KATY M. FISHER

Communication. Public Relations. Marketing

katy.m.fisher@gmail.com, http://katymfisher.blogspot.com

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience writing news releases, content for web site and newsletters

• Proven success in planning and executing special events

• Self-starter with a willingness to learn and solve problems creatively

PUBLISHED:

• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

• Northfulton.com
• GwinnettForum.com

• Neighbor Newspapers
• Times.Herald.com
• Atlanta Daybook
• www.mmmlaw.com

• Kennesaw State University Department of Communication newsletter

• Kennesaw State University course packet: Holler, E. (2008, Fall). Public Speaking coursepack. Buford, GA: LAD Custom Publishing

• In Our Village, Metro Atlanta/Early Childhood Development Co., LLC Head Start newsletter

YMCA Circus Spectacular, copywriter of 20 page program with 27 bios

WORK EXPERIENCE:

• YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Atlanta, GA December 2009 – Present

Public Relations Intern and Special Projects Coordinator - Advance YMCA’s mission through communications initiatives, media relations, event planning, community relations, collateral materials management, administrative tasks, and editing

Internal Communications

• Solicited items for Atlanta Press Club’s Holiday Author Party silent auction

• Updated crisis communications plan

• Wrote President’s Letter news items, member testimonials, general releases, vice president and board member bios

Events

• Assisted in the planning and execution of the 2009 annual volunteer recognition dinner with attendance of 1,200 guests Wrote program with bios of 27 volunteers, assisted at three-day Turner Studios photo and video shoot, worked on logistics for venue, wrote and distributed all media releases

• Organized grand opening celebration of Dean Rusk YMCA Head Start Academy including ribbon-cutting event planning, media pitching and writing releases

• Contributed on the re-dedication of the Arthur M. Blank Family Youth YMCA by writing media releases and handling mediate relations the day of the event, interviewing Arthur Blank, serving as liaison with Atlanta Falcons players and cheerleaders, and overseeing open house activities

Media

• Wrote, proofed and edited content of 30 YMCA branch web sites

• Developed and managed media database including journalists and publications for annual dinner and YMCA openings

InDesign – Designed and wrote a new Metro Atlanta YMCA Board of Directors Manual, Internet research, using social media including Facebook and Twitter, web design. Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, InDesign, Photoshop, Apple

EDUCATION:

• Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA

Bachelor of Science: Communication

Concentration: Public Relations Minor: Marketing

Available: May 2010

Overall GPA: 3.0/4.0

• Honors: Hope Scholarship

- “Most Enthusiastic” Fall 2009, Marketing and Professional Sales, Kennesaw State University Coles College of Business

CONTACT: Kristen Obaranec, 404-593-7920, kristeno@ymcaatlanta.org

Katy Fisher, 404-307-2881, printern@ymcaatlanta.org

YMCA RE-NAMED TO HONOR THE ARTHUR M. BLANK FAMILYMCA in city of Atlanta focuses on youth

ATLANTA (September 29, 2009) —At a re-dedication ceremony today, the Centennial Place Family YMCA will be re-named the Arthur M. Blank Family Youth YMCA to honor and recognize the Blank family’s long-time support. The re-dedication will be attended by public officials, YMCA board members and executive leaders, Stephanie and Arthur Blank, and Atlanta Falcons players and cheerleaders who will participate with YMCA kids in physical activities.

“This is a great honor for my family and me,” Arthur Blank said. “It is particularly meaningful because this building is one that includes a Falcons Fitness Zone. In addition, it’s the first youth-only YMCA site in metro Atlanta, which fits nicely with the youth focus of our family foundation and the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation. It’s been our distinct pleasure to work with the Metro Atlanta YMCA over the years, and we are humbled by this recognition.”

The partnership between the Metro Atlanta YMCA and Arthur Blank began in 1992.“Arthur Blank is committed to helping kids build better, healthier lives. He places an emphasis on reducing childhood obesity and increasing the amount of physical activity by children, and that complements the YMCA mission and focus,” says Edward G. Munster, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta YMCA. “One example of a tremendous program that resulted is the Falcons Fitness Zones.”

