Professional Experience

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2016 to Present: Associate Director of Content, Keypath Education

• Led digital content marketing strategy for 14 university partners in North America and Europe

• Supervised two full-time content managers, hired a staff of freelance writers and worked with university subject matter experts

• Created content to highlight academic programs in vertical subject areas including nursing, engineering, business and education

• Conducted brand workshops for all university partners, creating program level content plans that were then implemented and used to improve conversion rates on websites

• Led efforts to secure a customer data platform allowing Keypath to have a more complete view of visitors and customize messaging to fit the user experience

• Collaborated with SEO specialists to ensure websites were optimized for search, ranking for keywords and converting visitors into potential leads

• Worked with third-party websites to publish sponsored content and guest blogs meant to establish university partners as thought leaders and boost SEO through inbound links

• Led and directed an automated email marketing strategy utilizing the cloud-based platform Silverpop

• Oversaw the creation of emails, email templates and their deployment as part of automated email marketing strategy

• Implemented PowerBi as a metrics tool to assess email marketing efforts

• Oversaw and expanded social media efforts including the implementation of social media calendars

• Led social media efforts including the boosting and targeting of Facebook posts and working with university partners to ensure brand standards and guidelines were met

• Edited and proofed content for white papers, career guides, website blogs, email marketing campaigns, and other content initiatives

• Was the project manager and lead content writer for university partner websites in the launching of online programs

• Worked with PPC specialists and assisted in their campaigns by creating ads and landing pages

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2015 to 2016: Executive Editor and Head of Digital, JWC Media

• Created a new CMS and redesigned three of the company’s six web properties, creating efficiencies, boosting traffic and bringing brand consistency

• Integrated print and digital operations, reducing annual content costs by more than $100,000 while increasing digital traffic and maintaining print standards

• Increased digital audience by more than 50 percent in less than six month

• Led Social Media Strategy that resulted in 3x growth in fan base and engagement

• Executed low-cost, high-ROI Social Media marketing campaign

• Worked with advertising team to develop sponsored content product for digital properties

• Improved quality of weekly print news product by making it more timely and by leveraging web content

• Expanded e-newsletter from five days a week to 7 days a week, greatly improving weekend traffic

• Senior editor of an 80,000 circulation weekly print product

• Created and oversaw an editorial calendar and schedule

• Supervised a successful strategy to improve the news quality of the print product

• Oversaw the work of a writing staff, developing new editorial features and ensuring quality of editorial product

• Oversaw weekly long-form feature that profiled local community leaders

• Made editorial decisions and set priorities for publication including investigative stories on topics such as business, education and crime across multiple platforms

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2010 to 2015: Director of Digital Content Strategy, various editor roles, Patch.com

• Created a plan to reorganize the editorial department of the company following acquisition by Hale Global

• Implemented a national content plan that generated about 1 million page views per week and utilized social media tools

• Developed a local content strategy for Patch.com and led a team of 10 contractors in implementing that strategy

• Created branded content for advertising clients

• Developed content for enewsletter blasts for advertising clients and ensured editorial quality

• Recast external facing brand materials for the sales team

• Created a native advertising platform and implemented it operationally, overseeing the creation and deployment of branded content for clients

• Assisted in the creation of an internal resources web site for the sales team

• Led a team of contractors in collecting data and delivered more than 4,000 leads to the sales team

• Analyzed metrics for informed decision-making

• Executed company wide Social Media strategy that resulted in 150 percent increase in social referral

• ​Collaborated closely with senior management to execute key company initiatives and strategies

• Devised digital content strategies to drive traffic, page views and return visitors​

• Conducted team­wide trainings geared toward the effective use of metrics to analyze and improve performance​

• Led community outreach efforts, working with and developing partnerships with local organizations and non­profits to build a network of bloggers who used the Patch platform

• ​Developed social media strategy that helped build a dedicated core audience for the Chicago region

• ​Organized and participated in community marketing events​​

• Edited and wrote stories on a daily basis, providing leadership and guidance to nine direct reports and ensuring editorial quality

 

1998 to 2010: Editor and reporter roles at the Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Spent 12 years in reporting and leadership positions at the Northwest Herald, a 38,000 circulation daily newspaper in Chicago’s northwest suburbs as well as two other daily newspapers.​​​

• Opinion Page Editor: Coordinated election coverage, led editorial board meetings, wrote editorials on a daily basis and worked with the public to create a vibrant letters to the editor page. Broadened online offerings including video of candidate endorsement interviews and a live election night webcast.

• Assistant News Editor: Directly supervised eight reporters and three bureau chiefs. Assisted in the daily planning of editorial content.

• Senior Writer: Wrote stories of regional interest, frequently writing centerpieces

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1996 to 1998: Reporter at daily newspapers

• Kane County Chronicle, Geneva, Ill.

• Ottawa Daily Times, Ottawa, Ill.

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Awards and recognition

• ​​First Place, Deadline News, Associated Press Editors Association, 2006

• Third Place, Best Editorial Page, Suburban Newspapers of America, 2006

• Peter Lisagor Awards Finalist, Deadline News, 2000

 

Education/collegiate experience

 

Northern Illinois University, DeKalb: B.A. degree, History­ May 1996

Editor of the Northern Star, Northern Illinois University’s daily student newspaper, December

1994­December 1995

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