Professional Experience
Crime and Court Reporter, Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake, Ill.
April 2013 – present
• Seek and develop high-profile crime and court-related news. This beat also includes the elected offices of the sheriff, state’s attorney and coroner.
• Responsible for cultivating sources, keeping track of hearings and court dates, and developing newsworthy daily court stories.
• Work to quickly report on breaking crime and court news online while planning comprehensive content for the print edition.
• Develop special projects and investigative series by delving into public records, analyzing data and planning for online and visual elements.
April 2013 – present
• Seek and develop high-profile crime and court-related news. This beat also includes the elected offices of the sheriff, state’s attorney and coroner.
• Responsible for cultivating sources, keeping track of hearings and court dates, and developing newsworthy daily court stories.
• Work to quickly report on breaking crime and court news online while planning comprehensive content for the print edition.
• Develop special projects and investigative series by delving into public records, analyzing data and planning for online and visual elements.
Municipal Government Reporter Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake, Ill.
Jan. 2011 – April 2013
• Provided news coverage in a wide-ranging beat that included city council, politics, elections, education, business, breaking news and human interest stories.
• Localized state and national news for weekly Page 1 centerpieces that appealed across coverage areas.
Jan. 2011 – April 2013
• Provided news coverage in a wide-ranging beat that included city council, politics, elections, education, business, breaking news and human interest stories.
• Localized state and national news for weekly Page 1 centerpieces that appealed across coverage areas.
Copy Editor and Page Designer, Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake, Ill.
January 2010 - January 2011
•Edited copy for errors in clarity, accuracy, spelling and grammar as outlined by the Associated Press guidelines.
• Designed news pages and managed website content at www.nwherald.com.
January 2010 - January 2011
•Edited copy for errors in clarity, accuracy, spelling and grammar as outlined by the Associated Press guidelines.
• Designed news pages and managed website content at www.nwherald.com.
Assistant Editor and Reporter, Daily Review Atlas, Monmouth, Ill.
November 2007 - May 2009
• Assigned stories, directed staff on special projects, and worked closely with other writers, photographers and editors.
• Oversaw a committee that redesigned a five-day per week community newspaper.
• Edited staff-generated and reader-submitted content.
• Wrote breaking news, crime, city government, elections, education, business stories and human-interest features.
November 2007 - May 2009
• Assigned stories, directed staff on special projects, and worked closely with other writers, photographers and editors.
• Oversaw a committee that redesigned a five-day per week community newspaper.
• Edited staff-generated and reader-submitted content.
• Wrote breaking news, crime, city government, elections, education, business stories and human-interest features.
Assistant Editor and Reporter, Macomb Eagle, Macomb, Ill.
May 2006 - November 2007
• Managed editorial staff including full-time writers, correspondents and copy editors.
• Wrote a weekly column and news stories on topics including city government, politics, elections, education, business and features.
• Awarded Third Place, Feature Writing, Illinois Press Association Excellence in News Contest.
May 2006 - November 2007
• Managed editorial staff including full-time writers, correspondents and copy editors.
• Wrote a weekly column and news stories on topics including city government, politics, elections, education, business and features.
• Awarded Third Place, Feature Writing, Illinois Press Association Excellence in News Contest.
Education
Western Illinois University – Bachelor of Arts Degree, Journalism major with an emphasis in professional writing, 2006
Expertise
• Adobe InDesign
• Adobe Photoshop
• Quark
• Zope and Roxen, content management software
• social media
• video production and editing
• Adobe Photoshop
• Quark
• Zope and Roxen, content management software
• social media
• video production and editing