FREELANCE EDITOR | Dec. 2021 - present
- Clients include: The Conversation, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, MIT Technology Review Insights, The Emancipator (Boston Globe/Boston University joint venture), among others.
- Distill data and technical language into clear prose and compelling visualizations accessible to a general audience.
SCIENCE + TECHNOLOGY EDITOR | Jan. 2016 - Sept. 2019
- Worked with university academics and researchers to translate their scholarship and insight into timely news articles for a general audience, distributed by the Associated Press and Creative Commons republishing.
- Key topics included social media and democracy, election integrity, U.S. civics, disinformation and information warfare, history, human rights, understanding extremism.
- Staff point person for data visualization, including interactive maps, charts and other web-native diagrams.
POLICY ANALYST | Frontier Group, Boston, Massachusetts | March 2014 - Jan. 2016
- Researched and wrote data-driven analytical reports on a wide range of topics, including water pollution, child poverty, transportation spending.
MANAGING EDITOR | Portland Phoenix, Portland, Maine | Dec. 2005 - Jan. 2014
- Led Maine's only alternative weekly newspaper and its writers to multiple awards from the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, in categories including investigative reporting, government reporting, health coverage, reporting on religious issues, and sports reporting.
- Built and coordinated a team of two full-time editorial staffers (a staff writer and a listings coordinator) as well as a regular stable of nearly two-dozen freelancer writers, illustrators, and photographers to produce a must-read publication in Maine's largest city.
- Collaborated with the design and production team to publish eye-catching covers, and easy-to-read layouts.
- Reported news, feature, investigative, and analysis stories on important issues of the day, such as privacy, telecommunications, foreign policy, state and national politics, and local community, arts, and business issues.
- Wrote a monthly column on media issues, covering local and national developments in business practices, ethics, journalism, and related subjects.
- Created, organized, and managed supplements (e.g., Best of Portland, Summer Guide, Student Survival Guide) and niche publications (Style magazine, Out In Maine).
- Executed budget responsibility for all editorial salaries, freelance payments, and expenses.
- Helped plan and then hosted must-attend special events drawing hundreds of people to Portland venues to celebrate the city's music scene and business environment; participated in community activities and discussions on topics including arts and politics.
EDITOR | The Current, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, South Portland, Maine | Feb. 2004 - Nov. 2005
ASSISTANT EDITOR | Sept. 2002 - Feb. 2004 | STAFF REPORTER | Sept. 2001 - Sept. 2002
- Ran a community weekly in a very competitive environment, facing two other weeklies and a daily, while leading writers to regional and statewide awards.
- Reported and wrote independent enterprise and investigative stories; covered local schools, government and elections, police, and courts; took photos to accompany stories. My own work also won honors from the New England Press Association and the Maine Press Association, in categories including Freedom of Information, investigative reporting, spot news, and sports feature.
- Wrote editorials on topics of local relevance and interest (as editor and assistant editor).
- Coordinated implementation of new online-print hybrid copy-flow system.
- Spoke at civic organizations' events; participated in community forums and discussions.
FREELANCE WRITER | various publications, Portland, Maine | July 2001 - June 2004
- Portland Phoenix | Weekly theater reviews, occasional news and feature stories | November 2002 - June 2004
- Interface Business News | News stories pertinent to Maine businesses | January 2002 - October 2003
- PortCity Life | Travel, automotive, technology, and feature stories | July 2001 - July 2003
- Interface Tech News | News stories about technology and tech-sector companies | July 2001 - July 2002
EDITOR | Antarctic Sun, McMurdo Station, Antarctica | Oct. 1999 - Feb. 2000, Oct. 2000 - Nov. 2000
- Reported, photographed, wrote, and edited news and feature stories relating to the US Antarctic Program, a broad range of scientific research, life and work in Antarctica, international relations, and logistics.
- Coordinated with transportation and research staff, as well as National Science Foundation executives, on coverage and resource allocation.
- Worked with volunteer contributors from other stations and field camps to get information about their activities and distribute the paper to them.
- Designed, built, and maintained the paper's first website.
- Contributed to The Antarctic Photo Library of stock images of Antarctica.
- Earned the Antarctica Service Medal, the only US military award also bestowed upon civilians.
ADDITIONAL WORK
- Drug Discovery News, Rocky River, Ohio | News contributor | February 2014 - April 2014
- Portland Phoenix, Portland, Maine | News, features, and columns contributor | January 2014 - April 2014
- Global Post, Boston, Massachusetts | News and features contributor | November 2013 - May 2014
- Money, New York, New York | Contributor to "Best Advice" series | July 2013
- The Photo Life, Atlanta, Georgia | Interviews and blog posts about the lives and work of professional photographers | September 2012 - February 2013
- National Geographic Adventure, Washington DC | Feature on travel to Portland, Maine | August 2005
- IPI Global Journalist, Columbia, Missouri | Feature on freedom of the press in Antarctica | July 2002
- The Antarctic Sun, McMurdo Station, Antarctica | Features on life and work on station | December 2000 - February 2001
- The Addison County Independent, Middlebury, Vermont | Feature, news, enterprise, analysis, and photography for a twice-weekly community newspaper | April 2000 - August 2000, June 1998 - August 1998 | Webmaster | November 1996 - February 2001
- North & South, Auckland, New Zealand | Feature on Buddhist monastery outside Wellington | November 1999
- Otago Daily Times, Dunedin, New Zealand | News about a planned development in a small vacation community | July 1999
- IRE Journal, Columbia, Missouri | How-to article on investigative research using the Internet | November 1997
EDUCATION
- University of Missouri - Columbia | Master of Arts in Journalism | August 1997 - December 2000
- Pulitzer New Media Scholar | August 1997 - May 1998
- Middlebury College, Vermont | Bachelor of Arts in History | August 1991 - May 1995
- University College, Cork, Ireland | course work in History | August 1993 - May 1994
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Society of Professional Journalists | August 2005 - present
- President, Maine Pro Chapter | 2008 - January 2014 | Vice-President | 2007
- Helped draft and pass Maine's first shield law for journalists.
- Submitted testimony (oral and written) to the Maine Legislature on issues relating to freedom of information and freedom of the press; coordinated legislative action with like-minded organizations around the state and nation.
- Investigative Reporters and Editors | August 2005 - present
- National Press Photographers Association | August 2005 - March 2019
- Maine Freedom of Information Coalition | June 2006 - January 2014
- National Association for the Self-Employed | August 2001 - January 2014