Created by the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation (AFYF), Falcons Fitness Zones programs help to combat the serious obesity problems afflicting Atlanta’s children. The Metro Atlanta YMCA is one of 12 nonprofit partners receiving AFYF grants to improve youth fitness in underserved areas.

The Foundation has designated four neighborhoods in Atlanta and one in Gainesville as Falcons Fitness Zones, with the greatest investment targeting youth living near the Georgia Dome, home of the Atlanta Falcons. The new Arthur M. Blank Family Youth YMCA serves as the anchor site for a network of services impacting more than 3,000 kids at nine local elementary schools. Through Falcons Fitness Zones grants, children receive expanded fitness and nutritional education programs during the school day and through after-school and summer programs.

“Thousands of children and families throughout metro Atlanta have been positively impacted by the philanthropic efforts of Arthur Blank and his family,” says Munster.

The Youth YMCA, located on Luckie Street, was renovated this month to expand preschool, after-school and youth development program space. With a new name and a newly refurbished Y, more children will have the opportunity to participate in full-day licensed preschool, after-school enrichment programs, and recreational activities like gymnastics, dance, cheerleading, and youth sports.

About the YMCA: Founded in 1858, the Metro Atlanta YMCA is a charitable organization open to all people of all abilities, ages, beliefs, cultures, faiths, and incomes. Financial assistance is available based on need. For more information, call 404-588-9622 or visit www.ymcaatlanta.org. For the Arthur M. Blank Family Youth YMCA, call 404-724-9622.

About The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation: Formed in 1995, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is focused on enhancing education, preserving greenspace, sustaining the arts and sparking collaboration among its community partners. Arthur M. Blank is Owner & CEO of the Atlanta Falcons Football Club. He also owns Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Montana. He co-founded The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer, in 1978 and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001. Through his generosity, the foundation, along with Blank and his wife's personal giving, has granted more than $250 million to various charitable organizations.

About the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation: The Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation is an affiliated fund of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. The Youth Foundation focuses on youth fitness and supports organizations serving youth throughout Georgia. In 2005, the foundation launched the Falcons Fitness Zones as its signature program.

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Feature:

Tufts of grass flew from behind his children’s feet as they ran across the YMCA soccer field. Inside the YMCA, his daughter’s feet clung to the balance beam as she practiced gymnastics. Tony and Francis Ayoub never imagined these past experiences would spark memories in future generations of YMCA members.

With the Decatur-DeKalb Family YMCA’s rich history of serving the community for more than 50 years, generations have been raised at this Y on Clairemont Road. Grandparents like Tony and Francis enjoy Y programs and enjoy watching their grandchildren participate in Y programs.

Tony and Francis joined the Decatur-DeKalb YMCA when he retired in 2002. Keeping in good shape and in good spirits, “we feel happy we belong to an organization that serves the whole community. We enjoy the social interaction with people we know and meet,” says Tony. Tony exercises six days a week with Body Pump, pilates, step aerobics, and high energy athletic training. Francis enjoys swimming, walking and weight training three days a week.

Two of the Ayoub’s four children now have families and YMCA memberships of their own. Expanding Y programs to their grandchildren, Tony and Francis bring them to the Y during summer mornings. The grandchildren make new friends and participate in new activities, allowing Tony and Francis to enjoy their Y workouts and friendships.

Tony and Francis bring their extended family to the YMCA because “all the staff are responsive, cooperative, helpful, tactful, and pleasant, attributing to the well- developed and congenial Y culture,” says Tony. Whether spending time with their grandchildren at the Y or at home, nothing is sweeter than the youthful smiles on their faces. “Their sweet young voices, interest in new things, and squeals of joy are the cherished memories and experiences of our grandchildren,” says Tony.

Tony and Francis are part of the rich history of the Decatur-DeKalb Family YMCA and continue to bring new memories and experiences for future generations of YMCA members.

