Senior Communications & Editorial Leader | Publisher | Managing Editor | Strategic Brand Builder
Innovative communications executive and managing editor with 15+ years of experience guiding creative teams, building brands, and driving strategic growth in the publishing and literary arts industries. Proven expertise in organizational leadership, editorial direction, marketing strategy, and brand communications. Adept at overseeing cross-functional teams, managing multimillion-dollar product lists, and executing campaigns that strengthen audience engagement and visibility. Recognized for entrepreneurial leadership, mentoring creative professionals, and fostering inclusive, collaborative environments.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Strategic Communications • Brand Management • Cross-Functional Team Leadership • Editorial & Content Strategy • Marketing & PR Campaigns • Social Media Management • Operational Oversight • Fiscal & Budget Management • Stakeholder Engagement • Digital Strategy • SEO & Analytics • Adobe Creative Suite • Community Builder • Public Speaker
TECHNICAL PROFICIENCIES
Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator • Microsoft Office • Google Workspace • Mailchimp • HubSpot • Substack • WordPress • Shopify • Squarespace • Metadata Management (ONIX, Bowker) • SEO Optimization • Analytics & Reporting
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Publisher & Managing Editor | Unsolicited Press | Portland, OR | 2012 – Present
Founder and executive leader of an independent publishing house overseeing all editorial, marketing, and operational strategy. Lead a distributed team producing more than 300 titles across multiple genres.
Leadership & Strategy: Built and scaled a national publishing brand from the ground up, overseeing business operations, budgeting, and long-term strategic planning. Manage and mentor editors, designers, marketing staff, and interns. Develop organizational vision, mission, and culture.
Editorial & Communications Direction: Lead acquisitions and manage all stages of editorial production. Maintain editorial calendars and style guides. Serve as liaison for authors, agents, and media outlets.
Marketing & PR: Design and execute integrated marketing and PR campaigns. Write and distribute press materials and branded communications. Foster relationships with bookstores and media outlets.
Operations & Sales Oversight: Oversee distribution and retail partnerships. Manage inventory, pricing, metadata, and royalty systems. Analyze sales data for strategic planning.
Digital Strategy & Community Building: Manage social media platforms and campaigns. Strengthen community engagement through storytelling and analytics.
Freelance Writer & Editor | Various Clients | Remote | 2006 – Present
Write and edit for national companies and publications, including Staples, Overstock, Amazon, Yahoo! Finance, and Medium. Projects include branded content, newsletters, product descriptions, and editorial features.
Creative Writing Instructor | Oregon Writing Festival | Portland, OR | 2016 – 2019
Develop and lead creative writing workshops for middle and high school students, promoting creativity and storytelling.
Assistant Editor | Writing on the Edge | UC Davis | 2012 – 2013
Managed submissions, coordinated social media campaigns, and copyedited content for a peer-reviewed journal.
Founder and executive leader of an independent publishing house overseeing all editorial, marketing, and operational strategy. Lead a distributed team producing more than 300 titles across multiple genres.
Leadership & Strategy: Built and scaled a national publishing brand from the ground up, overseeing business operations, budgeting, and long-term strategic planning. Manage and mentor editors, designers, marketing staff, and interns. Develop organizational vision, mission, and culture.
Editorial & Communications Direction: Lead acquisitions and manage all stages of editorial production. Maintain editorial calendars and style guides. Serve as liaison for authors, agents, and media outlets.
Marketing & PR: Design and execute integrated marketing and PR campaigns. Write and distribute press materials and branded communications. Foster relationships with bookstores and media outlets.
Operations & Sales Oversight: Oversee distribution and retail partnerships. Manage inventory, pricing, metadata, and royalty systems. Analyze sales data for strategic planning.
Digital Strategy & Community Building: Manage social media platforms and campaigns. Strengthen community engagement through storytelling and analytics.
Freelance Writer & Editor | Various Clients | Remote | 2006 – Present
Write and edit for national companies and publications, including Staples, Overstock, Amazon, Yahoo! Finance, and Medium. Projects include branded content, newsletters, product descriptions, and editorial features.
Creative Writing Instructor | Oregon Writing Festival | Portland, OR | 2016 – 2019
Develop and lead creative writing workshops for middle and high school students, promoting creativity and storytelling.
Assistant Editor | Writing on the Edge | UC Davis | 2012 – 2013
Managed submissions, coordinated social media campaigns, and copyedited content for a peer-reviewed journal.
PUBLIC SPEAKING & CONFERENCE ENGAGEMENTS
AWP Conference: 2019, 2023, 2025, 2026
Portland Book Festival: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
This is Not a Quiet Panel (2025): Cover-to-Cover Event with Literary Arts and Up Up Books
Writer’s Workout Conference (2026): Speaker – Navigating the Business Side of Authorship
Jackson Hole Writers Conference (2025): Panelist – The Ecosystem of Publishing
Montana Book Festival (2016): Panel Speaker
SoulFood Coffeehouse (2024): Featured Reader
Oregon Writing Festival (2015–2019): Instructor & Panelist
EDUCATION
MFA, Creative Writing | Portland State University – GPA: 3.8 | Wilma Morrison Award for Outstanding Journalism | Philip Ford Award for Poetry
BA, English (Creative Writing) | University of California, Davis – GPA: 3.8 | Editorial Board, Writing on the Edge | Merit-Based Scholarships and Fellowships
BA, English (Creative Writing) | University of California, Davis – GPA: 3.8 | Editorial Board, Writing on the Edge | Merit-Based Scholarships and Fellowships