1. Elizabeth A. Ortiz
▪ e4ortiz@gmail.com ▪
QUALIFICATIONS
 Expertise in media engagement; civic/public outreach; external/internal communications; and crisis
communications/management
 Exceptional leadership/managerial experience and relationship/partnership-building capability
 Excellent verbal and written communication skills
 First-rate planning acumen; strategic thought development; and event planning/management
 Well-versed in cross-cultural coordination/collaboration: Europe, Middle East/Southwest Asia, East Africa
 Fluent in Spanish (Castilian); Top Secret clearance
EDUCATION
Master of Science, Strategic Communications, Columbia University, New York, New York 2015
Senior Leadership Military School (Air Command and Staff College) 2007
Junior Leadership Military School (Squadron Officer School) Chief of Staff Flight (#1 of 54 flights) 1999
Master of Public Administration, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 1998
Bachelor of Arts, History and Political Science with distinction; Minor in Women’s Studies,
Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado 1993
CAREER OVERVIEW
Director, National Media Engagement, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs, New York,
New York (August 2012 - November 2015)
o Led 8-member team in selectively manned subordinate element in NYC on behalf of U.S. Air Force
o Enabled 200+ Air Force media/public engagements; facilitated 44 senior leader visits, including record 5
by Secretary of the Air Force; garnered $21M in national-level print/broadcast coverage (e.g., The New
York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, etc); and secured Air Force placement in 107 books
o Connected 34 million people to Air Force’s 67th Birthday celebration in NYC; earned “Most Prolific on
Twitter”; synced U.S. Air Force Band into NYC’s renowned 4th of July celebration ($8.8M in publicity)
o Integrated Communications Award, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon (2014)
Chief of Plans, U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) Public Affairs, Patch Barracks, Germany
(August 2009 - August 2012)
o Directed/oversaw day-to-day and crisis public affairs strategy/planning for USEUCOM and coordinated US
Army, US Navy and US Marine Corps public affairs operations throughout 51-country European theater
o Synchronized public affairs with Allied militaries & US whole-of-government partners throughout Europe
o Crafted and integrated public roll-out for phased missile defense in Europe; naval basing in Spain a reality
o Developed process for declassifying operational imagery for public release within 24 hours; enabled NATO
to counter enemy misinformation during Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR (Libya)…standard process now
• Promotion to rank of Lieutenant Colonel - February 1, 2010
Chief of Public Affairs, 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota
(July 2006 - August 2009)
o Directed media relations, community relations, internal information and security/policy review for only
dual nuclear-capable base in Department of Defense (35 B-52H aircraft and 150 Minuteman III
intercontinental ballistic missiles); led 16-member team of journalists, photographers and videographers
o Advised 5th Bomb Wing Commander and 91st Missile Wing Commander on all public and strategic/crisis
communication issues; approved all information/imagery related to installation for public release

2. o In charge of weekly production of Air Force newspaper with circulation of 6,000 plus content of base’s
public web site, commander’s access channel, base marquee and base information line
o Successfully transitioned base to web news delivery; built new base web site up to 3 million hits a year
o Coordinated base support for popular TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition; reached 12-15 million
o Best Large Wing Public Affairs Office, Air Combat Command (2006)
o “Best Issues” Public Achievement Award, Air Combat Command (2008)
o Field Grade Officer of the Year, Air Combat Command Public Affairs (2008)
Director of Public Affairs, 11th Wing, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington DC (July 2003 - July 2006)
o Directed media relations, community relations, internal information and security/policy review for base
o Advised base leadership on all public and strategic/crisis communication issues
o In charge of weekly production of Air Force newspaper in metro DC area with circulation of 40,000+
o Approved information and imagery related to installation for public release
o Set up public affairs for new Air Force District of Washington; enabled smooth stand-up of key organization
o Facilitated 500+ media queries and 2,000 credential requests for President Ronald Reagan’s state funeral
o Team of the Year, 11th Wing (2004)
• Promotion to rank of Major - April 1, 2005
Deputy Chief of Internal Information Division; and Media Relations Officer, US Air Forces in
Europe (USAFE) Public Affairs, Ramstein Air Base, Germany (October 2000 - July 2003)
o Served as USAFE spokesperson for US/German/international media; coordinated responses to queries
o Organized/monitored media engagements conducted by Headquarters USAFE leadership
o Planning effort was basis for initial US/international media coverage of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM
o Played key role in 75-day food drop humanitarian mission in Afghanistan; reached 300 million worldwide
o Planned all Air Force support in Europe for Memorial Day 2002; oversaw 15 high-vis events in 6 countries
Flight Commander, 51st Communications Squadron, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, Korea
(July 1999 - July 2000)
o Led 30 Airmen and 20 Korean civilians in installation publishing, records management, visual information
and postal operations (7,000 mailboxes); oversaw U.S. Post Office for 10,000-member base community
o Customer-focus approach garnered “Outstanding” rating in customer service and overall “Excellent”
Executive Officer, Inter-American Air Forces Academy; and Executive Officer, 37th Training
Wing, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas (April 1996 - July 1999)
o Organized/directed flow of executive activities, taskers, projects and deadlines in support of bilingual
training for 900 military students from 18 Latin American countries; liaison for 150 personnel
o Significantly contributed to Academy’s historic first-ever “Excellent” rating on major command inspection
o Authored base’s 1998 Outstanding Unit Award for second consecutive win at Headquarters Air Force level
o Company Grade Officer Information Manager of the Year, 37th Training Wing (1997)
• Promotion to rank of Captain - November 18, 1998
• Promotion to rank of First Lieutenant - November 18, 1996
Section Commander, 55th Air Refueling Squadron, Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma
(November 1994 - April 1996)
o Managed personnel programs/administrative actions on behalf of commander in 580-member unit
o Earned commendation as “benchmark for new units” only 4 months after activation
o Company Grade Officer of the Year, 55th Air Refueling Squadron (1995)
• Commissioned in U.S. Air Force to rank of Second Lieutenant - November 18, 1994
MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS
1. November 2002 – May 2003: Chief of Public Affairs, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing, Manas, Kyrgyzstan
2. November 2005 – May 2006: Public Affairs Staff Officer, Multi-National Force-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq

3. 3. July 2007 – February 2008: Detachment Commander, American Forces Network-Afghanistan, Combined Joint
Task Force-82, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
1st Place, Air Force Media Contest (Newscast Category), Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon (2007)
4. January – July 2009: Director of Public Affairs, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Joint Base Balad, Iraq
5. January – July 2013: Director of Public Affairs, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, Djibouti, Africa