Tessa Howington '03

Tessa has a wide range of experiences and skills calumniating into over 25 years of professional Marketing and Public Relations experience and VIP / Talent Handling and Management, 18 years of writing and editing experience, with many publications, and 15 years of web based or multimedia experience.

Tessa owns, manages, promotes, and oversees all day-to-day duties of Santa for Hire DFW; her second start up business. Founded in 2009, it is a seasonal entertainment business providing a professional Santa and Mrs. Clause for personal, community, or corporate events, in the Dallas Metroplex. Santa for Hire has an average annual growth of 150%, and is now her primary focus year round. The business is currently looking at expansion and franchise options.

Traditionally, Tessa is a Freelance Media Consultant specializing in Small Business needs. She has been freelancing since 2001, and started her own business, Caypay.com, in 2005. She is currently only accepting small freelance projects that include: design, production, and editing of informational and e-commerce websites, writing / editing of small articles or promotional materials, or limited photography requests. In the past, she consulted with businesses on merchandising, sales, and product development, branding / trademark campaigns, multi media campaigns, and can provide businesses with operational business analysis / efficiency management. She has also been contracted as an event planner / manager, writer / editor, social media / content manager, marketing / media strategist, or as an art production director.

She has also been a Featured or Weekly Columnist for several regional and national publications, and is often a Featured Photographer for major social media campaigns. Additionally, Tessa spends the spring judging and involved in speech and debate events for UIL / NFL / TFA / PISA across Texas.

Before attending Texas A&M, she worked for the Southwest Sports Group, parent company of the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers, as a Game Day/Special Event Staff and Booster Club Liaison and Coordinator. At Texas A&M, she was Co-President of the Student Chapter of STC (Society for Technical Communicators) for two years, and Secretary for SCA (Speech Communications Association) for a year. She is a graduate of the Class of 2003, with a degree in Speech Communications, focus in Rhetoric Studies, and a minor in Professional Writing. She also received an Associate in Business Administration from Eastfield College.

Tessa has expertise in the areas of media and consulting.

Find Tessa on Facebook, LinkedIN, and Twitter.