Writer, editor and storyteller.
Bicultural and bilingual (English/Spanish).
Education
University of Texas, El Paso
Master of Fine Arts (in progress)
Bilingual Creative Writing
University of California, Santa Barbara
Bachelor of Arts
Political Science-International Relations
University of California, Los Angeles
writing courses
FILM TV: Creating Powerful Scenes
FILM TV Half-Hour TV Script Writing
FILM TV: Writing Funnier and Better Using Improve Comedy Techniques
Gavilan College
writing course
THEATRE: El Teatro Campesino, the Works of Luis Valdez
Yale
writing seminar
Thread at Yale: Storytelling for Modern Media
Professional Experience
Regional Brand Editor & Reporter, Law.com/The Recorder (California)
Present
- Report on Intellectual Property cases and issues across the U.S., including emerging case law on artificial intelligence, copyrights and patent and trademarks.
- Manage editorial priorities for The Recorder, ALM's California-focused digital newsroom in order to boost engagement and build audience.
- Produce two daily newsletters highlighting the most important developments impacting California's legal community.
Previous Editorial Leadership Roles
Central Valley Journalism Collaborative, Founding Editor in Chief (Merced, Calif.)
2022— 2023
Institute for Nonprofit News, Member Network Director (remote)
2020—2022
National Public Radio, Deputy Managing Editor, NPR West (Culver City, Calif.)
2017-2019
The Associated Press (various locations U.S. and Latin America)
June 1991—August 2015
From 1991 to 2015, I rose from being a news intern to a bureau chief and foreign desk editor, working from bureaus across the United States and Latin America. (Details below)
- Editor - Latin America Desk-Mexico City
- Chief of Bureau - Minnesota - Dakotas - Nebraska
- Deputy Chief of Bureau - Florida/ Caribbean business manager
- Supervisory Correspondent-San Diego
- Foreign Correspondent-Latin America
- International Desk Editor-New York
- News Reporter-Portland, Ore.; Denver; Detroit
McClatchy, Managing Editor, Merced Sun-Star
2015—2017
Time Magazine, Reporter-Researcher Intern (New York City)
Summer 1990
Languages
- English (native level)
- Spanish (fluent)
- Italian (basic)
- French (basic)
Volunteering & Leadership
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
City of Merced Arts & Culture Advisory Commission
Leadership Merced
Society of Professional Journalists
Latino Journalists of California (CCNMA)
Awards & Fellowships
RIAS Berlin Commission journalism fellowship
RIAS Berlin Kommission • 06/2019
California News Publishers Association - General Excellence
California Newspaper Publishers Association • 05/2017
George F. Gruner Award 1st Place for Best Feature Story
George F. Gruner Awards • 02/2017
California Newspaper Publishers Association - General Excellence
California Newspaper Publishers Association • 05/2016
APME John L. Dougherty Award-Finalist
Associated Press Managing Editors • 06/1995