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 Press Release

  
  
 

                            


AFTRA Announces New
National Director of Communications  
 

Los Angeles, CA, January 24 , 2006 – The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) announced today that John Hinrichs will join the AFTRA staff as National Director of Communications on February 6, 2006. Mr. Hinrichs will be based in Los Angeles and will be responsible for oversight of AFTRA’s communications functions, including press relations, member communications, and outreach, as well as communications strategies for organizing campaigns.
 
Mr. Hinrichs comes to AFTRA from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) where he served as Senior Communications Specialist. His responsibilities with SEIU included the development, planning, and leadership of communications strategies for organizing, legislative, and contract campaigns, including media outreach and creation of print and web based advocacy content, press materials, fact sheets, and other publications. 
 
Prior to his work at SEIU, Mr. Hinrichs was a principal at Next Wave Communications where he directed a range of projects that included serving as communications director and press secretary for the campaigns of California State Senators Wesley Chesbro and Betty Karnette, as well as campaign manager for Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard. He has also coordinated communications strategies for various non-profit organizations including the Live on Hollywood project and the Historic Preservation Partners for Earthquake Response, as well as for local political candidates throughout California. From 1971-1975, Mr. Hinrichs was a staff announcer at KNCR in Fortuna, CA, while earning his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Occidental College in Los Angeles.
 
“A strong communications structure and strategy is critical to AFTRA’s work in effectively negotiating and organizing union work opportunities for AFTRA members in the digital age,” said AFTRA National Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth. “We are pleased that John Hinrichs will bring his talent and experience in both labor and politics to those efforts." 
 
About AFTRA 
 
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists – affiliated with the AFL-CIO – is a diverse national union representing over 70,000 professional performers, broadcasters, and recording artists in 32 Locals throughout the country. AFTRA members work as actors, broadcast journalists, dancers, singers, announcers, hosts, comedians, and disc jockeys in all aspects of the media industries including television and radio, sound recordings, commercials, non-broadcast/industrials, interactive games, and the Internet. For more information, visit AFTRA online at www.aftra.com.    

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