kuenstler, ashley

7/29/2019 Kuenstler, Ashley

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Ashley Kuenstler Communications Specialist[e] [email protected] [p] 618.554.8272 [a] 1935 Withnell Ave. Apt. B, St. Louis, MO 63118

o whom it may concern,

It takes a special caliber o person to ulll the shoes o a successul communicator. An impeccable attention

o detail, the natural ability to excel under pressure, and the inherent capability to constantly adapt and evolve to evechanging surroundings are crucial. Using this skill set, I have become a valuable and vibrant asset to the oces I’verepresented throughout my career. I would gladly welcome the opportunity to demonstrate these skills in the Publicnormation Ocer position you’ve posted with the City o St. Louis.

My communications career was given a solid oundation aer working more than 10 years in the journalismeld as a reporter, editor, and photographer. From my humble beginning as a contributor to my high-school newspapo the responsiblity o being the sole reporter and photographer or a county-wide newspaper, I thrived on challenge

and deadlines. My passion lied in telling others’ stories, in gathering and interpreting inormation and presenting itn a way anyone would comprehend. During my time as a journalist, I regularly displayed my versatility by covering

plethora o subjects: local government, education, taxes, criminal activity, and heart-warming happenings.

By age 25, I had received several state awards or my work as a communicator in the journalism eld. My colleaand community recognized my drive and talent and asked me to represent them on several boards o directors. I was alelected the Public Inormation Ocer or Lawrence County, Ill. During the devastating food o 2011, I was charged with copiling and organizing inormation regarding the county’s status and plan o response. I then presented it to local and nationamedia via press releases and interviews on television and radio.

For the past year, I have challenged mysel urther and delved into the world o general communications. As the Conent Specialist or Te Salvation Army Midland Division, I am in charge o all the written material or Illinois and Missouri,ncluding eatures and stories; press releases and media advisories; copy or advertisements and marketing materials; op-e

pieces and letters to the editor on behal o high-ranking ocials; and scripts and speeches or events. I also helped devel

ad campaigns, produce videos, coordinate material or social media outlets, and served as the media-relations contact inabsence o the communications director and manager.

My ability to successully communicate with any audience is not limited to the written word. During my timeas a journalist, I simultaneously opened and operated a very successul photography studio. Te ability to successullutilize both o these mediums helped mold me into an extremely efective communicator.

I beileve in working hard, challenging mysel, and making others laugh as oen as possible. I’ve proven myseime and again as someone to invest in, with a long list o reerences who will attest to this.

I am eager to meet with you in person to discuss my qualications and answer any questions you may have.Please eel ree to contact me at (618) 554-8272 or [email protected]. My ull portolio o writing samplesphotography is available at www.ashleykuenstler.oliohd.com.

Tank you or your time,

Ashley Kuenstler




Experience

Content Specialist October 2012 - Present Te Salvation Army Midland Division Headquarters - St. Louis, Mo.

• Charged with writing all written material for the Midland Division (Illinois and Missouri), including features andnews stories; blog posts or social media; press releases and media advisories; copy or advertisements and marketing

materials; op-ed pieces and letters to the editor on behal o high-ranking ocials; and scripts, speeches, and runs-o-show or events.• Trusted to diuse negative situations by writing lay-o letters and writing responses to critical and negative com-ments in the media.• Utilized Canon photography and video equipment to produce high-quality images and video used with features,advertising, billboards, press materials, pamphlets, brochures, and other literature.• Served as editor of “e Good,” e Salvation Army’s quarterly newsletter sent to donors. I renamed and redesigned itfrom scratch and outlined and created all the content each quarter, including articles and photos. Aer the redesign, “eGood” increased its donations each quarter by at least $8,000. It received praise on local, territorial, and national levels.• Coordinated with media outlets to arrange coverage of events and pitch story ideas.• Served as the Army’s communications contact in absence of the communications director, arranging interviews andcoverage, as well as elding questions.• Worked closely with the graphic designer to create eye-catching, creative publications.• Led multiple photography workshops for disadvantaged children and adults.• Helped conceptualize and implement ad campaigns with coworkers.• Edited written content from other departments.• Exercised sensitivity and discretion when working with clients.• Planned and executed press conferences.

Owner/Photographer July 2007 - October 2012Images of Eden Photography

• Scheduled up to 30 photoshoots per month with accompanying travel arrangements.• Kept meticulous nancial records for tax purposes.

