Charlie Fern
Encyclopedia
Charlene "Charlie" Fern (born in 1968) is an American speechwriter
and journalist
who served as First Lady
Laura Bush
's personal speechwriter for six years, first at the Texas Governor's Mansion, then at the White House
, until 2002. Fern's speeches included the first Presidential radio address delivered by a U.S. First Lady, in November 2001, and a May 2002 Radio Free Afghanistan address, following 9-11. She also wrote for President George W. Bush
.
, and spent her childhood and school-age years in Fairfax County, Virginia, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
, and Dallas, Texas
. Fern graduated from Lakeview High School in Garland, Texas
.
In 1990, she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism
from the University of North Texas
where she was a member of the Kappa Tau Alpha
honor society. While in college, she worked as a reporter and editor on the school's newspaper, the North Texas Daily
. Also during college, she worked for the Denton Record-Chronicle
, first in the press shop, then as a sports stringer covering Denton County high school football and as a freelance lifestyles writer.
as a writer and lifestyles editor until, six months later, she was offered a reporting position at the San Diego Union-Tribune. After a year, Charlie, at age 23, was promoted to managing editor of Universal Press Syndicate
's A&M Publications. While there, she wrote, edited and directed the news content for four publications in north San Diego County, including The Vista Press, a daily newspaper.
In the mid-1990s she took a job writing proclamations and greetings in the state office of Governor Ann Richards
. From there, she became a press officer and speechwriter for First Lady Laura Bush. She worked in that capacity until the 2000 presidential campaign, when she moved to the Texas Attorney General's Office to work for then-Attorney General John Cornyn
as press aide and chief speechwriter.
In January 2001, she moved to Washington, D.C., following Mrs. Bush to the White House as her personal speechwriter and spokesperson. On Nov. 8, 2001, the First Lady gave a speech written by Fern to the National Press Club and talked about the 9/11 terrorist attacks and how it was becoming a defining tragedy for youth. During her stay at the White House, Ms. Fern worked with presidential speechwriters Michael Gerson
, Matthew Scully
, Pete Wehner and David Frum
in offices inside the Old Executive Office Building and, later, in the East Wing. She also wrote speeches for U.S. Navy ship dedications; toasts and roasts for heads of state; White House Conferences, Congressional Testimonies, and United Nations hearings.
In November 2003, Fern joined the public affairs team at Merck & Co., based in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. After a year, she returned to Austin, Texas, to start a family and begin the Charlie Fern Ink consulting firm. She is vice president of the Friends of Texas Public Schools.
Today, Charlie Fern is a freelance writer with her own communications company, and she continues writing speeches on a contract basis for First Lady Laura Bush. Most recently, in March 2008, a speech written by Fern about young children reading less, given by Laura Bush to the Association of American Publishers, made national news when it ran across Scripps Howard New Service's wire. Mrs. Bush said, "That's not because they can't read. It's because they think they don't enjoy reading."
In 2009, she began teaching a public relations course as an adjunct instructor at St. Edward's University
in Austin.
(after whom she was nicknamed), who was an aviator, barnstormer and longtime editor of The Garden Island newspaper in Hawaii. Her father, Col. Albert Fern (retired), a West Point Military Academy graduate, also wrote a column, "Fern's Turn", and edited The Russ newspaper at San Diego High School
his senior year.
Charlie Fern lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband Brian Moore and son Elliot.
Speechwriter
A speechwriter is a person who is hired to prepare and write speeches that will be delivered by another person. Speechwriters are used by many senior-level elected officials and executives in the government and private sectors.-Skills and training:...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
who served as First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
Laura Bush
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
's personal speechwriter for six years, first at the Texas Governor's Mansion, then at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, until 2002. Fern's speeches included the first Presidential radio address delivered by a U.S. First Lady, in November 2001, and a May 2002 Radio Free Afghanistan address, following 9-11. She also wrote for President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Early life and education
Fern was born in Newport, Rhode IslandNewport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, and spent her childhood and school-age years in Fairfax County, Virginia, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea, often called simply Carmel, is a small city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated in 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, the town is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history...
, and Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. Fern graduated from Lakeview High School in Garland, Texas
Garland, Texas
-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
.
In 1990, she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
from the University of North Texas
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
where she was a member of the Kappa Tau Alpha
Kappa Tau Alpha
Kappa Tau Alpha is an American college honor society which recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication...
honor society. While in college, she worked as a reporter and editor on the school's newspaper, the North Texas Daily
North Texas Daily
The North Texas Daily, also known as the NT Daily, is the student newspaper of the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, published Tuesday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and weekly during the summer. The Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday papers are broadsheets...
. Also during college, she worked for the Denton Record-Chronicle
Denton Record-Chronicle
The Denton Record-Chronicle is the official newspaper for the city of Denton, Texas and Denton County since 1899.William Edwards consolidated the Denton Chronicle and the Denton County Record , as a weekly newspaper. It wasn't until August 3, 1903 that the paper was published daily...
