Experience
I've done writing, editing, research, media relations and strategic communications work at organizations such as the Sustainable Development Goals Fund, Brennan Center for Justice, Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, Inter-Parliamentary Union, Carnegie Corporation of New York and the New York Civil Liberties Union. I have published articles in The New York Times, The New York Daily News, the Washington Post, The Lily, BORO magazine, Thomson Reuters Foundation, Carnegie Reporter, PassBlue (an online publication that covers the UN), and BillyYTZ (the travel magazine of the Toronto City airport).
I was the media relations manager and later the deputy director of communications at Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), a New York-based international human rights organization. I spearheaded international media campaigns on issues such as attacks on health workers in Syria, sexual violence in the Congo and anti-Muslim violence in Burma. I worked with journalists across the globe, trained staff and consultants on working with the media, and wrote, edited, and placed many letters to the editor, blog posts and op-eds. I inserted the organization and its experts into local, national and international outlets, including Al Jazeera, The Associated Press, the Bangkok Post, the British Medical Journal, BBC, Canadian Broadcasting Corp., CNN, CNN International, the Daily Star (Beirut), The Economist, Foreign Policy, the Guardian, The Lancet, Le Monde, MSNBC, Newsweek, The New York Times, NPR, Reuters, TIME, the Toronto Star, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. I created internal documents such as talking points and other messaging materials, as well as external content, including press releases and social media content. I created the organization's media guidelines, built its media lists, and conducted workshops on topics such as op-ed writing and how to work with journalists.
I worked as a media strategist in the national office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the leading New York City-based civil liberties organization, and focused on immigrants' rights, racial justice and voting rights. I worked with ACLU national and affiliate staff in 50 offices, as well as coalition partners, to further advocacy goals through strategic communications work on complex civil rights issues. I advised staff in executive, legal and advocacy positions, and trained clients on media relations, social media and other elements of strategic communications. I inserted the ACLU's voice and messaging into hundreds of news and editorial pieces in local, regional and national outlets, developed talking points and other messaging materials and contributed to video and social media content.
I served as a faculty advisor for the International Delegation on Diplomacy & International Relations in South Africa and China and the International Delegation on Communications & Journalism in Australia. I supervised groups of up to 80 college students, organized and conducted lessons, briefing and debriefing sessions, and served as a mentor.
I reported for the leading New York City-based weekly legal newspaper out of New York before serving as its Canada bureau chief out of Toronto. I covered topics such as international law, criminal law and the globalization of the legal world. I interviewed global legal experts, tracked legal developments, conducted research and juggled daily and weekly stories for the print and online editions.
I reported for the Greenwich Time (2001-2005) and the Stamford Advocate (2005-2006) daily newspapers (formerly a part of the Tribune Co. chain). I covered topics such as social services, education, immigration, local politics, breaking news and international issues with local ties. I won 12 awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, an international fellowship that allowed me to report from Greece and a Special Achievement Award for immigration coverage.
Skills
Education
I have a Master of Science in International Affairs with a concentration in Governance and Human Rights from The New School. I attended the program on a Director's Scholarship.
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a minor in Journalism from Hofstra University. In addition to attending the school on an NCAA Division I athletic scholarship, I won the School of Communications Award. During my time there, I also won the Jessica Savitch Merit Award from New York Women in Communications.