Executive Board

Chapter President: Austin Clark

Major: Journalism – Public Relations & Advertising
Minors: Communication Studies
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Email: aclark2@uoregon.edu
Twitter: @AustinRossClark
Austin is a public relations/advertising double major. Besides being the University of Oregon PRSSA Chapter President, he’s also the Multimedia Manager of the University of Oregon Lacrosse Team. A busy, fascinating man, yet also a lover of all creatures and plants. Some say he also loves the outdoors, fitness, astronomy, reading, and most every sport under the sun or stadium roof. All say, however, that he loves writing. Known to eat only the finest of pizzas, and look up the precise meaning of simple words in the dictionary, which is pretty darn groovy.

Vice President: Shasta Smith

Major: Journalism – Public Relations
Minors: Business Administration & Communication Studies
Hometown: Sheridan, Oregon
Email: shastas@uoregon.edu
Twitter: @Shasta_Nicole
Shasta Smith, a University of Oregon senior, serves as Vice President of PRSSA this year. Shasta is currently finishing her Bachelors of Art Degree in Journalism, with a focus in public relations, and minoring in both business and communication studies. She aspires in the fields of small or large agency work, or event coordination for any company. She is thrilled to be leading University of Oregon’s PRSSA chapter for the 2011-2012 school year.

Secretary: Linda Lam

Major: Journalism – Public Relations & Advertising
Minors: Business Administration, Communication Studies & Comparative Literature
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Email: lam@uoregon.edu
Twitter: @LindaYNLam
As a first generation college student and the eldest of three siblings, Linda wanted to set an example. When she entered college, she knew studying public relations and advertising would be a great match for her career interests and strong communication abilities. She absolutely loves working with people to strategically plan, generate and create new ideas to help people lead better lives. After college, she hopes to work in a creative, fun advertising firm for a few years before going back to school for her MBA. She always works hard, but definitely is a fun lover who can’t get enough of life. She is ambitious, goal-driven and a future leader – absolutely ready to leap into the world of journalism.

Treasurer: Megan Bauer

Major: Journalism – Public Relations & Advertising
Minors: Economics & Communication Studies
Hometown: Eugene, Oregon
Email: bauer3@uoregon.edu
Twitter: @MeganKBauer
Megan Bauer is a junior at the University of Oregon, and really enjoys the learning environment. Besides being the Treasurer for UOPRSSA, Megan also works in public relations for Flux Magazine and for a nonprofit called Tariro. She decided to go into public relations because she loves people and is interested in being the main line of communication between key publics and companies. Megan later decided to add the advertising major to her education because in addition to looking at the reactions of the public to companies, she also wants to be a part of producing the information they react to. In working for UOPRSSA, Megan hopes to learn more about the field of public relations and be able to take that knowledge into her career.

Professional Development/Liaison: Jessica Hamel

Major: Journalism – Public Relations
Minor: Business Administration
Hometown: Tillamook, Oregon
Email: hamel@uoregon.edu
Twitter: @Jessica_Hamel
Jessica is a fourth-year public relations major at the University of Oregon. Her heart will always be at the beach. She loves everything vintage, soft rock music and Starbucks iced green tea. She holds an admiration for every little shop on the Oregon Coast. Jessica is always up for a game of tennis or a trip to the lake. She’s a water baby and is most at peace when on a jet-ski. Jessica has a knack for stressful situations and a drive for leadership. Her sense of humor is unstoppable and she truly believes that laughter can heal all wounds, at least for the time being. She has an excitement for public relations that is indescribable. Jessica lives for busy schedules, and that moment after an event when she looks around and can’t help, but smile. Her dreams are big and she’s reaching them one by one. She lives for the thrill.

Faculty Advisor: Pat Curtin

Dr. Curtin’s public relations career spans thirteen years of corporate work and running her own firm. She is a former head of the Public Relations Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. She serves on the editorial boards of two major public relations journals and is the book review editor for Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly.

Professional Advisor: John Mitchell

Retired as External Communications Coordinator for Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) after more than 23 years of directing the utility’s public relations, marketing and advertising. Prior to EWEB, Mitchell was public relations director at McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield and public information officer for the U.S. Forest Service. Mitchell has served as professional advisor for the UO chapter of PRSSA since 1994.