Experience

SOUTHERN ARIZONA VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

• United States
• Medical Practices
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Assistant Public Affairs Officer

  • Nov 2014 - Present

  Provides expert public relations council to executive leadership, which helps leadership effectively communicate complex Veteran health care issues/accomplishments to government officials, community stakeholders, and media outlets. Synchronizes with the hospital Incident Command Team as the Public Information Officer to provide timely, accurate information regarding hospital operations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to the public and all stakeholders. Serves as a liaison for Veteran Service Organizations, community service organizations, and congressional offices to advocate for and promote Veteran health care services. Member of City of Tucson Veterans Affairs Committee Key member in planning and execution of quarterly Veteran Town Halls/Resource Fairs, which enables Veterans and their families to receive and access information on VA and community resources. Utilize social media and email marketing to provide information on hospital operations and information on the VA health care services to Veterans and their families. Point of contact for all media inquiries for the hospital, works to ensure that all media outlets receive accurate and timely information on hospital operations and/or VA health care services.



US Air Force Reserve

• United States
• Armed Forces
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief of Public Affairs, 943rd Rescue Group

  • May 2011 - Nov 2014

  Accountable for all aspects of the public affairs program for the 943rd Rescue Group, which trains personnel, with equipment, to achieve and maintain the capability to perform day/night combat rescue missions to search for and recover U.S. Air Force and other DoD personnel involved with U.S. defense activities and also provide humanitarian and disaster relief operations support. Provides expert public relations counsel to senior leaders within 943rd Rescue Group, which helps unit leaders better understand effective ways to communicate Air Force Reserve issues to ensure positive relations with community leaders and local media outlets. Writes and edits Air Force Reserve news releases and feature articles about the accomplishments 943rd Rescue Group using Associated Press and U.S. Air Force style guides, which are published on the 920th Rescue Wing, Official U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, and Davis Monthan Air Force Base websites. Designs, edits unit newsletter, The Pony Express, the newsletter keeps unit members up-to-date on Air Force Reserve activities and unit events. Utilizes social media outlets to increase exposure of the unit’s mission and importance to national security objectives. Single point of contact for all media activities within the 943rd Rescue Group, provides media training to unit members and responsible for providing applicable and accurate information about the unit to media outlets. Provided effective crisis communication skills during an event that involved a 943rd Rescue Group training evolution that received local and national media coverage, worked with higher headquarters to ensure the Air Force perspective was portrayed in a fair manner during the event. Expert in planning and execution of distinguished unit ceremonies and commander’s calls, provide outline of events, coordinate practice of unit ceremonies, brief unit leadership on all aspects of the planning, coordination of ceremonies.



U.S. Air Force Reserve/ 940th Wing

• Chief of Internal Information/ Deputy of Chief of Public Affairs

  • Jul 2006 - May 2011

  Assigned news and features stories to a subordinate and ensures all printed and photographic products are completed in a timely manner, responsible for final copy editing of journalistic products prior to publication. Ensured all appropriate security review’s completed prior to any information released on the World Wide Web in accordance with Air Force policy. Created and edited photographs for use on unit’s web site, ensures that personnel in Air Force photos display proper dress and all safety standards are present. Provided public affairs support for numerous commanders’ calls, special events, DV visits, and other significant 940th Wing events, such as change of command ceremony. Supported an Employer day orientation flight by providing photographic coverage of the event and also escorting employers on the KC-135 flight to ensure civilian employer received accurate unit information and communicated the importance of the Air Force Reserve mission. As Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Public Affairs for the 940th Wing, responsible for training and mission readiness for all public affairs personnel assigned to the 940th Wing PA office. Also, ensures that all military standards are adhered too during all Air Force reserve training sessions. Deployed with the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group California Fire Fighting Operations, 2 July – 26 July 2008, at McClellan Airfield in Sacramento, California, produced multiple print stories and photographic products in a timely manner, which were published on the official U.S. Air Force Web Site and National Guard Web Site. While deployed with 302nd AEG, coordinated and responded to media queries and ensured media outlets received accurate, factual information in a timely manner.



