EXPERIENCE

• 2008 to present – Part-time journalism instructor at Coastal Carolina University and co-advisor for the university’s newspaper staff.
• 2005 to present – Full-time blogger for The Sun News.
• 2005 to present – Full-time local columnist for The Sun News. Column has been published in several dozen other publications. Also write investigative feature pieces and serve on the newsroom’s leadership team.
• 2003 to 2005 – Business editor and weekly columnist for The Sun News. As editor, supervised a staff of three, including two experienced business team members and first-time business writer.
• 2000 – 2003 – Columnist and Business reporter. Wrote columns about the issues involved in race relations – human relationships – that are rarely discussed, and spotted, tracked and reported on real estate trends and business matters in the Myrtle Beach area. Created from scratch the first full-time real estate reporting and analysis beat at The Sun News.
• 1998-2002 – Co-founded Teen Summit, an annual event which provided 8th through 12th graders in Horry County and Georgetown County schools with leadership opportunities. Taught students how to organize and deal with difficult issues such as sex, education and public speaking.
• 1997-1999 – City council beat reporter, community news reporter, general assignment reporter, part-time designer and features reporter. In about a year, moved from designing a weekly calendar tab to full-time reporting, leading coverage of major local issues, such as homelessness in Myrtle Beach and two large biker weekends.
• 1996-1997 – Freelance writer for The Charlotte Observer. Wrote features for front page, local section and Neighbors.
• 1996-1997 – Resident Advisor for Love of Learning, a summer enrichment program held at Davidson College for high school students. Managed the college students who served as mentors to the high schoolers and helped teach.
• 1995-1997 – News intern for Davidson College. Wrote features and analyzed major college issues, such as the experience of minorities on predominantly white campuses, and was part-time designer.
• 1995 – Who’s Who Among Students on American Universities and Colleges
• 1994-1995 – Wrote for The Davidsonian weekly newspaper at Davidson College.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• A one-week Poynter Institute for Media Studies workshop on reporting about race and race relations. 2003
• A one-week Poynter Institute for Media Studies workshop on writing and reporting. 2001
• Trained as race relations facilitator by the S.C. Palmetto Project. 1998
• Davidson College, Davidson, N.C., Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Completed one-semester independent journalism study and several English courses. Other courses: Education, philosophy, chemistry, Calculus, astronomy and sociology. 1995
• St. Stephen High School. National Honor Society, Senior Class President, played three sports. Graduated 4th in senior class. 1991
• College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. Governor’s School for academics. 1990
• Claflin College, Orangeburg, S.C. Courses: chemistry and computer technology. 1989

AWARDS AND SPECIAL RECOGNITION

• 2010 — Second Place for General Commentary from the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors
• 2010 — Finalist in the Religion News Service Awards
• 2008 – Second Place for News series from the South Carolina Press Association
• 2008 – First Place for Narrative Feature from the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors
• 2008 – First Place in the Salute to Excellence Awards for feature writing from the National Association of Black Journalists
• 2008 – Honorable Mention in the National Society of Newspaper Columnists contest
• 2007 – Second Place for Series of Articles from the South Carolina Press Association
• 2006 – First Place for Enterprise Reporting from the South Carolina Press Association
• 2006 – Second Place for Series of Articles from the South Carolina Press Association
• 2006 – First Place for Column Writing from the South Carolina Press Association
• 2006 – Publisher’s Award from The Sun News
• 2005 – Third Place for series of articles from the South Carolina Press Association
• (Team Award. My piece involved documenting the final couple months of a dying woman’s life.)
• 2004 – Second Place for column writing from the South Carolina Press Association
• 2004 – Knight-Ridder Excellence Award nomination
• 2003 – Publisher’s Award for Excellence winner
• 2003 – First Place for column writing from the South Carolina Press Association
• 2003 – First Place for In-depth reporting from the South Carolina Press Association
• (Team award for coverage of the sale and bankruptcy of Georgetown Steel mill.)
• 2001 – Finalist in the Novello Festival Press Literary Award book-writing contest
• 2001 – Second Place for Public Service from the South Carolina Press Association
• (Growth on the Grand Strand. Team award.)
• 2001 – Second Place for Series of News Articles from the South Carolina Press Association
• 2000 – Honorable Mention in the National Society of Newspaper Columnists contest
• 2000 – First Place for Column Writing from the South Carolina Press Association
• 2000 – First Place for Spot News reporting from the South Carolina Press Association
• (Team coverage of shooting and beating death of an Horry County Police Officer)
• 2000 – Third Place for Humor Writing from the South Carolina Press Association
• 1999 – First Place for Feature Writing from the South Carolina Press Association
• 1998 – News Story of the Year from The Sun News
• 1995 – Wayne Cromwell Trend Setter Award from Davidson College for provocative newspaper writing