I'm Emily Cretella,
The School Storyteller.
I’m a content marketer, strategist and copywriter who now works solely with independent and private schools, colleges and universities to create and share stories their audiences will love.
I like to say I’ve been content marketing since the 6th grade. That’s when my friends and I started a neighborhood newspaper to report on major block news (like, who was getting a new pool) and advertise our babysitting services. In effect, we were building our babysitting authority with content. And it totally worked.
Coffee Addict
Black, dark roastHonors Graduate
B.S in English and Journalism, minor in Creative Writing, University of ConnecticutCopywriter & Marketing Strategist
Fairfield County marketing and PR firms-
Restaurant Reviewer
Local CT newspaper-
Mom
Daughters ages 6 & 8Director of Strategy
CT marketing agency, 2004 - 2012-
Founder
Cursive Content Marketing, 2012 - present-
Featured Expert
Inc., PR Daily, Blackbaud & moreSpeaker
Marketing, business & education events
Why Schools
Because since beginning my career in marketing 20 years ago, I’ve been drawn to school stories, amazed at how unique seemingly similar institutions are once you dig deep enough.
SCHOOL STORYTELLING IS A LOT LIKE MINING FOR GOLD. AND OVER THE YEARS, I’VE PULLED OUT SOME GEMS.
That’s why clients who start storytelling with me often stick around for years. It’s why I’ve had the amazing opportunity to speak and teach at so many industry conferences. It’s why I work only with education clients. And it’s why I’m excited and fulfilled to do my best work, every day.
The cursive team
Over the years, I have cultivated a killer team of content marketing strategists and copywriters who partner with me on special client projects. Cursive clients benefit from access to these proven, expert storytellers as part of our work together — and every syllable, comma and call-to-action gets my seal of approval before finding its way to your inbox for approval.
Project 1
The Quaker School at Horsham“With Cursive’s help, we have increased enrollment more than 50% and the inquiries are arriving faster than we can respond to them.” – Alex Brosowsky, Head of School | Since 2016, Cursive has partnered with The Quaker School to first develop and then tell its school story through its website, blog, email, social, eBooks and leadership communications.
Project 2
Sanford School“Emily’s ability to navigate and communicate in diverse settings — and respond effectively to the challenges presented — leads to great outcomes.” – Cheryl Fleming, Director of Comms, Marketing & Technology | Cursive is Sanford’s storyteller-for-hire, developing story, strategy, website content, admissions materials, advertising, video scripts and more.
Project 3
Yew Chung International School - Silicon Valley“Emily has an extraordinary ability to synthesize seemingly disparate or complex information into one coherent and clear message.” – Jennifer Chapa, Head of Admissions | Cursive partnered with YCIS to ensure its story stood out in its crowded and competitive market, creating new key messaging, website content and annual fund materials.
Stories we've told
Recent Clients
AUSTIN PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY (TX)
BAY PATH UNIVERSITY (MA)
BERKELEY PREP (FL)
THE BUCKLEY SCHOOL (NYC)
CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL (MA)
THE CHESTNUT HILL SCHOOL (MA)
CULVER ACADEMIES (IN)
EAGLE HILL SCHOOL (CT)
ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
FRENCH AMERICAN SCHOOL OF PRINCETON (NJ)
FRIENDS CENTER FOR CHILDREN (CT)
GILLEN BREWER SCHOOL (NYC)
GILLISPIE SCHOOL (CA)
GLOBAL ONLINE ACADEMY
THE GOVERNOR’S ACADEMY (MA)
HELIOS SCHOOL (CA)
HILLEL ACADEMY (FL)
HOLY CHILD SCHOOL AT ROSEMONT (PA)
KINEO SCHOOL (WA)
KLA ACADEMY (FL)
LAURALTON HALL (CT)
LOOMIS CHAFFEE SCHOOL (CT)
LOYOLA SCHOOL (NYC)
MACLAY SCHOOL (FL)
MADEIRA SCHOOL (VA)
MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF SAN ANTONIO (TX)
NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON (MA)
NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL (CT)
OAK KNOLL SCHOOL (NJ)
THE PINNACLE SCHOOL (CT)
THE QUAKER SCHOOL AT HORSHAM (PA)
RANDOLPH SCHOOL (AL)
ROSSMAN SCHOOL (MO)
SABOT AT STONY POINT (VA)
THE SAKLAN SCHOOL (CA)
SACRED HEART ACADEMY (CT)
SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY (CT)
SAINT ANDREW’S SCHOOL (FL)
SAINT JOSEPH HIGH SCHOOL (CT)
ST GEORGE’S UNIVERSITY (GRENADA)
SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE (NY)
SANFORD SCHOOL (DE)
SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL ACADEMY (PA)
STARWOOD ACADEMY (TX)
TABOR ACADEMY (MA)
TANDEM FRIENDS SCHOOL (VA)
TRINITY COLLEGE (CT)
VIEWPOINT SCHOOL (CA)
YEW CHUNG INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL – SILICON VALLEY (CA)
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN (CT)
UNIVERSITY OF SAINT JOSEPH (CT)
WATERFRONT MONTESSORI (NJ)
At Cursive Content Marketing, we passionately believe that all people are equal.
Diversity in thought, race, belief, background, culture and life experience are important to us, and we are allies and advocates for individuality and acceptance.
In alignment with these beliefs, Cursive works only with institutions and organizations that respect and embrace all people, and that do not discriminate based on race, religion, gender identification, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, culture or beliefs.