Resume

QUALIFICATIONS

• Sixteen years of magazine and newspaper article writing
• Seven years of publishing and editing an SEO-optimized family travel website
• SATW Award – Best Travel Website – 2023 Silver, 2022 Bronze
• Brought digimag to a Moz DA 41 website (before Google tanked us to 33)
• Recruits, schedules freelance writers, and edits their articles
• Regularly utilizes SEO optimization tools like Keysearch and RankIQ
• Social media following of 70K across platforms
• Skilled and versatile writer with awards from NATJA, SATW, and RTNDA
• BA Journalism with a firm grasp of AP Style and Strunk & White

WORK HISTORY

• Founded, edit, and write for a multi-award winning family travel website
• Freelance for multiple top-tier publications
• Freelance for local newspaper and parenting magazine
• Public Speaker
• Producer for LA-based health show
• Reporter and anchor for television and radio

L.A. Family Travel 2018 – present

• Conceptualized and created a website from scratch for families who want to enjoy traveling with their kids
• Oversee a team of writers
• Research and create editorial calendar
• Write, edit and publish articles twice weekly SEO tools for best practices
• Built extensive social media platforms, including videos for YouTube

Freelance Writer 2008 – present

• Write for travel and parenting magazines, newspapers and websites
• Topics include family travel, business luxury travel, sustainability, eco-travel, and wellness
• Bylines include Frommer’s, Global Traveler Magazine, MSN, Wherever Family, Parents, Travel + Leisure, Go
• World Travel, GoNomad, L.A. Parent Magazine, Acorn Newspaper, Outdoor Families Online, Yogi Times

FCD Educational Services 2002 – 08

Public Speaker/Workshop Leader

• Taught workshops to students around the world about making healthy choices around addictive substances
• Led speaking workshops with parents, teachers and faculty, teaching about raising resilient kids

Happy Destiny Road Prod. Los Angeles, CA 2001-02

Director/Producer

• Supervised, coordinated and assembled production of feature documentary
• Secured project funding

KPFK Studio City, CA 2001-02

Reporter

• Reported stories for evening news radio show. Production included enterprising story ideas, conducting field and phone interviews, writing, editing, and voicing stories.

Ellman Entertainment Hollywood, CA 2001

Associate Producer/Researcher, Lifetime’s Speaking of Women’s Health

• Assisted segment producer of nationwide health show
• Proposed and researched story ideas
• Researched and cast subjects for segments
• Field produced and coordinated location field producers

Orange County News Channel 2001

Associate Producer/Wknd Assignment Editor

Assisted in the production of daily news show

• Enterprised and built news stories through print media and press releases
• Coordinated and assigned reporter and photographer crews to cover breaking and news stories

KTVF (NBC affiliate) Fairbanks, Alaska 2000

Reporter/Producer/Anchor

• Specialized in covering health, environment, city politics and social service news issues.
• Chased breaking news.
• Photographed, edited and wrote all stories.
• Anchored and produced morning news show
• Directed and produced weekend news shows

KCOP (UPN affiliate) Hollywood, California 1999

Field Producer/ Assignment Desk Asst.

• Field produced breaking and weekend stories.
• Field produced regional and national elections.
• Monitored scanners for breaking news.
• Conducted pre-interviews and research for various reporters.

Valley View News Northridge, California 1998

Reporter / Producer

• Photographed, edited, wrote, and reported for cable news show.
• Produced newscast

KCSN Northridge, California 1997-98

News Writer

• Wrote news stories for award-winning radio news show.

EDUCATION

• BA – Broadcast Journalism – California State University Northridge – 1998

LANGUAGES

• Fluent Russian

AWARDS RECEIVED

• 2024 NATJA – Gold Award – Best Independent Blog
• 2023 SATW – Silver Award – Best Travel Website (LAFamilyTravel.com)
• 2022 SATW – Bronze Award – Best Travel Website (LAFamilyTravel.com)
• 2018 NATJA – Bronze Award – Best Family Feature Story
• 2018 NATJA – Honorable Mention – Portrait Photography
• 1999 – Golden Mike Award – Best Light Feature
• 1998 – APTRA California-Nevada – Best Light Feature
• 1998-99 – KCSN – Best Writer
• 1998 – Los Angeles Press Club – Certificate of Excellence