RESUME

SUMMARY

Web Site Director, Product Manager, Executive Editor
Seasoned, award-winning journalist who offers 12 years' digital product and Web site management experience. Work with key stakeholders to manage the life cycle of projects from Web apps and instructional videos to quizzes and slide shows with content informing the heart of every project. Managed daily editorial calendars, newsletter publishing schedules and wire frame development for internal projects and outside clients on tight deadlines and meticulous attention to detail. Superb track record supervising and mentoring in-house writers and designers as well as freelancers and vendors. Infuse myself into all editorial projects, from writing to top-line editing. Pulitzer-Prize nominated book author whose successful transition to digital media proves capacity for mastering quickly the latest digital and industry trends. Ideas informed by gut instinct, consumer insights, and analytics. Additional skills in P&L management, budgeting, and contract negotiations. Legal reporter for AARP Bulletin and business writer for Crain's New York Business.

WORK EXPERIENCE

KAPLAN TEST PREP, Executive Director, Digital Content Development, New York, NY (2010-2011)
Led a project to craft 400 personalized science videos for students prepping for the MCAT. Oversaw editorial vendors and recruited expert staff to author courses to prep students for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, PCAT and other examinations.

• Overhauled the editorial process for creating video scripts, resulting in savings of hundreds of staff hours.
• Managed $1.7-million contract for MCAT Video-on-Demand project, eventually moving work in-house to enhance accuracy and save an expected $1 million.
• Oversaw editorial development of 19 hours of new online GRE video instructional lessons. Edited more than half of the videos and authored two from scratch due to time constraints.
• Supervised review and revision of Kaplan Publishing course books for the GRE 2012 revision, including overseeing the rewriting of dozens of math lessons and problem sets.
• Negotiated vendor prices to highly competitive levels, resulting in thousands of dollars in estimated savings.

Developed strategic plans for Web sites, e-newsletter campaigns, interactive applications (decision trees, quizzes, polls, video players, etc.), for clients in financial, auto, health care, computing, and women's service verticals. Managed all digital operations including pricing, editorial execution, technical integration, functional specifications, metrics management and usability analysis.

Time Inc., Executive Director, Digital Content Strategy, Time Inc. Content Solutions/Liquid Dialog (2009-2010)
Developed strategic plans for Web sites, e-newsletter campaigns, interactive applications (decision trees, quizzes, polls, video players, etc.), for clients in financial, auto, health care, computing, and women’s service verticals. Managed all digital operations including pricing, editorial execution, technical integration, functional specifications, metrics management and usability analysis.
Recent project launches: nysemagazine.com, mladvisor.ml.com

CUNY School of Law, Director of Marketing/Media Relations (2007-2009)
Developed the first Web and print branding and media strategy for this public law school. Supervised creation and production of all publications and Web products, as well as internal and external communications. In less than two years, quadrupled media “hits,” launched 400-page Web site and created 12 magazines and print promo pieces. Managed budgets. Hired teams. Vetted and hired contractors, including printers, photographers and writers. (www.law.cuny.edu)

Reader’s Digest Association, Digital Business Group, Group Site Director (2005-2006)
General manager for ChangeOneDiet.com and site director of RD.com, the company’s flagship site. Also managed creative direction of TheFamilyHandyman.com and developed plans for additional verticals.

• Led overhaul of flagship RD.com, adding16,000+ pages of content through internal negotiation with book and magazine groups over 7 months. Web-driven magazine circulation up 28% year-over-year (April 06 vs. April 05). Traffic up 32%; uniques up 70%. Closed $260,000 in ad business in first year.
• Spearheaded creative development of Super Word Power online Flash game (5200+ words and definitions) in a deal with RealArcade. Generated roughly $100,000 net revenue to RDA in first fiscal year.
• Managed contract negotiation, marketing and creation of Reader’s Digest Digital, the company’s first foray into digital magazine distribution, in a deal with Zinio.com. Closed $10,000 in net subs in four months.
• Led creative development of RDA’s first Recipe Finder, incorporating 21,000+ recipes, through subsidiary Taste of Home. (rd.com/recipefinder)

Meredith Corporation, Site Director & Executive Editor. (2000-2005)
Directed every major web site at Meredith (BHG.com, LHJ.com and MORE.com). Conceived the editorial plan for each site, including supervision of traffic initiatives with partners to produce double-digit growth.

