OVERVIEW

I am an experienced journalist who has written or edited stories covering
diverse topics for both print and web publications. I have also held positions as
a media coordinator and public information officer during which my duties
included developing media strategies, writing and disseminating press releases,
proofreading, assembling press kits, working closely with senior leadership to
devise media and marketing strategies, and serving as a spokesperson. I also have
basic HTML skills. Throughout my career, I have successfully thrived in
high-pressure, multi-task, deadline situations, and I am very comfortable working
either independently or in team situations. I’m organized and skilled in
conceptualizing and planning and know how to begin a project and work through its
successful completion. I’m personable and a quick study with a proven ability to
adapt to any type of editorial/communications environment.

EXPERIENCE

04/2008 – Present: Freelance writer/editor, Austin, TX. Assignments have
included: writing and editing feature and news stories; researching and writing
about Black history in Texas.

03/2007 – Present: Co-editor-in-chief, Texas Black History Preservation Project,
Austin, TX. Co-founded the Texas Black History Preservation Project, a nonprofit
organization researching and documenting almost 500 years of Black history in
Texas, dating from 1528. The project is producing a series of four books and
interactive DVDs. My work with the project includes planning, marketing/public
relations, fundraising, researching, writing, editing, acquiring images and
artifacts, and securing writers, editors and other project contributors.

04/2008 – 06/2008: Proofreader, Community Impact Newspaper. Edited six area
editions of the newspaper for compliance with in-house style, grammar,
punctuation, formatting, accuracy, and made necessary corrections.

11/2006 – 05/2008: Editorial Producer, Yahoo! Sports, Santa Monica, CA
	Compiled and edited sports “rumors” (NBA and major college sports) from various
RSS and blog sites.

12/2005 – 02/2006: Editorial Producer, Yahoo! Sports, Santa Monica, CA 
      Worked as member of a five-man team for Yahoo! Sports' coverage of the
2006 Winter Olympic Games. Duties included updating Olympics site with source
content from wires and other media partners – including gathering, cropping and
formatting photos, writing headlines and teases, and writing (ghosting) and
editing columns for expert analysts. 

5/2000 – 12/2005: Freelance writer, author, Daly City, CA 
Researched and wrote news and feature stories. Clients included: St. David’s
Medical Center, Austin, Texas; BlackVoices Quarterly, a Chicago-based magazine
focusing on the historically Black college community; Wired, a San
Francisco-based technology magazine; ESPN College Football Encyclopedia
(contributor). 

3/1999 – 5/2000: Media Coordinator, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin,
Texas
      Developed and implemented media strategy and maintained web site content
for $1 billion capital campaign. Duties included developing media contacts,
writing and disseminating press releases; assisting with development and
implementation of marketing strategies for campaign. Also served as content
editor for development office web site; wrote news and feature stories for web
site; edited and organized news items from other University development offices
for placement on central development site; supervised site updates; reported and
wrote news and feature stories for development office newsletter, “Texas
Tribute.” 

7/1996 – 1/1999: Public Information Officer, State of Texas General Land Office,
Austin, Texas 
      Wrote and disseminated press releases for Oil Spill Prevention and
Response Program. Wrote feature stories on department personnel for placement in
general and trade media publications. Coordinated media coverage for oil spill
responses and drills. Served as department spokesman for print, radio and
television interviews. 

1/1996 – 6/1996: Director of Communications, 21st Century Democrats, Austin,
Texas 
      Created and implemented media plan for statewide political action group.
Prepared and disseminated press releases; coordinated media coverage; wrote
speeches/talking points for organization chairman and associated political
figures; served as spokesman. 

7/1993 – 12/1995: Assistant City Editor, Austin American-Statesman, Austin,
Texas 
      Supervised reporters covering various urban affairs beats (health/science,
city council, county government, transportation, environment, gay and lesbian
issues). As weekend editor, edited copy and assigned photos for Sunday and Monday
page one and Metro section front. As special projects reporter, developed and
reported news and features on socio-political events, including the Million Man
March, and on notable figures such as acclaimed defense lawyer Michael Tigar. 

8/1982 – 7/1993: Sports Reporter, USA TODAY, Arlington, Va./Los Angeles, Calif.

      As general assignments reporter, served as a member of the paper's
founding staff in 1982. Worked one year from main office, then 10 years from West
Coast Bureau in Los Angeles (for several of those years, I was the only
sportswriter for USA TODAY based on the West Coast). Covered various events, and
wrote news and feature stories concerning the National Football League, Major
League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletic
Association, National Hockey League, NASCAR and Indy Car racing, professional and
amateur boxing, 1984 Summer Olympics, et.al. 


EDUCATION

12/1997: Bachelor of Journalism Degree, The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas