Downtown Neighbors Alliance Staff Highlight: Ellie Schroeder

By Layla Joseph

The DNA team has been expanding, and one of the additions is a Robert Morris University (RMU) senior who has been giddy at the opportunity to execute the methods and strategies she’s learned in college. 

Ellie Schroeder is a dual public relations and advertising major at RMU, the head news editor at RMU Sentry Media, a true crime connoisseur and DNA’s newest Marketing Intern.

Schroeder is a former Pittsburgh Magazine Writing Intern who has recently come on board, bringing her marketing expertise and becoming a strong asset to the DNA team. Since she started working with DNA, Schroeder has been excited to break out of her comfort zone.

“I feel like at some point, I’m learning the same things over and over again,” she said.  “Working at DNA allows me to actually practice the things I’ve learned.”

The Pittsburgh native is on track to earn her master’s in Organizational Leadership thanks to a program at RMU that allows students to complete their bachelors and master’s degree in five years. 

Upon graduation, Schroeder said her dream job would be combining her love of PR and marketing with her fondness of justice-seeking true crime podcasts. 

“I’ve been trying to figure out if there's a way to mix PR and advertising with true crime. It would be nice to work for a nonprofit that helps families and victims,” she said. 

Schroeder's love for Pittsburgh centers around the city’s diverseness and culture; whether that be the food, events or people, she loves traversing Downtown.  

She said her favorite part about working with DNA is the variety of tasks that are assigned and that each day is full of different possibilities. 

“The fact that it’s not the same thing every single day genuinely excites me,” she said. “That’s exactly the type of job I want to have. I'm learning and trying new things every day, which motivates me."