COPY EDITOR, DIGITAL TRENDS
June 2024-January 2025
FREELANCE COPY EDITOR, DIGITAL TRENDS
October 2021-December 2022, April-May 2024
Getting paid to read about nerd stuff? Sign me up. I'm a big nerd when it comes to consumer tech and pop culture so working freelance (and 100% remotely) for Digital Trends was a treat. My focus was primarily on editing commerce content (as in, here are the 10 best air fryer deals for Black Friday), but during my time working for them I edited all kinds of stuff, from video game guides to "how tos" on how to set up a home security system to the best graphics cards you can buy right now. Working there even inspired me to build my own PC!
FREELANCE COPY EDITOR, AMPERSAND PUBLISHING
August 2021-present
I was brought on primarily copy edit and proofread content for Suffolk University's print and online magazine publications, namely its alumni magazines. But I also copy edited a magazine targeted at moms who use marijuana, which was a fun and interesting change of pace from what I'm used to editing let me tell you.
FREELANCE CONTENT LOADER, MARCEL DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY
April 2019-April 2021
SENIOR COPY EDITOR, LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
January-July 2016
I helped transfer content from a client's current website to a new one, building webpages and formatting text and images using the Umbraco content management system. Because Marcel Digital is based in Chicago and I'm about 500 miles south in Kansas City, I worked 100% remotely, communicating with my project supervisor and team members via Slack and Zoom.
As the Lawrence Journal-World’s senior copy editor, I supervised copy editors, edited stories, paginated the next day’s paper and managed the Journal-World's website, LJWorld.com, five days a week. I also coordinated coverage for late-breaking news should stuff hit the fan (stuff did, in fact, hit the fan). I would also promote Journal-World content on social media — namely Twitter and Facebook — and create and schedule lead stories for LJWorld.com using our CMS.
FEATURES EDITOR, LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
December 2012-January 2016
COPY EDITOR, LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
October 2006-December 2012
My first "real" job. As a copy editor for the Journal-World, I edited local stories for style, grammar, clarity and accuracy; wrote headlines (using puns, when appropriate); laid out pages; monitored and selected Associated Press content for the paper; and posted stories on online.
OTHER EXPERIENCE
Internships! During and just after college, I cut my copy-editing teeth at The Arizona Republic (Pulliam copy editing fellowship), Time Out New York (copy editing internship), and Indianapolis Star (Dow Jones copy editing intern).
AWARDS
EDUCATION
University of Kansas, 2001-2005
I graduated from KU in the fall of 2005 with a degrees in journalism and creative writing. I literally have a degree in puns.
For several years I managed the Lawrence Journal-World’s arts and features sections, including (deep breath):
• Sunday A&E (arts and entertainment)
• Going Out (previews of upcoming events happening in the community as well as stories covering local restaurants)
• Food (a mix of recipes from local contributors and wire sources)
• Lawrence Living (featuring lifestyle stories from local contributors, including advice on gardening, travel, women's fashion, home decor, pets and more)
• WellCommons (health and wellness advice)
Many of those sections were planned and launched under my watch, and I was in charge of implementing the content and design. Other than these sections, a reporter and pool of freelancers, I managed content on the Journal-World's arts and entertainment website, Lawrence.com.​
Most journalists aren't in this for the fortune and glory, but it's nice to get recognized for hard work every once in awhile:
• First and second place, best features package, Kansas Press Association Awards of Excellence 2014
• Third place, best features package, Kansas Press Association Awards of Excellence 2017
After a couple of stretches working as a freelance copy editor for Digital Trends, I was hired full time after an opening became available. This time though I was fully focused on editing the website's editorial content (bye bye, commerce). That meant more editing consumer tech and pop culture news, reviews and features, and less "here's why you should buy this blender that's on sale" stuff. And though I was full time and an official employee of Digital Trends, I was still fully remote and a lot more in touch with my co-workers via Teams.