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Notable Achievements/Awards
Best Political Reporting – 2008 Idaho Press Club Award
Rookie of the Year – 2008 Idaho Press Club Award
Writing and Photography Experience
Editor, The Christian Post
2011 to present – West Palm Beach, Florida
- Edited news articles for content and clarity prior to publishing.
- Produced daily copy covering national and international news.
- Used SEO writing and trending techniques to boost news reach.
- Routinely wrote news articles that appeared online within minutes of an event happening locally or across the globe.
Staff Writer and Photographer, The Daily Times
2009 to 2010 – Farmington, New Mexico
- Produced daily copy and regular online contributions for the largest news source in the Four Corners area, which includes New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and the Navajo Nation.
- Highlights include several series of articles examining larger issues:
- Homeless at Home examined the various aspects of homelessness in the small desert communities throughout the southwest. This included profiles of several homeless people and the effects on the larger community.
- The sexual assault series included profiles of several victims and chronicled their journey through recovery.
- Extensive coverage of the uranium mining issues plaguing the Navajo Nation. The articles examined the effects of abandoned mines on generations of American Indians, the controversy surrounding the proposed reopening of some mines and the debates in the federal government to provide medical coverage to descendants of uranium miners suffering from hereditary illnesses as a result of work several decades ago.
- Provided regular contributions to the medical, city government and education beats
Staff Writer and Photographer, St. Maries Gazette Record
2008 to 2009 – St. Maries, Idaho
- Produced award-winning copy for one of northern Idaho’s weekly newspapers.
- Highlights include coverage of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s relations with the surrounding communities and the state of Idaho.
- Produced a series of award-winning articles chronicling the battle for control of Lake Coeur d’Alene between the state of Idaho and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.
- Examined the strain on local residents (both on the reservation and in the nearby small logging communities) as a result of the disputed jurisdiction.
- Provided regular contributions to the education, courts, city government and sports beats.
Staff Writer and Photographer, Rochester City Newspaper
2008 – Rochester, New York
- Contributed regular feature stories, updated the events calendar, wrote regular reviews and blogs for the newspaper’s website and frequently produced special sections to complement the weekly addition, including a dining guide, summer guide, fall guide and back to school guide.
- Profiled national personalities and artists including television host Stephen Colbert and recording artist Sonny Landreth.
- Wrote a weekly outdoors column profiling area activities ranging from yoga to hang gliding to international cycling competitions.
- Managed the newspaper’s publicity and promotions team.
- Coordinated a staff of ten promoters.
- Attended large community events and festivals
- Organized benefit dinners and newspaper-sponsored concerts.
- Worked closely with the editorial team to ensure coverage of current trends in music and the arts, as well as providing readers up-to-date information on local shows and exhibits.
Freelance Writer and Photographer
2006 to present
- Articles appeared in national education and medical magazines.
- Articles appeared in newspapers nationwide, including the Denver Post, New Orleans Times-Picayune, Salt Lake Tribune and Albuquerque Journal.
- Shot portraits, live bands, models and sporting events.
- Completed post-production work to the client’s satisfaction, which included use of Adobe Photoshop and other software.
- Photos were printed in and sold to various clothing designers, national magazines and newspapers.
Other Experience
Campaign/Sales Manager, Greenpeace International
2010 – New York, New York
- Lead a team of staff members and fundraisers to reach company goals of generating community and political support for international environmental campaigns.
- Manage staff’s efforts to recruit volunteers and increase the organization’s membership base by reaching and exceeding minimum sales quotas.
Freelance Musician
1998 to present – Chicago, Illinois and Rochester, New York
- Shared the stage with Randy Travis and Tower of Power.
- Versed in all musical styles.
- Record jingles and session work for full-length albums.
Independent Music Teacher
2003 to present – Rochester, New York
- Taught guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, piano, percussion.
- Worked with students from beginner to advanced levels, ages 5 to 70.
- Coordinated after school music programs for area middle schools.
Owner/Manager, Giusti School of Music
1998 to 2002 – Chicago, Illinois
- Coordinated faculty schedules and marketed school/classes to potential clients.
- Generated client base and manage payroll for faculty.
Education
St. John Fisher College – Rochester, New York
Bachelor of Arts, Communication/Journalism/Spanish Language (2008)
- Concentration: Print Journalism
- GPA: 3.4/4.0
- Cardinal Courier staff writer
Monroe Community College – Rochester, New York
Associates of Science, Liberal Arts (2006)
- Concentration: Spanish Language
- Graduated with distinction
- Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Monroe Doctrine: News and Events Editor, National Deans List
University of Illinois at Chicago – Chicago, Illinois
Courses in Italian, Spanish, and English languages (1999 to 2001)
- Recipient of a full-tuition academic scholarship
Roosevelt University – Chicago, Illinois
Courses in Jazz Studies and classical guitar (1998 to 1999)
- Roosevelt Torch: Photography Editor
Extra Skills
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Dreamweaver
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
News Edit Pro
Working knowledge of additional languages
Community/Civic Involvement
Member of Farmington Young Professionals – 2009 to 2010
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