SENIOR STORYTELLER
Public relations account executive, award-winning broadcast and print journalist
- BOBBY AMPEZZAN is a senior public relations account executive and a former public radio and print news reporter and editor with 14 years experience whose national stories have been broadcast on NPR’s Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend ATC, and published by The Guardian newspaper and Oxford American magazine.
SENIOR PUBLIC RELATIONS ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE — Mangan Holcomb Partners, Gainesville, Fla. (Oct. 2018-present)
- Lead strategic writing and print media strategies for Windstream Communications, a Fortune 500 telecommunications company based in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Shape thought leadership PR campaign for new business enterprise, 2019 1Q campaign
MANAGING EDITOR — Arkansas Public Media, Little Rock (May 2016 - Oct. 2018
- Led a five-member statewide news operation affiliated with NPR and funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that broadcast on four member stations
- Report from locations around the state for partner stations and for NPR (Arkansas carries out first execution since 2005)
- Created and edited ArkansasPublicMedia.org, posting print stories and original photography with broadcast audio bar and video supplements
- Frequent panelist on public television’s politics roundup, Arkansas Week.
EDITOR, WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER — Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock (April 2008 - May 2016)
- Led the coverage, writing, photography and editing of a 14-page Sunday section that included a cover profile, a column and two fashion features
- Wrote award-winning longform profiles on a range of Arkansans, from sports stars such as Torii Hunter to 1950s fishing lure inventor Cotton Cordell
- Snapped much of the centerpiece art for photo pages and online galleries.
CONTRIBUTOR — The Guardian, Oxford American Magazine, Arkansas Life
- The Oxford American magazine: The Passion of the Passion, Spring 2013 issue
- The Guardian newspaper: David Lynch’s Crazy Clown Time: Home truths from the heartlands, Nov. 3, 2011
- Arkansas Life: Sleep well, Feb. 4, 2015
EDUCATION
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing, University of Arkansas — 2003
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Environmental Studies, Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA) — 1998
AWARDS and ASSOCIATONS
- Associate member (active), Public Relations Society of America
- Treasurer (immediate past) — Society of Professional Journalists, Arkansas Pro Chapter
- 2017: First place, radio – hard news, Bundle of bills highlight how tricky, fragile are Freedom of Information laws (Arkansas Pro Chapter SPJ)
- 2016: First place, news feature, Rabbit at rest (Arkansas Associated Press Media Editors)
- 2016: First place, radio – spot news, Graduating Seniors, School Superintendents. Head Toward Summer Transition (Arkansas Pro Chapter SPJ)
- 2015: Third place, sports feature, Torii Kedar Hunter (national Society of Features Journalism)
- 2013: Third place, best restaurant criticism, What’s new is swell at 1620 (national Association of Food Journalists)
- 2013: Finalist, entertainment feature, Louis Clark Brock (Great Plains Journalism)
- 2012: First place, profile, Carl Richey ‘Cotton’ Cordell (Arkansas Press Association)
- 2011: Second place, profiles portfolio (Green Eyeshade)
- 2006: First place, feature series (Suburban Newspapers Association)
