EXPERIENCE
September 2005 to present: Freelance writer and communications consultant.
Communications clients have included SATAI (San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative), Leading Edge Associates, Inc., and National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders. Write feature-length stories for various publications. Have written for creditcards.com, The Dallas Morning News, Sombrilla (the University of Texas San Antonio quarterly magazine), Discovery (the annual UTSA Office of Research digest), San Antonio Express-News, PODER (a Miami-based business magazine), San Antonio Magazine, Planning Magazine, and Vista Magazine.
April 2001 to September 2005:Staff reporter
San Antonio Express-News. Wrote feature-length economic and business trend stories for special business section, including investigative reports, taxation, employment matters, equity investments and real estate for three years. Also wrote about family and children's issues for the metro desk for one year.
August 1998 to February 2001: Staff reporter
The Miami Herald. Covered Miami-Dade County education for the city desk. Constructed comprehensive database of private schools for eight-page guide. Analyzed student test scores using statistical regression model. Served as Miami-Dade affairs reporter for 2000 state legislative session. Worked as Saturday general assignments reporter for one year.
July 1996 to July 1998: Staff reporter
San Antonio Express-News. Covered five complex, diverse school districts including largest, poorest and wealthiest in a growing metropolis. Conceived and executed a six-day project comparing effects of home life, economic status, per-pupil spending, and peer influence on the education of two honors students living in opposite sides of Bexar County.
October 1994 to June 1996: South Jersey bureau correspondent
The Philadelphia Inquirer. Wrote the local school, police, feature and enterprise stories of three Burlington County municipalities.
June 1994 to September 1994: Intern
San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, California. Worked full-time covering general assignments for city desk, including local government, police and transportation.
January 1994 to June 1994: Stringer
Register-Pajaronian, Watsonville, California. General news assignments included city council reporting and feature writing. Assisted veteran reporters.
SKILLS:
• Adept with Microsoft Access and Excel. Computer-assisted reporting skills include importing ASCII text files, cleaning dirty data, querying data using SQL language.
• Proficient with Adobe Illustrator, SiteSpinner and able to learn other progams quickly
• Web presence on Slideroll, YouTube, Wordpress, Blogspot, Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr
• Photography equipment includes Canon EOS D-SLR Rebel XTi, 10.1 MP
• Conversational Spanish.
AWARDS:
• 2002, Hearst Newspapers Writing Contest, special recognition for feature writing: "Kids who Kill" series.
• 1999, Quarterly Excellence Award, The Miami Herald, for outstanding beat coverage.
• 1997, Silver Apple, best education reporting - print category, Texas Classroom Teachers Association.
• 1997, Phoebe Award, best education reporting - daily newspaper major market category, Texas Parent-Teacher Student Association.
OTHER:
• Secretary, Texas chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association, 2007.
• Foundation for Child Development Fellow, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland, 2001.
• Managing Editor, Asian American Journalists Association's Voices project, a professional mentor and college student daily newspaper collaboration at 2003 national conference. Voices professional mentor, 2000-2003. AAJA member since 1993. Attended two-day leadership training workshop, June 2000. Florida vice president, 1999.
• Trained through Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Attended regional workshops on business writing, financial statements analysis, and investigating private businesses.
• Participated in NICAR computer-assisted reporting boot camp at the Missouri School of Journalism,
January 2000.
EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Arts, U.S. History with emphasis on labor and immigration, Journalism minor from the University of California at Santa Cruz with college honors, 1994; University of California Regents Scholar.
Communications clients have included SATAI (San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative), Leading Edge Associates, Inc., and National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders. Write feature-length stories for various publications. Have written for creditcards.com, The Dallas Morning News, Sombrilla (the University of Texas San Antonio quarterly magazine), Discovery (the annual UTSA Office of Research digest), San Antonio Express-News, PODER (a Miami-based business magazine), San Antonio Magazine, Planning Magazine, and Vista Magazine.
April 2001 to September 2005:Staff reporter
San Antonio Express-News. Wrote feature-length economic and business trend stories for special business section, including investigative reports, taxation, employment matters, equity investments and real estate for three years. Also wrote about family and children's issues for the metro desk for one year.
August 1998 to February 2001: Staff reporter
The Miami Herald. Covered Miami-Dade County education for the city desk. Constructed comprehensive database of private schools for eight-page guide. Analyzed student test scores using statistical regression model. Served as Miami-Dade affairs reporter for 2000 state legislative session. Worked as Saturday general assignments reporter for one year.
July 1996 to July 1998: Staff reporter
San Antonio Express-News. Covered five complex, diverse school districts including largest, poorest and wealthiest in a growing metropolis. Conceived and executed a six-day project comparing effects of home life, economic status, per-pupil spending, and peer influence on the education of two honors students living in opposite sides of Bexar County.
October 1994 to June 1996: South Jersey bureau correspondent
The Philadelphia Inquirer. Wrote the local school, police, feature and enterprise stories of three Burlington County municipalities.
June 1994 to September 1994: Intern
San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, California. Worked full-time covering general assignments for city desk, including local government, police and transportation.
January 1994 to June 1994: Stringer
Register-Pajaronian, Watsonville, California. General news assignments included city council reporting and feature writing. Assisted veteran reporters.
SKILLS:
• Adept with Microsoft Access and Excel. Computer-assisted reporting skills include importing ASCII text files, cleaning dirty data, querying data using SQL language.
• Proficient with Adobe Illustrator, SiteSpinner and able to learn other progams quickly
• Web presence on Slideroll, YouTube, Wordpress, Blogspot, Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr
• Photography equipment includes Canon EOS D-SLR Rebel XTi, 10.1 MP
• Conversational Spanish.
AWARDS:
• 2002, Hearst Newspapers Writing Contest, special recognition for feature writing: "Kids who Kill" series.
• 1999, Quarterly Excellence Award, The Miami Herald, for outstanding beat coverage.
• 1997, Silver Apple, best education reporting - print category, Texas Classroom Teachers Association.
• 1997, Phoebe Award, best education reporting - daily newspaper major market category, Texas Parent-Teacher Student Association.
OTHER:
• Secretary, Texas chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association, 2007.
• Foundation for Child Development Fellow, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland, 2001.
• Managing Editor, Asian American Journalists Association's Voices project, a professional mentor and college student daily newspaper collaboration at 2003 national conference. Voices professional mentor, 2000-2003. AAJA member since 1993. Attended two-day leadership training workshop, June 2000. Florida vice president, 1999.
• Trained through Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Attended regional workshops on business writing, financial statements analysis, and investigating private businesses.
• Participated in NICAR computer-assisted reporting boot camp at the Missouri School of Journalism,
January 2000.
EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Arts, U.S. History with emphasis on labor and immigration, Journalism minor from the University of California at Santa Cruz with college honors, 1994; University of California Regents Scholar.
