Evan W. Owen

Washington D.C.

202-***-****

adxi50@r.postjobfree.com

Experienced, trilingual and self-starting public affairs professional who leverages close relationships with high level domestic and international print, digital, social and broadcast media to insert stories into the news cycle. A seasoned diplomat, captivating briefing officer, trusted strategic counselor, crisis communicator, exceptional writer and editor who effectively advances policy and program goals in difficult environments. ACTIVE TOP SECRET CLEARANCE / SCI / CI POLYGRAPH

Peraton

Strategic Communications Specialist; August 2022– Present

Providing strategic communications and outreach support to Directorates and Centers under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Working collaboratively across the program and with partners to ensure delivery of a broad range of strategic objectives, communication principles, strategies, and initiatives furthering ODNI’s goals, mission, values, and outcomes.

Supporting thought leadership, messaging, and execution for the agency’s organization to develop high-impact executive communications and other elements of the ODNI’s internal and external presence. Liaising with executive staff and shareholders to manage the design, content, and production of new communication materials.

Working with various technical teams to generate new ideas and strategies. Partnering with internal teams to develop content in support of organizational and agency priorities, ensuring message alignment and consistency across audiences. Liaising with executive staff and shareholders to manage the design, content, and production of new communication materials.

S2 Analytical Solutions

Corporate Communications Officer; January 2019 – July 2022

Duties include: Developing awareness and understanding of National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) mission and operations tempo to identify and reach out to potential users and user groups. Identify and implement marketing strategies.

Analysis of customer needs; make appropriate recommendations for message/information development, communication method selection, and timing of messages.

Prepares various weekly highlight reports to Agency front office.

Write, edit, and distribute Associated Press style news content, including publications, feature articles, blogs, newsletters, website content, briefings, speeches, and other marketing material that communicates the organization's activities, products capabilities, services and success stories.

Designed and executed weekly and semi-annual workforce internal surveys; providing recommendations to leadership based on analysis of the findings.

Using only MS PowerPoint and the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service’s photo archive, completely revamped how the office does presentations and briefings. The strong visuals, uncluttered by text, create immediate recognition, and allow the audience to listen to the speaker rather than decipher convoluted text or diagrams on screen.

Provide direction to graphic designers, briefing developers, photographers, illustrators to create engaging, appealing products, such as newsletters, briefings, corporate emails, website posts, articles, communications plans, messaging campaigns.

Prepare material for publication and other media both internally and externally. Maintain records of produced communications content and collect analytics and metrics.

Manage and monitor production schedules.

Support NGA senior leaders by writing speeches, talking points, video scripts, briefings, and other communications products.

Communications Consultant; May 2017 – December 2018

Presented on U.S. election messaging and public relations to the Wellington chapter of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) as part of New Zealand’s September 2017 elections for Prime Minister.

Provided pro-bono messaging development for the Citizens Climate Lobby of Washington, DC.

Spanish translation and video voice over services for My Wound Doctor.

Adjusted instructional images for My Wound Doctor, removing disturbing aspects of wound photos from care instructions.

Director of Communications and Marketing for Thorough Homes, responsible for preparing press releases and editorial pieces for industry and non-industry media outlets as well as executing social media activities on behalf of the organization. Effectively develop campaigns and program plans. Identify and translate goals and objectives into strategies, plans and tactics. Conduct research to ensure messaging is on target and aligns with goals Work with key stakeholders to coordinate campaigns including production, list generation, content and offer development, approval, fulfillment, test and refinement plans Facilitate internal and external process to route all marketing materials for approval. Grow and maintain a media contact list. Pitch events, and topics to media contacts to gain exposure and visibility for Thorough Homes.

City of Doral Florida

Communications and Protocol Manager; August 2015 – April 2017

Leading officer in dealing with the domestic, international and overseas media relations. Spokesperson for English and Spanish language print, radio and television interviews. Collaborated with internal departments and other local state and federal agencies to create effective communications campaigns. Prepared briefings, talking points, speeches and presentations to the Florida Legislature, Governor Rick Scott and the Miami-Dade League of Cities. Drafted and edited speeches, written media, prepared the Mayor, Council members and department heads for on camera and print interviews. Cultivated relationships with journalists and analyzes trends in the media. Conducted outreach campaigns to stakeholder partners including, residents, local industries, Non-Governmental Organizations and civil society groups to achieve consensus. Supervised a six-person Public Affairs team that includes a press officer, two video producers, an events coordinator, a webmaster / graphic designer and a paid college intern to refine the city’s brand.

