CARLSBAD NATIVE SETS SIGHTS ON POLITICAL LIFE IN D.C.

May 21, 2003

CARLSBAD NATIVE SETS SIGHTS ON POLITICAL LIFE IN D.C.

Cassie Christian Cassie Christian is very focused when it comes to her career objectives. The former Carlsbad High School Honors student (Class of ’99) will graduate with Honors from the University of New Mexico next December in a time span of four-and-half-years.

But after four years of hard work including summer school, Christian is nearing one of her goals – to become active in the public relations field in the Washington, D.C. area. She is steadily building her resume as an intern at the public relations firm of D.W. Turner in Albuquerque. A position she’s held for the past eight months.

“After I graduate in December I want to move to Washington, D.C.,” said Christian. “The public relations market in D.C. is amazing. There are so many good job opportunities out there. I have talked with co-workers about getting a job with the Republican Governors Association (RGA).”

Christian’s plans to get into the realm of political public relations stem from one of D.W. Turner’s clients – former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson.

“D.W. Turner worked to get former Gov. Johnson re-elected to a second term,” said Christian. “He’s one of the only governors in New Mexico to get re-elected to a consecutive term. We do a lot of public relations in the political arena. I definitely have a passion for it.

“I think that coming from New Mexico and never living anywhere else besides New Mexico, that the RGA is a great starting point. I think that it will get me out there to D.C. and meet people and network and maybe move on to something else.”

Christian’s first intern position was with the City of Albuquerque which enabled her to work on two public relations campaigns that initiated her political ambitions.

“Last summer I had my first internship with the City of Albuquerque and I was coordinating events for “Keep Albuquerque Beautiful,” said Christian. “I had the opportunity to do all these great things. I was planning events including “Trek for Trash.” We got to do that event with former Gov. Gary Johnson, which was great experience. I really got into liking public relations then when I was able to get hands on experience. I had that internship until last October when my internship ended.”

“I don’t think I would have been hired if I didn’t have the previous experience with the internship with the City,” she said. “It’s really cool because I feel like I’m not just an intern there. I get to do everything the regular employees do including media relations, writing press releases and planning events. I really like it a lot. I think having the job and doing the real thing has made me like it even more.”

Early on, Christian’s interest in English and writing at Carlsbad High School also proved to be an influence.

“When I was in high school I always had “AP” (Honors) English,” Christian said. “I knew I was a really good writer and that was something I was definitely interested in. I didn’t really get into public relations until my freshman year when I started to realize that you have to have a concentration (of study). That’s when I started learning more about the field and deciding that public relations would be good for me.”

Christian has always been active and involved in a number of organizations. She was a cheerleader, a member of the modern dance and the Key Clubs in high school. In addition to her parents, she was influenced to succeed from the relationships she formed in those activities.

“I had older friends who I cheered and danced with who went on to college and accomplished amazing things,” she said. “I definitely wanted to follow in their steps. I looked up to a lot of people. And my parents were always pushing me really hard to succeed. Success was always expected. There was never any question if my sister and I would go to college. It was never of whether or not I would go to college.’ It was always expected from the earliest time I can remember.

“It was great growing up in Carlsbad. I loved going to high school there and all the friends I have. I think I had the best high school experience ever. I really honestly believe that. We still talk about it all the time.”

Christian, a New Mexico Lottery Scholarship recipient who carries a 3.2 GPA at UNM, has also been active at the college level including PRSSA, which is the Public Relations Student Society of America, an organization for aspiring public relations professionals, where she was recently elected secretary.

She is a former member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority during her freshman and sophomore years. She left sorority life to focus more on her career objectives including the internships she has held and gaining experience that will help her when she graduates.

Christian is the daughter of Cindy and Gary Taylor, who operate their own general contracting business, Taylor Maid, in Carlsbad and elsewhere in New Mexico. She also has a sister, Colette (Carlsbad ’97), who is a nurse in Lubbock, Texas.

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