Staff Spotlight
Rosanne Desmone
J
ust over a year ago, I became the
Treasures from
ASA’s public affairs/public relations
specialist, and I’ve been having a
the
great time getting to know the staff and
all the workings of the ASA. I have been
ASA Archives
a public relations practitioner for about
28 years, working in the private sector
for several high-tech companies, includ-
ing a number of start-ups, an association,
and three congressmen.
I have done every job in a congressional
Minutes from a January 17, 1862,
office, from receptionist/scheduler to press
meeting about health and camp
aide to legislative assistant to the top posi-
Rosanne Desmone
tion of administrative assistant. This fol-
conditions during the Civil War,
lowed my reporting days on a Connecticut daily newspaper, covering
ASA Record Book, Box 1, Folder 3,
government, politics, and crime. I even reported on sports briefly,
becoming the first woman to sit in the University of Connecticut
American Statistical Association
press box to cover football. I got more coverage than the game!
Records, MS 349, Special Collection
After leaving Capitol Hill, I became a communications specialist
for a small consulting firm, and then moved into the high-tech sector, Department, Iowa State University
where I worked for telecommunications and networking companies. I
Library
lost three jobs in the dot-com bust as companies failed. I finally decid-
ed the high-tech market was too volatile, so I started doing freelance
public relations and, for fun, took up ballroom dancing. I became a
ballroom teacher and competitive dancer (some pounds ago) for sev-
eral years. When Pam Morris started at the ASA as executive secretary,
she told me the association was looking for a public affairs specialist
and suggested I apply, which I did, and here I am.
My mission is to help the ASA energize its public affairs/media
relations program and create greater visibility and public aware-
ness of statistics and statisticians among statistical professionals, the
media, and the public. Toward that end, I work with the members
and staff to develop activities to support this mission. I write news
releases that announce the ASA’s efforts in professional develop-
ment, scholarships, and other relevant areas. To help journalists
with articles they are researching, I created an online newsroom
and lobbied to revive the ASA Media Experts program. We posted
the first Media Experts list in January and updated it in February. I
continue to identify qualified statisticians for this list. Also, work-
ing with ASA Webmaster Ryan Bell, I developed the “Statisticians
in the News” web page, where we post articles of interest about
statisticians. I also contribute occasionally to Amstat News.
To find this and other treasures from the
In July, I traveled to Salt Lake City for my first JSM—both ASA archives, visit
www.lib.iastate.edu/
exciting and overwhelming. I worked closely with local media to
spcl/manuscripts/MS349.html. For more
attract attention to the meetings. A few journalists attended ses-
sions, and a couple of good stories were published. We’re looking
information, email
spclref@iastate.edu or
forward to repeating this effort for JSM 2008—with even better
call (515) 294-6672.
results. And I’m already looking forward to JSM 2009 in DC!
My husband, Michael, and I live in Alexandria, Virginia, with
our grandson, Nicky, who we have raised since he was just a few
days old. Now 13, he keeps us busy transporting him to Tae Kwon
Do classes (he’s a junior instructor) and competitions. What leisure
time we have, we spend working around our home and garden …
and wishing we were dancing! n
APRIL 2008 AMSTAT NEWS 23
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