Carla McKeown

carlamckeown1@cs.com
www.carlamckeown.com

Writer. Editor. Journalist.

Multi-faceted writer and editor with experience in newspapers, magazines and digital media, as
well as with PR and marketing projects. Diversified skills also include publication layout, design
and basic photography. Proficient in a variety of software, including InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat,
MS Office and more, on Macs and PCs. Creative, yet organized and deadline-oriented.
SKILLS

Professional journalist with background in daily and semiweekly newspapers, magazines, websites
and blogs in a wide range of positions, from reporter to general manager.

Skilled in face-to-face, phone and e-mail interviews. Efficient researcher who utilizes an array of
resources.

Award-winning writer/editor with experience in feature articles/packages, news stories, columns

and editorials.

Excellent at communicating with a variety of audiences, from youth to adults, from the general
public to specific professionals.

Freelancer with experience in PR, corporate communications and media relations.

Team-player with the ability to efficiently handle multiple projects simultaneously, while at the same
time disciplined and self-motivated to work individually on solo projects.

Effective leader with motivational management style and history of building award-winning teams.
Successful manager experienced at training staffs at all levels of skill.

Experienced in online and social media marketing.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Graham Newspapers, Inc., Breckenridge and Graham, Texas, January 2003 to present

Niche Publications Editor, Graham, Texas, July 2007 to present
Develop, edit, design and paginate niche publications for Graham Newspapers, Inc. (a
division of the national media company Digital First Media, which owns five newspapers
and four radio stations in the area). Produce three quarterly, regional magazines, Living For
Better Health, The Senior Times and Todays Families, as well as other publications, such
as an annual community guide. Coordinate writers and editors at five newspapers to develop
and write stories from each community. Interview area residents and write feature articles.

Associate Managing Editor, The Graham Leader, Graham, Texas, August 2012 to present
Assist with production of semi-weekly community newspaper. Write weekly editorials. From
August 2012 to July 2013, served as Interim Editor, supervising the five-person staff.

General Manager, Breckenridge American, Breckenridge, Texas, October 2006 to July 2007
Supervised the production of the semi-weekly Breckenridge American, a Digital First Media
newspaper, during a period of transition for the newspaper. Duties included overseeing the entire
operation: editorial, advertising, circulation and pre-press production. Also, wrote a weekly
column, copyedited the paper, assisted with advertising development and design and worked
on special sections and niche publications. As part of the position, managed a staff of 6-7
employees, oversaw the local implementation of the budget and developed and put into action
promotional plans for the newspaper.

Life Editor, Breckenridge American, Breckenridge, Texas, January 2003 to October 2006
Responsible for the newspapers Life section. Duties included coordinating, editing and
writing features. Also designed the Life pages, took photos and wrote headlines and cutlines.
As needed, covered news stories for the editor. As a staff member, was involved in the
implementation of the newspapers website.

Freelance writing, magazines, newspapers and internet

1991 to present
Have written articles for a variety of magazines and newspapers, including Texas
Highways, The Dallas Morning News, Lubbock Parent Magazine and Health Today.
For five years, wrote and self-syndicated a weekly, regional food column.
Also have worked with a variety of businesses to write PR materials, ranging from articles
for magazines and newsletters to direct-mail letters and postcards. Other work has included
slide show/presentation scripts, how-to manuals, radio commercial copy, newspaper and
magazine advertising copy and customer questionnaires. Have created complete media kits
and single-page media releases for many products and services.
As a personal project, in 2009, created 365 Letters, a blog focused on the art of letter
writing (www.365lettersblog.blogspot.com). Originally, the blog was about a project to
write a letter a day in 2009. The blog continues with letter-writing ideas and postings on a
variety of related subjects, including information about stamps, the U.S. Postal Service and
other topics of interest to letter writers.

