Resume

CURRENT:

Freelance Journalist and Consultant
Write for a number of publications, specializing in human interest features, profiles and Q&As.

Previous:

Assistant Professor of Journalism  Ithaca College
   August 2023 – January 2024
Courses taught: Introduction to Journalism, Investigative Journalism and Journalism History.

Content Producer  WAER 88.3 FM
   December 2022 – August 2023
Produced feature stories, with a focus on education, for local Syracuse NPR affiliate station.

Director of The South Side Newspaper Project

Syracuse University, Newhouse School

May 2009 to December 2022
Employed by Syracuse University to oversee a nonprofit publication produced in collaboration with the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and South Side residents

• Edited all print and online content
• Contributed in-depth feature stories
• Managed social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr photo archive and monthly eNewsletter
• Coordinated monthly journalism workshops — most popular being the annual Photo Walk, which was named in March 2018 as a Finding Common Ground grant awardee
• Applied for grants
• Managed project’s finances and advertising
• Oversaw high school, college and community contributors
• Produced and wrote project’s annual reports

Research Consultant for American Press Institute

June 2017 – April 2018

• Completed fact-finding interviews with publishers and editors for a news engagement project
• Summarize findings for API for future guides for top leaders in the news industry
• Co-Authored “‘Focused listening’ can help address journalism’s trust problem — here are four examples” 2018

Advisor to the Syracuse City School  District

Member of district’s Media Advisory Council

• Since 2013, volunteer as a professional advisor to the district’s communications media program where students operate the school’s news and communication network including daily announcements, special projects and web presence. The class structure is project-based and each year a select group of senior ITC media students serve as interns for The Stand.

Syracuse Press Club

Board Member & Syracuse Journalism Lab Committee Member

• The aim of the club is to promote good journalism in Central New York. With the club, I have aided in the launch of the Syracuse Journalism Lab and, in 2021, served as a liaison between the club and the hired journalism educator. In 2022 and again in 2023, I served as journalism educator, overseeing the 10-week after school program. Additionally, I assist in identifying and connecting local, professional mentors to student participants.

Fixer for NPPA Multimedia Immersion Training

Years 2016-2019

An annual, intensive five-day, hands-on training workshop for visual journalists looking to expand and grow their multimedia skillsets

• Developed and arranged local story ideas for participants

Coordinator for semester- and year-long Newhouse projects   ::
Vox/Voz Magazine, My Housing Matters, Syracuse Jobs Matter and They Wear Blue

• Developed story ideas for student reporters
• Secured community advocates, local organizations and residents as sources to share current data and personal stories
• Wrote explainer and additional copy for each website
• Line-edited all content

Coordinator for “From Where We Stand” Project

A summer-long story telling series by The South Side Newspaper Project

• Wrote and secured grants for the project
• Recruited eight South Side residents along with eight professional mentors to participate
• Maintained project website and organized and executed final gallery showing of participants’ photos

GRANTS AWARDED:

  • 2014: Received $4,000 Gifford Foundation Grant to fund The Stand’s summer-long storytelling series From Where We Stand. Additional funding awarded by the Near Westside Initiative and the Allyn Family Foundation.

  • 2018: Received $11,000 Finding Common Ground Grant to support The Stand’s annual Photo Walk.

  • 2019: Received $15,000 from the Community Listening and Engagement Fund (CLEF) to work with The Listening Post Collective.

  • 2019: Received Gifford Foundation Mini Grant to support community workshops and conduct focus groups with community members on The Stand’s website redesign.

AWARDS:

Selected to the Poynter Leadership Academy for Women in Media 2020

One of 30 members of the Fall 2020 Leadership Academy for Women in Media cohort. This highly competitive and transformative program focuses on the skills and knowledge needed for women to rise to the highest levels of leadership.

First Place from Syracuse Press Club (SPC) for Human Interest Feature 2019

For a collection of profiles –  “Unconditional Love” – spotlighting Black couples in love. Judges said: “This article treats romance seriously without being sappy. The reporter used a light touch with the statistics, keeping this from being too dry and let the sources provide the love and the honesty to make the article work.”

Second Place from SPC in Non-Daily News 2019

For story examining the direct impact removing the Interstate 81 Viaduct will have on South Side residents

Second Place from SPC for News/Feature Series 2018

For series – “Prison to Family” – that looked at how local individuals make the transition from prison back to society

Second Place from SPC for Best Use of Social Media by an Organization 2018

For The Stand’s Facebook and Twitter accounts  

Selected as a John Jay/H.F. Guggenheim Justice Reporting Fellow 2018

One of 33 fellows chosen from a wide pool of applicants based on editors’ recommendations and investigative reporting underway. As part of the fellowship, completed in-depth piece focused on a tax-funded re-entry program helping local individuals transition from prison back to their families.

Second Place from SPC in News/Features Series 2017

For a series on neighborhood trauma. Stories in the series included: “Surviving Trauma,” “Street Addiction Diagnosed” and others

First Place from SPC for Human Interest Feature 2017

For “Finding Purpose: We Rise Above the Streets” written in partnership with Newhouse reporting student Ryan Raigrodski

First Place from SPC for Best Multimedia Story 2016

For contributions to Newhouse class project “My Housing Matters” 

First Place in AEJMC’s Best of the Web/Digital competition for multiple class website category 2016

For Newhouse class project “My Housing Matters” 

Second place in the 2016 BEA Festival of Media Arts competition

Selected out of  1,538 entries for Newhouse’s “My Housing Matters” project

Second Place from SPC for Human Interest Feature 2016

For “Moving Forward” with photography by Ben Cleeton

PAST EXPERIENCE:

Contributor to the following publications:

Christian Science Monitor, Central Current, CNY Magazine, Current.org, The Crime Report, Syracuse University College of Law Magazine & School of Education, Syracuse New Times, MAVIN magazine, International Musician, Making Music Magazine, Metro News Service, Newhouse Network and bio writer for “Americans Who Tell The Truth”