MARY J. WINTER
1675 S. Syracuse St., Denver, Colo. 80207/ 720-937-0227 / mwinterworld@gmail.com
STRENGTHS:
- Expertise in national politics and state legislative process
- Passion for clear writing and active voice
- Talent for rehabilitating lifeless and clumsy sentences
- Sharp eye for inconsistencies, mischaracterizations, ambiguity, bloated language, story holes, passive verbs, potential libel, grammatical errors
- Excellent rewrite skills
- Strong command of Associated Press editing style
- Broad research experience
EMPLOYMENT:
Freelance / October 2017 to present. Writer — Clients include National Kitchen and Bath Association
RealClearPolitics.com/ Chicago / January 2015 to October 2017
Night copy editor — Edited national political stories by Washington, D.C.-based reporting staff, wrote headlines and loaded stories/art/graphics into Content Management System and posted. Wrote story capsules for RCP Morning Note.
The National Conference of State Legislatures / Denver / March 2013 to January 2015
Assistant editor/senior writer
— Helped produce State Legislatures, the monthly magazine of the National Conference of State Legislatures. NCSL provides public policy research for the nation’s 7,500 legislators.
Freelance / Denver and Phoenix / December 2012 – March 2013
— Wrote news features for Health Policy Solutions, a website of the University of Colorado School of Public Affairs, and for Los Angeles-based Anton Public Relations, specializing in multi-family real estate development.
Columbia Journalism Review / New York City / December 2011 to December 2012
Colorado correspondent, 2012 Swing State Project
— Wrote four articles monthly analyzing media coverage of the election campaign in Colorado. Contributed to national roundup pieces.
The Denver Post / Denver / September to December 2011
YourHub editor and designer, Denver editions
— Oversaw the Post’s weekly community-news tabloid. Wrote short articles and briefs, edited reporter and contributor submissions, and posted stories, synopses, art and headlines to website.
The Denver Post / Denver / October 2010 to September 2011
Sunday opinion page columnist, twice monthly. Contract position.
— Addressed topics of state and regional interest on issues of my choosing. Also wrote Sunday Perspective cover stories. (I left this position to take a full-time job at the Post as a YourHub editor).
PoliticsDaily.com, AOL / Dulles, Va. / May 2009 to March 2011
Assistant managing editor
— Wrote, edited and directed stories from my home office in Denver for Virginia-based website politics. Worked in blogsmith. Edited staff writers’ stories and added synopses, art and headlines before posting.
Rocky Mountain News / Denver / 2002-09
Assistant city editor / weekly columnist
— Managed eight reporters covering legislature, environment, water, state government and education beats. Set story priorities; helped reporters identify, outline and develop long-term projects. Wrote weekly column.
Blacktie-Denver.com / Denver / 1999-2001
Co-founder, CEO
— Launched website that serves non-profits. Wrote business plan, website content and marketing materials. Continued writing column for Rocky Mountain News as a freelancer.
Rocky Mountain News / Denver / 1988-1999
Lifestyles editor / Home Front editor
— Managed staff of 15 to produce daily section covering health, fitness, food, travel, trends, style. Wrote weekly personal column starting in 1992.
Longview Morning Journal / Longview, Texas / 1984-1988
Editor
— Oversaw newsroom for 20,000-circulation daily in East Texas.
Mesa Tribune and Tempe Daily News/ Tempe and Mesa, Ariz. / 1982-84
Reporter, Sunday editor, executive editor
–– Covered general news for Mesa Tribune, promoted to Sunday editor when Tribune went to seven days. Oversaw Arizona State University journalism majors as reporters. Later promoted to executive editor of the Tempe Daily News.
U-Haul International, AMERCO / Phoenix / 1980-82 / Staffer on monthly magazine
Arizona Republic / Phoenix / 1978-80 / Copy editor
EDUCATION:
— Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
HONORS / AWARDS: More than a dozen AP and Society of Professional Journalists awards
LINKEDIN: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=44833923&trk=tab_pro
WORK SAMPLES: www.blondeavenger.com