“I was born in Manchester England. Back then it wasn’t a place many Americans tended to visit unless they’d got lost on the way to Scotland.”
 
"When I was seven, I interrogated my father as to why the English were still in Northern Ireland when we obviously weren't wanted there. I refused to accept his answers of ‘it's complicated.’ After two hours, he left the room.”
 
“I arrived in the US as a foreign exchange student in 1988. American history and culture were not taught within the snobbery of an expensive English private-school classroom so the lesson on the American Revolution went something like this: ‘Oh and by the way in 1776, we lost the colonies.’ So when the exchange company asked me where I wanted to live, I picked the three places I’d seen on television- New York, Los Angeles and Miami (Vice). They gave my requests serious consideration and sent me to New Albany, Indiana.”
 
"I will always remember watching Bernard Shaw hunkered down in an Iraqi basement in 1990. I was burning with jealousy. So, a decade or so later, I joined Fox News as a film-critic. The response I received when I suggested anthropologists study Vin Diesel in a petri-dish was as close to the threat of aerial bombardment as I thought I could get.”
 
"As a journalist, whether on an investigative assignment or uncovering aspects of a story covering an event one must always go beyond due diligence. For me, the thrill of the hunt has become an addiction."
​

“Being a fundraiser for 15-years helped make me a better journalist. It takes a great deal of fastidious research, data mining, use of astute sources and informed quotes to convince a conservative foundation in Indianapolis to fund a production of ‘Naked Boys Singing'.”   

  

• Winner of 2015 Peter Lisagor Award for Exemplary Journalism – Best In-Depth Reporting in a Community Newspaper.
  
• Winner of 2016 National Lesbian and Gay Journalism Award for Excellence in News Writing (Non-Daily)
  
• Peter Lisagor Award for Exemplary Journalism Finalist, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 – Best In-Depth Reporting in a Community Newspaper.
  
• Nationally recognized in 2017 by The Algemeiner as One of the Top 100 Individuals Making a Positive Influence in the Jewish Community.
  
• 15 years successfully growing nonprofits through expert development, grant writing and public relations.

• Short and long-form breaking news, arts, political, educational and science features.
  
• Contribution of in-depth OpEds on issues affecting the Jewish community.
  
• All relevant research, interviews and copy completed individually.
  
• Weekly articles averaging 500,000 views and 1,500 social media shares.

• Award-winning, multi-part investigative reports on issues including criminal and juvenile justice, violence and human rights violations.
  
• Award-nominated features on arts, education, activists, non-profits and community figures.
  
• Q & A reporting and features with leading political figures and candidates at the mayoral, aldermanic, state and federal level.
  
• Compelling breaking news reporting for print and online media scooping mainstream outlets.
  
• Articles cited by national and international outlets, national advocacy groups and authors.
• Published over 600 articles averaging 40,000 views and 3,000 social media shares.
• All relevant research, interviews, photography, video and copy completed individually.

• Major gifts solicitation, grants, stewardship, research and leader of strategic development initiatives.
  
• Raised approximately $950,200 in individual gifts during year one: an increase of 115% over the previous year.
  
• Improved donor retention by 55% in year one. Improved sustaining gifts by 38% in year one
  
• Created and designed monthly newsletter, annual report, monthly mailers and ecampaigns.

• Primary event organizer of the Golden Apple Awards and Golden Apple Awards Central Illinois televised on WTTW and WILL TV respectively.
  
• Restructured both events turning an average $60,000 loss to a $300,000 average profit in under two years

• Wrote and presented on-air film reviews during Friday morning segments for WXIN Fox 59.
  
• Produced, wrote and co-hosted on-air program Saturday Matinee focusing on film and entertainment for WXNT Radio.
  
• Live and pre-recorded interviews with local and national filmmakers and celebrities.

• Generated over $3,850,000 in donated funds and over $1,950,000 in In-Kind Services.
  
• Increased organization annual income by 45% in year one and improved donated/earned income percentages by 60%.
  
• Originated and successfully executed two-year, $1.7 million capital campaign for building purchase.
• Created and executed print, radio, and television campaigns.
  
• Represented the organization in media and public appearances.

• Manchester University, United Kingdom, Bachelor of Arts: Communications
• American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Hollywood CA, Associate of Arts: Film Studies 

• American Jewish Committee—Advisory Board: community and political engagement. (2018-Present)
• Roosevelt University, Chicago College of Performing Arts—Advisory Board: Public Relations and Development Committees (2013-2015)

• Development Consultancy for nonprofits in Indiana, Kentucky, Chicago and California.
  
• Visiting lecturer at American Jewish Committee, Roosevelt University and Adler School of Psychology.
  
• English Tutor – Eye Level, Northbrook, IL
  
• Member: NLGJA, Society of Professional Journalists, Association of Fundraising Professionals.
  
• Author: The Last Circle (published December 2013/B&L Books).
  
• Screenwriter Represented by GSK and Associates, Los Angeles CA.
  
• Editor and designer of The Intersections— online community news magazine.
  
• Freelance feature reporting and theatre reviews NUVO Newsweekly, Indianapolis.

  

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