Winner, 2016 Best Public Service Announcement Under $100,000 and 2016 Best Public Service Announcement on a Shoestring Budget by the National Association of Government Communicators.

Prepared briefings, talking points, speeches and multi-media presentations for City Officials to the Florida Legislature, Governor Rick Scott and the Miami-Dade League of Cities.

Prepared, justified and executed an annual operating budget in excess of $800,000.

Increased ridership by 17% in Doral during the first regional Public Transit Day across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Planned and executed the bilingual multi-media campaign, in just 16 days.

Developed a Strategic Communications Plan reversing the narrative of a city unable to deal with chronic traffic to a city that is connecting roads, creating commuting alternatives and planning walkable mixed-use developments.

Repaired the City’s relations with the Miami Herald, South Florida’s paper of record; resulting in an effective working relationship with the City’s point of view included in articles, while protecting the paper’s editorial perspective.

Made Doral the third most followed municipal Facebook page in South Florida by aggressively revising how social media is used to connect with constituents and tripling the amount of content and social media engagement.

Increased media engagement 80% by revising City’s press release, media advisory and press guidance formats.

400% increase in viewership by transforming City video production from archival to an informative persuasive format. Regularly shot 4K b-roll video to increase the City’s content.

Effectively used media monitoring software to create a daily news summary for elected officials and department heads.

Planned and executed a paid and earned media campaign for Ritmo Doral, a multi-cultural Sister Cities festival using radio, direct mail, social media and outdoor advertising.

Designed City’s Employee Social Media Usage policy, Communications Policy and Branding & Usage guide.

Planned and executed two annual Mayor State of the City special events with receptions; each with over 200 participants.

Successfully arranged three Head of State visits to the City by the President of Honduras, Prime Minister of Aruba and Premier of Turks and Caicos as well as visit by Florida Governor Rick Scott and Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States, in addition to a variety of foreign legislators and mayors.

U.S. Department of State

Press Advisor & Spokesperson, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor; September 2010 – April 2014

Duties: Principal officer in dealing with the domestic, international and overseas media. Collaborated to create integrated strategic communications campaigns. Drafted and edited written media and speeches, prepared the Assistant Secretary of State and other senior officials for interviews. Cultivated contacts with journalists and analyzes trends in the media.

Reversed the State Department’s image from a laggard to a leader in Internet Freedom by developing and executing a strategic communications plan with members of the Internet Freedom policy and program offices targeting thought leaders in traditional, digital and social media.

Partnered with the State Department’s Media Affairs and Public Liaison offices to draft strategic plans for multi-media and civil society outreach for the launch of the annual Human Rights report, the International Religious Freedom report and observation of Human Rights Day reached as many as 800,000 social media viewers.

Prepared briefings, talking points, remarks and presentations for the Assistant Secretary and six Special Envoys and Deputy Assistant Secretaries to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, associated subcommittees as well as briefing the appropriate staff members of law makers, Including Senators Kaine and Cardin.

Maintained the Bureau's standard of responding to legislative inquiries within 48 hours.

Advised and coached the Assistant Secretary of State and other senior officials on media engagement opportunities to advocate and advance the U.S. position on human rights, democracy and labor while effectively managing their media appearances and interviews.

Wrote, edited, and managed concise and effective press guidance, speeches, fact sheets, media notes, talking points, op-eds and on-the-record remarks. Translated technical foreign policy issues into everyday language.

Created a flexible and responsive press team by training four Foreign Service Officers to become effective press officers and well as training and mentoring three seasonal interns and two Diplomatic Fellows.

Narcotics Affairs Section Director, U.S. Embassy Venezuela, 2009 – 2010:

Duties: Supervised two local employees in the administration of a 2-million-dollar legacy anti-drug program in a severely restricted environment. Analyzed and reported on counter-narcotics policing efforts by Venezuelan security forces and activities of criminal trafficking rings and narco-terrorist groups including FARC and ELN.

Prepared briefings and talking points for the U.S. Delegation to the 2009 HONLEA conference in Venezuela and for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement at the 2009 Joint Inter-Agency Task Force summit at NAS Key West.

Expanded the popular anti-drug “Beisbol y Amistad” public outreach program to six cities in Venezuela; reaching 1,200 more children than the previous year and countering virulent anti-American propaganda.

