Taylor Mirfendereski

All Platform Journalist

Skills

Operating Systems: Macintosh, Windows
Languages: Farsi, Spanish
Software: ENPS, iNews, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, InDesign Apple Motion, Avid NewsCutter,
Final Cut Pro, Grass Valley Aurora Edit
Other: Tape-to-tape editing, video camera operation, computer assisted reportering, still photography,
HTML and CSS

Professional and Practical Experience

WEB DESIGNER & VOLUNTEER, ATHENS COUNTY DOG SHELTER 2010-PRESENT
Designing a website for the Athens County Dog Shelter in Chauncey, OH to maximize pet adoption,
educate potential adopters, and recruit volunteers. The website will contain videos and photos that
profile dogs available for adoption. Also volunteer to help take care of the dogs two to three days a week.

CO-CHAIR, OHIO SUNSHINE SUMMIT FEBRUARY 2011
A statewide journalism conference hosted by the Ohio University SPJ and RTDNA chapters. The
conference brought together more than 100 student and professional journalists from across the region to discuss First Amendment issues concerning student journalists. The goal of the conference was to draft a resolution that would urge Ohio's university administrators and state officials to comply with Ohio's
Sunshine Law. This task coincided with a series of panels and breakout sessions that educated student journalists about current laws, university policies, and how to protect their rights as student journalists. Sunshine Summit attendees also had the opportunity to learn about the most effective and creative ways
to utilize information obtained through public records. For more information, visit the conference
website.

INTERN, NIGHTLY NEWS, NBC WINTER 2010
Attended editorial meetings and assisted producers with compiling components for breaking news and
feature packages. Responsibilities included conducting research, transcribing tapes and press conferences,
rolling on clips from the Internet, monitoring feeds, and helping to select the most appropriate b-roll and soundbites in the edit room. Also worked with Nightly News web producer to write content for the web.

INTERN, TODAY SHOW, NBC FALL 2009
Assisted producers with segments and shoots, prepared notes and interview questions for talent,
conducted research and logged tapes. Also shot video for the show and the web, edited footage
for New Moon and Bon Jovi segments using Avid editing software, attended editorial meetings,
shadowed editors, and sat in the control room.

INTERN, WEEKEND NIGHTLY NEWS, NBC FALL 2009
Attended editorial meetings and assisted producers with compiling components for packages about
Fort Hood shootings, Peeping Toms, Somali pirates, the national pride march, and Sarah Palin’s Going
Rougue. Responsibilities included conducting research, rolling on clips from the web, monitoring feeds,
and logging tapes. Distributed scripts, rundowns, and routines to senior producers and other staff prior
to show. A key accomplishment was obtaining a copy of Sarah Palin’s Going Rougue prior to its official
release for use on all NBC network shows.

INTERN, NBC 4 (WCMH-TV) SUMMER 2009
Shadowed and assisted reporters, photographers, producers, and assignment editors. Wrote scripts for
voice overs and packages, shot video alongside photographers, edited voice overs and packages using
Grass Valley Aurora Edit system, and helped to identify news stories.

VIDEO EDITOR, BEST LIGHT VIDEO 2009-2010
Edit commercials and public service announcements for various clients in Columbus, Ohio using Final
Cut Pro software. Previous projects include editing approximately 30 commercials for vendors at the
North Market. Visit Best Light Video’s website or the North Market’s website to view these commercials.

CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT, CABLE NEWS NETWORK 2008-2009
Created news packages for air on CNN.com. Pitched story ideas, shot b-roll and interviews, wrote scripts,
and edited packages. View packages directly on CNN or visit my broadcast portfolio.

CONTRIBUTOR, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR JOURNALISM BLOG 2009-2010
Reporter for Scripps IIJ blog. Conducted interviews with Iranians during Iran’s election fallout;
Examined the treatment of homosexuals and transsexuals in Iran; Published an in-depth multimedia
story about the standards of homelessness in Columbus, OH and Mexico.

PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY YOUTH UNITED 2007-2008
Prepared press releases, contacted news organizations about events and fundraisers, distributed fliers,
and attended meetings.

