References

Dr. Hal Chase

Editor, Outside-In: African American History in Iowa

4069 Kingman Blvd.

Des Moines, IA 50311

(515) 255-8410

hschase@dmacc.cc.ia.us

John Butters

Advertising Manager/Associate Publisher, Slechta Communications, Inc.

505 D Ave

Kalona IA 52247

(319) 656-3096

Denise Townsend

Principal, Lone Tree Elementary School

119 N Devoe St

Lone Tree IA 52755

(319) 629-4213

David McMahon

Lone Tree City Council Member

311 E Linn St

Lone Tree IA 52755

(319) 629-5205

Awards

2007 Iowa Newspaper Foundation Best Spot News Story - First Place (Weekly 1 Division)
2007 Iowa Newspaper Foundation Best Personality Feature Story - Third Place (Weekly 1 Division)
2003 Fred Pownall Scholarship Certificate of Merit
2002 Public Library of Des Moines Foundation Iowa Literary History Award
1997 Des Moines Area Community College Outstanding Writer Award

Software

Photoshop CS2
In Design CS2
Quark Express 7
HP Scan Pro

Education

B.A. Journalism; B.A. History
August 2001 - May 2003
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Dean's List - Fall 2001, Spring 2002
President's List - Fall 2002
Honor's Program
Fred Pownall Scholarship, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, 2003
4.09 Journalism GPA; 3.33 Overall GPA

A.A. Liberal Arts
August 1995 - December 1997
Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny, Iowa

President's List - Spring 1996 - 1998
4.0 GPA
Outstanding Writer Award, 1997

Work Experience

Editor

November 2005 – present Slechta Communications, Inc., Kalona, IA

The Lone Tree Reporter (1,000 cir. Weekly), The Kalona News (2,500 cir. Weekly) and The Highland Review (Monthly)

Report on and write about community, education, government, cops and courts and church news throughout northern Washington County and southern Johnson County in Iowa.

Provide and edit photos

Edit stories from a staff of five reporters

Paginate and layout stories, photos, advertisements and other content

Reporter

January 2004 – August 2004 The Ottumwa Courier, Ottumwa, Iowa

General reporting with specific responsibility for county and courts

Use NewsEditPro and Adobe Photoshop

Reporter/Photographer

August 2003 – December 2003 The Douglas Budget, Douglas, Wyoming

Cover a variety of news assignments including hospital, city council, and sports

Photograph news, sports, community, and business events

Use Pagemaker and Adobe Photoshop in layout

Correspondent

November 2001 – August, 2003 The Iowa City Press-Citizen, Iowa City, Iowa

Cover Mid-Prairie School District, Clear Creek-Amana School District, and West Branch City Council

Contributing Author

August 1996-January 2002 Outside-In: African American History in Iowa

Researched and wrote chapter on the history of African American music and musicians in Iowa.

Published by the State Historical Society of Iowa in February 2002

Iowa Literary History Award, Public Library of Des Moines Foundation, 2002