Collaborated with the Venezuelan Ad Council to reposition anti-drug jingles blocked by the Chavez government into downloadable ring tones.

Developed a HUMINT network among foreign police attachés and friendly local police, academics and reporters supporting U.S. interagency cooperation in Venezuela.

Succeeded in discreetly training six Venezuelan police officers in Texas on urban bicycle police tactics, resulting in effective urban policing by municipal police departments favorable towards the United States despite the Venezuelan government effectively banning assistance by the United States.

Planned a costal radar fusion center and coastal patrol boat squadron using confiscated cigarette boats for the Miranda state police to surveil intra-costal waterways and barrier islands for drug trafficking and piracy.

Held the first meeting between the Venezuelan drug-czar and U.S. policy makers in four years by organizing and developing the thematic structure of the U.S. Delegation to the 2009 HONLEA conference in Venezuela.

Collaborated with NAS Bogota and Colombian security forces to smuggle five Venezuelan K-9 handling officers and their drug-sniffing dogs back into Venezuela following three weeks of training in Florida.

Drafted the annual INCSR, Majors List and Mission Performance Plan and Report.

Political Military Officer; U.S. Embassy Venezuela 2007 – 2010:

Duties: Report on Venezuelan foreign relations with countries of interest, military readiness, arms purchases, organized crime, police readiness and terrorist activities in Venezuela.

Control officer for visit by Senator Arlen Specter. Arranged briefings on the situation in Venezuela and the Embassy's efforts to improve relations with the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela. Planned his schedule of events to include a meeting with members of the Venezuelan National Assembly and a rare meeting with then Venezuelan Foreign Minister, now President, Nicolas Maduro.

Control officer for Ambassador's two familiarization trips to the western Venezuelan State of Zulia. Responsible for all transportation, lodging and per-diem financial planning. Both the four-day and seven-day trips included meetings with the Governor of Zulia, the Mayor of Maracaibo, speeches for speaking events at the U.S. - Venezuelan bi-national center, the American Chamber of Commerce, and the University of Zulia. In addition, the Ambassador held radio, television and print interviews with the leading regional news outlets resulting in an improved image of the United States and a better understanding of our policies in Venezuela.

Developed a personal HUMINT and open source network of military, journalists, academics, law enforcement and political leaders to gather, process, and evaluate information on Venezuelan security force readiness and narco-terrorist activities in western Venezuela; disseminating reports through classified cables to SOUTHCOM, DIA, CIA and JIATF West.

Exposed Venezuela’s 4th Armored Division’s lack of heavy lift capability during the 2008 dispute with Colombia. Also revealed the Army’s general lack of basic logistical readiness.

Evaluated that Venezuela’s purchase of IL-76 and IL-78 heavy lift aircraft as a being in excess of Venezuela’s actual needs and could foreshadow continental ambitions.

Revealed rifts between President Chavez, Bolivarian National Police Commissioner Fernandez and Police Reform Commission chair over ideology and chains of command with the newly formed BNP.

Belied Colombian military’s concerns that Venezuela’s purchase of upgraded T-72 tanks posed any real threat to Colombia.

Assistant Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy Sri Lanka; 2006 – 2007

Duties: Principal officer in dealing with the media, wrote and edited written media, speeches and press releases, maintained website, arranged interviews for the Ambassador and other embassy officers, cultivated contacts with English and vernacular journalists, and analyzed trends in the media. Promoted U.S. universities as an alternative to British institutions. Supervised eight local employees.

Generated an overwhelmingly positive response by coordinating the first Tamil language radio interview by a U.S. diplomat in seven years. Radio station was flooded with call praising U.S. for showing awareness of Tamil issues.

Control officer for Ambassador's familiarization trip to the central Sri Lankan city of Kandy. Responsible for all transportation, lodging and per-diem financial planning. The three-day trip included meetings with Sinhalese religious leaders, Fulbright program alumni, the mayor of Kandy and the Governor of the Central province as well speaking events at the U.S. - Sri Lankan "American Corner" and the University of Kandy. In addition, the Ambassador held radio and print interviews with the leading regional news outlets resulting in a better understanding of our policies towards the resolution of the Sri Lankan civil war.

Used Canvas, a desktop publishing software, to design eye-catching eight-foot-tall vertical banners, fliers, posters, booth backdrops, handbills and tickets for U.S. cultural exchange events including the Battery Dance Company, Rhythmic Prophesies and the U.S. Education campaign as well as logos and signage for the American Corner program.

