RESUME

WRITING AND EDITING EXPERIENCE

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) • Washington, D.C.
Writer/Editor
July 2024-Present
• Lead editor for Branding, Marketing and Communications department projects
• Proofreads communications collateral and writes articles under deadline
• Develops event toolkits, including key messaging, talking points, press releases, and social media content
• Assists with the development of the organization’s internal employee newsletter

World Resources Institute • Washington, D.C.
Communications Manager, Water Program
June 2021-July 2024
• Led communications for the Water Program, coordinate communications projects among various teams, departments, International Offices, and external partners
• Crafted communication strategies and key messages for publications, initiatives, data platforms, events, and more
• Managed program’s editorial calendar, social media channels, and monthly newsletter
• Collaborated with experts on blogs and provide developmental edits, translate technical jargon into messages that can be understood by a variety of audiences, especially the general public
• Oversaw program’s communications interns and consultants

Communications Specialist, Water
February 2020-June 2021
• Led communications for the Water Program
• Managed blogging, email marketing, social media, and facilitated events for the Water Program

Communications Specialist, Governance
July 2018-February 2020
• Led communications for the Governance Center (now the Equity Center), including the flagship Greening Governance seminars
• Introduced and implemented Asana project management tool to improve workflow and operations among communications staff across the Institute
• Assisted in the creation of WRI’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative, formed WRI’s LGBTQ+ Affinity Community, assisted in the creation of the Staff Association and served as a representative

Electrical Contractor Magazine • Bethesda, Md.
Freelance Writer
January 2012-Present
• Write monthly articles for Industry Watch and Safety Leader on green technology, renewable energy, and safe construction

Split This Rock • Washington, D.C.
Board of Directors
January 2021-October 2023
• Serve on the Board of Directors for Split This Rock, a nonprofit that cultivates poetry that bears witness to injustice and provokes social change
• Assist the Board in fundraising opportunities and staff in strategy development

Poem of the Week Editor
June 2019-December 2019
• Assisted a small editorial team in selecting poems to feature in the Poem of the Week series

OutWrite • Washington, D.C.
Co-Chair
October 2020-August 2022
• Served as Co-Chair of OutWrite, organized Washington, D.C.’s annual LGBTQ+ literary festival, led two virtual festivals during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Managed publication opportunities for emerging and established LGBTQ+ writers, including journals, chapbook contests with Neon Hemlock Press, and an annual themed issue with Metro Weekly
• Organized planning committee and trained volunteers

Planning Committee
December 2017-October 2020
• Served on small planning committee organizing OutWrite, curated several poetry events
• Assisted in the move to a virtual festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic for OutWrite 2020, the festival’s 10th anniversary

Association of Writers & Writing Programs
Poetry Judge
January 2022-June 2022
• Invited to serve as poetry judge for the Kurt Brown Prize, reviewed over 500 submissions and selected winning poet

Poetry Mentor
September 2019-December 2019
• Invited to serve as a poetry mentor for an emerging writer through AWP’s Writer to Writer Mentorship Program

Communications Coordinator
March 2018-March 2019
• Served on AWP’s LGBTQ Writers’ Caucus board, assisted Caucus in preparing for AWP 2019
• Managed content for the Caucus website, blogs, and Twitter feed

Society for Science & the Public • Washington, D.C.
Digital Content Specialist
August 2015-July 2018
• Crafted stories showcasing Society’s impact for multiple audiences, manage content for website and blog
• Translated scientific topics for general public
• Revamped Society newsletter for membership-focused approach, increased CTO rate from 8% to 25%
• Trained colleagues on updating the website, basic HTML and CSS
• Created style guide and employee newsletter to improve cross-departmental communication

District Lit • Washington, D.C.
Poetry Editor
April 2015-March 2018
• Evaluated hundreds of poems for online literary journal, worked with writers on edits
• Launched journal’s themed issues, including: Disability and Chronic Illness, Space, and Washington, D.C.