9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs Office

• Chief of Internal Information/ Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Public Affairs

  • Apr 2009 - Nov 2010

  Provided public relations counsel to senior leadership, helped them better understand effective ways to communicate Air Force issues that affect the local community and also ensured positive relations with community leaders, local media outlets. Provided crisis communication skills during a significant event involving a U.S. Air Force Airman that received national media coverage, ensured the Air Force was portrayed in a neutral light during a time of crisis. Responsible for all content Beale’s public internet website ensured all information was accurate, relevant to an average viewership of approximately 4,500 page hits per week. Assisted in escorting major local and national media networks, resulted in positive media coverage of the mission and Airmen. Wrote, delivered press releases in a timely manner for media outlets on events within the 9th Reconnaissance Wing. Provided timely response to media queries on a variety of events, issues, ensured all media outlets received accurate information, provided media with subject matter experts. Participated in several Air Force mission readiness exercises as public affairs representative, wrote/edited news releases, adhered to all U.S. Air Force Public Affairs requirements and provide public affairs council to senior leadership. Identified public relations and communication trends, provided PAO with recommendations, such as analyzing the overwhelming positive response to a news story about a humanitarian mission involving the remotely piloted aircraft RQ-4 Global Hawk and crafted additional journalistic products on the subject. Provided assistance and guidance for the initial launch into social media for Facebook/Twitter, resulted in increased exposure of the mission and personnel. Analyzed data and trends on the Beale AFB public web site, resulted in a comprehensive and detailed approach to providing more effective public communication outreach products onto the World Wide Web.



USAA

• Financial Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Associate Claims Adjuster

  • Mar 2007 - Dec 2009

  Created loss reports, confirmed coverage’s, and explained the procedures of adjusting automobile claims to USAA members, which provided USAA member a better understanding of the automobile claims process and how their clam will be settled. Evaluated and negotiated settlements for first and third party automobile damages in a fair and ethical manner, and explained the procedures on how automobile damages will be settled to USAA members and claimants. Recognized and explained and liability exposures to USAA members, which reinforces the value of being insured with USAA. Provided exceptional customer service to USAA members and claimants, which has contributed to USAA’s customer service goal of 95 percent excellent ratings in customer service assessments contributed to help USAA win Business Weeks customer service Award for 2007. Communicated the complexities of automobile insurance policies in a manner USAA members understood which enabled the customer to make informed decisions regarding insurance coverage’s.



US Navy

• United States
• Armed Forces
• 700 & Above Employee

• Active duty military/ Public Affairs Specialist

  • Jan 2000 - Apr 2006

  Created and edited official U.S. Navy photographs for the ships website (USS Blue Ridge) and official U.S. Navy web site, ensured that personnel in Navy photos displayed proper dress and all safety standards were present. Wrote and edited Navy news releases and feature articles using Associated Press and U.S. Navy style guide, which were published on USS Blue Ridge ships website, Official U.S. Navy website, Stars and Stripes, and The Seahawk, base newspaper for Fleet Activities Yokosuka Japan. Knowledgeable in all aspects in operations and technical expertise in running a shipboard television studio, provided training to all newcomers in the department on how to properly operate studio equipment and utilize video editing software. Produced quality television news packages, which included editing video news stories and writing/editing broadcast scripts. Designed, updated, and implemented a command web site, which provided updated information about a U.S. Navy vessel and its crew to a worldwide audience. Planned and escorted public relations tours, which resulted in many civic and public organizations having a better understating of how the U.S. Navy works throughout the world. The tours provided the public with information about the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center and a unique insight to how the Navy trains its fighter pilots in advanced aerial combat. After the events of September 11, 2001, there was an increased media interest in military operations and training. Assisted the public affairs officer in planning and escorting CNN news crews to ensure they got quality video footage of military members working in a training environment. The Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center was featured in a positive light in several CNN news casts.