3134 Glen Carlyn Rd. Falls Church, VA 22041/PHONE: (706) 296-6630/E-MAIL: ELLEOURSO@GMAIL.

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ELLE OURSO

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
SENATE SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE, SENATOR MARY L. LANDRIEU (D-LA), CHAIR Washington, DC Interim Press Secretary June 2011- Present Successfully Wrote and Placed Editorial in Wall Street Journal Took on Senior Management Duties to Include Delegation of Drafting Press Releases Continue to Perform All Deputy Press Secretary Duties Deputy Press Secretary July 2010- June 2011 Drafted Press Releases for Committee Hearings, Sponsored Legislation, Reactions to Pressing Small Business Matters Drafted Floor and Opening Statements and OpEds for Communications Department Pitched Stories and Coordinate Interviews with National and State Media Outlets on a Regular Basis Compiled Daily Press Clippings and Distribute to Appropriate Audience Updated Website as Needed OFFICE OF UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN BOBBY BRIGHT (D-AL) Washington, DC Fellowship May 2010 July 2010 Compiled Daily Press Clips and Disseminate to District and DC Staff Assisted Communications Department with Press Releases Wrote 499s and Responses to Constituent Inquiries Researched Issues as Needed for Legislative Staff WDHN-TV Dothan, AL Anchor/Reporter Oct. 2008 May 2010 Produced, Shot, Edited, and Reported Own Stories Daily Anchored the 5PM Broadcast Daily and Produced Nightly Newscasts as Needed Developed Extensive Contacts with Fire, Police, Emergency Personnel, and City and County Leaders Sample of Reported Stories: State-Wide Gambling Controversy and its Effect on Local Economies (Ongoing) Outbreak of Swine Flu and Emergency County Response (April 2009) Visit of Governor Mitt Romney in Support of Local Congressional Candidate (November 2008) FAIRFAX COUNTY TOURISM BUREAU (FXVA) McLean, VA Media Marketing Specialist May 2008 Oct. 2008 NEWSOURCE 15 Athens, GA Reporter/Anchor/Weather Aug. 2006 May 2008 Produced, Shot, Edited and Reported Own Stories Producer/Photographer ABC NEWS PRIMETIME Atlanta, GA Intern Oct. 2007 Assisted What Would You Do? series hosted by John Quinones in a Production Assistant role WBRZ-TV Baton Rouge, LA Intern May 2007 Aug. 2007 Conducted Interviews, Edited Packages, Generated Story Ideas, and Worked on Assignment Desk RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL SKILLS , TRAINING, and AWARDS Experience using Intranet Quorum (IQ) and Extensive Non-Linear Editing Experience (Both PC and Mac) Key to the City Recipient for Abbeville and Headland, AL for Service to Community COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT & VOLUNTEER WORK Junior League of Washington D.C. April 2011 PRESENT Washington, DC Womens Congressional Staff Association May 2010 PRESENT Washington, DC Campus Crusade Hurricane Katrina Relief Work Spring Break 2006 New Orleans, LA University of Georgia Recruitment Team Aug. 2005 May 2008 Athens, GA Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority Aug. 2004 May 2008 Athens, GA Vice President Administration (2006)/Public Relations Chair (2005) EDUCATION GRADY COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM & MASS COMMUNICATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA Athens, GA Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude, Major: Journalism / Minor: Speech Communication May 2008 Cumulative GPA: 3.8/4.0 Grady College of Journalism GPA: 3.97/4.0 Deans List, 8 Semesters FLORENCE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS Attended Summer Exchange Program: Photojournalism, Italian REFERENCES Donald Cravins Staff Director and Chief Counsel, Senate Small Business Committee Richard Carbo Communications Director, Rep. Altmire Joseph Jones Legislative Aide, Senator Harkin Florence, Italy May 2006 Aug. 2006 (202) 280-9910 (202) 420-9308 (515) 419-1151 donald_cravins@sbc.senate.gov richard.carbo@mail.house.gov joseph_jones@harkin.senate.gov