Professional Experience
First and foremost, I'm a writer. I see the world through words, and I'm constantly refining, refreshing, perfecting my craft. Take a peek inside my head and you will see a whirling mass of words assembling and disassembling into new ways to tell the stories of this crazy journey called life. After many years as a speechwriter, ghostwriter and communications strategist, most recently in the Obama administration, I'm now focused on a new and lofty goal, helping others tell stories that will change our world. Through Ellsworth Media Group (www.ellsworthmediagroup.com), I am working with amazing organizations and individuals fighting to move a progressive agenda in our nation's political epicenter, in the age of Trump. It's a new, challenging, ever-evolving reality that requires a renewed commitment to age-old ideals of equality and justice -- and the deployment of new tactics to help surmount a political environment dominated by anger, fear and division. Ultimately, I am excited to be in a place where I can tap
Expertise
Writer
20 Years
Editor
15 Years
Reporter
5 Years
Specialty
Women's Issues
15 Years
Environment & Nature
5 Years
Education
3 Years
Industries
Newspaper - Local/Regional
5 Years
Nonprofit
15 Years
Total Media Industry Experience
20 Years
Media Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)
Washingtonian (1-2), Grist.org (3-5), Northern Virginia Magazine (3-5), Smithsonian (1-2), Ms. Magazine (1-2)
Corporate Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)
Earthjustice (10+), Good Jobs Nation (10+), American Institute for Cancer Research (1-2)
Other Work History
President | Ellsworth Media Group, Silver Spring, MD 2017-Present
- Founder of full-service communications firm that uses the latest storytelling techniques to create messages that matter.
- Provide exceptional writing, editing and communications strategy services to nonprofit organizations and political leaders.
Senior Speechwriter | U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington, DC 2016-2017
- Obama administration political appointee, served as senior speechwriter for presidential Cabinet member.
- Crafted speeches, op-eds and congressional testimony on priority issues from economic policy to international trade.
Assistant Director/Speechwriter | American Federation of Teachers, Washington, DC 2014-2016
- Composed speeches, columns and op-eds for president and vice-president of leading teacher’s union.
- Developed and executed communications strategy for AFT constituencies and issue priorities.
Speechwriter | American Bar Association,
Foreign Language Skills
Chinese
Awards
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts
- Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation creative nonfiction writing fellowship
Washington Post
- Essay Contest Grand Prize
New Mexico Associated Press
- First Place Feature Writing
- First Place Contributor Continuing Coverage
- Second Place Spot News Coverage
- Second Place Continuing Coverage
- Second Place Investigative Reporting
- Third Place Science Writing
National Federation of Press Women
- Second Place Continuing Coverage
New Mexico Federation of Press Women
- First Place Continuing Coverage
- Third Place Reporting