Held Sri Lanka’s first Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered film festival, a four-night event in a country where homosexuality is criminalized.

Increased traffic 400% to the Embassy's new when site when I overhauled the Embassy's lifeless website, transforming a dated text-based site by recruiting and training two young Sri Lankans to use dynamic content feeds and tripled the use of images.

Demystified the process of applying to U.S. colleges by creating a program to promote U.S. universities with free full-page profiles in Sunday newspaper supplements and partnering with the local Fulbright commission to assist in U.S. college applications.

Political Military Officer, U.S. Embassy Sri Lanka; 2005- 2006

Duties: Report on Sri Lanka’s Tamil community, Sri Lankan military readiness and LTTE terrorist activity.

Control officer for Ambassador's familiarization trip to the central Sri Lankan city of Kandy and the eastern city of Trincomalee. Responsible for all transportation, lodging and per-diem financial planning. Both the three-day trip included meetings with Tamil and Muslim religious leaders, tsunami relief workers the mayor of Kandy and the chief of the Trincomalee military district.

Developed a personal information network of military, journalists, academics, law enforcement and political leaders that gathered, processed, and evaluated information from these personal relationships and open source information.

Disseminated information through classified cables on the political impact of Sri Lankan policies on the Tamil population, LTTE rebel attacks and bombing, Sri Lankan military readiness and the activities of the Karuna group.

Combining Navy Special Warfare experience with on the ground police network was able to accurately report on LTTE frogmen’s failed attempt to sink ships in Colombo’s commercial harbor.

Traveled extensively to the north and east of Sri Lanka to observe Sri Lankan military emplacements, include a rare visit to the LTTE held city of Kilinochi.

Supervised a $5 million humanitarian de-mining program and assisted the Sri Lankan government in preparing a national demining plan to ensure continued United Nations funding.

Principal drafter of the Department of State’s 2005 Human Rights Report for Sri Lanka, documenting the severe decline in the human security environment, for which I received Department commendation.

Consular Officer & Fraud Prevention Unit Head, U.S. Embassy Argentina; 2002 - 2004

Developed Spanish language the public outreach materials explaining the post-September 11 changes in visa procedures.

Using Dreamweaver MX software, transformed the Embassy’s dense text-based website into an easy to follow image-based guide. Supervised four local employees.

Opened joint criminal investigation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement after analyzing a pattern of false business filed by a Miami law office to commit H-1 visa fraud.

Uncovered six new document forgery rings.

United States Navy

Executive Officer, USS GEORGE PHILIP FFG-12 2001 – 2002.

Supervised the recruitment, training, promotion and retention of a 28-person reserve detachment.

Tactical Action Officer and Training Officer USS SIDES FFG-14 1999 – 2001

Supervised the training and readiness of a 42-person reserve detachment. Planned for the logistics, scheduling and travel of 31 reservists to meet SIDES in four foreign ports while on deployment in Southeast Asia.

JIATF-South, Deployment Officer

Trained Salvadoran and Guatemalan forces in surface surveillance coordination and interception during two deployments.

Operations Officer, USS BLUE RIDGE LCC-19, 1996 -1998

Operations Officer USS DIXON AS-37, 1994 - 1996

Training and Safety Officer, Naval Special Warfare, Special Boat Unit 12, 1991 – 1993

Combat Information Officer USS MIDWAY CV-41 1986 – 1991

Languages: Native in Spanish, conversational Portuguese and rudimentary Tamil.

Awards: State Department Meritorious Honor Award - 2010, 2013

State Department Superior Honor Award - 2012

State Department Group Meritorious Honor Award - 2002

Navy Commendation Medal - 1996

Navy Achievement Medal – 1991, 1993

Education: Bachelor of International Studies, Miami University, Oxford OH 1986

Job related professional training at the Foreign Service Institute

PY119 Managing Press & Info Procedures 11/05/2004

PY123 Managing Press Operations 10/19/2004

PY128 IIP Programs, Products 10/15/2004

PY118 Managing Press and Information 10/08/2004

PY114 Introduction to Public Diplomacy 09/10/2004

PY113 Public Diplomacy Basics 09/08/2004

LPY460 Spanish to Portuguese Conversion 04/21/2006

PT218 Leading A Diverse Workforce 08/22/2007

PD610 American Presence Post Training 08/17/2007

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