YMCA Head Start Academy Opens in West End

CONTACT: Kristen Obaranec, (404)267-5335, m (404)593-7920, kristeno@ymcaatlanta.org

Katy Fisher, (404)267-5393, printern@ymcaatlanta.org

YMCA HEAD START ACADEMY OPENS IN WEST END

Bank of America Charitable Foundation announces support of program

that keeps kids from being home alone

ATLANTA (September 16, 2009) – Today marks the grand opening of the Dean Rusk YMCA Head Start Academy at the site of Atlanta Public School’s former Dean Rusk Elementary School in Atlanta’s West End. The Head Start Academy, run by the Metro Atlanta YMCA, will serve approximately 340 pre-school children with quality early learning programs.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta Public Schools and Early Learning Property Management partnered with the YMCA in creating this academy. Programs at the new academy for three- and four-year-olds include traditional Head Start, state-funded pre-k, extended day care and summer camp.

“Head Start is a comprehensive child development program for ages three to four that is most often administered by local, community-based nonprofit organizations,” says Eston Hood, Metro Atlanta YMCA chief operations officer. Through federal grants and other donors, more than $7.8 million was raised for this academy. “Families in the West End will now have access to programs that will give their children a strong educational foundation,” says Hood.

The YMCA Head Start program responds to community needs for child care. According to several studies, children in Head Start programs score higher on school readiness measures like verbal achievement, perceptual reasoning and social competence than children in other pre-schools or none at all. Children who attend a quality early childhood program are 33 percent more likely to graduate from high school than those who did not.

Announced at the grand opening was a special Bank of America Charitable Foundation $250,000 matching donation program that will contribute up to $10,000 per local YMCA. The matching donation program begins today, September 16, and ends October 31, 2009. Striving to keep kids in supervised programs instead of staying home alone, Bank of America and the Metro Atlanta YMCA are giving local residents the opportunity to donate towards this urgent need.

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation and YMCA child care programs share the same vision: to have a supervised, affordable and enriching haven for children throughout the metro Atlanta area. Currently, more than 7,000 kids between ages six and 12 attend Metro Atlanta YMCA after-school programs.

“At Bank of America, we are committed to providing meaningful and impactful support to the communities we serve, because we know that leadership is even more critical when families and individuals face significant pressures,” said Milton Jones, Georgia president for Bank of America. “A growing number of children are returning from school to empty houses because their under-employed or unemployed parents are forced to leave them home alone. We are proud to partner with the Y on this program to help fight the economic downturn’s harmful effects on our children.”

A gift of any amount will help to pay for an hour, a day or a week of supervised after-school enrichment for other kids to be involved in these programs. Donations can be made at any YMCA in metro Atlanta or at www.giveYMCA.org. While the Bank of America Charitable Foundation matches contributions, local donors help kids double their time spent at the Y, not home alone.

“Children need supervised, enriching programs and activities, especially during after-school hours,” says Ed Munster, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta YMCA. “By partnering with community-minded corporations like Bank of America, the YMCA can provide an affordable solution to this growing community concern.”

The Metro Atlanta YMCA started its first childcare program in 1980, its first pre-school in 1983 and began its Head Start involvement in 1999. The Metro Atlanta YMCA is the largest local single provider of Head Start in the metro area. The YMCA program includes child development services, health screenings and referrals, summer enrichment programs, bus transportation, and bilingual staff and learning for more than 1,400 children in metro Atlanta. An additional 386 children in northeast Elbert, Oglethorpe, Morgan, and Greene counties are served by the YMCA Head Start program.

The YMCA is a charitable organization open to people of all abilities, ages, beliefs, cultures, faiths, and incomes. Financial assistance is available based on need. For more information on the Bank of America Charitable Foundation matching gift program, visit www.giveYMCA.org or call (404)588-9622.

About Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy

Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities it serves, Bank of America this year embarked on a new, 10-year goal to donate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Funded by Bank of America, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation gave more than $200 million in 2008, making the bank the most generous financial institution in the world and the second largest donor of all U.S. corporations in cash contributions. Bank of America approaches investing through a national strategy called "neighborhood excellence" under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.

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statistic sources: (Lee, V.E., Brooks-Gunn, J., Schnur, E. and Liaw, F. (1990)

(Schweinhart, et al, 1993; Lazar, et al, 1982; Lally, et al, 1988)