• Managed contractor budgets up to $600,000 a year and staff budgets over $1.5 million.
• Worked across two cities, with direct reports based in New York and Des Moines.
• Executed deals to license and deliver editorial content on tight timelines to AOL, MSN and Yahoo.
• Led editorial vision for food, health, style, home repair, decorating, gardening, travel, relationships.
• Conceived or led development of nine interactive applications and tools. Several have patents pending.

Ladies’ Home Journal Online, www.lhj.com
Took the editorial reigns of this foundering site in January 2002 with goal of building a powerful Internet companion brand to the print magazine.

• Tripled traffic and unique visitors in two years, building partnerships with AOL and MSN. Grew monthly page views to 24.3 million (March 2004) from 800,000 (March 2002); uniques to 2.2 million from 100,000; magazine orders from 500 to 12,000 per month. Led two redesigns.

Better Homes and Gardens Online, www.bhg.com
Supervised all phases of development, design and editorial planning for the flagship site of Meredith. Under my direction for 3 years, site won numerous editorial honors during period of rapid growth.

• Produced a 50 percent growth in traffic in fiscal 2003, and 190 percent in three years, while dramatically increasing content volume and shaving costs. Monthly page views: 13.4 Million to 39 million in 3 years. Monthly unique visitors: 764,500 to 2.9 million.
• Managed launch of five tools and numerous editorial projects, including Home Solutions (600 projects for homeowners), Celebrate (a how-to guide for all major holidays), and Coping 9/11.

Scholastic Inc., Editorial Director, Classroom Magazine Division (1996-2000).
Managed two dozen editors, writers and designers in creation of seven award-winning weekly, biweekly and monthly news, math, teen health and science magazines. Supervised launch of eight Web sites.

• Developed a new editorial vision for Science World, the nation's leading teen science magazine, and Choices, a teen health magazine. Also directed: Scholastic Math, DynaMath, SuperScience and Scholastic News (grades 4 & 5/6). Also led development of the magazine division's first Web sites.

Newsday/New York Newsday (1982-1995). Reporter and Columnist
During award-winning career, covered the paper's most demanding beats (NYC Board of Education, transportation, courts, business and the New York Legislature).

• Authored more than 2,500 articles, including hundreds of exclusive front-page stories, magazine pieces and a transportation column. Executed all court and legal coverage for Pulitzer Prize-winning stories on the fatal 1991 Union Square subway derailment. Routinely beat other New York City daily competitors on key stories.
• Wrote 9-part series, “My Year as a Teacher,” that won myriad awards and was re-published twice as a special reprint. Two-time grand-prize winner of nation's top education writing contest (see Awards).

CONCURRENT CONSULTING (1999-current).
Have advised clients on a range of editorial, public relations and Internet initiatives, including:

• Columbia University. Authored four pieces for a publication to inform new reporters how to cover key trends: online education, for-profit vocational schools, Hispanic population growth and gender issues.
• McGraw-Hill Companies. Authored report on five policymakers for the McGraw-Hill prizes.
• IBM Corporation. Author for IBM’s 2006 Corporate Responsibility report. Edited the full report.
• The New York Times Magazine. Reported and wrote Great Places to Learn (October 2005).
• Scott Foresman Publishers. Drafted 3 dozen teacher guides for 2005 “Reading Street” basal reading program for grades 1 thru 6 covering skills in social studies, science, and literature.
• The Asia Society. Reported and wrote Schools for a Global Age (2004), a 50-page report funded by Goldman Sachs Foundation detailing best practices in global education at nine American schools. Co-authored a 2008 report describing how to set up a school with an international focus.

BOOKS
Shut Up and Let the Lady Teach: A Teacher's Year in a Public School (Simon & Schuster, 1991).
Memoir of my year as an 8th-grade math teacher was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.