EXPERIENCE

LaurenCallahan.com |  Freelance Journalist | Various | August 2008 – Present

• Copy-edit manuscripts, columns and blogs for various clients.
• Produce original video pieces for online publication at regional news agencies and for personal use.
• Report and write freelance articles for online publication at national and regional news agencies.

Public Utility Commission of Texas |  Chief Storyteller | Austin, TX | June 2023 – Present

• Created and published two newsletters within two months of hire. Write, conduct interviews, and coordinate the writing budget and production schedule for both. (PUConnecT, an internal newsletter, is published monthly; PUCurrenT, an external newsletter serving industry and legislative leaders, as well as the general public, is published quarterly.)
• Coordinate and evaluate the preparation and distribution of agency videos; agency reports to the Texas Legislature; fact sheets; and online content.
• Writing a new agency Branding and Writing Style Guide to reflect new branding and a more conversational tone.

Texas Lottery Commission | Director of Media Relations | Austin, TX | May 2019 – Present

• Direct the administration and activities of all division programs, managing a team of four and a division budget of $450,000.
• Serve as the lead spokesperson for the Agency, interacting with reporters to provide content for local, regional and national publications, radio and television outlets.
• Write and edit written press materials, including press releases, industry survey responses and interview talking points, at a time of unprecedented Agency sales growth (from $6.25 billion in FY 2019 to $8.3 billion in FY 2022).
• Plan and coordinate all media events and videos to creatively support and promote Agency advertising campaigns and initiatives, including in-person collaborations with major Texas Lottery partners like the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Motor Speedway to produce joint press conferences, as well as digital collaborations with Texas Lottery vendors, including IGT Texas, Scientific Games and Pollard Banknote, to highlight experiential prize events for Texas Lottery winners.
• Manage the creation and production of all internal and external digital media projects, including an award-winning 30-minute documentary, 30 Years of Winning, produced for the agency’s 30^th Anniversary in 2022.
• Oversee and coordinate the research, writing, editing and production of materials for social media platforms, including creating and publishing content, identifying marketing and promotional opportunities to engage followers, researching and monitoring trend identification and evaluating social media analytics.
• Served as the Co-Chair of the Texas Lottery’s 30^th Anniversary Committee from Jan. 2021 – May 2022, overseeing a celebration for players and staff on social media and at statewide events, which culminated in a concert by Ghostland Observatory in Austin.
• Member of Class XL of the Governor’s Executive Development Program.

Texas Education Agency | Media Relations and Social Media Manager; Information Specialist | Austin, TX | January 2014 – May 2019

• Served as a spokesperson for the Agency and the Commissioner of Education, interacting daily with reporters to provide content for local, regional and national publications.
• Managed Agency’s social media initiatives, including creating original content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, to share the Commissioner’s priorities and latest agency news with external stakeholders.
• Managed all digital audio and video projects, including all production and post-production efforts for TEA’s online video series and podcast (including audio and video recording, editing, and distribution); serve as point of contact for all external digital media projects and interviews.
• Wrote and edited news releases, talking points and other written material produced within the division and Agency.

KLTV-TV (ABC)  |  Video Journalist  |  Tyler, TX  |  August 2011 – December 2013

• Pitched, reported, shot, wrote and edited daily original pieces for all newscasts.
• Covered breaking news for live broadcast and specialized in political, education and feature reporting.
• Published web stories and managed social media accounts to connect with viewers and promote newscasts.

Oakland North  |  Reporter  |  Oakland, CA  |  August 2009 – May 2011

• Pitched, reported, wrote and produced print, photography, video and multimedia projects for http://oaklandnorth.net, a hyperlocal website covering North Oakland.

KTVU Channel 2 News  |  Political Intern  |  Oakland, CA  |  May – September 2010

• Field-produced Political Editor Randy Shandobil’s daily political coverage, including the June 2010 primaries and the September 2010 KTVU – San Francisco Chronicle U.S. Senate Debate.

Informing Change  |  Publications Associate and Project Assistant  |  Berkeley, CA  |  July 2008 – July 2009

• Served as the company’s main editor and last eyes for all project deliverables.
• Created and designed charts and graphs for reports using original data compiled for each client.
• Managed all communications, including scheduling workflow, for 15 external projects simultaneously.
• Spearheaded a major redesign of the company website and wrote and distributed the company newsletter.

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE

John Edwards for President  |  Scheduling Intern  |  May – July 2007
Office of Tex. Rep. Bob E. Griggs  |  Legislative Aide  |  January 2005 – June 2006
Office of U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison  |  Special Projects Intern  |  February – April 2006

EDUCATION

The University of California at Berkeley  |  Master of Journalism  |  May 2011
The University of Texas at Austin  |  B.S., Communication Studies: Political Communication  |  B.A., English  |  May 2008