Dana Schmidt

Dana began her career with the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) in tournament communications, a coveted position that took her to the West Coast where she covered future greats of the game. On the road through six states and 13,000 miles, she coordinated tournament public relations efforts, including player interviews and news releases, organized local media and community volunteers and immersed herself in all aspects of event management in a fast-paced atmosphere.

A self-professed “East Coast girl,” she gave up life on the road and returned to Georgia to work for a boutique PR agency in Decatur before joining Jackson Spalding in 2007.

Dana received her Journalism degree, cum laude, from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, where she was a Telecommunication Arts major and on the Dean’s List every semester. While there, she was a feature writer for the Red & Black daily student newspaper, which solidified her desire to pursue a career involving writing. She also worked in sports promotions for the college athletic department, securing support and attendance for some of the most notable teams in the Southeastern Conference.

One unique skill Dana acquired in college was American Sign Language — something she hopes to find use for in her career or as a volunteer. Volunteering is in her blood as evidenced by more than 15 years logging service hours for Girl Scout projects. This affiliation gave her a love of the outdoors and experiences of a lifetime as she backpacked in breathtaking locales from Cumberland Island to countries across Europe. Always ready for another stamp in her passport, Dana studied abroad in Italy where she practiced her Italian language studies in Verona.

In Atlanta, Dana is never far from her own “Bulldog Nation,” a strong group of friends who regularly meet for karaoke, a game of kickball in Piedmont Park or tailgating in Athens.