RESUME
Professional
info
I’m a longtime newspaper journalist and author entering the next phase of my career, building on decades of writing, editing, management, activist, and public speaking work.
Work
experience
Communications Consultant, Steven T. Jones Communications
January 2022-Present
Writing, editing, media training, press outreach, strategic communications, coalition organizing and political consulting services by experienced media professionals.
Media Specialist, Center for Biological Diversity
March 2015-October 2021
Does media outreach and training on behalf of the attorneys and scientists in the Center for Biological Diversity's oceans program.
Director, Guardian-in-Exile Project
October 2014-February 2015
After the Bay Guardian was closed, I started an Indiegogo campaign that raised more than $26,000 to create a final commemorative issue (released January 2015) and help preserve the paper's archives.
Editor-in-chief, San Francisco Bay Guardian
June 2013-October 2014
Managed the newsroom, wrote and edited stories, created runsheets and budgets, and served as spokesperson for this venerable alt-weekly newspaper until its sudden closure.
City Editor, San Francisco Bay Guardian
March 2003-June 2013
Edited and wrote for the news section of the paper and SFBG.com blogs, covering everything from San Francisco City Hall to breaking news to investigative features.
Author, The Tribes of Burning Man
Released February 2011 (CCC Publishing)
Wrote The Tribes of Burning Man: How an Experimental City in the Desert is Shaping the New American Counterculture, based largely on years of reporting for the Bay Guardian. Supported it with dozens of public readings and interviews with major media outlets.
News Editor, Sacramento News & Review
July 2000-January 2003
Managed the newsroom, freelancers, and interns; edited and wrote for the news and editorial sections of the newspaper, including writing the Capital Bites political column.
Staff Writer, New Times, San Luis Obispo, CA
Sept. 1998-July 2000; June 1995-April 1998
Wrote a wide variety of award-winning articles: investigative journalism, spot news, creative nonfiction, essays, features, think pieces, and The Shredder, a weekly column.
Staff Writer, Monterey County Weekly
April 1998-September 1998
Wrote cover stories, news articles, reviews, and the weekly Squid Fry column.
Reporter, Santa Maria Times
January 1995-June 1995
Covered business, agriculture, police, and San Luis Obispo County politics for this daily newspaper on California’s Central Coast. Wrote news, feature, and investigative stories.
Reporter, Auburn Journal
June 1992-January 1995
Covered the Placer County government and politics beat for this daily newspaper in the Sierra foothills as it became the fastest growing region in California. Wrote stories on everything from political corruption and civic life to crime and natural disasters.
City Editor, Lassen County Times
June 1991-June 1992
Wrote and edited stories, managed the newsroom, took photos, designed graphics, monitored the police scanner, and learned every aspect of newspaper production.
Skills
Writing
Editing
Research
Media Outreach
TV/Radio Appearances
Newsroom management
Computer-assisted reporting
Public speaking
Photography
Fundraising
Issue advocacy
Additional
experiences
Freelancer writer
Articles have appeared in dozens of media outlets around the world, including Associated Press, Sacramento Bee, The Hill, American Health, Common Dreams, Truthout, The Bold Italic, Boise Weekly, Twin Cities Reader, Redaktion, Albion Monitor, Alternet, Creative Loafing, San Diego CityBeat, Planet Weekly, Entheogen Law Reporter, and Las Vegas Weekly.
Forum host and Guest lecturer
Hosted several Bay Guardian community forums; guest lectured journalism and political science classes at Cal Poly, UC-Davis, University of San Francisco, Sacramento City College, Cuesta College, and the 826 Valencia writing program; did readings and discussions of my book at Columbia and Stanford universities, SPUR’s Urban Center, Mechanics Institute, Jewish Community Center, Black Rock City, and dozens of bookstores across the country.
Broadcast Commentator
Regular panelist on City Desk News Hour, Comcast's weekly television show in San Francisco, from 2007 to 2009; host of Alternative Ink, a BFF.fm radio show, in 2014; guest commentary on KQED, KGO, KALW, KMEL, KPOO, KPFA, KZOZ, KSRO, KCPR, KCBX, KSJZ, KSLO, and KSBY.
Labor Organizer
Member of the Workers for Biological Diversity Organizing Committee, which successfully unionized the Center for Biological Diversity in 2021, affiliated with Communications Workers of America Local 9415.
Education
California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)
Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism, June 1991
University name. Click to edit
2010 - present
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me and you can start adding your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. I’m a great place for you to write more. Tell a story about yourself.
University name. Click to edit
2010 - present
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me and you can start adding your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. I’m a great place for you to write more. Tell a story about yourself.