Ozarks Profile: Louise Whall

What is your job?

The functions of my office include: media relations; em-ployee newsletter and communications; special-event planning; election information; the citizen service request department; TV23; the Web page (www.springfieldmogov.org); multimedia presentations; recep-tion staff; hotlines; kiosks; and more.

What attracted you to your present position?

I had worked with city leaders in my previous job at the News-Leader on various public journalism projects such as Vision 20/20 and the Good Community Committee. That experience with public journalism, which I would define as a more interactive relationship between a media organization and its community, made me want to pursue a more active, hands-on role in public service. Because I knew a number of my now-colleagues from those projects, I knew I would be working with a first-rate group of people.

What challenges do you face in your work?

Virtually every day is a new learning curve. In dealing with 18 city departments, I have to come up to speed very quickly on issues as they arise. As a former member of the media, I understand deadline pressure and try to respond quickly to information requests or breaking news. Events of the day often lead to a rejuggling of the to-do list.

In addition, as in other industries, the fact that technology is constantly evolving creates new challenges in trying to deliver information to citizens in the most accessible and broad-based ways.

Tell us your educational/career background.

I majored in journalism and minored in economics at Michigan State University. I took a job at the News-Leader after graduation and worked as a reporter, business writer, business editor, special projects editor, city editor and features editor before moving to the city in 2001.

What's the best part about your job?

The fact that every day is different, and every day I learn new things about our community. We have a terrific and dedicated group of people in the Public Information Office who set high standards for our work. And I'm very excited about the potential for Jordan Valley Park and the ambitious effort it will take to make it happen.

Tell us about your family.

My family hails from northern Michigan, on a peninsula in a bay on Lake Michigan, which is a little slice of heaven that's nice to escape to when the Ozarks humidity hits or I long for snow.

What do you do in your spare time?

I love to entertain and to be entertained, particularly by the performing arts, music and movies. I also enjoy getting my hands dirty doing gardening and yard work, working out, reading, learning new things like yoga or cooking methods or skating, and my favorite felines. I try to keep up on some volunteer work, particularly for Ozark Greenways.

If you could choose another job, what would it be and why?

On the serious side, if I weren't in some form of communications, I'd lean toward something in hospitality, event management or diplomacy. Less seriously, I'd like one of those jobs for the Food Network or HGTV, where they pay you to try great restaurants or profile interesting spaces.