Block Club Chicago

Award-winning nonprofit digital news source covering Chicago. Website at BlockClubChicago.org.

Senior Editor
April 2020-Present
• I was recognized as Chicago’s 2021 Journalist of the Year in this role.
• I manage a team of reporters, freelancers and interns. I find and assign them stories, review their pitches, guide reporting and edit stories.
• I plan and manage staff-wide special projects, including coordinating Block Club’s 2023 mayoral election coverage, launching our LGBTQ+ news section and organizing our award-winning “Year of Loss” project, which chronicled losses during the pandemic.
• I write multiple stories daily, coordinate Block Club’s breaking news coverage and live tweet breaking news and news conferences to an audience I’ve built of more than 20,000 followers on my Twitter account.
• I analyze data for story and create data visualizations with tools including Excel, Google Sheets, Datawrapper and Flourish.
• I edit — and, when needed, build — Block’s main and beat-specific newsletters.
• I regularly appear on the radio and TV to promote Block Club stories.
• I help shape Block Club’s coverage and reporting policies, with a focus on being a more equitable, transparent newsroom that better engages with, uplifts and reflects the communities we cover. This includes maintaining Block Club’s newsroom stylebook.

Reporter
January 2018-April 2020
• I wrote multiple stories daily, took photos and edited videos. I was the go-to reporter for breaking news. I edited neighborhood newsletters. I managed Block Club’s Twitter account.

DNAinfo Chicago

Digital and print news source covering Chicago.

General Assignment Reporter
December 2016-November 2017
• I wrote at least four stories per day, took photos, produced and edited videos and recorded and analyzed data about Chicago’s gun violence. I wrote about crime in Chicago daily and kept track of every murder victim in Chicago for DNAinfo’s award-winning “Murder in Chicago: The Human Toll” project.
• I covered politics, education and business, among other beats. I was the go-to reporter for breaking news.
• I was trained in search engine optimization and social media engagement to grow DNAinfo’s audience. I shared stories with readers through radio segments with DNAinfo and other media outlets.

Breaking News Reporter
May 2015-December 2016
• I wrote at least three stories per day and focused on Chicago’s gun violence and crime. I regularly visited the scenes of shootings to interview victims and witnesses of violence to provide context about the history of Chicago’s violence — a national news topic — and how it is affecting people in the city.
• I updated and analyzed DNAinfo Chicago’s databases on shootings and homicides.

Intern
May-August 2013 and May-August 2014
• I produced more than 200 stories, took photos and edited videos for DNAinfo. I produced stories and packages every day.

Freelance

Copy Editor
February 2017-Present
• As a freelance copy editor, I proofread promotions material, presentations, legal copy, technical documents and more.
• I conduct interviews, take notes and write summaries for clients.
• I have worked with Boxer Brand Design and Public Communications Inc., among other companies.