COMMUNICATIONS INTERN, OHIO GOVERNOR TED STRICKLAND 2008
Conducted research for the 2008 State of the State Address, attended stakeholder meetings, created web pages, and prepared weekend news clips for briefing of the governor and his staff.

WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER, THE PATRIOT PRESS AND THE CANNON 2005-2008
Founder and author of the “World Youth” column, a bi-monthly column profiling youth from
underreported countries.

PRODUCER AND EDITOR, TOBACCO ROAD TO DRUG DETOUR 2006
Created 40-minute documentary about substance abuse. The film debuted for National Red Ribbon
Week and was adopted by the Delaware County Probation Department for use in its Repeat Offenders program.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL ANNUAL
Europe, Iran, Turkey; Interviewed Iranian journalist about press freedom issues in 2007.

Organizations

ASIAN AMERICAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION

COORDINATOR, ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT BROADCAST JOURNALISTS 2009-PRESENT
Student networking and support group for AAJA Broadcast students. Manage AASBJ Twitter
and Facebook accounts, organize gatherings, mentor students, recruit new members, and facilitate
dialogue about broadcast-related topics.

MENTEE, AAJA BROADCAST MENTOR PROGRAM 2008-PRESENT
Current mentor is Angie Lau of Bloomberg News.

AAJA NATIONAL CONVENTION, BOSTON, MA 2009
Attended workshops, board meetings, and convention mixers.

BROADCAST PARTICIPANT, AAJA J CAMP 2007
Competitive training program for multicultural student journalists; Instructed by journalists from top
news organizations.

SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE, NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2010-PRESENT
Represent SPJ students across the nation. Oversee SPJ initiatives like "Program in a Box" and The
Campus Copy. Attend meetings for the Board of Directors and vote on issues concerning SPJ and
journalists across the country.

VICE PRESIDENT, OHIO UNIVERSITY SPJ CHAPTER 2009-PRESENT
Assist in planning and leading weekly membership meetings. Taught Final Cut Express workshop, gave presentation about shooting compelling video, and organized a video-chat discussion with Bloomberg
Anchor Angie Lau on the topic of business journalism. Also brainstorm fundraising methods, recruitment techniques, and mentorship approaches during weekly executive meetings.

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE CHAPTER OF THE YEAR 2009-2010
Ohio University SPJ was selectected as the national collegiate chapter of the year for it's community
service, membership engagement and programming during the 2009-2010 school year.

FRESHMAN LIAISON, OHIO UNIVERSITY SPJ CHAPTER 2008-2009
Create weekly video blogs to air on the Ohio University SPJ blog, attended executive and membership meetings, led and taught iMovie workshop to SPJ members to help prepare students for convergence journalism.

QUILL MAGAZINE AUGUST 2009
Featured in full-page membership profile in August 2009 issue of SPJ’s Quill Magazine.

SPJ REGION 4 CONFERENCE, COLUMBUS OH 2009
Journalism conference addressing the impact of new media on the changing journalism industry.

RADIO TELEVISION DIGITAL NEWS ASSOCIATION

PRESIDENT, OHIO UNIVERSITY RTDNA CHAPTER 2010-PRESENT
Lead weekly membership and executive meetings. Organized the first ever Ohio Sunshine Summit, a statewide journalism conference for student journalists and professionals to discuss First Amendment
and FOIA issues. Planned the Ohio University RTDNA 21st Annual Spring Conference, in which top
newsroom professionals from local news stations led panel discussions about current industry topics.

VICE PRESIDENT, OHIO UNIVERSITY RTDNA CHAPTER 2009-2010
Assist in planning and leading weekly membership meetings. Led a presentation on the keys to
shooting compelling video and a phone-based discussion with an assignment editor from NBC4 (WCMH). Planned the Ohio University RTDNA 20th Annual Spring Conference, in which top newsroom
professionals from local news stations led panel discussions about current industry topics.

MEMBER, OHIO UNIVERSITY RTDNA CHAPTER 2008-2010
Attended weekly meetings and workshops.

RTDNA NATIONAL CONVENTION, LAS VEGAS, NV 2009
Journalism convention conjoined with the National Association of Broadcasters. Participant in all-day
one man band workshop taught by Al Tompkins of the Poynter Institute.

