wfn.org | John Brooks Named ELCA News Director

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

December 17, 1998

JOHN BROOKS NAMED ELCA NEWS DIRECTOR
98-248-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- John R. Brooks, 42, becomes director for news and
information in the Department for Communication of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) on Jan. 4, 1999.  He succeeds Ann E.
Hafften, who resigned to become director for communications at Luther
Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., a seminary of the ELCA.
     "John Brooks brings the combination of experience and excellence in
journalism and love for the church that we need in an ELCA director for
news and information," said the Rev. Eric C. Shafer, director of the ELCA
Department for Communication.  "We are looking forward to welcoming him to
Chicago in January and to the busy year of churchwide activities in which
he joins our staff."
     Brooks is currently communications specialist and project leader for
news, video production and distance education for statewide educational
and research organization at the Louisiana State University (LSU)
Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, La.
     Born in Buffalo, N.Y., Brooks attended the University of Maryland,
College Park, Md., earned a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, and received a master's
degree in journalism from Louisiana State University.
     While studying at LSU, Brooks was a full-time radio announcer at
WYNK AM/FM in Baton Rouge and a teaching assistant in the School of
Journalism.  Before pursuing his master's degree, Brooks was the sports
director and a news announcer for the Louisiana Radio Network; news
director for KBST radio in Big Spring, Texas, and a newspaper copy editor
for the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise.
     In Fort Worth, Brooks was a computer operator in the classified
advertising department of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, an intern at WBAP
radio and a sports assistant for KXAS-TV.  At Texas Christian University,
he was associate editor of Image magazine, a reporter for the Daily Skiff
newspaper and an announcer for KTCU-FM.
     At the University of Maryland, Brooks was a reporter for the
Diamondback newspaper and for WMUC-FM.
     Brooks has been secretary and director of communication for the
ELCA's Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod and the synod's correspondent and
supplement editor for The Lutheran, magazine of the ELCA.  He was also a
member of the ELCA Department for Communication's advisory committee.
     Brooks served three terms as council president of the Lutheran
Church of Our Saviour, Baton Rouge.  He and his wife, Dr. Ellen R. Brooks,
are the parents of a daughter and a son.

For information contact:
Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Director (773) 380-2955 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html