Education:

• May 1997 ¾ earned Master of Science degree in mass communications and journalism from Kansas State University through a grant under the USIA-funded Freedom Support Act Program. Major – public relations, minor – advertising. GPA – 4.0. National Dean's List, 1996-97.

• June 1995 ¾ earned Master of Science degree in political science from the Central European University (Budapest) through a grant from the Soros Foundation. Emphasis in international relations and mass media in democratic transition.

• June 1993 ¾ graduated with honors from the Kyrgyz State University, Foreign Languages Department. Major – English and literature, minor – French.

• June 1997 finished Bishkek secondary school # 44 with the gold medal.

Professional Experience:

Jan.1, 1999 till present Full-time OSI International Fellow working on development of two courses for the journalism program at American University in Kyrgyzstan (AUK) – Mass Media and Society and Theories of Mass Communication.

Sept.1, 1997 till present Part-time instructor at the AUK journalism department. Courses taught include Mass Communication Theories, Fundamentals of Public Relations, and Public Relations Techniques.

August 97 - October 98 Publications specialist/editor, Counterpart Consortium/Kyrgyzstan. Duties included:

• Assistance to the deputy regional director in training-related issues;
• Design and updating of training manuals for the Counterpart Contract Trainer Program;
• Production and copy-editing of brochures, leaflets, and other publications for general public and specific audiences;
• Assistance in designing the CANGONET web page;
• Design and conducting of the Newsletter Development training workshop.

May 26 - Aug.22, 1996 Summer internship with VectorOmni International, a San Francisco-based public relations company. Duties included:

• coordination of media relations for California Women's Agenda Assembly (held in San Francisco on June 28-30), writing, copy editing, design and placement of press releases, newsletters, media advisories and other promotional materials;
• compiling media lists and obtaining direct mail lists;
• targeted direct mailings development and implementation;
• research and assistance in development of various public relations campaigns;
• assistance in client relations.

May 1994 - August 1994 Assistant to the project director of the USAID-supported Public Education and Information Program for Privatization in Kyrgyzstan. Duties included:

• translation/interpretation, including simultaneous translation;
• word processing;
• managing the interpreting staff;
• logistical support for the first regional Central Asian journalism seminar conducted in Kyrgyzstan in June 1994.

May 1993 - May 1994 Chief interpreter/office manager of the World Bank-supported technical assistance project for the Employment service of Kyrgyzstan. Duties included:

• translation/interpretation;
• word processing;
• assistance to the team leader;
• managing the interpreting and other local staff;
• logistical support of the project.

In 1992-93 worked as an interpreter/translator on ad hoc basis with a number of international organizations, including UNICEF, UNHCR, ILO and Red Cross, whose representatives came to Kyrgyzstan with initial appraisal missions.

Technical Skills:
Considerable experience with Word for Windows, MS Publisher, Word Perfect for Windows and for Macintosh, QuarkXPress, PageMaker, Norton Commander, Excel, PowerPoint; experience with Aldus FreeHand, Adobe PhotoShop, and CorelDraw!; some experience with HTML and Adobe Illustrator. Good typing skills in both English and Russian.

Other skills:
Considerable experience of simultaneous interpretation at various conferences, seminars and round tables for both international and local Kyrgyz organizations.

Languages:
Native ¾ Russian, English ¾ fluent, basic knowledge of French.