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Note: This article was originally published on the VCU Health website.

Working in social media is all about quick thinking, efficient communication and expecting the unexpected. For Keith Jones, social media manager at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, these skills don’t just come in handy at work, they also fuel his passion outside of the office as a wilderness search and rescue first responder.

As the first dedicated social media manager at Massey, Jones is not afraid of entering uncharted territory and tackling a challenge.

“It’s a bit like a puzzle that’s constantly evolving. Social media trends happen, and you’ve got to see how we can lean into them,” said Jones. “Our brand is professional, informational and relatable, but also accessible and welcoming. Cancer is a big battle, but you don’t have to go in alone or uninformed.”

He embarked on his journey with Massey three years ago, after discovering the opportunity for the newly created position online.

“I thought it would be a fun bit of everything,” Jones said. “One of the things I pride myself on is being able to translate science, and the social media manager role combines a lot of things, like graphic design, video editing and certainly a lot of translation. Social media is the most forward, public-facing element, so that appealed to me as well.”

“Being lost is scary, confronting cancer is absolutely scary, I want to be a physical, emotional and informational resource for people. Whatever I do, I want it to be for something greater than just myself.”

A typical day as social media manager is a balancing act between real-time community engagement and long-term digital strategy. It begins with catching up on social media updates, triaging messages and monitoring comments to ensure patients receive the empathetic, timely responses they deserve, before shifting into the data-driven work of analyzing post performance to optimize Massey’s reach.

As part of his job, Keith Jones creates content and manages Massey's social media channels.

Acting as a strategic bridge across the organization, Jones meets with team members across Massey and the health system to translate their work into accessible stories. This collaboration ensures every post is a purposeful step toward the mission of providing a beacon of hope for the community.

“There are so many different groups within Massey doing great work and I want to get that work out there. My job is figuring out how to prioritize so that everyone feels recognized and everyone's getting their message out, while also assessing what is the most relevant and timely.”

Vanessa Copeland, M.S, assistant director of communications and digital marketing at Massey, assisted with recruiting Jones in the newly formed role in 2023, in an effort to increase Massey’s social media presence and create more opportunities for engaging with different audiences.

“Keith is a versatile communicator, with an outgoing personality,” said Copeland. “His curiosity about people, their origin stories and personal evolution translates well into how he captures content. These qualities are great for a health care communicator like Keith, who cares about getting to the heart of ‘why’ and sharing it in the work he produces.”

Finding purpose in and outside of work

In the same way that social media incorporates many of his interests, another outlet that allows Jones to combine several of his passions is wilderness search and rescue. This can involve anything from locating persons who are lost, missing or have cognitive impairments to providing first aid for injuries.

As someone who spends much of his time on outdoor adventures like rock climbing, hiking, camping and bushcraft, wilderness search and rescue gives Jones an opportunity to enjoy his existing hobbies while also serving a greater purpose - helping those in need.

To merge his interests for the greater good, Jones joined the Blue Ridge Mountain Rescue Group (BRMRG), an emergency response resource specializing in search and rescue operations for lost persons and aircraft.

Through the group, he honed skills from map reading and knot tying and securing patients for transport. He also deepened his understanding of how people move through terrain differently depending on their age, physical capabilities, and other personal factors. Right now, he’s at the base of the training levels, —“Callout Qualified”— and plans to work his way up the ranks to become a Search Team Leader through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

As a member of BRMRG, Jones is part of a crew that must be ready to launch a rescue mission at a moment’s notice whenever an emergency strikes.

Keith Jones' love of the outdoors and passion for serving others inspired him to join the Blue Ridge Mountain Rescue Group.

He and his fellow rescue group members are equipped to provide basic first aid, perform CPR, conduct sweeps through the woods, assist with canine search and rescue teams and more, depending on what each situation requires. Jones has completed additional wilderness specific medical training and would like to become a volunteer wilderness EMT.

In the same way that he must stay alert for contingencies on social media, he must consistently be on standby for search and rescue. An emergency call can range from locating an elderly patient with dementia who has wandered off to assisting someone who has been hurt on a trail and needs medical attention.

“I have to wrap everything into a team context,” said Jones. “I’m not operating alone when I’m out there practicing and I’m not alone in the work that I do here at Massey. On both sides, I try to lend my abilities to accomplish the mission at hand.”

The group is a unique mix of medical students, veterans and community members, but Jones is the only communications professional on the team.

“I'm looking forward to helping the group build more of a public presence as the comms person. I see an opportunity for me to lend my unique skills to this organization to help spread that message, increase recruitment and enhance public visibility as well.”

Whether he’s on the clock or enjoying his free time at home in Charlottesville, Jones is driven by a passion for human connection.

“The human element motivates me to connect with patients and with the community. Being lost is scary, confronting cancer is absolutely scary, I want to be a physical, emotional and informational resource for people. Whatever I do, I want it to be for something greater than just myself.”

Written by: Tatiana Del Valle