My work

Writing or broadcasting, interviewing or editing, videography or graphic design, I'm confident in the skills I've developed as a digital-focused journalist. Succeeding in journalism now requires in-depth reporting that stands out on multiple platforms. As you can see by perusing my work below, I have what it takes to thrive in a modern newsroom and help organizations accomplish their digital subscription goals.

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Innovative writing

As former Iowa football players shared their stories on social media over a few days in June 2020 of being bullied and racially abused by some coaches in the program, what was missing among the narratives was hard data. I wanted The Gazette to have a resource that clearly laid out what was being said, who was saying it and who they were naming. Tracking down every public comment, documenting it and using the data to spot trends that could help shape our coverage became a weeklong project. The result was a link that produced both new reporting and historical record. It was one of the most-viewed sports stories of the year on the website as Iowa fans referenced it and general college football fans caught up quickly and thoroughly on a storyline they searched for with a complete guide.

Combining roundtable and poll formats to offer insights about a popular event each year: the high school football playoffs.

An example of recycling content in a format that isn't simply clickbait. After the season, I looked back at our preseason rankings to see which teams ended up meeting the potential we assigned them, and which teams came out of nowhere. This was an equally rewarding post for prognosticators who enjoy talking about how right they were and fans and players who like to use the polls as motivational material.


Feature writing

A Division III women's basketball player battling depression was willing to open up and share her story with me as she tries to help others.

The story of a Division III men's basketball player with one hand contributing to a Top-25 team.

"I always play with an increased risk now of ... basically dropping dead on the court," a Division III men's basketball player told me. I told the story of his heart issues and why he continued to play.



Breaking news

When breaking news hits, it's the job of journalists to explain what it means to readers in an easily digestible format that still goes beyond what's in a press release. That's what I believe I accomplished here with subheadlines and scenarios.

Quickly localizing a story from another state that was a talker on social media.


Game coverage

A different way of covering the state tournament. Something like this catches much more attention than classic gamer after classic gamer.

Quick hitters about a big game posted right after the final whistle. There's something for everyone here: news from the game, deeper analysis and fun.

A live and updating post throughout the day. It starts in the morning with a schedule, TV and streaming information and links to previous coverage. Then it's built on with live updates, scores and recaps until the end of the night, when it lives on as a one-stop shop for all the day's news and extended coverage.

Traditional game story that features multimedia within the frame of a big-picture narrative.

Videos and podcasts

Highlights and reaction from a local team beating another local team for a state title.

I produced and co-hosted a podcast discussing Iowa men's basketball during a memorable 2020-21 season.

Graphics

A question I ask myself often as Digital Sports Editor at The Gazette is "How do I make this story stand out?" When a journalist works especially hard on reporting and writing something that I know our audience will love, I want to make sure it's clear the story is different than others. Editing a graphic/featured image is a key way of highlighting that. I wouldn't consider graphic design a strength of mine, but I'm Photoshop literate and proud of the images I've been able to create using our fantastic photographers' work.

Social media

I've successfully developed brands revolving around The Gazette's most passionate sports audiences: Iowa high school sports and the Iowa Hawkeyes.