Michelle Locke

Berkeley, CA USA
http://www.michellelocke.com
28 Years Experience

Professional Experience

A journalist for 20+ years, I've covered just about every beat there is -- politics, crime, education, agriculture, you name it. Sports, not so much although I did once cover a welterweight bout. (Punishment from a cranky news editor.) These days I'm a freelancer which means I get to write about what I like, mainly travel, food, and wine (and a couple other beverages). My stories appear in major dailies like the Los Angeles Times as well as in magazines and online publications. I'm available for copy editing and for commercial projects, including case studies, website content and white papers. I'm neutral on the Oxford comma. Looking for lively, engaging copy? Try me.

Expertise

Editor 6 YearsPhotographer 4 YearsReporter 25 Years

Specialty

Education 15 YearsGovernment 25 YearsLifestyle 15 Years

Industries

Newspaper - Local/Regional 4 YearsMagazine - Trade magazines/publications (B2B) 4 YearsWire Service 20 Years

Media Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)

  • Scholastic Administrator (10+)
  • US Airways Magazine (10+)
  • Vineyard & Winery Management (10+)
  • Associated Press (10+)
  • Comstock's Magazine (6-10)
  • San Francisco Chronicle (3-5)

Corporate Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)

  • Illuminate PR (3-5)
  • University of California, Berkeley (3-5)
  • Shafer Vineyards (1-2)

Awards

AP California/Nevada Story of the Year, 2001. AP California/Nevada Staffer of the Year 1996.

Other Work History

I joined the Associated Press in Dallas in 1986, holding several positions including Texas Night Editor, Springfield, Mass. correspondent and supervisory correspondent in Berkeley. Before that I worked for 3 years as courts and political reporter for a North Texas daily.

Technical Skills

Picasa photo editing, Windows Movie Maker, Wordpress.

Computer Skills

Word, Excel

Equipment

Digital camera/video recorder, laptop, digital voice recorder.

FOOD & DRINK

Chez Panisse reopens after fire
(Associated Press 6/15/2013)
Real Men Drink Pink
(Palate Press 2/14/2014)
Taylor Fladgate CEO Adrian Bridge's thoughts on pink port and more.
Broadcast Booze
(Associated Press 4/15/2014)
Downton Abbey, Star Trek, other TV shows get into the wine business.
Cognac Chills Out
(Palate Press 9/20/2013)
Michelin Guide gets an American accent
(AP 11/15/2012)
Auction Napa Valley
(Palate Press 6/15/2013)
What it's like to visit the Napa Valley wine auction
Message in a Bottle
(Comstock's Magazine 9/1/2013)
Monterey county uncorks the power of wine tourism.

TRAVEL

5 Ways to Chill in Queenstown
(Fodor's 1/5/2014)
Ways to relax in adventure capital Queenstown, New Zealand.
Oakland Steps Out
(US Airways Magazine 1/1/2014)
Take a tour of literary London
(AP 3/1/2013)
Garden of earthly delights, San Francisco Botanical Garden
(US Airways Magazine 1/10/2013)
Five Free Things to do in Monaco
(Associated Press 11/15/2013)
Room at the Top
(US Airways Magazine 4/1/2013)

EDUCATION

How Should You Judge Your Teachers?
(Scholastic Administrator 11/1/2011)
A story detailing new requirements in assessing teachers with case histories of how different districts have approached the task.
MOOC: Will these four letters change K-12?
(Scholastic Adiministrator 7/1/2013)
Think Outside the Classroom
(Comstock's Magazine 8/1/2013)
Getting RTI Right
(Scholastic Administrator 6/1/2014)
Tips on how to avoid pitfalls when implementing the educational method Response to Intervention

PROFILES

Selling wine to Asia
(FIU Magazine 5/15/2012)
Winning with Wine in Placer County
(Comstock's Magazine 6/1/2014)
Profile of Dr. Grover Lee, who went from home winemaker to award-winning vintner in just a few years.

SCIENCE

A Fine Aged Biomass?
(BioEnergy Connection 4/1/2013)
A look at the similarities between making fine wine and making good biofuel.

TECHNICAL WRITING

Life Cycle Assessment
(UC Berkeley 4/1/2013)
Brochure detailing use of Life Cycle Assessment analysis when evaluating energy efficiency.

WEBSITE CONTENT

A brief history of Chardonnay
(Shafer Vineyards 3/1/2013)
Vows Among The Vines
(Tri-Valley Visitors' Center 12/1/2014)
Article giving the rundown on wedding venues in the Tri-Valley area of Northern California.

BUSINESS

La Tourangelle Cracks Nut Oil Market
(Comstock's business magazine 10/1/2013)
Monterey's Winning Wine Tourism Campaign
(Comstock's business magazine 9/15/2013)