For over 25 years, I have been dedicated to leading digital innovation in top newsrooms across America and training future leaders. I’ve managed dozens of people and taught hundreds of students on five continents everything from data reporting to entrepreneurial product development. My primary focus has been building teams with diverse skills, working towards the common goal of strengthening journalism’s role in democracy.
I’ve helped news organizations leverage digital public records to reduce costs and increase revenue associated with the kind of accountability and explanatory journalism that is essential to democracy.
My book, Producing Online News: New Tools, Stronger Stories, was published in 2010 by CQPress. I’m also a co-author of Reaching Audiences, 5th Edition, an introductory news writing textbook.
Before coming to UNC in 2007, I spent my career focusing on online journalism as the managing editor of USNews.com, the online arm of U.S. News & World Report, the managing editor for Congressional Quarterly’s website, www.cq.com, and the national/international editor for The Washington Post’s website, www.washingtonpost.com, from 2003 to 2005. I started working in online news when I joined washingtonpost.com as a producer in 1997.
I earned my master’s degree from The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management while working with the Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet and writing about online political fundraising. My bachelor’s degree is from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.