HONORS TUTORIAL COLLEGE

PEER TEACHER Fall 2010
Facilitate and lead two weekly discussion sessions as an addendum to a freshmen Honors Tutorial College seminar at Ohio University. Twenty-four students are enrolled in the two sections.

STUDENTS FOR GLOBAL MEDIA AND DIVERSITY

MEMBER 2010
SGMD's charter is to promote awareness of diversity and enhance cross-cultural communication among students at Ohio University. SGMD aims to foster an appreciation of the trials, tribulations, and triumphs
of international journalists, their media systems, andthe governments within which they can socialize and network about international affairs.

OHIO UNIVERSITY FORENSICS AND DEBATE TEAM

COMPETITOR, PERSUASIVE SPEAKING CATEGORY 2008
Prepared and presented speech on the negative effects that plastic shopping bags on the environment.

PRODUCER AND EDITOR, ORAL HISTORY VIDEO 2009
Shot, produced, and edited a 10-minute video about the history of Ohio University’s Speech and
Debate team. The video was entered in the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament and won third place.

Conferences and Workshops

CAMPUS PROGRESS SOUTHERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE, ATLANTA, GA 2009
Journalism conference addressing challenges and opportunities stemming from Barack Obama’s election.

POYNTER MEDIA ETHICS WORKSHOP, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY 2008
Workshop on media ethics and the blogosphere.

OHIO NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION CONVERGENCE WORKSHOP 2008
Workshop on creating news packages for the web.

NEW LEADERSHIP OHIO CONFERENCE, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 2008
Addressed the historical contemporary under representation of women in politics and the public service sector.

PARTICIPANT, SUMMER MEDIA WORKSHOP, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI 2007

PARTICIPANT, HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM INSTITUTE, INDIANA UNIVERSITY 2007

Awards

LEADERSHIP FOR CHANGE AWARD 2010
Awarded by Leaderspark, a leadership development organization in Columbus, OH.

JAMES W. FAULKNER SCHOLARSHIP FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS JOURNALISM 2010
Awarded by the Central Ohio Society of Professional Journalists chapter.

OHIO INTERACTIVE AWARD 2010
Awarded to Best Light Video for best use of a web-based video for an advertising or promotional
campaign (North Market vendor commercials).

GUIDO STEMPEL SCHOLARSHIP FOR JOURNALISM 2010

JOHN R. WILHELM FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE INTERNSHIP GRANT 2010

OHIO UNIVERSITY MULTICULTURAL SCHOLARSHIP 2010

OHIO UNIVERSITY DEAN'S SCHOLARSHIP 2009, 2010

OHIO UNIVERSITY GATEWAY SCHOLARSHIP 2008 - 2010

SCRIPPS JOURNALISM SCHOLARSHIP 2009

OHIO UNIVERSITY FORENSICS TEAM 2009
Third Place, Oral History Video, Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament

OHIO UNIVERSITY FORENSICS TEAM 2008
Top Novice, Persuasive Speaking, Purdue University Tournament

OHIO JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR 2008
Honorable Mention

THE ADVERTISING FEDERATION OF COLUMBUS 2008
Marvin Brown Scholarship

OHIO NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION 2008
Minority Journalism Scholarship

OHIO SCHOLASTIC MEDIA ASSOCIATION AWARDS 2008
“Excellent” for In-depth Individual, “Excellent” for News Feature, “ Honorable Mention”
for Photo Illustration

JOHN MCCONNEL FAMILY FOUNDATION 2008
McConnell Scholarship

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, SUMMER MEDIA WORKSHOP 2007
Special Recognition Award

References

YUSUF KALYANGO
Assistant Professor, Broadcast Journalism
Director, International Institute for Journalism
Ohio University
(740) 597-3335
kalyango@ohio.edu

CARY FRITH
Assistant Professor, Magazine Journalism
Ohio University
(740)593-9851
frith@ohio.edu

BERNHARD DEBATIN
Associate Professor, Online Journalism
Director of Tutorial Studies for Journalism
(740)593-9809
debatin@ohio.edu

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