References

Michael Curtin
Associate Publisher Emeritus
The Columbus Dispatch
34 S. 3rd St.,
Columbus, OH 43215,
614-461-5069

Nancy H. Rogers
Professor, Moritz College of Law
Ohio State University and former Ohio attorney general
55 W. 12th Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210
614-292-0574

Jane Kahoun
Deputy Metro Editor
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
1801 Superior Ave.
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
216-999-4824

 

Downloads

» Printable version of
my resume

» Letter of recommendation from Nancy H. Rogers, former Ohio attorney general and professor, Moritz College of Law, Ohio State University

Client List

New York Times
Contributor of local stories with national impact.

Playboy
Wrote lead feature story on growth of America’s militia groups.
                   
Ohio Magazine
Wrote cover story on Ohio militias and other feature stories.

Columbus Monthly
Regular contributor since 1998. Secured the only interview with the city’s most infamous madam for a June 2006 cover story. Wrote October 2006 cover story on football icon Eddie George. Scooped local media with revelations about a corrupt fire chief. Authored various feature pieces on recreational, health and development issues and profiles of many local musicians known nationally.

Ohio State, Kenyon and Ohio University Alumni Magazines
Wrote cover story on growing problems at fraternities and explained a college credit program offered to high school students.

Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine
Wrote half-dozen cover stories related to the environment and crime and authored humorous essays related to personal experience.

Awards


» National Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors, 3rd Place Single Report for Wire and Large Dailies for “Gas-Tax Increase Fuels ODOT Building Boom.”

» National Press Club, Robert Kozik Award, Honorable Mention, for environmental series on a hazardous waste incinerator in the shadow of an elementary school.

» Ohio Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), 1st Place, Criminal Justice Reporting, for “Million Dollar Madam.”

» Cleveland Press Club, 1st Place, Government and Policy Writing for “Gas-Tax Increase Fuels ODOT Building Boom.”

» Society of American Business Editors and Writers, 1st Place, Breaking News, for “LTV Begs for Life.”

» Kentucky Press Association, 1st Place, Investigative/Analytical Writing, for “Politics and our Schools.”

» SPJ, Queen City Chapter, 1st Place and the Gerald White Memorial Prize for Investigative Journalism, for “Politics and our Schools.”

» SPJ, Central Ohio Chapter, 1st Place, Series/Project, for revealing massive job alterations at the Ohio Department of Industrial Relations.

» SPJ, Central Ohio Chapter, 1st Place, Consumer Reporting, for “State Refund Claims Bogus.”  

» SPJ, Central Ohio Chapter, 2nd Place, Investigative Reporting, for stories revealing unspent federal AIDS money held by local health departments.

» SPJ, Central Ohio Chapter, 2nd Place, Investigative Reporting, for series on federal investigation into the ties of state lawmaker to Hell’s Angels.

» SPJ, Central Ohio Chapter, 3rd Place, Series/Project, for stories on improper contracts involving Ohio Civil Rights employees.

» SPJ, Central Ohio Chapter, 3rd Place, News Reporting, for stories on taxpayer bailout of major art exhibit.

» SPJ, Central Ohio Chapter and Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Honorable Mention, Public Service Reporting, for computer analysis that showed one-third of Ohio’s 43,000 bridges were in poor or worse condition.

» Institute for Southern Studies, Southern Journalism Award, Honorable Mention, for “Politics and our Schools.”

» Rivers Unlimited, Excellence in Media, for environmental coverage in Ohio.

» Ohio State Highway Patrol, Excellence in Traffic Safety Coverage, for stories on driving issues.

» Netcare Corporation, Community Service Award, for stories on mental-health issues.

 

 


COMMUNICATIONS AND NEW MEDIA SPECIALIST
WRITER – EDITOR – CONSULTANT

A consistent track record of success for developing clear, concise messages with impact, managing and implementing team projects and producing content for traditional formats and social media platforms.
Winner of numerous local, state and national journalism awards.

» Accomplished writer, editor and videographer for web sites, social media channels and in traditional media, both locally and nationally.
» Award winning proactive project leader with experience developing complicated material into digestible narratives, including stories, reports and brochures for public consumption.
» Experienced editor of books and magazines.
» Skilled public relations adviser at local, national and global organizations.
» Proficient investigator with solid background in conducting and coordinating research.

 

 

KEY KNOWLEDGE & SKILL AREAS

» Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
» Seasoned media consultant.
» Writer for major newspapers and local and national magazines.
» Skilled blogger and web content developer.
» Experienced developer of communication plans.
» Proficient editor.
» Writing coach.
» Skilled ghostwriter for local articles and for international magazine.
» Experienced manager.
» In-depth knowledge of media functions and needs.
» Accomplished videographer.
» Veteran legislative, public policy and business correspondent.
» Developer, organizer and manager of intricate projects.
» Trained and experienced investigator.
» Skilled in crisis response.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Self Employed, Columbus, OH June 2008 – Present
» Developed and helped write the state of Ohio’s annual Medicaid report.
» Edited a complicated foreclosure and subprime loan crisis book produced by the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, Ohio State University.
» Social media consultant for Children’s Hunger Alliance — helped them double ticket sales for a fund raiser.
» Coached writing and authored and edited web articles and stories for Wing magazine for Honda of America Mfg.
» Developed public relations plan and wrote articles for the USAID-sponsored Parliamentary Development Program designed to assist the Ukrainian government.
» Served on advisory committee for Ohio Attorney General Nancy H. Rogers and co-wrote final version of committee’s public report — recommendations improved the office’s daily operations.
» Blogged a national transportation conference, wrote web stories for an international climate change conference and wrote cover story for the College of Engineering’s 2011 Research magazine, all at Ohio State University.

John Glenn School of Public Affairs, Ohio State University January 2008 – June 2008
» Developed and produced the multimedia content for Ohio State’s Climate, Water and Carbon program website. See http://cwc.osu.edu, http://cwc.osu.edu/about/slideshow.php, http://cwc.osu.edu/projects/no_till_movie.php
» A Climate Change Digital Media Fellow. Studied the development and use of digital software and climate change issues, new media and social networking websites and programs.

Investigator, Columbus, OH September 2007 – Dec. 2007
» Ohio Inspector General’s Office and the PICA Corp.
Investigated waste, fraud and abuse related to the state of Ohio. Conducted global background investigations on illicit trade in counterfeit goods.

MurphyEpson, Columbus, OH January 2007 – Sept. 2007
» Wrote content for issues-related website. Planned, developed, shaped and executed communication plans for the City of Columbus and other clients.

Cleveland Plain Dealer, Statehouse Bureau, Columbus, OH June 1989 – Dec. 2006
»Assistant Bureau Chief – Managed daily operations in absence of bureau chief.
»Developed and maintained strong relationships with government and business leaders.
»Met daily deadlines and consistently beat the competition in the Statehouse Press Corps.
»Routinely explained major public policies concerning the state budget, higher education, school funding, taxes, tort reform, campaign finance reform, workers’ compensation, transportation issues, concealed weapons and the environment.

 

 

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS


» Detailed investigative work led to local and national awards for stories exposing: inflated consumer recovery claims by a state agency; a foreign-owned hazardous waste incinerator near a school; and an unregulated au pair program. Stories led to an appearance on ABC-TV’s Nightline. Those stories prompted new government regulations.

» Accomplished legal correspondent. Served on state bar education committee. Invited speaker and panelist at National Center for State Courts seminar in Arizona, the National Judicial College in Nevada and the Ohio State Bar Association.

 

 

Education

San Francisco State University, Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, magna cum laude