Marketplace • Washington, D.C.
Intern
September 2014-December 2014
• Pitched stories, researched sources, created graphics
• Set up audio console for guests, conducted tape syncs, scored a reporter’s podcast pilot

News21 • Phoenix, Ariz.
Carnegie-Knight Reporting Fellow
January 2014-August 2014
• Reported on gun laws in America, led the newsroom in implementing digital tools for story design, including SoundCite.JS, Timeline.JS and StoryMap.JS
• Article on rural sheriffs refusing to enforce gun laws published by NBC News
• Worked as a lead designer on the Gun Wars website and Americans and their Guns section, conceptualized background check quiz

Education Week Teacher • Bethesda, Md.
Editorial Intern
January 2014-May 2014
• Updated homepage, managed Facebook and Twitter accounts
• Pitched stories for Teaching Now and BookMarks, copy edited articles, produced articles and video packages
• Created weekly and monthly e-newsletters

Capital News Service • College Park, Md.
Web Designer
August 2013-December 2013
• Coded interactive graphics for wire service with clients in Md. and D.C.

The Gazette • Gaithersburg, Md.
MDDC Reese Cleghorn Intern
June 2013-August 2013
• Wrote daily articles for strict deadlines, covered Takoma Park beat
• Collaborated with team of reporters on a special project on the Purple Line light rail

USA TODAY • McLean, Va.
Social Media Intern
June 2013
• Scheduled social media posts on USA TODAY channels in Spredfast and Mass Relevance, created a LinkedIn strategy

WTOP • Washington, D.C.
Intern
August 2012-December 2012
• Produced a story on National Novel Writing Month
• Wrote articles and lead-ins, edited audio, shadowed National Security Correspondent J.J. Green on interviews and transcribed audio for his stories

Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House • University of Maryland
Final Judge
March 2021
• Served as final judge for the poetry submissions of Litfest, the Writers’ House annual literary contest

Social Media Manager
August 2012-October 2013
• Created curatorial Facebook page, managed content for the Writers’ House website
• Organized Writers’ House 10th Anniversary gala, produced and designed 10th anniversary publication
• Led poetry board for Stylus, university’s literary magazine
• Created The Writers’ Bloc, the university’s literary-focused newspaper, hired staff, served as Editor-in-Chief

WSOE 89.3 FM • Elon University
Radio Show Host
September 2009-May 2011
• Hosted weekly shows at the university radio station, an indie music show and a literature-themed show, managed the sound board

The Pendulum • Elon University
Design Editor
August 2009-May 2011
• Designed features spreads, news pages, opinion columns
• Wrote weekly news and features articles, and opinion columns

AWARDS & PANELS

Journalism
• News21 Gun Wars investigation won ONA Journalism Award and EPPY Award
• Nominated to participate in News21 Fellowship, 2014
• Selected for MDDC Reese Cleghorn Internship at The Gazette, 2013
• SPJ Sigma Delta Chi Foundation Scholarship, 2013-2014
• Elon University SPJ President, Region 2 Chapter of the year, 2011

Poetry
• Asked to serve as Kurt Brown Prize poetry judge, AWP 2022
• Asked to serve as moderator of “Disability’s Influence on Literature: Realism As A Craft Concept”, AWP 2021
• “Armpit arsonist” was nominated by Doubleback Review for the Pushcart Prize, 2020
• Final judge for poetry for the Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House Litfest, 2021
• “Crumb-sized” was a finalist in Etchings Press’ 2019 Whirling Prize
• “On that one-way trip to Mars” was nominated for a 2017 Elgin Award
• Poets for Science poetry teach-in leader at the March for Science, 2017
• Reader for 10th annual Split This Rock poetry contest, 2016-2017

SKILLS

EDUCATION

University of Maryland
• B.A., Journalism
• Minor in Creative Writing
• Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House Notation