Résumé

Education, work history, and computer skills

Education

1996 - 2000 / 2018 - 2021
Mary Washington College / University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, Va.
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science
  • Webmaster/disc jockey at WMWC 91.5 FM, 1999-2000
  • Webmaster for The Bullet, Mary Washington's newspaper, 1999-2000

Work history

2/2013 - 8/2016

The Hopewell News / The News-Patriot, Hopewell, Va.

Managing editor

  • Managed a newsroom with up to four employees, including planning, editing, page production, writing stories and taking photos for two newspapers with a combined circulation of 8,000 and several seasonal magazines. During my time at the newspapers, paid subscribers to the twice-weekly Hopewell News grew by 30 percent while the circulation of the free weekly News-Patriot more than doubled.
  • Redesigned the two newspapers, moved content management to the cloud for secure access anywhere, and refocused news coverage to be more aggressive, consistent and responsive to the readers.
  • Supervised the online content of the newspapers and social media presence. While at the newspaper, the Facebook page likes more than doubled and the Twitter followers grew tenfold. The print edition, website and social media were used to cross-promote each other with content unique to each platform.
9/2007 - 2/2013

The Progress-Index, Petersburg, Va.

Copy editor/page designer

  • Designed pages, edited stories and wrote headlines for The Progress-Index, a daily newspaper with 13,000 readers. Was typically responsible for the front page and several other pages every night.
  • Served as the graphic artist to produce maps, graphs, charts or other artwork, including some photo illustrations.
  • Monitored online news sources and updated the newspaper's website on a nightly basis.
  • Was chosen as a "super user" to learn the details of the computer system and help train other employees. Redesigned the newspaper in fall 2010 to improve the look and efficiency of pagination with libraries and stylesheets.
9/2003 - 9/2007

Capital-Gazette Newspapers, Annapolis, Md.

Copy editor/page designer

  • Designed pages, edited stories and wrote headlines for the front page of The Capital, a daily newspaper with 50,000 readers - the second largest newspaper in Maryland - and other sections and special publications. Created graphics and maps.
  • Served as the newsroom's technical liaison for the implementation of a new computer system, working to create templates, libraries and stylesheets for the new software, training other users, and working with vendors to fix bugs and update the system.
  • Redesigned The Capital's weekly Entertainment and monthly Business Break tabloids. Created the design standard for Waterfront Living magazine, which debuted in 2007, and helped shepherd the first issue through the printing process.
9/2000 - 9/2003

Media General N.Va. Newspapers, Woodbridge and Manassas, Va.

Copydesk chief (8/2002 - 9/2003)

  • Supervised the seven-person copy desk for two daily newspapers with a combined circulation of 25,000 - The Potomac News and Manassas Journal Messenger - maintaining consistency in style and design, and also produced special ad-based sections. The Manassas Journal Messenger was the fastest growing daily in the country for 2003.
  • Made sure the newspapers' websites were updated on a nightly basis.
  • Hired and trained new copy editors/page designers.
  • Set staff schedules and made sure we hit hourly publication deadlines.
  • Represented the copy desk at daily budget meetings and weekly planning meetings.

Copy editor/page designer (4/2001 - 8/2002)

  • Served as part of a team to redesign the two newspapers when they merged operations in 2001.
  • Designed news pages, wrote headlines and copy edited using Associated Press style guidelines. Created graphics, maps and logos. Updated the website.

Design editor/webmaster (9/2000 - 4/2001)

  • Designed all news and features section fronts for the Manassas Journal Messenger, a newspaper with a daily circulation of 7,000. Designed special pages, ad-based special sections and graphics. Worked with photographers, writers and editors to coordinate news and feature packages.
  • Redesigned and updated the website.
8/1996 - 5/1999

Paramount's King's Dominion, Doswell, Va.

Assistant supervisor, airbrush artist, caricature artist

  • Supervised up to a dozen employees. Created new designs. Made signs and displays. Trained new artists and cashiers. Developed training manuals. Maintained inventory. Solved customer grievances.

Computer skills

Web design / databases
  • HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Bootstrap, Ionic, Next.js, React, Node.js, Nginx and Apache servers, Google Cloud, PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch, MongoDB, Google Firebase.
Programming
  • Familiar with JavaScript for front-end and back-end web programming with RESTful APIs using JSON, object-oriented programming in Java, and C for operating systems. I have dabbled in Python. I have used C++, Perl and Ada95 many years ago. I am currently teaching myself PHP.
Software
  • Comfortable on Windows, Mac or Linux operating systems. I have done some shell scripting.
  • Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Postman, Git, Node Package Manager, video and audio editing software.
  • Software installation/removal/upgrades. Spyware and virus removal. Backup using Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive.
Hardware
  • Basic networking, setting up routers, hubs, wireless access points, network cards and running cable.
  • PC repairs and upgrades (including installing or replacing memory, video cards, hard drives and power supplies, a laptop keyboard, and even a PlayStation Blu-ray drive laser), video and audio equipment, external drives.
  • DSLR cameras for still photos and video.
  • Setting up microphones, monitors and projectors, high-end stereo equipment, scanners and printers.

Technology education

  • Experience using Scratch, Minecraft command blocks for Bedrock and Java Edition, Lego WeDo, Micro:bit microcomputer/microcontroller, Makeblock mBot programmable robot, MakeCode, Snap Circuits.
  • Level design and scripting for Half-life and Half-life Source video games.
  • I have also worked to teach my own kids HTML, CSS, photo and video editing, and some basic Python.

Awards received

  • 2013 third place for general news photo (Virginia Press Association)
  • 2013 second place for business and financial writing (VPA)
  • 2012 first place for headline writing (VPA)
  • 2012 first place for front page (VPA)
  • 2012 first place for individual page design (VPA)
  • 2011 first place for general makeup (VPA)
  • 2011 second place for front page design (VPA)
  • 2011 third place for individual page design (VPA)
  • 2010 first place for front page design (VPA)
  • 2010 second place for headline writing (VPA)
  • 2010 second place for page design (VPA)
  • 2010 third place for informational graphics (VPA)
  • 2009 second place for headline writing (VPA)
  • 2009 first place for page design (VPA)
  • 2009 first place for front page design (VPA)
  • 2009 second place for informational graphics (VPA)
  • 2008 second place for front page (VPA)
  • 2008 third place for lifestyles pages (VPA)
  • 2008 second place for special sections (VPA)
  • 2007 third place for lifestyles pages (VPA)
  • 2007 first place for general makeup (VPA)
  • 2007 first place for front page (VPA)
  • 2007 first place for page design (VPA)
  • 2006 first-place award for news design (Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association)
  • 2006 second place award for headline writing (MDDCPA)
  • 2006 Chesapeake Associated Press award for sports design
  • 2006 Chesapeake Associated Press award for feature design
  • 2005 first-place award for front page design (MDDCPA)
  • 2003 third-place award for page design (VPA)
  • 2001 third-place award for front page (VPA)
  • 2001 third-place award for page design (VPA)
  • 2001 second-place award for front page design (VPA)
  • 2000 second-place award for front page design (VPA)
  • 2000 third-place award for design of specialty sections (VPA)