By Tatiana Del Valle 

Working in social media is all about quick thinking, efficient communication and expecting the unexpected.  

As the first dedicated social media manager at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keith 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,” Keith said. “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.” 

These communications and preparedness skills don’t just come in handy at work – they also fuel Keith’s passion outside of the office as a wilderness search and rescue (SAR) first responder.  

"I find time outdoors offers me new challenges and importantly, new perspectives,” he said. “I always was the person who wanted to climb a little higher or hike a little further. You can walk the same trail and discover something new every time." 

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

That drive to serve others is also why he embarked on his journey with Massey three years ago, soon 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. 

Keith Jones, social media manager of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center 

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 with different online audiences. 

Acting as a strategic bridge across the organization, Keith 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,” Keith said. “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 Keith 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,” she said. “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.”  

As part of his job, Keith Jones creates content and manages for Massey’s social media channels. (Tatiana Del Valle, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center)

Finding purpose in and outside of work 

In the same way that social media incorporates many of his interests, another outlet that allows Keith 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. 

To merge his interests for the greater good, Keith 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 to knot tying and securing patients for transport. He also deepened his understanding of how people move through terrain differently depending on their particular age, physical capabilities, and other personal factors. Right now, he’s certified at the base of the training levels to join a rescue operation, 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, Keith is part of a crew that must be ready to launch a rescue mission at a moment’s notice whenever an emergency strikes.  

"We train twice a week. One is a classroom session where we discuss topics such land navigation, communications protocols and even documentation. Then later in the week we bring those practices to the field,” Keith said. “From time to time we have the opportunity to cross-train with other SAR groups as well as canine teams from around the commonwealth. A search is a complex process, so training is extremely important." 

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. Keith has completed additional wilderness specific medical training and would like to become a volunteer wilderness EMT. 

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

In the same way that he has to 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 older adult 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,” Keith said. “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 Keith 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,’” he explained. “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, Keith is driven by a passion for human connection.  

“The human element motivates me to connect with patients and with the community,” he said. “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.” 

Keith Jones is VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center’s first dedicated social media manager. He recently became a certified wilderness search and rescue first responder. (Chris Tranchina, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center)

This story is part of a VCU Health News series called “At the Heart of Health,” which spotlights VCU Health and VCU team members whose passions outside of the workplace inspire and support the community. 

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