Administrative Officer Public Information
Resume:
March ****
Dear Colleague,
I am submitting this letter of application for the position of Director of Communication and Marketing.
As my attached resume indicates, I have academic and professional experience in strategic communications including public affairs, media relations, community relations, and public policy. I gained most of my professional experience through work with public agencies, including the California State Legislature, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Los Angeles, the City of Oakland, and as President of H&H Ecoprises, Inc., an environmental community relations consulting firm I owned and operated for ten years.
In my last position, I was Director of Communication & Public Affairs for the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA). I was responsible for developing all strategic internal and external communication, including development of main messages, and establishing and maintaining strategic relationships with the media, elected officials, and community stakeholders. I reported directly to the CEO and managed a staff of nine, full-time employees and several consultants.
I was responsible for all activities relating to media relations, public relations, community relations, outreach, public information and publications, marketing and advertising, web communication, graphics and photography, and internal communication. I also served as the Agency spokesperson.
My career began as a newspaper reporter for the Daily Press & Times Herald in Hampton, Virginia in 1982. By 1985, I was working “the city hall beat” for the Princeton Packet in New Jersey. Since that time, I have continually held communication and public policy related positions in federal, state, and local government positions. Some of these positions include press intern for the Bureau of Refugee Affairs for the U.S. Department of State, media liaison for Elihu M. Harris on both his Assembly and Mayoral staffs in Oakland, CA, and public affairs staff to the Chairperson of the Waste Prevention and Education Committee of the California Integrated Waste Management Board.
In each of these capacities, and other positions included on my resume, I was responsible for developing and implementing communication policies and programs. I also routinely interacted with elected officials and their staff, policy makers, stakeholder groups and the press.
At H&H Ecoprises, I assisted public agencies with the development of communication goals and designed strategic plans for achieving these goals. The communication plans included a variety of components including grass roots community outreach, media relations, special events, publications and establishing collaborations and partnerships. Some of H&H Ecoprises’ clients were Oakland Healthy Start (a federally funded infant mortality reduction program),
Alameda County Lead Poisoning and Prevention Program, Alameda County Welfare to Work, Oakland Base Reuse Authority, Oakland Unified School District, Port of Oakland, and Kaiser Permanente.
I retired from my career for the State of California in 2010. However, I have continued to work in part time capacities at Sacramento City College and with Sistahs Aging with Grace & Elegance, a nonprofit organization myself and my business partner established in 2011.
I am eager to return to work in a position related to my background and experience or in a new position that requires some training. I’m always open to learning new things. Please contact me at 213-***-**** or adwc00@r.postjobfree.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Sherri L. Pruitt (formerly Harris)
Profile: Extensive experience in executive level Public Communication
Communication Planning
Media Relations
Public Information
Political Communication
Government Relations
Research & Public Policy
Management & Supervision
Summary of Qualifications
20 years of experience in communication planning, public affairs, media, and community relations.
Experience with coordinating legislative and public policy issues with elected and public officials at all levels of government.
Experience with writing and disseminating information through print, broadcast, and electronic media, and social marketing campaigns.
Experience as Director of Communication, public information officer and media spokesperson.
Extensive experience with public health promotion and environmental communication.
Effective diplomacy skills and handling of confidential and/or sensitive information.
Skilled business developer and entrepreneur.
Experience & Achievements
Current achievements for the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) include:
Established effective relationships with local press corps and reversed several years of negative press to consistently favorable news coverage.
Established effective relationships with press staff to Mayor, Councilmembers, and Board of Supervisors.
Implemented Facebook as an education and outreach tool. CRA/LA remains the only redevelopment agency in the State of California to use Facebook and other social media
Initiated first market research study using focus groups, website surveys, and key stakeholder interviews, to access public awareness and perception of organization and to test marketing messages.
Created brand identity for CRA/LA including logo, corporate message, and graphic design.
Created new presentation video, brochures, publications, and promotional items.
Designed and implemented community relations training program.
Other achievements:
Owned and operated a successful community relations consulting firm. Directed all operations, budget, project, and personnel management. Managed all functions relating to legal affairs, accounting, quality assurance, marketing, and client relations.
Developed and implemented community outreach and public involvement plan for reuse of military installations in Oakland, California. Activities included identifying and maintaining relationships with stakeholders, convening, and facilitating community meetings, securing press coverage, and writing and producing a monthly newsletter.
Managed $500,000 public education and advertising campaign for federal health program, which included focus group market research, radio and outdoor advertising, cable television public service announcements, newsletter, brochures, special events, media coverage, local government outreach, and collateral materials. Also coordinated and produced a media evaluation of the campaign.
Researched and wrote policy and position papers for elected officials and policy committees. Also conducted legislative analysis for various policies and presented policy recommendations in public and community meetings.
Served as media liaison and press spokesperson for a California legislator, Mayor of Oakland, Alameda County Social Services Agency, the Oakland Base Reuse Authority, and Oakland Healthy Start.
Provided media training including crisis communication, spokesperson training, media 101, and media advocacy for Oakland Healthy Start, The Black Women’s Media Project, and San Francisco State University, Department of Health Education.
Served as an official delegate on international trade missions sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Greater Oakland International Trade Commission.
Career History
Director of Communication & Public Affairs
Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles
2001-2011
President – H&H Ecoprises Inc. Oakland, CA
1994-2001
Committee Analyst – CA Integrated Waste Management Board
1991-1994
Assistant to the Mayor – City of Oakland
1990-1991
Research Analyst – Joint Legislative Audit Committee
1989-1990
Legislative Aide – 13th Assembly District, Oakland
1987-1989
Staff Writer – Princeton Packet, Princeton, New Jersey
1985-1987
General Assignment Reporter – Daily Press & Times Herald, VA
1983-1984
Education & Training
Fast Trac Entrepreneurial MBA Training, U.C. Berkeley, Haas School of Business 1996
Risk Communications & Public Involvement Training, U.S. EPA 1994
Master of Public Administration, California State University, Hayward, CA, 1992
Bachelor of Arts, Mass Media Communication, Hampton University, Hampton, VA, 1984
REFERENCES:
Cecilia V. Estolano
(Former CRA/LA CEO)
Green For All
Los Angeles Office
Los Angeles, CA
Richard Benbow
Former General Manager
Los Angeles Community Development Department
The Garland Building
1200 W. 7th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Elihu M. Harris
(Former Oakland Mayor and Assemblymember)
Chancellor
Peralta Community College District
Office of the Chancellor
333 East 8th Street
Oakland, CA 94606
Jon Waldie
Former Chief Administrative Officer
California State Assembly
State Capitol, Room 3016
Sacramento, CA 95818
(Kiara) Sherri L. Harris
960 Quash Street
Hampton, Virginia 23669
213-***-**** message
adwc00@r.postjobfree.com
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