PROFILE

- Top-performing, award-winning media professional with extensive background and working knowledge of the Texas Legislature
- Uniquely experienced in media, legislative affairs, and the business sector
- Exceptionally motivated with outstanding organizational and time management skills.
- Bilingual with fluencies in English and Russian.
- Technical capabilities include MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and DCM Software.

HONORS & AWARDS

- Awarded $12,000 Fellowship from the LBJ Endowment Fund to attend the LBJ School of Public Affairs
- Recipient, 2004 Anson Jones M.D. Award, Citation of Merit- Excellence in Medical Reporting, Texas Medical Association
- Golden Key National Honor Society Member
- Selected for the honor of Export Fellow Certification, United States Department of Commerce
- Earned the title of Texas State Champion , Nationally Ranked in Original Oration
- BARRE Board Member, Ballet Austin (Fundraising Chair)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Mentor

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

KIRK WATSON FOR TEXAS SENATE, Austin, TX 2005 - 2006
Campaign Coordinator
- Manage and execute strategic campaign fundraising initiatives.
- Create and maintain donor and potential donor lists.
- Write and disseminate information to media including news releases and fact sheets; respond to media inquiries
- Develop campaign goals to build public awareness and enthusiasm over critical issues.
- Develop copy, web content, direct mail/email and other communications for prospective voters.
- Manage and coordinate volunteers and interns.

MARCH OF DIMES, Austin, TX 2005 - 2006
WalkAmerica Coordinator
- Recruit, manage and recognize volunteer leadership for all phases of Walk; educate volunteers on the March of Dimes mission for the purpose of gaining and retaining their commitment.
- Responsible for all Family Team and State Agency walker recruitment and retention
- Recruit new businesses to participate in WalkAmerica
- Oversee logistics.
- Solicit Sponsorships
- Prepare and submit appropriate Walk reports
- Surpass budgeted goal ($1 million)

NEWS 25 / KXXV-TV, Waco, TX 2004 – 2005
Anchor / Reporter / Producer
- Produce and anchor Morning Newscast for station.
- Serve as Dayside Reporter by carefully managing time and working under constant deadlines.
- Enterprise story ideas and present accurate information.
- Set up interviews with government officials, business owners, and others by cold calling individuals and portraying a friendly and upbeat attitude.
- Maintain professionalism constantly by serving as a public image for the station while working and when out in the community.
- Answer phone calls and respond to viewers’ questions and input.
- Manage a staff of four reporters through training and editing their stories.

ABC 40 / KRHD-TV (Sister Station to KXXV-TV), Bryan, TX 2003 – 2004
Anchor / Reporter / Producer
- Produced and anchored Evening Newscast for station.
- Developed, wrote, and created news stories for the Health Beat segment which focused on various topics and concerns in the healthcare industry.

FOX 7 / KTBC-TV, Austin, TX 2002 – 2003
University Reporter
- On-air reporter covering stories at the University of Texas.
- Wrote and produced various segments for broadcast.

NEWS 8, Austin, TX 2002
News Intern
- Conducted interviews for reporters.
- Assisted news and segment producers with their projects and newscasts.
- Wrote stories for the news.
- Edited and shot videotape utilizing DVC-PRO format.

ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

LYNXS GROUP, Austin, TX 2001
Marketing Specialist
- Headed the Marketing Division, and served as Lead Specialist for all new business development.

TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE, Austin, TX 1999 – 2001
Legislative Assistant
- Assistant to the Honorable Kip Averitt, 76th and 77th sessions.

R&B INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY COMPANY, Houston, TX 1994 – 1999
Translator / Administrator
- Translated documents in English to Russian and Russian to English.

EDUCATION

MASTER OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
~ Expected graduation: May, 2008

BACHELOR OF JOURNALISM 2003
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
~ Concentration: Broadcast Journalism

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 2001
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
~ Concentration: International Business