• Photographed children, adults, families, non-prot events, concerts, and conceptual pieces using Canon photo equipment.• Edited hundreds of images weekly using Adobe Photoshop and created custom packaging using Adobe InDesign.• Used social media as an advertising tool to help my business excel and grow.• Designed various advertising materials in the form of pamphlets, business cards, slideshows, PowerPoint presenta-tions, and websites.• Organized and presented workshops for up-and-coming photographers.

Freelance Communications Specialist October 2011 - January 2012School District of University City - University City, Mo.

• Brainstormed story ideas and wrote corresponding articles for the district’s bi-monthly newsletter.• Photographed artistic portraits, as well as events, to accompany news articles.

• Assisted in the design of the district’s newsletter.

Reporter/Assistant Editor/Photographer May 2008 - May 2011Daily Record - Lawrenceville, Ill.

• Served as sole reporter for a daily newspaper. Responsible for writing a variety of content daily to ll the front pagewhile adhering to strict daily deadlines. My work was viewed daily by the paper’s 10,000-plus readership, making my attention to detail o great importance.• Displayed versatility and ability to multi-task by covering a wide array of subjects simultaneously and successfully.• Responded to vehicle accidents, res, and other high-pressure events at all hours of the day for photographs and ac-companying news stories.• Edited all content submitted by the sports editor and typesetter using a broad knowledge of Associated Press style.




• Updated the newspaper’s website to reect current news and events.• Fielded customer phone calls to discuss sensitive issues and story ideas, all while keeping strict condentiality andmaking him/her eel at ease.• Utilized various computer programs to construct multimedia presentations for senior sta members.

Public Inormation Ofcer August 2008 - May 2011Lawrence County Emergency Management Agency - Lawrenceville, Ill.

• Took extensive notes during several board meetings, compiling them into understandable reports for the generalpublic.• Kept delicate information condential and private.• During two major ooding disasters, organized several press conferences to update the media on the status of thecounty through on-air and on-camera interviews.• Maintained positive relationships with the media, Illinois State Police, and local emergency ocials.

Reporter/Administrative Assistant June 2006 - June 2008Olney Daily Mail - Olney, Ill.

• Typed numerous submissions and les for daily pages and special sections using AP style.• Kept organized les for reader submissions, sta copy, invoices, projects, archives, and research.• Managed all billing tasks for the obituary and advertising departments.• Took notes for two monthly board meetings and composed concise reports thereaer for senior sta members.• Used a multi-line phone system, transferred calls, and relayed messages to several employees.• Became well-versed in all facets of the company, allowing me to quickly and eciently direct customers and resolve prob -lems.• Proofread submissions from sta members.

Highlights

• Asked to present workshops to surrounding Salvation Army units on developing photography skills and how to bestutilize photos in modern communication with the public.

• Featured on territorial and national websites for my blog and feature writing.• Awarded second place for Best Coverage of Taxation and third place for Best Headline Writing in the 2009-2010 Il-linois Press Association’s Excellence in News contest; honorable mention for Best Government Beat Reporting in the2008-2009 contest; and second place for Best Coverage of Taxation in the 2011 contest.• At 24-years-old, I was asked to represent the Daily Record on the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.• Named the rst and only Best Customer Service award recipient at Olney Daily Mail.• Served as a board member on the Lawrence County Emergency Planning Commission and Lawrence County De-partment of Homeland Security and was asked to be FOIA representative for both.

Technical Skills

Procient in AP style, Adobe Creative Suite (InCopy, InDesign, Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Illustrator),Wordpress, Wrike Project Management, Mac and PC systems, as well as all Microso programs. I know basic HTMLcode, as well as basic web design and page layout. I am well-versed with Canon camera equipment and Alien Bee light-ing equipment. Social media skills include work with Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Vine, and Flickr.

Education

• Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville, Ill.Mass Communications major with an emphasis in print journalism; reporter for school newspaper, e Alestle• Olney Central College - Olney, Ill.Associate’s degree, named to Dean’s List• East Richland High School - Olney, Ill.




References

• Dana BiermannCommunications and Social Media Manager, Te Salvation Army Midland Division [email protected] 419.371.6004• Greg Bilbrey

Editor, Robinson Daily [email protected] 618.554.2101 x111• Mike Van DornEditor, Lawrenceville Daily Record [email protected] 618.943.2331• Mark AllenEditor, Olney Daily Mail [email protected] 618.393.2931

kuenstler, ashley

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