Valerie Smith

Address | 4606 Lemmore Place Stockton, CA 95207 Email | Vsmith629@gmail.com Phone | 209.405.5366

EDUCATION________________________________________________________________________ California State University East Bay Graduated: Fall 2016 Major | Communications/Media Production GPA: 3.7 Awards | Dean’s List/Honors, First Student Photo Exhibit (currently running) on daily life within San Quentin Prison,

Video Journalist of the Year for 2015-2016. San Joaquin Delta College Graduate, Associate of Arts May 2013 Major | Liberal Studies GPA: 2.8 Awards | Dean’s List, Journalism Association of Community Colleges: 4th place for best inside page layout (tabloid),Sacramento Press Club Scholarship, NDTA scholarship.

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE_______________________________________________________ British Documentary Experience July 2016-September 2016

▪ Participated in two classes Digital Media Production Abroad, and Documentary Abroad, earned A’s in both courses.Learned an array of filmmaking and photography techniques on top of previous knowledge.

▪ Produced two Video News Releases (30/90 second), as well as a final short-documentary on Street Art in London. Absorbed different cultures and length of history in both documentary film and Britain through participation in this 5-week study abroad program.

NFL Hall of Fame Awards 2016, Talent Handler February 2016 ▪ In charge of NFL Hall of Fame nominees, which included gathering and welcoming nominees and families.

Lead nominees and families to venue,seats and point positions for production of show.

▪ Escorting HOF inductees to press box, and bringing families of HOF inductees to meet after award segment. Allowing substantial time for individual interviews, and juggling getting all Hall of Famers transportation from venue to either events or hotel. Filling in as needed throughout production of show under, producer Kelly Brown of Maggie Vision Productions.

The Washington Center, Communications Intern June 2015-August 2015 ▪ TWC alumni as of August 2015. Interned for the Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN) for the summer

2015. Worked as the communications intern, and attended seminars,classes, symposiums and meetings. ▪ Conducted in depth research, helped draft legislative briefs, and amicus briefs, as well as oversaw social

media, internal/external communication, and created innovative ideas for SWAN to pursue. Website: www.servicewomen.org

Chips Quinn Scholar Internship Program, Business Reporter June 2014 – August 2014 ▪ Chips Quinn alumni, a scholars program which strives to achieve diversity in the newsroom, and provide

future journalists with multimedia training, and also appoints scholars to a paid internship position. Chosen by The Bend Bulletin, a top central Oregon newspaper.

▪ Appointed Business reporter and covered an array of topics including economy, environment,

technology,real-estate,education. Covered front-page news (crime), amongst other topics, and helped

produce videos for web, Website: www.bendbulletin.com.

The Collegian, Features Editor January 2013 – May 2014 ▪ Oversaw all aspects of a two-page feature section, including the planning and editing of pages.

Responsibilities include pitching and vetting ideas for stories, as well as designing and editing stories and pages. (www.deltacollegian.net)

▪ Served as main coach to feature staff writers in writing and AP style. Specialty in-line editing of content.

Strength in idea generation and implementation of design layout/photo editing.

▪ Staff Writer, oversaw pitching, interviewing and reporting for multiple stories. Strength particularly in

writing/pitching clear and innovative ideas for newspaper and web content.

SKILLS__________________________________________________________________

Computer |Microsoft (Word,Excel,Powerpoint,etc.), Final Cut Pro, InDesign, Photoshop, Adobe programs Language | English (Native Fluency), Spanish (Working Proficiency)