Experience

Self-employed. Chicago, IL — Freelance Editor

2016 to Present
Deliver superior and comprehensive editing on critical documents supporting financial calls and updates for investor education and portfolio growth.

• EOI Service Company: Communications Specialist
• American Association of Individual Investors: Proofreader
• Global Lingo: Editor & Transcriber

Nurturing Wisdom. Chicago, IL — Tutor/Student Coach

2016 to Present
Deliver hands-on mentoring and direction to students for academic support and preparation for higher education entrance exams.

• Engage in customer-facing development to drive English comprehension to foster short- and long-term scholastic success.

CICS Basil Charter School. Chicago, IL — Middle School English/Language Arts Teacher

2013 to 2016
Contributed superior English language skills, operations management, and program development skills to deliver comprehensive language instruction while building a classroom library to pique student interest and support student language development.

• Developed and implemented a comprehensive curriculum that incorporated strategies to drive understanding in accordance with diverse learning styles to meet disparate needs of middle school students.
• Identified resources and secured funding to launch a classroom library, enriching the student experience while expanding campus-wide access.
• Assessed MAP and BAS testing data to develop targeted curriculum that met the requirements of students enrolled at a high-achieving charter school.

Chirp Radio. Chicago, IL — Writer / Promotions Assistant

2010 to 2014
Served a community arts program through a volunteer non-profit radio broadcast delivering music and promoting local artists and businesses through event planning and promotional campaigns.

• Maximized awareness and event attendance by reaching out to local venues and writing summations of events to draw attention and audience engagement.
• Drafted and edited scripts for on-air promotions, delivered through live and recorded broadcast initiatives.
• Contributed creativity, promotional expertise, and communication strategies to launch on-air giveaways supporting local community partners to generate interest and drive success for both the community partner and the station.
• Researched and assessed relevant events to ensure fit with the station’s audience and mission to develop community partnerships that capture audience attention and aligned programs to the station’s programming vision.

Rewards Network, Inc. Chicago, IL — Proofreader/Copywriter

2011 to 2012
Executed critical role editing and proofreading tailored, solicited emails to targeted members, ensuring quality production and distribution of client materials.

• Engaged customers to identify project vision and goals, editing materials to ensure an appropriate voice and message.
• Expertly proofread B2B and B2C marketing materials for distribution throughout print and web campaigns, aligning presentation to fit platform and audience.
• Coordinated multi-purpose project management to support the company newsletter, projecting trends and identifying appropriate topics and then writing, editing and compiling articles for ultimate publication.
• Verified materials against style guides, diligently ensuring in-depth and timely editing services for 13 independent commercial partners.

OfficeMax Corporate Headquarters. Naperville, IL — Proofreader

2010 to 2011
Contributed to the development and distribution of printed catalog materials through superior proofing and editing expertise.

• Analyzed catalog materials for grammar, consistency and style, making independent corrections on hard copy and electronic InDesign page files.
• Delivered organization and project management expertise to prioritize high-volume assignments to meet multiple critical deadlines while collaborating with copywriters, layout artists and merchants to ensure accuracy.

Publications International, Ltd. Morton Grove, IL — Associate Editor

2004 to 2009
Led multiple teams of cross-functional professionals to plan and organize book-length projects from conceptualization to final print production.

• Assessed and organized projects to determine priorities, assigning sections to freelance writers in accordance with areas of specialty.
• Expertly and creatively wrote introductions, chapter heads and decks, sales information and back cover copy to shape and edit materials for final publication.
• Collaborated with art directors and freelance contributors to guide the final appearance on all projects.

Skills

• Project Management
• Script Writing
• Creative Problem Solving
• Vendor & Artist Relations
• Production Direction
• Editing & Media Management
• Community Management
• Cross-Functional Collaborations
• Grammar & Communication
• Research, Writing, Editing
• High-Impact Productions
• Idea Generation & Fact Checking
• Social Media, Blog Posts, Reviews
• AP & Chicago Manual of Style Expertise

Additional Career Experience

• Time Out Chicago
  Reviews and blog posts
• Pitchfork Media
  Feature stories, interviews, and long-form reviews
• The Pitchfork 500
  Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present, Fireside, Contributor
• UR Chicago
  Profiles and capsule reviews

Testimonials

“Jason has spearheaded the effort to manage and edit an estimated 80 to 100+ product reviews...He often works on important spotlight reviews of the newest 'hot' products so that we can run them on the site before their release on market, thus increasing the amount of unique visitors."

"Jason has become an invaluable asset to our department. He works personally with each of our product experts to change and maintain the editorial calendar and adjust the website hierarchy as needed."

Education

Master of Arts in Teaching
National Louis University, Chicago, IL
Graduated June 2014

Master of Arts, Creative Writing
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Graduated December 2010

Bachelors of Arts, English Writing
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Graduated April 2003