Gwendolyn Purdom
Writer, Editor, Communications & Content Strategist
RESUME
Professional
info
I've covered everything from President Obama’s keynote speech at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner to the underground world of female roller derby. I interviewed congressmen, cancer survivors, and public figures including Ken Burns, Gloria Estefan, and Hugh Hefner, and tackled my assignments head on spending the night in a 24-hour veterinary ER and chronicling my tryout to be a Washington Nationals professional baseball mascot — an account that earned a Dateline Award for local journalism from the Society of Professional Journalists D.C. Chapter. I’m endlessly curious and eager to tell the untold story.
The face of media continues to change, but I remain committed to its tenets of effective newsgathering and storytelling, regardless of their medium.
Work
experience
University of Chicago, Office of Civic Engagement Associate Director of Communications (2020 – Present)
Serve as lead writer and editor for the University's Office of Civic Engagement, telling the stories of the University's work to engage with our neighboring communities on the South Side of Chicago and throughout the city. Additionally responsible for managing day-to-day programs communications and media relations, and serving as a liaison and communications strategist with internal and external partners
Houzz Home Design Editor (2018 – 2020)
Culturess.com/Time Inc. Editor in Chief (2017)
Planned, wrote, and edited web and video content covering architecture, design, and the home professional industry; oversaw contributors; curated newsletters; developed cross-departmental projects
Skills
P2P
PHOTOSHOP
INDESIGN
INCOPY
WORDPRESS
iMOVIE
MAC & PC PLATFORMS
BUFFER
CANVA
Honors
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DC Society of Professional Journalists Dateline Award: Best of Local Journalism 2010
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Williams Prize First Place News Story, First Place Journalism Class Work (2009)
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Amaranth/Williams Prize First Place in Prose (2006)
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Coluccio Salutati Award for highest academic leadership and insight into host country, Italy
Oversaw all content, brand strategy, and social media at national site
covering women’s issues and culture; wrote features and news posts daily; wrote and hosted daily video content; managed freelancer team
ZMG | Ruckus Lead Writer, Special Projects Producer, & Host (2016 – 2017)
Developed, wrote, hosted, and produced lifestyle and culture web and television series; oversaw overall tone and voice of lifestyle brand TPSY and other ZMG/Ruckus projects
TouchVisionTV Host, Writer, Producer (2015 – 2016)
Reported, wrote, produced and hosted several TV and web series for multi-platform TV and media outlet
Chicago Tribune/RedEye Digital News Editor/Writer & Editor (2013 – 2015)
Created online story packages, edited images, videos, and galleries for the Tribune’s family of newspapers; proofed and edited all RedEye print and digital copy; hosted weekly movie series; reported and wrote feature and department stories
Preservation Magazine at the National Trust for Historic Preservation Associate Editor, Assistant Editor, Editorial Assistant (2010 – 2013)
Worked directly under editor in chief to develop lineups; manage overall copy flow; assign bi-weekly blog posts; edit and write news and feature stories for quarterly print and online magazines for national audience; proofread copy and layouts
Washingtonian Magazine Regular Contributor (2010 – 2018), Paid Editorial Intern (2009 – 2010)
Write monthly “Our Pets” column, feature, and departmental stories for print magazine on freelance basis; wrote online theater reviews; pitched, reported, and wrote articles for print and online editions; fact-checked; covered Washington area events
Education
Lehigh University (January 2009);
BA with highest honors in Journalism with Psychology Minor
Leadership: Brown and White Student Newspaper Editor in Chief; Managing Editor; Lifestyle Section Editor; Assistant News Editor; Stage Manager for Zoellner Arts Center’s production of “RED”