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Work Experience
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Duke University
2024 – present
Senior Writer
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The Charlotte Observer
2022- 2024
Enterprise and Planning Editor and Writer
- Directed the Observer’s Reimagined Print initiative, a project aimed at driving print subscribers to digital presentations through weekly, in-depth multi-story packages.
- Edited stories, managed homepage, brainstormed headlines and SEO.
- Managed creation and launch of The Charlotte Observer’s most successful email newsletter, The Lake Norman Observer. The newsletter had more subscribers than any other weekly newsroom email, and has a unique open rate of about 70%.
- Regularly wrote longform enterprise stories on a wide range of topics that include everything from abortion legislation to gender-affirming care for minors to a cheating scandal in the World Cornhole Championships held near Charlotte.
- Participant in McClatchy’s Fall 2023 Citadel Leadership program.
- Selected to participate in Poynter’s Leadership Academy for Women in Media in 2024.
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WFAE
2019-2021
Editor, Digital News and Engagement
- Responsible for updating WFAE.org through editing and posting stories written by reporters, culling the best news stories from NPR and the Associated Press, and constantly scouring sources for breaking news.
- Regularly updated and scheduled social media posts on all platforms (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram). Helped grow Twitter followers 25 percent and Instagram followers by 23 percent in one year.
- Crafted and sent out daily email newsletter consisting of each day’s best stories on WFAE.org. Helped contribute to one-year increase in subscribers of 33 percent.
- Contributed to newscasts by writing short news reports and cutting audio clips to be used on air.
- Created original weekly arts and entertainment email newsletter, Tapestry. Developed format, cultivated sources in arts world and grew subscribers 200% in six months.
- Occasionally wrote, produced and voiced on-air stories on variety of topics, primarily in the arts and entertainment world. Responsible for original reporting, interviews, audio editing and production.
- Contributed podcast episode to FAQ City, a podcast answering listener questions, about Major League Baseball coming to Charlotte. Conducted interviews, wrote and voiced script, mixed and edited audio.
Freelance Writer and Editor
2015-2021
- Regular bylines in publications such as The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, The Athletic, Charlotte magazine and others on a variety of topics. Specialize in profiles and features on complicated issues or unique angles.
- Contributor work for The Athletic as general assignment reporter assisting with Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets and college basketball coverage.
- Wrote main feature story for debut of Ink, The Athletic’s longform vertical.
- From 2016-2019, worked as part-time digital content producer for NASCAR.com. Collaborated with team of six writers and editors to create content for website averaging 1 million views per day as part-time freelance work. Edited and posted photo galleries, used SEO best practices, managed homepage and sent targeted mobile alerts.
- Established contributor for Associated Press, primarily focusing on Charlotte Hornets coverage.
- Regularly wrote longform features for Arizona State’s GlobalSport Matters, a publication that is a joint initiative between the Global Sport Institute and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
- Worked as contractor for Pace Communications; generated marketing content and revamped Choice Hotels websites.
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The Plain Dealer
2003-2015
Sports features and enterprise reporter
- Wrote in-depth stories on local and national sports figures and issues. Responsible for generating ideas, researching, interviewing, working independently and writing on deadline.
- Served as back-up Cavaliers beat writer 2012-14. Covered home and road games (travel 20 percent) and wrote weekly NBA column about league issues. Cultivated relationships with athletes and front-office personnel to report and break stories, studied data to observe and report on trends. Wrote daily stories on deadline.
- Contributed to Browns reporting as third beat reporter 2009-2012. Covered weekly home and road games, and wrote weekly in-depth feature on players, personalities and issues with the NFL team and league.
- Assisted with Ohio State football coverage 2005-09. Regularly wrote opponent sidebars, researching and studying trends and news, pitching and writing stories. Covered 2007 national championship game.
- Regularly Tweeted, blogged and recorded video (as both subject and recorder) for cleveland.com.
- Recognized as top 10 for explanatory writing in 2012 by Associated Press Sports Editors for a story about two Akron football players who overdosed after becoming hooked on painkillers they received from the school.
- Earned APSE 3rd-place recognition for project reporting in 2009 for four-part series about how 8th grade football players decide which high school to attend.
- Named 2006 honorable mention Best Sports Writer by Associated Press Society of Ohio.
- Named runner-up for 2005 Associated Press Society of Ohio Best Sports Writer.
- Cited for notable writing in 2005 and 2007 editions of Best American Sports Writing.
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The Dallas Morning News
1998-2003
Sports Features Writer – Oct. 2002 – Feb. 2003
- Wrote in-depth profiles and enterprise pieces.
Dallas Mavericks Beat Writer – April 2000 – Oct. 2002
- Covered all home and road games as primary beat writer of Dallas’ NBA franchise.
- Initiated daily coverage, generated ideas and worked independently.
- Cultivated thriving relationships with variety of NBA personalities — including Mavericks owner Mark Cuban during his first two seasons in the league.
- Juggled multiple assignments – including weekly email newsletter and cable TV appearances — and regular travel with nightly deadlines. Consistently broke news on competitive beat.
- Organized playoff coverage by brainstorming ideas and assigning stories to reporting team.
- First woman to cover Mavericks beat in organization’s 20-year history.
SMU Beat Writer, July 1998 – April 2000
- Covered all college sports, with emphasis on football and men’s basketball.
- Investigated and unearthed football recruiting violations while maintaining daily coverage. Earned Associated Press Sports Editors honorable mention recognition for investigative work in 1999.
- Helped with coverage of all major Dallas pro teams, including entire 1999 Dallas Stars playoff run and Stanley Cup Finals.
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The Kansas City Star
1997-1998
High School Sports Reporter
- Responsible for coverage of all high school sports within area of suburban Kansas City.
- Earned backup Kansas City Royals duties that included development of weekly Royals page.
Education & Awards
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Northwestern University
Bachelor of Science in Journalism
- Spent four years working for The Daily Northwestern as sports writer, assistant sports editor and editorial columnist.
- Association for Women in Sports Media scholarship/internship winner.
- One of eight selected nationally for Freedom Forum-NCAA Foundation Sports Journalism Scholarship winner.
- Winner of Albom’s Challenge scholarship for best sports feature, selected by Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom.
- Interned at the Lexington Herald-Leader for a quarter as part of Northwestern’s Teaching Newspaper program.
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John Carroll University
Masters in Education
- Focus on early childhood education.
Additional Experience
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Cleveland State University
2007-2011
Instructor
- Taught Media Writing, an introductory journalism course that emphasizes basics of news writing and reporting, as well as AP Style.