland Coliseum in 2024, I felt compelled to shine some kind of light on the plight of my fellow A’s fans. At the time, I was also dedicated to developing a Substack that I called Story Elements, where I spotlighted instances where communication and storytelling intersected, and worthy of discussion—either by essay or by podcast.
The title of my Substack takes inspiration from my love of William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s Elements of Style.
Below you can find links to my podcast interviews with my former Crisis Communication professor, Larry Kamer, on his thoughts on how the A’s organization has handled its relocation efforts. Considering the wealth of his knowledge and years of experience in the crisis management field, I just thought his perspective to be insightful, and it truly was.
I also spoke with Brian Johansen, co-founder of Last Dive Bar, for his insight and advocacy for the Oakland fanbase that the A’s organization brushed aside. Brian, his Last Dive Bar cohorts, as well as the Oakland 68s, and other A’s fans took on a boots-on-the-ground leadership role to represent disenfranchised Oakland A’s fans. The motivated and sense of community that these groups fostered was and still is undeniable, and it was so important to me to book Brian for this talk.
In all, Story Elements is on a pause, at least for the time being, but I am proud of what I have been able to produce thus far, and I think both of these conversations are worth listening to.
University of San Francisco
Professional Communication, M.A.
Courses
Foundations of Communication
Ethics of Professional Communication
Technical Communication
Digital Storytelling
Crisis Communication
Health Communication
Capstone/Culminating
Portfolios
A combination of factors led me to my decision to go back to school after spending 14 years wandering the wilderness of the professional world. Nearly a full year after COVID-19 first turned the world sideways, and with the various ways that this global pandemic extracted its toll on me, I confronted the fact that the best course of action that I could take to bounce back just might be enrolling in graduate school. It wasn’t much longer until I realized that USF’s Professional Communication program (MAPC) was the solution that I was looking for.
I felt the program, its curriculum and learning outcomes were in line with my objectives to further develop my skills as a writer and visual storyteller, along with deepening my knowledge of communications.
Before entering MAPC, I had aspirations to work for creative and communication agencies. I wanted to tell the stories of companies and brands that I believe have goods and services that I feel are worthy of more wider recognition, and whose mission and ideals align with mine. So, as I embarked on my MAPC journey, it became a goal of mine to explore internship opportunities in that environment. But as my time in MAPC progressed, my search parameters widened to include non-profit organizations.
In my second year in the MAPC program, I secured a social media and digital marketing internship with Everscale Agency, a digital marketing firm whose clientele mostly consist of brands that produce healthy drink and food snacks. Thereafter, I interned for 826 Valencia, a non-profit that champions the writing development of students as early as second grade, all the way through high school. The organization has a particular focus on tutoring students in under-resourced areas, and I interned as an educational programing intern working out of the organization’s Mission Bay Center in San Francisco, CA.
Testimonials
Joey possesses a unique talent for effectively communicating complex technical concepts to diverse audiences. His ability to translate intricate information into clear and concise messages is certainly what every organization needs. Whether it's creating user-friendly documentation, notating complex processes, producing useful FAQs, or designing compelling presentations, Joey consistently has demonstrated his ability to convey technical ideas in an accessible manner useful for strategic marketing. His outstanding communication skills have significantly contributed to class success in delivering information that resonates with both technical and non-technical audiences.
Moreover, Joey excels in strategic content creation. His keen understanding of target audiences, industry trends, and strategic objectives allows him to develop and execute comprehensive content strategies that drive tangible results. He excels in using market research, identifying key indicators, and crafting content that captivates and engages readers. Joey’s insights have consistently led to the creation of impactful content that elevates brand awareness, engages customer values, and ultimately contributes to business growth.
From project to project, what sets Joey apart is his unwavering commitment to excellence, willingness to be creative, and meticulous attention to detail. Joey consistently goes above and beyond to deliver high-quality work that exceeds expectations. Joey possesses a natural ability to think creatively and strategically, often bringing fresh perspective to group and individual projects. His individual work ethic, collaborative spirit, and his willingness to support peers have fostered an exceptionally fresh and productive work environment, resulting in improved team cohesion and performance.
- David Ryan, PhD
Academic Director and Faculty Chair
Master of Arts in Professional Communication
University of San Francisco
Joey was a graduate student in my MAPC Digital Storytelling class in Spring 2022. Joey truly is a storyteller, in every sense of the word. He’s got a keen analytical mind, so all of his storytelling strategies are backed with an impressive understanding of theory and technique. One of the things I was most impressed with was the way that he adapted to specific modalities - he is as adept at telling a primarily visual story - like an Instagram carousel - as he is a primarily auditory story - like a podcast. At the same, he understands how narrative foundations - what we called the “story map” or basic story structure (setting, rising action, climax, etc) - translate across modalities. I “taught” Joey, but I also learned from him, particularly from his deep background in comic/graphic novel theory and practice. Finally, I was also impressed at Joey's commitment to craft - he doesn't just want to "get the job done," but rather, he wants to do it right. Every project demonstrates his care, attention to detail, and dynamic personal voice.
- Leigh Meredith, Associate Professor, University of San Francisco
Joey approaches his work with 826 Valencia with professionalism, energy, and drive. In his time with 862, he built meaningful relationships with students, supporting them from the early stages of writing projects to final drafts. He is a reliable team member, an effective collaborator, and an asset to any team.
- Emily Forbes-Allen Former Mission Bay Programs Manager, 826 Valencia
Joey's abilities as a communicator defy easy categorization. Though writing is his strongest area, he is multifaceted, with polished skills in photography and digital communication, as well as tutoring and editing. As a student of professional communication, Joey is also equipped to analyze situations to create the best strategic choices. He has proven himself to be skilled in crisis communication, digital storytelling, and technical communication. And this kind of range allows him to think holistically about the best way to produce effective messages, regardless of situation and genre.
- Theodore Matula, Associate Professor, Department of Rhetoric and Language
University of San Francisco
We selected Joey Pangilinan for our graduate program based on his succinct and creative personal statement combined with his strong writing for the music industry. His creative approaches to assignments continued to reinforce his unique ways of thinking while he engaged others in thinking differently. This is his superpower—looking for unexpected ways to communicate effectively. He is a great team member, effective individual contributor and diligent and responsible communicator.
- Donna Uchida, Former Program Director, Master of Arts in Professional Communication,
University of San Francisco