Álvaro 'Al' Ortiz Email & Phone Number

Spring, Tx, Us

Houston, Texas Area

Currently, I am the Public Information Officer at the Office of Harris County District Clerk Marilyn Burgess. I am in charge of internal & external communications, social media, public relations, legislative affairs, and internal & external events.

Houston, Texas

Worked as a Senior Digital News Producer at Houston Public Media, the affiliate station of NPR and PBS in the Houston market. I cover local news and breaking news and feed the station's social media with news-related content.

Houston, Texas Area

Worked as Reporter at the Houston Chronicle and La Voz de Houston, the Chronicle's Spanish-language newspaper, mostly covering the Hispanic community of Houston, Harris County and Texas.

Houston, Texas Area

As Congressman Green’s Press Secretary, managed and supervised the communications and press operations of his office.• Production of news releases, talking points and speeches. • Organized press conferences and media events. • Managed all media related requests and inquiries, as well as Congressman Green’s social media operation.• Monitored Congressman Green’s coverage in local and national media. • Participated in events organized by Congressman Green in Houston and Washington, D.C.

Houston, Texas Area

Worked on media and communications projects, including a photo exhibit and a television documentary about the origins of Mexico’s oil industry. Worked in the media relations and documentation process of the U.S. Department of Labor’s “Summer Jobs for Youth” program.

Houston, Texas Area

From July 2004 to February 2009, worked as the Texas News Bureau Chief.• Established a news operation from inception to completion and created and developed an extensive professional network.• Produced a weekly average of six to ten news packages by developing story ideas, arranging interviews, writing scripts, recording voice-track and supervising editing. Extensive live coverage of national and international events such as Hurricane Katrina and the execution of José Medellín.• Administered the Bureau’s expenditures and prepared monthly accounting reports.• Participated in Public Relations events and campaigns for Azteca America Television.• In 2005, besides covering the aftermath of hurricane Katrina for Azteca America Televisión, I also did freelance work on this major story for Spain’s largest TV network (Televisión Española, TVE).

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Worked as a reporter and producer in the first phase of Azteca America Televisión’s News Department. Specialized in covering stories about national politics, immigration and education.

Columbia, Missouri Area / Washington, D.C.

-Worked as a general assignment reporter covering stories in Columbia (Missouri) and Boone County (Missouri).-From March until May 2003, worked as a general assignment reporter at EFE News Services’ central bureau in Washington, D.C. This position was part of my academic tasks as a Master’s student at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Reported on a variety of stories regarding national politics in the United States, including interviews with high level Government officials such as former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and looked for angles that made them interesting for EFE’s clients, namely news organizations that publish and/or broadcast in Spanish.-In May 2003, returned from Washington, D.C. to Columbia (Missouri) to work as a general assignment reporter, camera operator and editor for KOMU-Channel 8/NBC.• Conceived and developed my own niche in the newsroom by specializing in covering stories about Columbia’s Hispanic community.• Alternating my reporting and anchoring tasks at KOMU, worked at Columbia’s NPR affiliate (KBIA Radio) as an announcer doing brief newscasts on-the-hour and managing the technical broadcast of several radio programs such as “Prairie Home Companion” and “Hearts of Space”.

Madrid Area, Spain

I wrote in-depth stories regarding miscellanea issues covering a wide scope of topics, from social work enterprises to renewable energies. I covered entertainment news and interviewed celebrities such as Oscar winner actor Javier Bardem, Pulitzer prize winner Frank McCourt and legendary rock band Scorpions, among others.

Madrid Area, Spain

Estrella Digital (www.estrelladigital.es) was the first Spanish newspaper that was only published on the Internet. Besides working as assistant chief editor, I gained more valuable experience about Web design and constant updating of contents.

Madrid Area, Spain

I conceived, developed and directed operations for Commm News, the first Internet-based news channel in Spain. Focused on reporting about technology companies (Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, etc…) and participated in public relations campaigns to launch the project.

Masters, Journalism

British Council School

Education record