Big-Picture Thinker. Digital Marketer. Former Journalist.
I am a dynamic marketing leader who spent more than a decade as a journalist, cutting my teeth on news copy desks for the Riverside Press-Enterprise and Contra Costa Times in California, before making my way back home to Texas. I worked my way up as a copy editor at the Austin American-Statesman, ultimately running its news and entertainment sites, Statesman.com and Austin360.com.
I left journalism to lead content marketing strategy for a small but nimble online travel agency called Undercover Tourist. There, I discovered my talent for connecting with audiences through compelling content and killer SEO. My strength is in setting digital strategy and leading process improvements, particularly in e-commerce and B2C environments.
I am now leading marketing strategy for Sulit Press, a boutique book publisher, and working on my most personal project to date, a memoir chronicling my own quest to heal my relationship with food after a lifetime of dieting, restriction, and overexercise. I write the newsletter Almost Sated on Substack and am co-author of Show Your Work: Successful Women Share the Bumpy Roads to Their Biggest Wins.
When I’m not writing, you’ll find me mountain biking, hiking, or spending time with my family in Austin, Texas.
LinkedIn Profile
Specialties
SEO, Digital Marketing, Email Newsletters, Editorial Management, Content Strategy, Book Publishing, Video, Writing, Editing, PR, Print, Social Media
Content Management (CMS), WordPress & Blogging Platforms, Google Analytics, Project Management, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Video Editing & Scripting, HTML, CSS, Kindle Direct Publishing
Awards & Honors
YouTube Silver Creator Award 2018 for Undercover Tourist Channel
Universal Orlando Resort Blog Ambassador 2016 & 2017
Best Online Newspaper 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 & Star Online Package of the Year 2011 - Texas Associated Press Managing Editors
Newspaper Association of America New Media Fellowship 2005
Dow Jones News Fund Copy Editing Internship 1996
Portfolio
Articles & Blog Posts
Best Time to Visit Walt Disney World - Undercover Tourist
Ultimate Guide on When to Use Universal Express - Undercover Tourist
Key Things You Must Know When Planning a Trip to Disney in 2021 - Undercover Tourist
How to Pick the Right Universal Orlando On-Site Hotel for Your Family - Universal Orlando Blog
A Taste of MyMagic+ at Epcot International Food & Wine Festival - Taking the Kids
B2B & B2C White Papers/ Downloads
Press Placements & Interviews
Disneyland Vs. Disney World - Austin American-Statesman
10 Questions to Ask Before Booking a Vacation Rental - U.S. News & World Report
Universal Orlando Resort Hotels, Food, Entertainment & Rides - Visit Florida
How to Get More Theme Park Perks - Wall Street Journal
Video Concepts & Scripting
Useful Tips to Save on Disney World Tickets
One of my major goals was to create more video content in line with the company brand and vision - to educate customers planning visits to Walt Disney World. This script started from a blog post I also wrote, but it was boiled down to the absolute essence for the different audience.
Making the Magic Affordable
Under my direction, my team partnered with Walt Disney World Resort on a first-of-its-kind video series focused on helping families plan and save on their resort vacation. The series, created in collaboration with design, targeted key demographics and products, and saw significantly higher view durations.
Undercover Tourist’s Orlando Planning App Introduction
To promote the release and expansion of Undercover Tourist’s popular wait times app, I worked with my video editor to craft a script that focused on key features. It was distributed with press releases and published on the Undercover Tourist YouTube channel.
Landing Page Copy Sample
Ski Resort Planning Page
When Undercover Tourist began selling ski destinations, my goal was to make ski vacations more accessible and easier to plan for families, especially those who have never taken a ski vacation before. Like visiting Walt Disney World, planning a ski vacation is complicated and expensive. Many families give up before they’ve even started because of the overwhelming number of decisions. This page was meant to capture the essence of each resort in the short blurbs and get them deeper into the booking options. The data-rich ski matrix highlights key resort information to help families quickly scan to see which ones fit their needs needs.
Clean Harbors 100 at The Glen Landing Page
When Clean Harbors partnered with Watkins Glen International in naming the Aug. 6 ARCA Menards Series race the “Clean Harbors 100 at The Glen,” it saw the event as an opportunity to host a hiring event during the race weekend. This landing page was meant to raise awareness about the recruiting event and provide information for people who planned to attend.