Lubbock Magazine, 1716 Buddy Holly Ave., Lubbock, Texas

Editor/Co-owner, September 2000 to May 2002
Assigned, coordinated and edited all of the editorial content for the monthly arts,
entertainment and literary magazine covering Lubbock and West Texas. Budgeted, dummied
and laid out the magazine. Conducted interviews and wrote articles, as well as first-person
essays and columns. Responsibilities included dealing with the public relations and
marketing representatives for a variety of community organizations and businesses, working
with average citizens submitting their information to the magazine and assigning articles to
professional freelance writers and photographers.

Department of Student Media, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

Editorial Adviser, April 1998 to September 2002

Assistant Editorial Adviser, November 1996 to April 1998
Provided daily advice and assistance to the editors and reporters of Texas Tech Universitys
student publications (a 400-page yearbook, a five-day-a-week newspaper and several
smaller annual publications). Every semester, worked with the editors to coordinate and
present intensive workshops, training the staffs in all aspects of their jobs. In a more

informal manner, met with the students on a day-to-day basis, guiding them as needed in
their work as reporters, editors and managers. After the newspaper was published, critiqued
each issue.
Additionally, attended annual national, regional and state workshops designed for student
media advisers. Also worked closely with the nine other professionals employed by Student
Media and served on several Texas Tech staff committees as a member of the Division of
Student Affairs team.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Lubbock, Texas

Food editor, May 1989 to November 1991

Features writer, November 1987 to November 1991
As food editor, coordinated, edited and wrote weekly articles and columns about food
for the daily newspaper. Designed and laid out the food section and worked with the
photography department to create illustrations for the section. As a features writer,
interviewed and wrote community-oriented articles about local, regional and national
people, from Barbara Bush to Lubbocks duck lady, from cowboy poets to Girl Scouts.

The University Daily, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

August 1983 to November 1987
As a student at Texas Tech, worked on the staff of the student newspaper, working my way
up from apprentice to news editor.
COMMUNITY WORK

Girl Scouts USA, Breckenridge, Texas

October 2005 to 2012
Served as leader of a Girl Scout troop and as Assistant Service Unit Manager for all of
the Stephens County, Texas, troops. As troop leader, conducted weekly troop meetings,
organized outings for the girls, kept up with the troop funds and supervised fund-raising
activities. As Assistant Service Unit Manager, attended council meetings and training
sessions, helped oversee monthly service unit meetings and organized other leaders and
volunteers in county activities and programs.
EDUCATION

Texas Tech University: Bachelor of Arts

Major: Journalism Minor: History

Texas Press Association

Between 2003 and 2006, took three online, continuing education classes offered by TPA in

partnership with the University of Texas School of Journalism. The refresher courses covered

the topics of news writing, features writing and headline writing.

Social Media Marketing

In June 2011, attended a Social Media Marketing Conference, participating in workshops

and discussion groups focused on topics such as Marketing in a Social World, Social Media

Tools, The Key to Social Media Success, The Art of Writing for a Social Audience, Managing

Your On-line Reputation, and Monitoring What People Are Saying About Your Business On-line.

AWARDS/HONORS
Under my direction, the Breckenridge American received many awards, including first-place plaques in
Sweepstakes and General Excellence at the 2007 Texas Press Associations Better Newspaper Contest.
The newspaper also earned awards in editorial writing, news writing, sports photos, advertising, feature
photos, news photos and sports coverage. The newspaper also received a variety of awards in the West
Texas Press Association and the North and East Texas Press Association contests.
In 2005, received first place for column writing at the Texas Press Associations Better Newspaper
Contest, as well as awards for feature writing and feature photography. Additionally, was instrumental
in the production of a special section that garnered awards at the 2006 National Newspaper Association
contest.
Under my advisement, the student publications at Texas Tech University received many awards
annually. The University Daily newspaper (now known as The Daily Toreador) and La Ventana
yearbook won Silver Crown awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, a national
organization. The award honored The UD as one of the top six student newspapers in the nation. That
was the first time The UD had won a Crown award in its 77-year history. The Texas Tech publications
also received numerous individual Gold Circle awards from CSPA, as well as awards from the Texas
Intercollegiate Press Association and Southwestern Journalism Congress.