People Magazine - Reporter, Writer, and Producer
I pitched, reported, and wrote hundreds of exclusive human-interest, health, and crime features for the magazine’s print and web. In addition, I covered breaking news, including being the first to interview Amber Joy Vinson, the Dallas nurse who contracted Ebola. Along with print and digital stories,
I produced and directed dozens of video shoots (examples below) that lived online, on PeopleTV, and on social.
I worked with the sales, marketing, advertising, and public relations teams to align their efforts with our editorial coverage. Many times this meant finding powerful human stories for a specific brand for branded and sponsored content. This ranged from pharmaceutical, automobile, and financial companies.
I led brainstorming meetings to generate new ideas for how to best find and tell personal stories attached to specific advertisers, and played a crucial role in brainstorming, researching and finalizing People’s yearly franchise 25 Women Changing The World.
Frequently a guest on People Now live, I would discuss my stories and speak on behalf of other writers and editors.
Here are just a few of those stories, and videos:
REAL BEAUTIES:
In 2014, I led the charge on finding four “real women” spanning over four decades to be featured as People Magazine’s Real Beauties of the year. I also produced and directed the video and photo shoot for the franchise.
Working with DKMS, the world’s largest bone marrow donor center, I found a compelling human interest story that would inspire People magazine readers. Not only did the registration numbers skyrocket after the article was released in print, digital and on video, but numerous matches were successfully made after the story’s release.
In addition, I interviewed actor Bradley Cooper who befriended a young man who had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and also worked with DKMS. This article led to an interview on Good Morning America, and additional exposure - and donors - for DKMS.
Link to PDF of ‘4 Brothers, 1 Deadly Disease’ in the April 8, 2018 issue of PEOPLE
Native Advertising: Working with a pharmaceutical client that was promoting their new asthma medication, I pitched, reported, and wrote a six-page cover story for People Health about actress Tichina Arnold and her daughter who has severe asthma.
Trichina Arnold posted a video about the article to her over 3 million Instagram followers, and the pharmaceutical client saw an increase in their social media following, as well as a large uptake in inquires about the drug.
CHRIS NORTON
In 2015 the world learned of Chris Norton’s story when he walked across the stage at his college graduation after an injury left him paralyzed 5 years earlier. The video of him walking with his then girlfriend, Emily, was seen by 300 million people.
I secured exclusive access to their wedding in 2018, which I covered and published a 4-page print story, as well as additional stories online, an in-depth video that I produced, and extra social content. People’s Instagram post about the Chris Norton story had more likes than any other story that year, and was picked up by dozens of news outlets around the world.
Link to PDF of ‘Walk to Remember’ in the May 7, 2018, issue of PEOPLE.
Link to the PeopleTV video I produced and directed about the story, which had over 1.2 million views on YouTube alone.
LISA BROWN: From Modeling to Intensive Care: ‘I’m Starving to Death and I Can’t Help It’
A rare disease has whittled Lisa Brown down to 94 lbs., but she refuses to stop hoping for a cure. In 2015, I secured exclusive access with Lisa, her family, and doctors.
