Tracy Playle is a marketing-communications specialist who works primarily with the education and research organisations. From running workshops to developing full strategies, she specialises in helping organisations to understand how social and digital media can be integrated into their overall marketing-communications blend, and works with them to develop strategic approaches to embedding social media into their campaigns and ongoing engagement activities.

Prior to establishing Pickle Jar Communications in 2007, Tracy worked in-house for the University of Warwick in a number of communications roles, latterly as Head of Research-TV where she helped universities raise their profile on television channels round the world.

She is also currently Chair of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Education and Skills Sector Group, and a member of the CIPR Council. In 2008 Tracy launched HE Comms (www.he-comms.co.uk), the online social network for communications professionals working in the higher education sector. You can follow Tracy on Twitter @picklejar