, first in the press shop, then as a sports stringer covering Denton County high school football and as a freelance lifestyles writer.
Career
After college, Fern joined the Galveston Daily NewsThe Galveston County Daily News
The Daily News, formerly the Galveston County Daily News and Galveston Daily News, is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas, United States. It was first published April 11, 1842, making it the oldest newspaper in the U.S. state of Texas. The newspaper founded The Dallas Morning News on October...
as a writer and lifestyles editor until, six months later, she was offered a reporting position at the San Diego Union-Tribune. After a year, Charlie, at age 23, was promoted to managing editor of Universal Press Syndicate
Universal Press Syndicate
Universal Press Syndicate, a subsidiary of Andrews McMeel Universal, is the world's largest independent press syndicate. It distributes lifestyle and opinion columns, comic strips and other content. Popular columns include Dear Abby, Ann Coulter, Roger Ebert and News of the Weird...
's A&M Publications. While there, she wrote, edited and directed the news content for four publications in north San Diego County, including The Vista Press, a daily newspaper.
In the mid-1990s she took a job writing proclamations and greetings in the state office of Governor Ann Richards
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
. From there, she became a press officer and speechwriter for First Lady Laura Bush. She worked in that capacity until the 2000 presidential campaign, when she moved to the Texas Attorney General's Office to work for then-Attorney General John Cornyn
John Cornyn
John Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
as press aide and chief speechwriter.
In January 2001, she moved to Washington, D.C., following Mrs. Bush to the White House as her personal speechwriter and spokesperson. On Nov. 8, 2001, the First Lady gave a speech written by Fern to the National Press Club and talked about the 9/11 terrorist attacks and how it was becoming a defining tragedy for youth. During her stay at the White House, Ms. Fern worked with presidential speechwriters Michael Gerson
Michael Gerson
Michael John Gerson is an op-ed columnist for The Washington Post, a Policy Fellow with the ONE Campaign, and a former senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He served as President George W...
, Matthew Scully
Matthew Scully
-Speechwriting career:Scully worked as a speechwriter in the 2000 presidential campaign, and served as a special assistant and senior speechwriter for President George W. Bush from January 2001 to August 2004. He also wrote speeches for vice-presidents Dan Quayle and Dick Cheney, Governor Robert P...
, Pete Wehner and David Frum
David Frum
David J. Frum is a Canadian American journalist active in both the United States and Canadian political arenas. A former economic speechwriter for President George W. Bush, he is also the author of the first "insider" book about the Bush presidency...
in offices inside the Old Executive Office Building and, later, in the East Wing. She also wrote speeches for U.S. Navy ship dedications; toasts and roasts for heads of state; White House Conferences, Congressional Testimonies, and United Nations hearings.
In November 2003, Fern joined the public affairs team at Merck & Co., based in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. After a year, she returned to Austin, Texas, to start a family and begin the Charlie Fern Ink consulting firm. She is vice president of the Friends of Texas Public Schools.
Today, Charlie Fern is a freelance writer with her own communications company, and she continues writing speeches on a contract basis for First Lady Laura Bush. Most recently, in March 2008, a speech written by Fern about young children reading less, given by Laura Bush to the Association of American Publishers, made national news when it ran across Scripps Howard New Service's wire. Mrs. Bush said, "That's not because they can't read. It's because they think they don't enjoy reading."
In 2009, she began teaching a public relations course as an adjunct instructor at St. Edward's University
St. Edward's University
St. Edward's University is a private Roman Catholic institution of higher learning located south of Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. The university offers a liberal arts education and its campus is located on a hill overlooking the city of Austin. The campus's most notable landmark is Main...
in Austin.
Family
Fern is the great-niece of the late newspaperman Charles "Charlie" FernCharles Fern
Charles J. "Charlie" Fern , a barnstorming Hawaii aviator and newspaper pioneer, was a University of California, Berkeley graduate and a World War I pilot. Fern lived to be 102.- Biography :...
(after whom she was nicknamed), who was an aviator, barnstormer and longtime editor of The Garden Island newspaper in Hawaii. Her father, Col. Albert Fern (retired), a West Point Military Academy graduate, also wrote a column, "Fern's Turn", and edited The Russ newspaper at San Diego High School
San Diego High School
San Diego High School is an urban public educational complex comprising six small schools located on the southern edge of Balboa Park, in San Diego, California. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District. It is the oldest high school in the San Diego Unified School District and one of the...
his senior year.
Charlie Fern lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband Brian Moore and son Elliot.
External links
- Charlie Fern official site
- Charlie Fern's Ink blog
- Friends of Texas Public Schools
- Article "Star-studded Cast Joins Friends of Texas Public Schools"
- Member, National Press Club
- Member, White House Writers Group
- Article "The White House and the Press News Organizations as a Presidential Resource and as a Source of Pressure," Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 33, 2003, by Martha Joynt Kumar
- Quoted in The Perfect Wife: The Life and Choices of Laura Bush, by Ann Gerhart